1 00:00:13,447 --> 00:00:15,147 You know what they're saying? 2 00:00:15,249 --> 00:00:18,878 That you're the ringleader. That it was all your idea. 3 00:00:18,986 --> 00:00:22,938 You give us who we really want, we'll get you into a new school... 4 00:00:23,057 --> 00:00:24,954 wipe your record clean. 5 00:00:26,093 --> 00:00:28,898 You're just 15 years old. 6 00:00:28,996 --> 00:00:31,290 He took advantage of your youth. 7 00:00:31,398 --> 00:00:34,057 - Your ignorance. - Your innocence. 8 00:00:35,169 --> 00:00:37,661 You've done a lot of growing up, haven't you? 9 00:00:37,771 --> 00:00:40,837 And now you know the difference between right and wrong. 10 00:00:40,941 --> 00:00:43,882 You do know the difference, don't you? 11 00:00:43,978 --> 00:00:45,385 Right. 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:46,845 Wrong. 13 00:00:46,947 --> 00:00:48,647 Don't you? 14 00:02:13,501 --> 00:02:16,796 "What matter here if I be still the same... 15 00:02:16,904 --> 00:02:19,438 and what I should be all but less than he... 16 00:02:19,540 --> 00:02:21,844 whom thunder hath made greater. 17 00:02:21,942 --> 00:02:24,601 Here at least we shall be free. 18 00:02:24,712 --> 00:02:27,412 The Almighty hath not built here... 19 00:02:27,515 --> 00:02:30,173 for His envy will not drive us hence. 20 00:02:30,284 --> 00:02:33,475 Here we may reign secure and in my choice... 21 00:02:33,587 --> 00:02:36,684 to reign is worth ambition, though in Hell. 22 00:02:36,791 --> 00:02:40,190 Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." 23 00:02:40,294 --> 00:02:41,879 Thank you, Asha. 24 00:02:44,098 --> 00:02:47,226 So, what do we think Satan meant when he said... 25 00:02:47,333 --> 00:02:50,357 "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven"? 26 00:02:54,642 --> 00:02:55,601 Anything? 27 00:02:56,976 --> 00:02:59,458 Any ideas? Anybody? 28 00:03:01,015 --> 00:03:03,642 Okay. What if you had a choice? 29 00:03:03,751 --> 00:03:08,693 What if you could live in a mansion in Highland Park... 30 00:03:08,789 --> 00:03:10,697 but you have to be the chauffeur... 31 00:03:10,791 --> 00:03:14,326 or you can live in a shelter on lower Wacker Drive... 32 00:03:14,428 --> 00:03:18,057 but you would be the king of that shelter, which would you choose? 33 00:03:21,302 --> 00:03:24,034 If I'm the chauffeur, what kind of car I drive? 34 00:03:24,138 --> 00:03:27,839 - You ain't even got a license, fool. - Who the hell you callin' fool, fool? 35 00:03:27,942 --> 00:03:30,277 Who you callin' fool? You want some? 36 00:03:36,684 --> 00:03:40,844 - Slap that blonde weave off your head. - Okay. Thank you. 37 00:03:40,955 --> 00:03:43,791 Pride, that's what it's all about. 38 00:03:43,891 --> 00:03:47,019 Lucifer was too proud to play runner-up to someone he felt superior to... 39 00:03:47,128 --> 00:03:49,025 so he set up his own shop. 40 00:03:49,130 --> 00:03:52,362 And what did Dante say was written on the gates of Lucifer's shop? 41 00:03:52,466 --> 00:03:55,532 "Abandon all hope ye who enter here." 42 00:03:55,636 --> 00:03:57,701 That's what it should say on the door to this school. 43 00:03:57,805 --> 00:04:01,871 "And they outcast from God are here condemned to waste eternal days..." 44 00:04:01,976 --> 00:04:03,467 "In woe and pain." 45 00:04:03,577 --> 00:04:05,871 Doesn't sound very pleasant, does it? 46 00:04:05,980 --> 00:04:08,315 What's the alternative? Living like a drone? 47 00:04:08,414 --> 00:04:11,146 Why do Adam and Eve get in trouble in the first place? 48 00:04:11,252 --> 00:04:14,547 - They ate the apple, baby. - They ate from the tree of knowledge. 49 00:04:14,655 --> 00:04:16,146 They just wanted knowledge. 