Disclaimer

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Jeremy, Elliott, and Will are having a discussion in the newsroom.

Jeremy: I never understand the positioning the college teams do to get to bowl games.

Will: They all want a big payday.

Jeremy: Look at the Peach Bowl here. (points at line on a sheet of paper) First, they didn't want Georgia Tech, then Georgia Tech said they didn't want them- even though the contractual agreement between the bowl committee and the ACC says they should take the Yellow Jackets. Now they both want each other.

Elliott: It's all about making money.

Will: They want to sell out the game.

Jeremy: It seems sophomoric.

Will: Look at it like this. Georgia Tech wanted to go to a New Year's Day game because of the bigger payout.

Elliott: Not to mention the bigger publicity.

Will: The Peach Bowl committee, which consists of civic leaders, looks at the profitability of their game. A local team like Georgia Tech would not generate as much local revenue.

Jeremy: How is that? They would have a home-field advantage playing in their home town.

Elliott: The hotels and restaurants around the area would not make as much of a profit because the fan base is local.

Will: Fans could eat dinner at home, go and watch the game, and then go back to their own beds at home.

Jeremy: Whatever happened to the honor of just getting the best teams to play? And just being able to go to a bowl game?

Elliott: Us.

Will: The media has helped build the sport of college football.

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Dan Rydell emerges from the elevator wearing his leather jacket and wheeling a travel bag behind. As he walks toward through the newsroom, he looks very concerned as he examines the people and the business being conducted. As he works his way around people and desks, he is virtually unnoticed as everybody is preoccupied with their own personal tasks at hand.

Dan walks by Jeremy, Elliott, and Will, who are having a continuing discussion... "...confirmed for the Peach Bowl?" "Probably South Carolina, Tennessee, or Auburn..." Dan passes by Kim, who is on the phone... "...a quote from Labonte." Dan starts to walk by Dave and Chris, who are working on a story, when Chris notices Dan walking by.

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Chris: Hey Dan. Good to see you back.

Dan: Chris and Dave, how's it going?

Dave: Going good, Dan. How about yourself? How was your vacation?

Dan: Good. Good. Thanks for asking.

Chris: You working tonight?

Dan: Nah, I'll be back working tomorrow. I just stopped by to check on some things.

Chris: What's up with the hand?

Dan: I sprained it while playing basketball.

Dave: Ouch. It must have been a hard foul.

Dan: I injured it trying to dunk the ball.

Chris: You can dunk?

Dan: I can dunk.

Dave: Obviously not.

Dan looks at the two for a moment.

Dan: What's going on today?

Chris: David Chapman decked some guy at a college bar and smashed a bottle over his head.

Dan: How is he?

Dave: Chapman's been charged with second-degree assault.

Dan: I mean the victim.

Chris: Sixteen stitches and a couple of busted teeth.

Dan: Kiss the lottery pick goodbye, Mr. Chapman.

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Casey sits at his desk, talking on the phone.

Casey: (on phone) I thought you said they weren't coming. (listens) No, no. It's not a problem. I was just a little uncomfortable with you getting the whole family together for Thanksgiving. (listens) I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it come out like that. (listens) I don't know what I meant. (listens) Okay, bye. (hangs up phone)

Casey rests his head in his hands for a moment, before running his fingers along his cheeks and off his chin. He lets out a sigh of frustration.

Casey: (shouts out his door) Natalie, got anything on the Blues? Natalie?

Casey shakes his head and starts typing away at his computer.

Dan walks into his office and stands in front of Casey's desk for a few seconds.

Dan: Hey.

Casey looks up, surprised by his sudden visitor.

Casey: Hey. (pause) You're back? Already? Wait.

Dan: I just stopped by-

Casey: You're not supposed to be back from vacation until tomorrow.

Dan: -to check on things.

Casey: What's up?

Natalie pops her head in the doorway.

Natalie: Two minutes, Casey. Hey, Dan.

Dan: Hey, Natalie.

Natalie leaves, while Casey half lunges over his desk.

Casey: Nat, the Blues. Natalie?

Dan: Hey, Dan. Hey, Natalie. (gives himself a hug) How was your vacation? Great, thanks for asking. Got pictures? Sure!

Casey: Dan.

Dan: What?

Casey: How was your vacation?

Dan: Fine.

Casey: Tell me about it.

Dan: Later.

Casey: Then what's up?

Dan turns around and walks to his desk.

Dan: My desk is still here.

Casey: Well, we did have to move it when we had the wrestling match in here Sunday.

Dan looks distraught as he turns back to face Casey.

Casey: I'm kidding. Of course your desk is still here.

Dan: I tried asking Dana and Natalie and Chris and Dave, but they haven't heard a thing. Or they're hiding something from me.

Casey: About what?

Dan: Marcus Young.

Casey: Yeah.

Dan: Marcus Young?

Casey: What about him?

Dan: He was hired to replace me.

Casey: Yeah, this week.

Dan: Permanently.

Casey: What?!

Dan: I've seen the signs.

Casey looks shocked as he stands up from behind his desk.

Casey: What signs?

Dan: Marcus Young.

Casey: So?

Dan: He's taken my spot on the show.

Casey: You've been on vacation!

Dan: Not Bobbi, not Kelly, not A.J., but Marcus.

Casey: I can't do the show all by myself.

Dan: You should try.

Casey glares at Dan.

Casey: Daniel.

Dan runs his right hand through his hair. Casey notices that his hand and wrist are bandaged up.

Casey: What happened to your wrist?

