Gauntlet 2.4 - Memorial

Gauntlet : Training Camp
Genre : Sports / Drama
Showrunner: Antoine Fuqua
Writer : Matt Parker

Cast: William Fichtner, Josh Duhamel, Trevor Jackson, Eric Roberts, Jessie Buckley, Saffron Burrows and Kat Graham

Plot:On the final weekend before the season starts, Coach Ken Heath (William Fichtner) finds himself sitting at a memorial service for former player, Lincoln Tatum. Memphis Pharaohs owner Leonard Palmer (Eric Roberts) speaks before the congregation of mourners about what a special person Tatum was. Longtime former teammate, Tim Collins (Josh Duhamel), is also in attendance. Collins, bored of Palmer's words begins to scan the crowd. His eyes finally settle on his ex-girlfriend, Memphis Mayor Sharon Matthews (Saffron Burrows). She catches him looking at her. Collins gives her a nod and turns his attention back toward Palmer, who is now wiping away his tears as he continues to eulogize Tatum. Palmer finally announces that he is done speaking and invites Coach Heath to come up to the podium to speak. Heath tries to turn down the opportunity, but Palmer cajoles him into coming up. Heath keeps it short. He tells everyone that he enjoyed every day coaching Tatum and that he'll miss him, and then leaves the podium.

As he is leaving the service, Coach Heath is bombarded by reporters wanting to know if he's made up his mind on who will start at quarterback in the season opener. Heath calmly explains that it is neither the time nor the place for such a conversation. One of the reporters continues hounding Heath for information, even following him through the parking lot to his car. Heath starts yelling at the reporter and shoves him out of his way so he can get into his car.

The next morning, Coach Heath wakes up to find out people are calling for him to be fired after he supposedly assaulted an innocent reporter. When he arrives at the team facility, Palmer is waiting for him in his office. Palmer comments that Heath needs to address the media following the incident at Tatum's memorial. They need to do damage control before it spirals out of control.

Jefferson Thomas (Trevor Jackson) attends a yoga class with his girlfriend Gwendolyn (Jessie Buckley). After the class, Thomas autographs some of the other students' yoga mats. When they leave the building, Thomas runs into ex-fling Nikki (Kat Graham), who is visibly pregnant. Thomas is stunned speechless by the sight of Nikki, especially since she is pregnant. He asks her flat out if the baby is his, but she is not interested in talking to him. Gwendolyn asks Thomas what all that was about, but Thomas tells her that he isn't quite sure. She was someone he used to fool around with when he was partying, but he doesn't think the baby would be his.

Coach Heath holds a press conference in front of the team facility. He looks into the camera and apologizes for losing his temper with a member of the press, but he was not happy with the time and place of the reporter's questions. He is about to walk away from the cameras, but then he turns around and faces them again. He tells them he stands by his actions. A friend's memorial is no place for questions about the team's quarterback situation, and that the reporter got what he deserved. A few members of the media present clap for Heath's response. Heath then tells them that he is leaning toward starting the rookie Alex Wright. Heath then walks to his car and drives away.

Tim Collins, who was watching the press conference while working out, turns off his television. He drives to Sharon's house and knocks on the front door. Sharon answers and asks him what he's doing there. He tells her that he is no longer the starting quarterback of the Memphis Pharaohs. She opens the door further, and Collins walks inside the house.