50 00:04:16,257 --> 00:04:19,447 - God was testing them. - But He didn't tell them why. 51 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,146 He was just, "I'm in charge here. Do what I say." 52 00:04:22,263 --> 00:04:26,162 And He said, "You can eat from any tree in the garden, just not from this one." 53 00:04:26,267 --> 00:04:29,134 So, of course, what are they gonna do? 54 00:04:29,236 --> 00:04:31,666 - It's human nature. - Already been through that, girl. 55 00:04:31,772 --> 00:04:35,641 But, hey, that's just my opinion. 56 00:04:45,718 --> 00:04:48,346 Okay, Michael, are you gonna handle the bowling club again? 57 00:04:49,590 --> 00:04:53,083 Don't let the kids drop their balls in the gutter. 58 00:04:53,194 --> 00:04:55,998 Sorry. Sorry about that. 59 00:04:56,095 --> 00:04:58,118 All right, good. Janie? 60 00:04:58,232 --> 00:05:01,506 - How about the prom committee? - Yes. 61 00:05:01,602 --> 00:05:04,000 Let's try to get started at least a week before the prom this year. 62 00:05:04,103 --> 00:05:05,657 I'll try. 63 00:05:05,773 --> 00:05:08,035 Wonderful. 64 00:05:08,142 --> 00:05:11,009 Now, the position... 65 00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:13,102 that strikes terror in all our hearts... 66 00:05:13,214 --> 00:05:15,737 brings out the masochist in the best of us... 67 00:05:15,849 --> 00:05:18,612 coach of the academic decathlon team... Jerry. 68 00:05:19,752 --> 00:05:22,057 What do you say? Give it another shot? 69 00:05:22,156 --> 00:05:24,585 Couldn't do worse than he did last time. 70 00:05:24,692 --> 00:05:26,954 That's the nice thing about finishing last. 71 00:05:28,629 --> 00:05:29,953 Third time's the charm. 72 00:06:08,502 --> 00:06:10,900 Sorry I'm late. 73 00:06:11,005 --> 00:06:13,403 What, is the meeting over? 74 00:06:15,175 --> 00:06:18,198 - Thanks for helping me out. - Are you kidding? You're helping me out. 75 00:06:18,312 --> 00:06:21,013 You're the only one who thinks we can compete in anything besides basketball. 76 00:06:21,115 --> 00:06:24,952 Most teachers aren't like you. They don't like to challenge us. 77 00:06:25,052 --> 00:06:28,284 But you actually think we're capable of some intelligent thinking. 78 00:06:28,389 --> 00:06:32,549 Jolie, I am continually amazed by the things that spring out of your mouth. 79 00:06:32,660 --> 00:06:36,101 I'll show you where the smart kids are, but I can't guarantee they'll show up. 80 00:06:36,196 --> 00:06:39,219 So $40 worth of burritos will guarantee you an audience. 81 00:06:39,333 --> 00:06:42,607 See that guy over there? That's Dominik Wesolowski. 82 00:06:42,703 --> 00:06:47,030 SATs 1410. 4.0 GPA. 83 00:06:47,141 --> 00:06:49,039 They announced the honor roll yesterday... 84 00:06:49,143 --> 00:06:51,207 and he made the mistake of being on it. 85 00:06:51,312 --> 00:06:55,576 Kurgan, Paul. SATs 1120. 3.8 GPA. 86 00:06:55,683 --> 00:06:59,489 I tried to get him on the team last year but he was busy running for president. 87 00:06:59,586 --> 00:07:03,079 Actually deluded enough to think he can make a difference. 88 00:07:03,190 --> 00:07:07,997 Agnieska Maryniarczyk. SATs 370, 3.7 GPA. 89 00:07:08,095 --> 00:07:10,066 She's a virgin. 90 00:07:10,164 --> 00:07:13,000 - Is that relevant? - If you're her, it is. 91 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:17,156 Darius Bettus. 1520 on his SATs. 3.9 GPA. 92 00:07:17,271 --> 00:07:19,461 If he weren't so good looking, I'd have to kill him. 93 00:07:19,573 --> 00:07:24,265 Flickas, Irwin. 3.0 GPA. Has not taken his SATs yet. 94 00:07:24,378 --> 00:07:27,652 Personally, I can't stand him, but he does have a pretty vivid imagination. 