January 17, 2006
Tonight was the homecoming basketball game against Scranton High School. The winner of the game would take control of the region and be the top seed in the Region tournament in three weeks. West Scranton had continued its great season after break, and people in the area were beginning to talk about the great job the coaching staff had done, especially the new assistant coach, Jim Halpert.
To build excitement for the game, Angela had agreed to help put on a pep rally during 8th period after much pleading from Michael. Angela was bothered that the kids would be missing ‘1/8th of their education’ that day, but decided that school spirit might also be a good thing. The plans were that the captains would give a little speech, the band would play, there would be a performance by the cheerleaders, and then Michael would say a few words before a faculty basketball game. Sides had been chosen earlier in the week with one team consisting of Michael, Jim, Bob Vance, West Scranton High School, Dwight, and Andy Bernard. The other team would be made up of Roy, Darryl Philbin, one of the janitors, Toby, Oscar, and Kevin. Jim was pretty excited for the game, if only to show off his game to one particular secretary. Jim walked into the office at lunchtime and leaned on Pam’s desk. “So,” he began, “will you be sticking around to watch the faculty basketball game today? I hear everyone is going to be there.”
“Really? Hmm. I was thinking about it, but if everyone is going, then I guess I’ll definitely have to make an appearance.”
“Good. Plus, you wouldn’t want to miss Michael and whatever he does during the pep rally, right?”
“Exactly. Jim, last year at one of the football pep rallies, Michael ran and tackled a freshman because he was wearing the other team’s colors.”
“Um…how does he still have a job, exactly?”
“Well, his punishment for that was that he wasn’t allowed to attend any more pep rallies. But he says that only applies to football, so he can attend today.”
“Seems logical. The punishment should fit the crime, right?”
“Yeah…he really shouldn’t be allowed at any events, but what are you going to do?”
“Right. Well, I guess I’ll see you there.” Just then Michael came out of his office.
“Jimbo! My main man! You ready to dominate today?”
“Um, sure, Michael. You know it’s just for fun, right?”
“Pssh. Fun. Jim, this is an intense competition! We are playing for pride! And there is nothing more valuable than that.”
“Right.”
“So get your game face on and get ready to go to the hole hard today. That’s what she said.”
Pam and Jim both rolled their eyes. “Pam?” Michael continued. “Are you going to be doing some cheers for us today?”
“No, Michael, I’m going to leave that to the actual cheerleaders, I think.”
“Can’t blame you for that. They are some fine lookin’…” Michael cut himself off at the looks of shock from Jim and Pam and continued, “some fine student-athletes. Their parents have got to be proud of all they accomplish in the classroom, and then they find time to cheer, which is a sport, you know?”
“Yup, it is,” Jim said.
“Okay,” Michael finished, “Jim, make sure you get good and stretched out before the game today. Don’t eat before you play, either. Rookie mistake.”
“Michael, I am a basketball coach. I know how to prepare for a game.”
“Right,” Michael said, “Just double-checking. Checking on the check. Just remember to feed me the ball, and I’ll bring it home.”
“Okay, Michael.” Michael turned to go back into his office, and Jim and Pam looked at each other and laughed.
“Wow,” Jim said, “this should be good. Alright, I’m gonna go. See you later, Pam.”
“Bye, Jim.”
At 2:30, all of the students piled into the gym for the pep rally. It began with speeches from the players, asking everyone to show up and be loud from the stands. Next came the band playing while the cheerleaders performed one of their routines. Then it was time for the game. But first, Michael got behind the podium that had been set up to make a speech. Angela had tried to dissuade Michael from speaking, citing his suspension, but Michael could not be dissuaded. When Toby had stepped in to try to enforce Michael’s suspension, Michael said, “Geez, Toby. The suspension was for football. And the suspension was ridiculous in the first place. I know you aren’t loyal to the school, having gone elsewhere, but the kid deserved what he got! You don’t come in to my house and cheer for the enemy! If I had my say, all of the traitors in this school would be gone, and you would be first! Why don’t you just go home? Who even told you to show up today?” As usual, Toby gave in and just walked away.
As Michael stepped up to the podium, Jim looked into the stands to look at Pam and nod and point at Michael. Jim had found her as soon as she sat down, as he sort of just sensed her walking into the gym. She had a seat in the second row, on the sideline near the baseline. Michael stepped up to the podium and began, “First off, let me thank our cheerleaders for a great job.” The students began to cheer. Michael continued, “I know, right? How amazing do they look in those outfits?” The gym went silent. “I mean…they look….they did a great job on their routine. Everyone, we are here because we want to support our basketball team. The game tonight is huge. The biggest in history. That’s what she said,” Michael laughed. No one else joined him. “Okay, so I am here to introduce the faculty basketball game. The first team is my team: Team Scott. I am the captain, and will joined by Andrew Bernard, Jim Halpert, Bob Vance, and the fifth guy, who is only playing because no one else would is Dwight Schrute. The other team, who has no chance at all, has Roy Anderson, Darryl Philbin, Kevin Malone, Oscar Martinez, which I don’t understand because Hispanics can’t play basketball, and Toby Flenderson. So clearly they have no chance. I mean Toby sucks at basketball like he sucks at everything else. Seriously, who would pick him for anything…”
“Michael?” Jim interrupted, stepping up behind Michael.
“Yeah?” Michael said over his shoulder.