Dan: Oh, that. I sprained it.

Casey: Are you all right?

Dan: I'll be fine in a week.

Casey: How'd it happen?

Dan: I sprained it.

Casey: I know that. How'd it happen?

Dan: Playing basketball.

Casey: Playing basketball?

Dan: I was at the gym playing some ball and I sprained it.

Casey: You fall on it?

Dan: I jammed it.

Casey: When you fell?

Dan: On the rim.

Casey: You fell on the rim?

Dan: I jammed it on the rim.

Casey: Doing what?

Dan: Trying to dunk.

Casey: You can dunk?

Dan: I can dunk.

Casey: Obviously not.

Dan: Yes, I can dunk. And don't you have a run-down you should be attending?

Casey: Okay. You can escort me to the conference room.

Casey and Dan leave their office. They walk in silence for a few seconds.

Dan: I'm thinking of breaking up with Rebecca.

Casey stops, and Dan joins him.

Casey: I thought you two had already broken up.

Dan: Kinda.

Casey: Either you did or you didn't.

Dan starts walking toward the conference room.

Dan: This would be a clean break.

Casey: I figured the 'don't call me, I'll call you' speech was a definite finality.

Dan: Well, she called.

Casey: And?

Dan: We talked.

Casey: And?

Dan: We made up.

Dan and Casey reach outside the conference room. Isaac and the new guy are coming from the opposite direction.

Dan: We got naked, and I spent the night.

Isaac looks shocked and disgusted.

Isaac: (to the new guy) Let's go in the other way.

-----

Rebecca is sitting in a cushioned armchair and is looking uncomfortable. Someone is off to her side with a notebook sitting in her lap.

Rebecca: I don't understand it, Dr. Ross. The meaning of it.

Dr. Ross: It's all right, Rebecca.

Rebecca: I don't understand... how all this happened.

Dr. Ross: Are you still having the nightmares?

Rebecca: Yeah. It... it stretches out now.

Dr. Ross: Are you comfortable talking about it?

Rebecca: No.

Dr. Ross: Can you talk about it?

Rebecca: I'll try.

Rebecca pauses for a few seconds while she composes herself.

Dr. Ross: Take your time.

Rebecca: It still starts out the same way. (pause) I find myself being drug out of my bed by my ankles. I hit the floor flat on my back, it knocks the wind out of me. Steve... stands over me, drunk and looking damn proud of himself. He grabs my hair brush off the dresser... and flips me onto my stomach. He begins...

Rebecca starts crying and Dr. Ross hands her a tissue to wipe her tears.

Dr. Ross: He starts to beat you.

Rebecca: Over and over.

Dr. Ross holds onto Rebecca's hand.

Dr. Ross: Steve's not here. He can no longer physically hurt you. He is still emotionally abusing you, and we need to work on that.

Rebecca: Yeah.

Dr. Ross: So, can you tell me how the nightmare is going now?

Rebecca: Somehow, I manage to grab the cordless phone and get away and run off to the bathroom. I slam the door shut, lock it, and I can hear Steve beating on the door. I dial a number. I start screaming, 'Danny, Danny!' Then somehow the door opens and Steve... starts... beating me again. I cover my face with my arms, and I can feel him... hit... hitting me.

Rebecca takes a few deep breaths.

Dr. Ross: Okay.

Rebecca: I take a quick peek, and I realize that it's Dan who is now beating me.

Dr. Ross: Steve has turned into Dan.

Rebecca: I then wake up.

Dr. Ross: Have you talked about this to Dan?

Rebecca lowers her head.

Rebecca: No.

The tears starts to pour from Rebecca's eyes. She starts to wipe them away with her tissue. Dr. Ross consoles Rebecca by placing a reassuring hand on her knee. We can see Dr. Ross saying some comforting words to Rebecca. Rebecca looks up and nods her head in agreement. She clutches the tissues tightly in her fist. The doctor says a few more words and we can see Rebecca say "okay."

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Back inside the conference room, the majority of the crew has gathered. Jeremy is seated and sorting out his notes. Kim, Dave, Will, and Elliott are having an amusing conversation. Natalie takes her seat at the table. Isaac and the new guy walk in from the other entrance. Dana stands at the head of the table as she reviews some of her notes.

Isaac: I wouldn't try that, Marcus. I would suggest going with the script.

Marcus: Okay.

Isaac: It's a good idea, though. Maybe we'll try it some other time.

Marcus: Thanks, Mr. Jaffee.

Isaac and Marcus both take a seat.

Marcus is a handsome man with brown hair and brown eyes, and he could easily be mistaken for a model. He looks to be in his mid-twenties, and he is prepared as he carries some notes with him. He looks upbeat and carries himself with confidence.

Dana: Okay, people. The numbers haven't been looking too good lately.

There is no response as everybody seems to be preoccupied with something else.

Dana: People, let's focus here.

Everyone focuses on Dana.

Dana: Thank you. As I was saying, our ratings have been dipping this month.

Kim: It's all the election coverage.

Dana: Thanks, Kim. We've been getting creamed by the news networks. ESPN has been taking a hit, but not as big as us.

Dave: Is there anything we can do about it?

Dana: I figure I'll be heading directly to the west wing of the White House in January.

Chris: I'll go with you down there.

Elliott: What would you do at the west wing?

Dana: I'm going to smack the President, whoever he is, and tell him that he's been screwing up my show.

Isaac: I think Florida has a part in this also.

Dana: Good. I'll go down and smack them, too.