95 00:07:29,483 --> 00:07:34,478 Kur, Matt. 2.9 GPA. SATs 1040. 96 00:07:34,588 --> 00:07:36,882 But look how cute he is. 97 00:07:36,990 --> 00:07:40,149 We're putting a team together, not a dating pool. 98 00:07:40,260 --> 00:07:42,741 Could be both. 99 00:07:42,863 --> 00:07:46,200 Hello, and welcome to the United States Academic Decathlon... 100 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:48,771 the nation's foremost scholastic competition... 101 00:07:48,869 --> 00:07:52,175 where you can match your intellect with students from top high schools... 102 00:07:52,272 --> 00:07:53,794 across America. 103 00:07:53,907 --> 00:07:58,004 The academic decathlon brings a sense of pride and accomplishment... 104 00:07:58,112 --> 00:07:59,603 to the high school environment... 105 00:07:59,712 --> 00:08:03,049 placing academic achievement at the forefront of the school... 106 00:08:03,150 --> 00:08:05,340 and the community at large. 107 00:08:05,451 --> 00:08:07,777 High school students from all across the country... 108 00:08:07,888 --> 00:08:10,516 compete in this extraordinary event... 109 00:08:10,623 --> 00:08:13,178 pushing themselves to new heights. 110 00:08:13,293 --> 00:08:16,191 There are ten exciting areas in which the students compete... 111 00:08:16,296 --> 00:08:19,924 consisting of written tests in six core subjects... 112 00:08:20,033 --> 00:08:22,587 as well as an oral speech, an interview... 113 00:08:22,703 --> 00:08:25,039 and essay and Super Quiz. 114 00:08:25,139 --> 00:08:27,329 And the winning team from each state... 115 00:08:27,441 --> 00:08:30,475 will compete for the pride, prestige and scholarship money... 116 00:08:30,577 --> 00:08:33,204 that comes with being national champion. 117 00:08:33,313 --> 00:08:36,472 That winning team gets to go to the White House and meet the president. 118 00:08:36,583 --> 00:08:39,054 The United States Academic Decathlon... 119 00:08:39,153 --> 00:08:42,385 building the skills that work in corporate America. 120 00:08:45,926 --> 00:08:48,418 Now... Guys, take it outside. 121 00:08:48,529 --> 00:08:50,656 You wanna know why you should do this? 122 00:08:50,763 --> 00:08:53,162 So we can embarrass ourselves in front of the entire city. 123 00:08:54,468 --> 00:08:58,139 Because no one thinks you can. 'Cause you don't think you can. 124 00:08:58,238 --> 00:09:01,230 - Sir, we know we can't. - Speak for yourself. 125 00:09:01,341 --> 00:09:03,801 I just came here for the free food. 126 00:09:11,518 --> 00:09:13,415 It's pretty damn funny, isn't it? 127 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:17,002 The idea of you guys competing against kids that are really smart. 128 00:09:17,124 --> 00:09:19,960 They're not just smart kids. Kids from Whitney Young. 129 00:09:20,059 --> 00:09:24,189 Why are you so insecure? We're just as smart as them. We could beat them. 130 00:09:24,298 --> 00:09:26,029 Don't kid yourself. It won't be easy. 131 00:09:26,133 --> 00:09:28,834 Whitney Young, they live and breathe the decathlon. 132 00:09:28,936 --> 00:09:31,303 - They've won the state championship... - Nine years in a row. 133 00:09:31,405 --> 00:09:34,836 Nice years in a row. They recruit for it. 134 00:09:34,942 --> 00:09:37,173 They have unlimited budgets, air conditioning... 135 00:09:37,277 --> 00:09:39,268 parents who care, toilets that work. 136 00:09:41,048 --> 00:09:42,372 That's right. 137 00:09:43,250 --> 00:09:45,576 Even a coach who knows what he's doing. 138 00:09:47,221 --> 00:09:50,808 Which is why when we beat them it'll be so satisfying. 139 00:09:52,326 --> 00:09:54,922 Do you wanna get into Harvard? You'll get into Harvard. 