“We really need to get the game going.”
“Oh, right. Well children, enjoy the show. That’s what she said.”
Jim was ready to go. Basketball was his thing, and he was ready to show what he could do. “Big English- listen up,” Andy said to Jim, “Just so you know, I’ve walked two marathons. Just keep it close and I’ll win it for us when the other team gets worn out.”
“Andy, it’s a fifteen minute game. I’m pretty sure no one will get worn out.”
“Whatever you say. Good luck out there, English.”
“Alright, Andy.”
In the early going, Team Scott was getting creamed. The other team used Kevin and Oscar on the outside, as both could hit jump shots, and put Roy and Darryl down low, and no one on Team Scott was big enough to keep them away from the basket. Toby pretty much stayed out of the way because Michael had insisted on guarding him and basically pushed him anytime Toby got near Michael. “Can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, Toby!” Michael had yelled.
On offense, things weren’t much better for Team Scott. Michael had thrown the ball, not shot it, into the bleachers three times in the team’s first four possessions, claiming that he ‘usually made those shots’ and that ‘his depth perceptiveness must be off.’ Jim was able to make a couple of drives to the basket, and hit one three, but that was pretty much it for the team, besides one shot Dwight hit, after which Michael called him a ball hog.
The game was pretty much one sided about half way through, but then things got interesting. With 8 minutes left, Jim had the ball and was driving to the basket. As he jumped toward the rim, Roy jumped from the side and when he tried to block Jim’s shot, he basically punched Jim in the face. Jim went down hard, and Angela ran from the bleachers with the first aid kit to work on Jim’s bloody nose. Jim shook her away, as he looked around. His eyes went to Pam, who looked concerned. Jim mouthed, ‘It’s okay,’ and waited a minute for his nose to stop bleeding. When the game got back going, Jim took the game over. He really hadn’t felt his competitive juices flow since high school, but somehow, Roy was able to bring them back. Jim hit back to back threes right in Roy’s face, and then stole the ball from him and went down the court for a layup all within about 45 seconds. That brought Team Scott to within 3 points. The teams trades baskets until there were about two minutes left and Michael took a time out. In the huddle, Andy tried to tell Jim again that this was where he could take over, but Jim ignored him and said, “Get me the ball.”
Roy’s team now had a two point lead, and stretched it to four when Oscar hit a short jump shot, which made Michael say, “Are you kidding me? This isn’t baseball. Or boxing.” Jim took the ball up the court with about 90 seconds to play, with Roy guarding him closely. Jim had the ball at the top of the key, when Roy tried to slap the ball away. Jim backed up a step, then leaned into Roy with his shoulder. Roy went falling backwards, and Jim stepped behind the three point line and hit another three. Roy popped up and gave him a shove, saying, “What’s your problem, man?”
“Take it easy,” Jim answered.
“No- you take it easy,” Roy snapped back.
Roy brought the ball up the court with a one point lead and about a minute to go. Jim picked him up at half court and stayed close. Roy passed the ball over to Kevin, who pump faked. Kevin passed over to Oscar with about 30 seconds left. Oscar started to dribble the ball and Jim met his eyes. He saw Oscar’s eyes light up when he looked at Darryl and Jim took off to intercept the pass. Jim was able to intercept the pass and began to dribble up the floor with 20 seconds to go. Jim dribbled to his right, guarded by Roy, then stepped back and hit a jump shot with 8 seconds to play. Roy’s team was unable to score again, and Team Scott was the winner by a point.
Michael was kneeling at center court, screaming out lyrics to “We Are the Champions,” though he had the words wrong. Dwight tried to give Jim a chest bump, but Jim just walked by him. Some of the students in the crowd were giving a standing ovation, as it had obviously been a great game. Michael stepped up to the microphone and said, “Wow! What a great first annual faculty basketball game! I am going to give the MVP of the game to…yours truly!”
Jim was walking towards the door to the gym, as a few people from the front row congratulated him. When he got near the door, Jim saw Pam and Roy talking as Roy sat down next to her on the bleachers. Jim could also hear Michael claimed he scored 15 points, had 12 rebounds, and 8 assists while shutting down Toby. Jim was pretty sure Michael had 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists. And Toby ended up hitting 2 or 3 layups. As Jim walked by Roy and Pam, Jim smiled at Pam. When he passed them, he heard, “Hey, Halpert! C’mere a second.”
Jim froze, a little nervous that Roy wanted to talk to him. But he still turned around and said, “What’s up?”
“Nothing, really. Just wanted to say good game out there, man. You can really ball, right, Pam?”
Jim turned to her as she said, “Yeah, he’s pretty good.”
Jim smiled and said, “Thanks.”
“We’ll just have to be sure to get you on our side next time,” Roy added.
Me and Roy on the same team? That seems unlikely, Jim thought. “Yeah, maybe. We’ll have to see how it works out.”
“Sure. Well, Pam, you ready to go? I’m going to be sore tomorrow, I think.”
“Well, let’s get you into a tub,” Pam said.
“Let’s get you into a tub,” Roy said as the two walked off. Roy turned over his shoulder as he continued to walk away with Pam and said, “Halpert, good luck with the game tonight. We’ll be there rootin’ for ya.”
“Yeah, thanks, Roy,” Jim said dejectedly.
West Scranton won the game by 6 points that night, but all Jim could think about was what Pam had said to Roy.
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