Disclaimer

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Inside the newsroom, phones are ringing, people are moving, and paper is flying off the wire. The monitors throughout the room each play a different game in progress.

Dana walks in wearing football pants, a Denver Broncos jersey, and black-out under her eyes.

Dana: Okay, people! I need the Big Ten and Big East over with Natalie, ACC and SEC with Kim, and the Big Twelve and Conference USA with me!

Elliott walks by Dana holding a video tape and wearing a construction worker outfit, complete with hardhat and tool belt.

Elliott: I need graphics!

Dana walks by the video tape library. She stops when something catches the corner of her eye. She turns and sees a surfboard leaning against the wall. Dana shakes her head and continues walking.

Dana enters Dan's office.

Dana: Hey, Dan. Have you seen Bobbi?

Dan: She's finishing up on the afternoon games in the NBA.

Dana: Great.

Dana looks at Dan wearing his t-shirt and blue jeans.

Dana: We've got to be leaving soon.

Dan: I know.

Dana: You haven't come up with a costume, have you?

Dan: Actually, I have.

Dana: Why aren't you wearing it?

Dan: I've been working.

Dana: Hurry up, Daniel. I expect to see you in full costume before we leave this building.

Dan: Don't worry.

Dana: Do you know who has the surfboard?

Dan: I don't think your Denver Bronco motif needs a surfboard.

Dana: I'm saying there is a surfboard standing up next to the video tape library.

Dan: Well, it's not a part of my costume. I've got to cut a sound piece for tonight's NHL.

Dan starts to leave the office when Natalie suddenly appears. She is wearing a black and yellow wet suit.

Dan: I think I may have an answer about the owner of the surfboard.

Natalie: It's mine.

Dan: Mystery solved.

Dan leaves the office.

Dana: I didn't know you surf.

Natalie: I didn't know you played professional football.

Dana: I don't.

Natalie: I don't surf.

Natalie notices Dana staring at her tight outfit.

Natalie: It's a wet suit. It's what surfers wear.

Dana: I see that.

Natalie: Then why do you keep staring at me?

Dana: How... how in the world did you fit into that?

Natalie: A little bit of patience and lots of cursing.

Dana: Okay.

Natalie: Plus, I think I'm going to have to cut myself out of this suit at the end of the night.

Dana: I suppose so.

Natalie: The Big Ten and Big East are complete.

Dana: Is that what you came to tell me?

Natalie: Yup.

Dana: You just didn't come by just to show off?

Natalie: I look good, don't I?

Dana: Damn good.

Natalie: Damn straight.

"Arg, ye maties. Who shall walk the plank this twilight?"

Dana and Natalie look over and notice Casey in a pirate outfit carrying a cloth bag.

Natalie: Cool.

Dana: You're a pirate.

Casey: Yes, I am.

Dana: Why?

Casey: Was I supposed to be dressed as something else? Don't tell me Dan is dressed as a pirate?

Dana: Yes and no, I don't even know what Dan is changing into. Casey? Why are you dressed like that?

Casey: I thought we were going to the costume party, unless you are just warming up before kickoff.

Dana: We're supposed to be dressing up.

Casey: The invitation said everybody attending to dress in their favorite costume. Granted, a pirate wasn't my first selection, but I think the look is good on me.

Dana: The invitation was for everybody affiliated with the network.

Casey: Sooo... I'm not dressed properly.

Dana: Yes.

Casey: I'm not supposed to be in costume.

Dana: Yes.

Casey: I don't have clothes to change into.

Dana: I guess you're going as a pirate.

Casey reaches into his bag.

Dana: Is that your treasure?

Casey: Better.

Casey pulls out a fake beard and mustache. Dana laughs.

Casey: I can disguise myself. People won't recognize me with this on.

Dana: Uh, yeah. And what are you going to do when people come up to you asking you about information and maybe an autograph?

Casey: I'll just tell them that I work behind-the-scenes and I have no knowledge of the network. I'm just there to have a good time.

Dana: Okay.

Casey: It will work.

Dana: Whatever you say, Blackbeard.

Casey takes off his pirate hat and begins to put on his beard and mustache. He notices Dan walking toward them. Dan has changed his outfit.

Casey: Good costume, Danny.

Dan: Thanks.

Casey: Which boy band are you representing?

Dan: Excuse me?

Casey: You're not going to try and bust a move on the floor tonight?

Dan: Let me just start by saying that I am not dressed as somebody from a boy band. Next, please remove "bust a move" from your vocabulary. It makes you sound a little... uncool.

Casey: I'll make you walk the plank.

Dan: Yeah, right.

Dana: I see you're wearing a CSC headset, Danny. What are you dressed as?