140 00:09:55,028 --> 00:09:56,727 On a full scholarship. 141 00:09:56,829 --> 00:09:58,957 You'll be in the newspaper, on television. 142 00:09:59,066 --> 00:10:03,560 - You're gonna make us famous? - No, we're gonna make him famous. 143 00:10:06,005 --> 00:10:08,998 I just want you to know what it feels like to win. 144 00:10:10,344 --> 00:10:13,837 Because once you've had that feeling, you'll never let it go. 145 00:10:16,850 --> 00:10:20,311 But if we're gonna win this thing... 146 00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:22,881 here's what I'm gonna need from you. 147 00:10:24,424 --> 00:10:26,009 Everything. 148 00:10:28,862 --> 00:10:31,166 Spare time? You aren't gonna have any. 149 00:10:31,265 --> 00:10:35,217 I will need you two hours before school, five hours after school... 150 00:10:35,335 --> 00:10:38,233 and all day on weekends and holidays. 151 00:10:38,338 --> 00:10:40,965 You have to be totally committed and willing to do... 152 00:10:41,074 --> 00:10:43,274 whatever it takes to win. 153 00:10:46,346 --> 00:10:48,442 But understand this. 154 00:10:49,449 --> 00:10:52,003 I will never abandon you. 155 00:10:52,119 --> 00:10:54,017 And I will never hang you out to dry. 156 00:10:54,755 --> 00:10:57,028 And the knowledge that I'm prepared to give you... 157 00:11:00,827 --> 00:11:03,058 it will change your life forever. 158 00:11:05,499 --> 00:11:07,053 What do you guys think? 159 00:11:07,167 --> 00:11:10,399 - I think he's a full-on freak. - I heard he still lives with his mom. 160 00:11:10,504 --> 00:11:12,934 I heard he dates Mr. Silver. 161 00:11:14,474 --> 00:11:16,872 - He's not gay. - How would you know? 162 00:11:16,976 --> 00:11:19,667 Dr. Plecki's really cool. Okay? 163 00:11:19,780 --> 00:11:23,273 When we were reading Slaughterhouse Five, he took us all to meet Vonnegut... 164 00:11:23,383 --> 00:11:25,645 who was doing this reading and signed all of our books. 165 00:11:25,752 --> 00:11:30,058 And these kids that would rather trip on a book did an amazing thing. 166 00:11:30,857 --> 00:11:32,619 They actually read the book. 167 00:11:33,927 --> 00:11:36,325 He just wants to help us out. 168 00:11:36,430 --> 00:11:39,736 He's doing this because he thinks we can compete at something and we're smart. 169 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:44,529 And we are smart. We just need an opportunity to prove ourself. 170 00:11:45,839 --> 00:11:49,060 Dr. Plecki's amazing. He's a really good teacher. 171 00:11:51,144 --> 00:11:53,052 What's he doing here? 172 00:12:06,659 --> 00:12:10,361 I volunteered to coach the academic decathlon team. 173 00:12:10,464 --> 00:12:11,861 Again? 174 00:12:15,335 --> 00:12:18,004 We've got a really good group of kids this year. 175 00:12:18,105 --> 00:12:20,806 I think we may have a shot. 176 00:12:20,907 --> 00:12:23,138 It just takes so much time. 177 00:12:28,849 --> 00:12:32,759 I spoke with your brother today. He got a promotion at the publishing house. 178 00:12:34,621 --> 00:12:37,853 He's now a regional sales manager... 179 00:12:37,957 --> 00:12:40,324 responsible for hiring 20 people. 180 00:12:41,427 --> 00:12:43,325 I have a job, Mother. 181 00:12:45,165 --> 00:12:48,063 I know you do. I know you do. 182 00:13:11,191 --> 00:13:16,425 How are we supposed to get any studying done if you show up at 6:18? 183 00:13:24,304 --> 00:13:27,703 A Shakespearean sonnet is always written in? 184 00:13:27,808 --> 00:13:29,998 I'll take lambic Pentameter for 500. 185 00:13:30,109 --> 00:13:33,165 - What activates NMDA receptors? - Glutamate. 186 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,804 If Darius is shooting four out of seven... 