[ Joe Cocker's "With a Little Help From My Friends" plays ]
♪ Baby ♪
♪ By with a little help from my friends ♪
♪ Said I'm gonna make it with my friends ♪
♪ Try with a little help from my friends ♪
♪ Oh, I'm gonna keep on trying ♪
♪ High with a little help from my friends ♪
♪ I'm gonna keep on trying now, baby ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
At some point in your teenage years,
If you're lucky, you make a discovery.
You find out you're actually good at something.
It's that critical juncture
Where talent becomes expertise...
Kinda.
It's your chance to star.
Or...
[ whistle blows ]
End up flat on your face.
Two points... takedown! Good move, Arnold!
Around the middle of my junior year,
I found out something about myself.
Kevin, I can't breathe!
This'll just take a second.
For some strange reason...
Don't ask me how, don't ask me why...
[ whistle blows ]
Pin!
I was good at wrestling.
Good combinations in there.
All right. Who's next for Arnold?
[ Clears throat ]
Not to brag or anything.
Hey, sorry, chuck.
I guess you're just havin' a bad day.
Of course, I didn't mind gloating a little.
I don't understand it. I did everything right.
Uh, no, when you do everything right,
It's the other guy who's sore.
That's very funny.
I just wish we'd start softball again.
Well, you are showing improvement.
Face it...
Some guys had it, some guys didn't.
And some guys...
Hey, Kev, why don't you go out for the wrestling team?
What?!
- ...Were lazy. - Well, why not?
I mean, you got this weird natural ability, right?
Hey, how much time do I want to spend
Jammed into some guy's armpit?
The way I saw it,
Having a weird natural ability was one thing,
But getting serious about it was another.
[ school bell rings ] You're Arnold, right?
Until I ran into Mr. Clean.
Uh... I guess so.
What do you mean? You're not sure?
No, I'm sure.
But I still didn't know who this guy was.
I'm Silva, the wrestling coach.
Oh. Hey, how you doing?
Your P.E. Teacher gave me your name.
I heard you can wrestle.
Well...
You know, I'm not that good.
I didn't say I heard you were good.
I said I heard you can wrestle.
Well... Yeah, I guess I can.
I hate to see talent go to waste.
What are you... about 140?
Yeah.
Of course I had that jelly doughnut after lunch.
I got a slot open at 140. You want to give it a shot?
Well...
And there you had it.
I'd been wooed, recruited, and signed,
Without so much as a tryout.
So, of course, I said...
I don't think so.
I mean... You know...
It just seems like too much... Work.
Well, if that's how you feel about it.
I kind of do.
Fine.
But you might do yourself some good.
You get to compete, get yourself in shape...
Maybe lose some of that baby fat.
Wait a minute. Baby fat?
Look, I've just got a lot of things to do these days.
[ School bell rings ]
All right. Suit yourself.
I mean, hey, I didn't have to stand there
And put up with those insults.
Baby fat? Pfft!
In fact, I'd just put the whole thing out of my mind.
[ TV chatter ]
Wayne?
Does this look like fat?
What?!
Nah, look.
Everybody gets that.
It's part of what they call the maturing process.
Evidently the only part in which Wayne participated.
What, are you watching your figure or something?
- [ Chuckles ] - No.
Just the coach asked me to try out for the wrestling team.
You?
[ laughs ] [ door opens ]
What's so funny? [ door closes ]
Dad, butthead's going out for wrestling.
Okay. It was time for a little encouraging moral support.
The wrestling team?
Come on. What's wrong with that?
Nothing.
It's just a pretty big commitment.
So? I commit!
I've committed to lots of things.
[ laughs ] yeah, right.
Mr. Commitment.
[ laughs ]
Then again, I didn't have to sit around here
With a bunch of fat guys.
[ whistle blows ]
Let's go. Let's see some energy.
I... Was a wrestler.
So I decided to give it a shot...
Show up for practice,
Help out the team.
Work that mat.
Good. Get out of that.
I mean, the guy
Had practically given me an engraved invitation.
Good. Good.
Hey, coach.
You're late!
Unless, of course, it got lost in the mail.
Practice starts at 3:45.
You're late for practice, you do five extra laps.
You're late two days in a row,
Don't bother showing up on day three.
[ Whistle blows ]
- Nice seeing you, too. - What?
Nothing.
All right. You, you, you, over here.
Let's try some breakdowns.
Still, maybe this wouldn't be so tough.
Figured I'd watch some demonstrations,
See a few holds...
Arnold.
You're up.
Or be the guinea pig.
Me?
Spider. Come here.
Let's see what this guy can do.
Okay, then. I could handle this.
It was pretty clear
I had a basic advantage over this guy...
Starting positions.
Mainly, poundage.
You know what to do?
Yeah, sure.
Yeah, this was gonna be a piece of cake.
Okay...
Wrestle!