Dan raises his arms and spins around to model his outfit.

Dan: Isn't it obvious?

Casey starts laughing.

Dana: What? What am I missing here?

Dan: I'm Dan Rydell.

Dana: Okay.

Dan: I don't think you understand. I'm Dan Rydell.

Dana: And I'm just saying... wait. You dressed as yourself?

Dan: I dressed as my on-air personality. I'm wearing what I wore while doing play-by-play during the college basketball season.

Dana: I think the objective is to dress as somebody different.

Dan: I am. My on-air personality is completely different compared with myself in the outside world.

Dana: Okay.

Casey: Dude, you had no idea on what to wear.

Dan: I gave it a lot of thought. I agonized over it, but I did give it a lot of thought.

Casey: Not enough thought I'd say.

Dana checks her watch.

Dana: Okay, people! I need everything complete in the next five minutes!

-----

Jeremy stands in a line inside a funeral parlor. He looks around the room, trying to spot a former college roommate, classmate, friend, or acquaintance. He doesn't recognize anybody.

Jeremy: Okay.

The line moves forward and he suddenly finds himself at the front of the line. He stands in front of the widow and her three children. Jeremy reaches out to shake the pale, limp hand of Sandra Bennett.

Jeremy: Hi. I'm Jeremy Goodwin. I had Professor Bennett... Tom about a decade ago. I was in several of his media and public relations classes. He was a great man. He influenced me to go into media. I currently work for CSC, and I wouldn't be there if it were not for him.

Sandra: Thank you.

Jeremy: You probably don't remember me. I was over at some of your cookouts. You probably had a lot of those cookouts-

Jeremy notices Sandra wiping her eyes with a tissue. Her oldest son, Carson, puts his arm around her.

Sandra: Thank you.

Carson: Jeremy Goodwin?

Jeremy: Yes.

Carson: It's good to share the memories, especially at this time.

Jeremy: Yes, it is.

Jeremy shakes the hands of the children, Carson, Jason, and Brooke.

Jeremy: He was very influential. I was telling my boss, "Sports Night's" Isaac Jaffee about Tom, and he sends his condolences.

Sandra: Thank you.

Jeremy: He was an extraordinary man. I'm so sorry for your loss and everyone's loss.

Jeremy looks at the growing line behind him.

Jeremy: Is there anything I can do for you?

Carson: Thank you for coming, Jeremy.

Carson reaches out his hand and Jeremy shakes it. Jeremy quietly turns and walks away.

-----

Dana is gathering everybody attending the costume party. Casey, Dana, and Natalie are currently the only ones in the group. Natalie sees someone coming and turns, nearly hitting Casey with her surfboard. Elliott in his construction worker outfit and Kim in her leather, studded biker outfit joins the group.

Kim: Hey, guys.

Elliott: Hey, Casey. I thought only the network-

Dana: There was some confusion with the invitation.

Casey: I am in disguise.

Kim: What are you, a Pittsburgh Pirate?

Casey: Arg. I am Captain Hook.

Casey puts his arm around Dana.

Elliott: Where's your hook?

Kim: And where's your peg leg?

"Everybody else is coming."

Dan joins the group.

Kim: Cool. Are you the cute one from that boy band?

Elliott: No, I think he's from that other group.

Dan: I am not from a boy band or a teenybopper group of any kind. I am dressed as myself. As surprising as it may be, I decided to dress as college basketball announcer Dan Rydell.

Kim: I guess you won't be winning the "Best Dressed" contest.

Dan: What about you two?

Elliott: We're the Village People.

Dan: You do know there were more than two people in the group?

Casey: Still are.

Everyone looks at Casey.

Casey: What? They're making a comeback. They're even talking about a possible tour.

Dan: Here comes Abbott and Abbott.

Dana: What?

Chris and Will enter the room, dressed identically.

Dan: They were going to dress as Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

Will: You were going to dress as Costello.

Chris: You said you were going to dress as Costello.

Will: I said for you to dress as Costello.

Chris: I think you said you were going to dress as Costello.

Dave enters the room in a police officer's uniform.

Natalie: Let me guess. One of the Village People?

Dave: No, I'm just dressed as a cop.

Dave looks at Elliott and Kim.

Dave: It looks like I might end up being associated with you two.

Elliott: We still have some openings to fill.

Dana begins taking a head count.

Dana: Okay, let's take a look. Is everybody here? Where's Bobbi?

Elliott: She's taking a taxi down there.

Dana: Okay. I think we are still missing-

Dana spots someone quietly approaching and is struck with fear.