187 00:13:35,916 --> 00:13:38,679 what are the chances of him making this next shot? 188 00:13:38,785 --> 00:13:40,411 Fifty-seven percent. 189 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:44,420 What did Ivan discover was the key to survival in the GULAG? 190 00:13:44,524 --> 00:13:47,579 - Routine. It was the daily routine... - Booze. 191 00:13:47,694 --> 00:13:49,122 No. Conditioning. 192 00:13:49,229 --> 00:13:51,856 He made himself believe that one piece of bread was good. 193 00:13:51,965 --> 00:13:53,956 So that when he got two, he felt great. 194 00:13:54,067 --> 00:13:56,799 What kind of an idiot feels great with two pieces of bread? 195 00:13:56,903 --> 00:14:01,303 Hear how the song repeated the melody from the beginning? What's that called? 196 00:14:01,407 --> 00:14:03,003 - A da capo. - Right. 197 00:14:03,110 --> 00:14:06,019 The year 1820 was said to be the beginning of what musical era? 198 00:14:06,113 --> 00:14:07,239 Romantic Era. 199 00:14:07,347 --> 00:14:09,714 The distinctive characteristic of the work of Leopold is? 200 00:14:09,816 --> 00:14:11,474 Naturalistic. 201 00:14:11,585 --> 00:14:13,785 Eukaryotes differ from prokaryotes because? 202 00:14:13,887 --> 00:14:15,378 Prokaryotes have no nucleus. 203 00:14:15,489 --> 00:14:17,387 PET measures concentrations of what? 204 00:14:17,491 --> 00:14:19,785 Concentrations of radioactive isotopes of living tissue. 205 00:14:19,893 --> 00:14:23,261 - What are neurons composed of? - Cell body, exon and dendrites. 206 00:14:23,363 --> 00:14:25,855 Of ancient empires, the largest was? 207 00:14:27,234 --> 00:14:28,663 I don't know. 208 00:14:28,769 --> 00:14:31,470 Daoism was founded by? 209 00:14:31,571 --> 00:14:34,595 The distinctive characteristic of the work of Leopold is? 210 00:14:49,822 --> 00:14:51,387 No smoking. 211 00:15:08,107 --> 00:15:11,371 Good morning, decathletes. Welcome to... 212 00:15:11,477 --> 00:15:14,574 Here's another question for you. What do we do to the competition? 213 00:15:14,681 --> 00:15:17,246 - Sweep 'em out of the way! - That's right. 214 00:15:17,350 --> 00:15:19,613 You are prepared for this. We are the best team here... 215 00:15:19,719 --> 00:15:22,117 and the only way we won't win is if we defeat ourselves. 216 00:15:22,222 --> 00:15:23,483 Hands in. 217 00:15:23,590 --> 00:15:26,144 We've got the brains, the hunger. What are we gonna do? 218 00:15:26,259 --> 00:15:28,344 Win! 219 00:15:28,461 --> 00:15:31,224 Go Whitney! Go Whitney! 220 00:15:32,265 --> 00:15:34,820 Don't worry about them. We got 'em right where we want 'em. 221 00:15:34,935 --> 00:15:37,427 Overconfident and underestimating your abilities. 222 00:15:37,537 --> 00:15:40,477 Our abilities? We're not even a factor in their equation. 223 00:15:41,274 --> 00:15:43,537 You can't control what they think. 224 00:15:43,643 --> 00:15:47,105 What you can do is remember everything we've drilled. 225 00:15:47,214 --> 00:15:49,446 Okay? Watch out for lead distracters. 226 00:15:49,549 --> 00:15:53,115 If an answer seems too obvious, it probably means it's the wrong answer. 227 00:15:53,220 --> 00:15:54,690 Don't second-guess yourselves. 228 00:15:54,787 --> 00:15:57,217 Your first answer is always your best answer. 229 00:15:57,323 --> 00:15:59,252 - If you draw a blank, you choose... - "C." 230 00:15:59,359 --> 00:16:02,456 Consistently. Okay, I taught you discipline. 231 00:16:02,562 --> 00:16:06,097 Use it. And anticipate. Never panic. Stay focused. 