Gauntlet 2.5 - Ready for Kick-Off

Gauntlet : Ready for Kick-Off
Genre : Sports / Drama
Showrunner: Antoine Fuqua
Writer : Matt Parker

Cast: William Fichtner, Josh Duhamel, Trevor Jackson, Eric Roberts, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jared Keeso, Corey Hawkins and Saffron Burrows

Plot:Tim Collins (Josh Duhamel) arrives at the players parking lot at Memphis Municipal Stadium. He walks through the corridors and into the home locker room. None of the other players talk to him as he makes his way through the room to his locker. He sits down at his locker, right next to the locker of the man who took his job, Alex Wright (Patrick Schwarzenegger). Wright seems oblivious to the situation and asks Collins how he's doing. Collins says he's doing fine for a man who lost his job.

Coach Ken Heath (William Fichtner) calls Tim Collins into his office. Collins sits down across from Heath, but he's obviously not happy to see him. Heath apologizes for not keeping his promise to tell Collins his decision before the press got hold of it. Collins says the press didn't "get hold of it", Heath announced it at a goddamn press conference. Heath says it was a regrettable turn of events, but he felt he didn't much of a choice in the matter since the team's owner, Leonard Palmer, was breathing down his neck. Nonetheless, Heath asks Collins if he can help show Wright the ropes.

Jefferson Thomas (Trevor Jackson) sits at his locker trying to pump himself up for the game, but his mind is clearly elsewhere. Offensive coordinator Stan Swift (Jared Keeso) is going over some passing routes with Alex Wright and wide receiver DeAndre Colson (Corey Hawkins. He calls Thomas over to look over the routes as well. Thomas tells Swift he's already looked over everything and now just needs to get his head in the right place. Swift says the best way to do that is to take a looks at the x's and o's, but Thomas just looks at Wright and tells him if he hands him the ball he'll make sure points end up on the board.

As the team is getting closer to taking the field, Collins returns to his locker and starts giving Wright pointers on the New York Americans' defense. Wright immediately begins taking notes on what he says. Swift tries to counter what Collins is saying, but gives up after not having any good arguments against Collins' points.

Coach Heath comes out of his office and addresses the team in the locker room. He tells the team it's a new season. Every single team in the league has the same record and the same chance at making it to the championship. He tells everyone that this could, should and better be their turn. Memphis has never won the championship and he figures this year is as good as any to change that.

Owner Leonard Palmer (Eric Roberts) entertains his guests in the owners box as he does every opening week. He congratulates Sharon Matthews (Saffron Burrows) on being up in the polls for Governor of Tennessee, but adds that she could always use more fundraising money. Sharon turns to him and asks if he's still trying to get her to green light a new stadium. Palmer confirms that is what he is getting at, and she says that if the price is right she can look into it.