Dana: WHOAAAHHHH!!! (falls to the floor)

Everyone quickly looks and sees a figure dressed in black and wearing a white mask.

"Why so silent, good messieurs?
Did you think I had left you for good?
Have you missed me, good messieurs?
I have written you an opera!"

As Dana pulls herself off the floor, the group starts clapping.

Casey: Way to go, Isaac.

Dan: The Phantom of the Opera.

Natalie: Awesome.

Elliott: Best dressed of the night, definitely.

Dana dusts herself off as Isaac takes off his mask.

Dana: I thought you were going in a hospital gown.

Isaac: I changed my mind.

Dana: You scared me half to death.

Isaac: To paraphrase, I guess there are worse things than a shattered Dana Whitaker.

Dana: Funny. Ha-ha.

Natalie: Let's go.

The group begins to leave the newsroom. Dan walks over to Isaac.

Dan: Good costume, Isaac, but if I recall correctly, wasn't the Phantom wearing a different costume when he sang and made that presentation-

Isaac: Isn't there supposed to be four more pretty boys in your little troupe?

Dan: Okay.

Dan rolls his eyes.

-----

-----

The "Sports Night" gang stand around talking with various people, ones not dressed in costume.

Dana walks over to Isaac.

Isaac: How's it going Dana?

Dana: I'm hanging in there. How about you?

Isaac: It's been very productive.

Dana: I think you're just scaring the hell out of everybody.

Dan joins Dana and Isaac.

Dan: I swear, I'm going to strangle the next person who asks me to sing a song.

Dana: Which song?

Dan: You know... that song where they sing and dance...

Dan begins to make arm movements and body gestures. He stops moving when he realizes he's the center of attention.

Isaac: I think you've got it down, Daniel.

Dana: I'm going to go work the crowd.

Isaac: Go.

Dana: So, Danny? What shall I tell the fans when your tour is starting?

Dan and Isaac: Go!

Dana leaves Isaac with Dan.

Dan: I thought this party was going to be just for the fans of the network.

Isaac: It is.

Dan: There's a bunch of advertisers here.

Isaac: Yes, there's some fans who paid for tickets and some advertisers who were given free tickets. Those advertisers are fans of the network also, and we want to make sure they stay that way.

Dan: Does that mean I have to sing and dance?

Isaac: Whatever makes them happy.

Dan sighs and shakes his head.

-----

Casey is standing off to the side with a group of people. He holds a drink in a plastic cup in his hand. He tries to take a sip, but the beverage ends up being absorbed into his beard and mustache. Instead of trying to take another sip, Casey does what everybody else in the small group is doing- paying attention to the college football game on the television.

"What a comeback for the team. Down by 9 going into the fourth quarter, this team stood up, took control of the game, and they are less than a minute away from victory."

Dan taps Casey on the shoulder.

Dan: I saw your special on Los Angeles after pro football left the city.

Casey: Yeah?

Dan: You guys did a great job.

Casey: Thanks.

Dan: What's going on?

Casey: It's the end of the game.

Dan looks at the television.

Dan: Coach Bowers is going to win his last game?

Casey: Yup.

The television monitor shows the football team hoisting their coach on their shoulders and carrying him onto the field.

Dan: That's something.

Casey: Where else could you win less than a quarter of your games and get carried off the field like that?

Dan: I guess he meant a lot to the team.

Casey: He taught them. He moved them.

Dan: Yeah.

Casey: You know what it also says?

Dan: That winning isn't everything?

Casey: That winning isn't everything.

Dan and Casey watch the football team celebrate their final game with their coach.

-----

Jeremy is walking through the parking lot toward his car.

"Jeremy!"

Jeremy turns around and sees Carson Bennett jogging toward him.

Carson: Jeremy Goodwin.

Jeremy: Yeah?

Carson: I wanted to thank you for traveling across the country for this. It truly means a lot to us.

Jeremy: Your father meant a lot to me.

Carson: I know. He told us.

Jeremy: He told you?

Carson: There were always people dad talked about. You were among the ones he was extremely proud of.

Jeremy: Thank you.

Carson: Thank you for letting him know how much he meant to you. Why don't you join us at the house for dinner tonight?

Jeremy: Sure.

Carson: You could share some of the good times with us. Tell us what dad did for you.

Jeremy: I don't know what to say... I... I want to do something because he shaped my life so much. I don't think saying "thank you" is enough. There must be something I can do to return my gratitude toward him.

Carson: If it's any help, because he knew he helped shaped your life, it helped shape his.

Jeremy nods and the two exchange a firm handshake. Carson thanks him once more and then leaves. Jeremy looks back toward the grave site, then looks toward the sky.

Jeremy: Thanks.