232 00:16:08,235 --> 00:16:12,646 Now is your chance to show everyone else how smart I already know you are. 233 00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:18,709 Do not open your test booklets until instructed to do so. 234 00:16:18,811 --> 00:16:23,712 You will have 30 minutes to complete each section of the exam. 235 00:16:23,816 --> 00:16:26,809 At the conclusion of the written portion of the exam... 236 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:30,256 you will proceed to the speech and interview rooms. 237 00:16:30,356 --> 00:16:34,194 Please remember which group you have been assigned to. 238 00:16:34,294 --> 00:16:36,254 While you are taking the written test... 239 00:16:36,362 --> 00:16:40,888 keep all books and supplies under your desk at all times. 240 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,158 Here's 20. 241 00:16:42,269 --> 00:16:45,074 That's what we need, a little adventurous spirit here. 242 00:16:45,171 --> 00:16:47,830 You never know with these kids. New kids every year. 243 00:16:47,941 --> 00:16:50,203 You can't count on anything. 244 00:16:50,310 --> 00:16:53,365 Jerry, you wanna get in on this? 245 00:16:53,479 --> 00:16:56,378 Twenty dollars pays... 246 00:16:56,482 --> 00:17:00,205 800 for Steinmetz to win. 247 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,541 No guts, no glory. 248 00:17:58,611 --> 00:18:02,480 "And if the employer can be part of the overall solution... 249 00:18:02,582 --> 00:18:04,511 then we will not feel... 250 00:18:04,617 --> 00:18:08,110 as much... 251 00:18:08,221 --> 00:18:09,941 'despiring'... 252 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,645 despairing." 253 00:18:15,762 --> 00:18:20,287 Okay, students. It's time for the Super Quiz. Question number one. 254 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,529 Alteration of the amino acids of Thermolicyn could... 255 00:18:24,637 --> 00:18:26,900 A: Reduce PKU likelihood... 256 00:18:27,006 --> 00:18:30,406 B: Reduce taste likelihood... C: Reduce hypertension likelihood... 257 00:18:30,510 --> 00:18:34,576 D: Reduce Down's Syndrome likelihood and E: None of the above. 258 00:18:34,681 --> 00:18:36,881 The correct answer is "C." 259 00:18:36,983 --> 00:18:39,955 Reduce hypertension likelihood. 260 00:18:40,053 --> 00:18:41,586 The correct answer is "E." 261 00:18:41,688 --> 00:18:44,388 The correct answer is "D." The correct answer is "A." 262 00:18:46,659 --> 00:18:50,152 - Are we having fun today? - Yeah. 263 00:18:50,263 --> 00:18:51,983 I had a lot of fun too. 264 00:18:52,098 --> 00:18:54,861 And did we learn anything? 265 00:18:54,968 --> 00:18:57,522 - Yeah! - All right! 266 00:18:57,637 --> 00:18:59,128 No big problems? 267 00:18:59,239 --> 00:19:01,804 - None at all. I think it went fantastic. - Me too. 268 00:19:01,908 --> 00:19:05,078 - So how'd you do? - Okay, I guess. 269 00:19:05,178 --> 00:19:06,836 That was so easy. 270 00:19:06,946 --> 00:19:09,376 Guys, Alexander Hamilton was the first chief justice, right? 271 00:19:09,482 --> 00:19:11,380 No, John Jay. 272 00:19:11,484 --> 00:19:13,882 Guys, listen. I don't care what happens. 273 00:19:13,987 --> 00:19:16,979 I don't care what the final tally is. I couldn't be more proud of you. 274 00:19:17,090 --> 00:19:21,156 In Language and Literature, the bronze medal... 275 00:19:21,261 --> 00:19:23,231 from Whitney Young, Sandy Lee. 276 00:19:23,329 --> 00:19:26,322 Well done, Sandy! 277 00:19:26,432 --> 00:19:29,800 The silver medal, from Whitney Young, Josh Haden. 278 00:19:32,906 --> 00:19:34,928 And the gold medal... 279 00:19:35,041 --> 00:19:37,512 from Whitney Young, Sarah White. 280 00:19:38,511 --> 00:19:41,201 The bronze medal, from Whitney Young... 281 00:19:41,314 --> 00:19:44,035 The silver medal, from Whitney Young... 