[ Grunts ]
Hmm.
Arnold, you get the point here, right?
He makes a move, you counter.
Yeah. Yeah, I just... Wasn't ready.
All right. Once more.
You ready?
Yeah.
[Chuckles]
Fool me once, shame on you.
Wrestle!
All right, Arnold, get some leverage.
Get some leverage in there!
The thing was,
This was really a lot like gym class,
With one small difference...
In gym class, I was the guy on top.
All right, that's enough.
[ Whistle blows ]
Not that I wasn't having fun.
All right, spider. Thanks.
Piece of cake.
The rest of you...
Pair up by weight class.
Let's get to work on some counters.
Wait a minute.
That's it?
Why'd you let him pin you like that?
Of course, looking back,
I probably just should have promised to do better.
But instead...
Yeah, well...
You know, these shorts are really hard to wrestle in!
I made excuses.
I see.
And anyway, I didn't let him pin me.
He was pretty much there.
And besides,
You got to save something for the meets, right?
Oh, is that right?
Rodgers, come on, show me that pinning combo!
Come on!
Look, I just don't think you've seen what I can do yet.
I've seen enough for one day.
Keep working, keep working!
I couldn't believe it.
How could you even call that a practice?
I mean, first, I wasn't even ready.
And then the kid pulls this...
Pretzel hold I've never even seen before.
I'd about had it.
Why do I put myself through this?
After one afternoon,
I'd decided to put an end to my wrestling career.
That must really hurt.
♪ Let's get it on ♪
Then again...
♪ let's get it on ♪
♪ Let's love, baby ♪
He also mashed my chin.
It'll probably look a lot worse tomorrow.
♪ Let's get it on ♪
♪ Whoo-hoo ♪
And you should have seen the guy.
He was a giant.
I never knew what it would be like.
What?
You know... Dating a jock.
Oh.
I just wish I could make it all better.
♪ There's nothin'... ♪
So, I decided to give the sport another chance.
Hey, coach!
We've been at this an hour! How about a break?
Oh, I see.
Now that you've mastered it.
Whoops.
See, maybe the coach and I
Had gotten off on the wrong foot...
Metaphorically speaking.
Listen, coach, I think
Maybe you're gettin' the wrong idea about me.
Uhhuh. And why is that?
Well, you know, I'm a lot better
Than I'm showing you here.
Oh, is that right?
Yeah.
[ Scoffs ]
I mean, I beat every guy in P.E.
Uhhuh. And who were they again?
I suddenly realized the names
Chuck Coleman and Skeeter Lutz
Weren't guaranteed to impress.
Look, everyone knows I'm good at this!
[ Whistle blows ]
In case anybody didn't hear,
Arnold here says he's a lot better than he looks!
[ laughter ]
Now everybody knows.
[ Whistle blows ]
That's it for today!
How about five laps to celebrate Mr. Arnold's greatness?
Guess the message was clear.
In two days, I'd gone from blue-chip prospect
To team laughingstock.
Okay, you guys, let's hit the showers!
I guess some guys have so much talent...
They don't even need to run laps.
Is that right, Arnold?
No.
I'm just really beat.
You're beat?
Arnold, in the next couple of days,
I'm gonna make up a list of the new members of this team.
Do you want to be on that list or not?
Now, of course I said
What any self-respecting teenager
Would say in this situation...
I don't care.
Speak up.
I don't have time to screw around with you, Arnold.
Do you want to be on this team or not?!
I want an answer... yes or no.
I wanted to tell him exactly
Where he and his team could go.
But what I heard myself say was...
Yes.
And the worst part was...
I really meant it.
[ Indistinct conversations, cash register dings ]
So, how's it going, haystacks?
How's what going?
The wrestling! What else?
Well, it's going. Okay, chuck?
During the next couple of days,
The pressure began to build.
A little edgy, aren't we?
It's just that the first meet is coming up.
You gonna wrestle that guy gurney?
What's a gurney?
Doug gurney!
This guy took state last year.
Kid's made out of, like, titanium, or something! Chuck!
I mean, he's pinned everybody he's faced.
He's, like, the King Kong of wrestling!
I'm definitely going to this match.
I wouldn't miss it.
You don't want to do that.
I mean, I might not even get to wrestle.
Much less make the team.
Of course you're gonna get to wrestle.
You're a natural!
You beat me, didn't you?
Face it, Kev... I mean, you've got a gift.
Terrific.
I was the only nonstarter
With his own personalized fan club.
You're gonna be great!
Can't wait to see you out there, man.
Thanks.
Yeah.
There was only one thing to do...
Fall back on my God-given talent.
Aren't you ever gonna get that reversal right?
[ Sighs ] I'm doin' the best I can.
Are you?
What's that supposed to mean?
It means what it means.
Great. I'm talking talent, this guy's giving me Zen logic.
[ groans ] [ whistle blows ]
All right, listen up!
We got a big match coming up against the Spartans.
Not only do they have Doug gurney,
But they're tough in every weight class.
I'll be posting the new team roster tomorrow.
But I didn't need a pep talk,
And I didn't need any team roster
To tell me exactly where I stood with this guy.
What can I do for you?
Heck, no sense in dragging this out.
Well, uh... I thought we could talk...
You know, about this whole thing.
I mean...
I guess we both know
That it's really not working out, right?
It was time to end it... no hard feelings.
Not that it's anyone's fault or anything.
It's just you want out.
What?
I'm not surprised.
You wanted to quit ever since you first came in here.
Well, no, that's not exactly true.
I mean, you're the one who asked me to be a part...
Well, maybe I made a mistake.
What's that supposed to mean?
What it means is,
Some kids have what it takes,
And some kids just have excuses!
I couldn't believe it.
I had come to bury the hatchet,
And this guy wanted my scalp.
Yeah, well, for your information,
You haven't really given me much of a chance!
Is that so?
Yeah.
Okay, in that case...
Now's your chance.
What?
You say you can wrestle?
Show me.
What, here?
With you?
Do you see anybody else standing around here?
Come on, Arnold.
What, are you afraid you might look foolish? No.
- Or are you just afraid? - No! That's not it!
Come on, Arnold.
I've seen your act, I've heard your alibis,
I've heard your stories.
Here's your chance. Show me what you're made of.
And even though I knew it was a trap,
At that moment, I just saw red.
[ grunting ]
Why don't you give up?
No.
Come on. Give up!
You know you want to.
[ Exhales sharply ]
It was just about the worst moment of my life.
And then it got worse.
Oh, yeah, by the way... you made the team.
The rest of that week
I felt like I'd fallen into a bottomless pit,
With no way out.
The thing that hurt most was
Something I had been good at once
Had somehow turned bad.
I'd failed.
Yet, for some reason, there I was,
A member of the team.
And I didn't know why.
[ crowd cheering ]
That Friday night, the place was packed.
Don't let him get that ankle!
It seemed like half the high school had shown up...
[ whistle blows ]
Including my fan club.
Of course I was there, too... on the bench.
I'd been too embarrassed to call in sick with the flu.
[ cheers and applause ]
But even if I was wearing the uniform,
I knew one thing for sure... I was never gonna wrestle.
Not on this team, not in a million years.
Will the contestants of the 140-pound weight class
Please prepare for their match?
Nope. I was just gonna sit here... forever.
Doug gurney for the green team!
[ Cheers and applause ]
And Bill Larsen from the red team.
Larsen, I'm moving you up in weight class.
Sit this one out. Arnold, you're up.
Me?
You're the one I'm looking at.
But that's Doug gurney out there!
Yeah?
[ Crowd chanting "gurney!" ]
I realized it wasn't enough to have me under his thumb,
He wanted to totally destroy me...
May I have your attention, please?
There's been a change in the lineup.
Kevin Arnold will now be wrestling Doug gurney.
In front of everyone.
[ cheers and applause ]
So, there was only one thing to do...
Set out like a lamb to slaughter.
I mean, what did I really have to lose?
Gentlemen, shake hands.
Go get 'im, Kev!
I prepared myself to be torn to pieces...
Come on, you can take him, Kev!
Ripped limb from limb.
And then the impossible happened.
[ whistle blows ]
I actually scored two points.
Two takedown, red.
All right, Kevin!
It was astonishing, it was a miracle...
[ both grunting ]
It was temporary.
And suddenly, this guy had me in a hold
I'd never even seen before.
Come on, Kevin!
So I did what came naturally...
I fled.
Good move. Good move. [ whistle blows ]
That's gonna be a warning, red... fleeing the mat.
Hey, red, you're down.
It was embarrassing, humiliating,
But there was no way out.
It was a living, breathing nightmare.
[ whistle blows ]
And that's when it happened.
Come on, kid, give up. Make it easy on yourself.
I was beaten, finished.
Don't let him pin you. Don't let him pin you!
All I wanted to do was lay my shoulder
Against that mat, but for some reason...
- Come on! - ...I didn't.
Something inside wouldn't let me.
[ straining ] just lay down.
[ Straining ] you first.
Come on, Kev, fight him! Fight him!
No matter how many points this guy racked up,
I wasn't gonna let him pin me.
That night, maybe for the first time in my life,
I committed myself to something.
Come on, Kev. Do it! Do it!
I left the excuses, I dumped the alibis,
I went for broke.
I was a wrestler,
And I gave it everything I had.
Hang tough, kid.
[ Buzzer sounds ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
Shake hands.
Sure, maybe the score may have been lopsided,
And maybe a kid named gurney got the win,
But for me, it was a victory.
15...2.
Yeah.
I told you I was good.
All right, Kevin.
Way to go. Good job.