282 00:19:44,150 --> 00:19:46,507 And the gold medal, from Whitney Young... 283 00:19:55,094 --> 00:19:58,619 And now, the five top scoring teams... 284 00:19:58,730 --> 00:20:03,224 who will advance to the Illinois State Academic Decathlon Finals. 285 00:20:05,804 --> 00:20:07,232 In first place... 286 00:20:07,337 --> 00:20:11,237 for the tenth year in a row, Whitney Young High School. 287 00:20:13,578 --> 00:20:16,477 Whitney Young is number one! Whitney Young is number one! 288 00:20:16,581 --> 00:20:20,074 What an accomplishment. Ten years in a row. 289 00:20:21,553 --> 00:20:23,888 - The winners! - In second place... 290 00:20:23,987 --> 00:20:25,895 Kenwood Academy. 291 00:20:25,989 --> 00:20:27,897 In third place, Bogen High School. 292 00:20:27,991 --> 00:20:31,432 In fourth place, Lane Technical. 293 00:20:31,529 --> 00:20:34,355 And in fifth place, Steinmetz High School. 294 00:20:43,441 --> 00:20:46,413 Jerry, here. I can't take your money. 295 00:20:46,511 --> 00:20:48,409 You didn't know what you were up against. 296 00:20:52,749 --> 00:20:54,647 See you at State. 297 00:21:08,398 --> 00:21:11,485 This is so cool. I've never won anything before. Check this out. 298 00:21:11,603 --> 00:21:15,231 Irwin, shut up. We didn't win anything, okay? 299 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:17,467 Young beat us by 12,000 points. 300 00:21:17,575 --> 00:21:20,505 I think you should feel good about yourselves. You're going to State. 301 00:21:20,612 --> 00:21:22,582 - That is right. - Yeah, I feel great. 302 00:21:22,679 --> 00:21:25,046 You guys see the look on Haden's face when they won? 303 00:21:25,150 --> 00:21:27,548 I wanted to wipe it off with a fuckin' two-by-four. 304 00:21:29,319 --> 00:21:32,218 Can we change the music, please? 305 00:21:34,292 --> 00:21:37,316 - I'm listening to this! - Hey! Come on! 306 00:21:41,166 --> 00:21:44,367 - Easy, easy. - Stop fighting. 307 00:21:44,469 --> 00:21:46,262 - Oh, my God! - Damn! 308 00:21:46,371 --> 00:21:48,905 Mellow out. 309 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,673 What do you say we go to Starapolska, get something to eat? 310 00:21:53,778 --> 00:21:56,270 I have to go home. 311 00:22:10,962 --> 00:22:12,453 It's not over. 312 00:22:12,564 --> 00:22:14,367 I know it isn't. 313 00:22:16,801 --> 00:22:20,326 Get back at it on Monday. Study even harder. 314 00:22:20,438 --> 00:22:22,920 Maybe take another trip to the art institute on Thursday. 315 00:22:26,244 --> 00:22:28,183 I just wish we could've done better for you. 316 00:22:28,279 --> 00:22:31,606 Please, don't be silly. You did wonderfully. 317 00:22:38,256 --> 00:22:40,122 Thanks. 318 00:22:40,225 --> 00:22:41,622 Sure. 319 00:23:38,297 --> 00:23:39,236 Fuckin' chair. 320 00:23:40,699 --> 00:23:42,596 Irwin, can I speak with you for a second? 321 00:23:42,701 --> 00:23:44,598 Yeah. Cool. 322 00:23:46,772 --> 00:23:48,170 What's up? 323 00:23:49,808 --> 00:23:52,373 I'm going to switch you and Dominik for the State. 324 00:23:52,478 --> 00:23:55,283 You had the lowest scores at the regional competition... 325 00:23:55,381 --> 00:23:58,436 so he's gonna compete at State and you take the alternate position. 326 00:23:58,550 --> 00:24:01,709 That's not fair. No one told me you couldn't choose more than one answer. 327 00:24:01,820 --> 00:24:04,155 It's called multiple choice. 328 00:24:04,257 --> 00:24:06,123 We'll switch back if we go to Nationals. 329 00:24:06,225 --> 00:24:09,958 He can barely speak English. Give me another chance. 330 00:24:10,062 --> 00:24:12,492 - He's your teammate. - Come on, Plecki. 331 00:24:13,599 --> 00:24:16,029 - Where are you going? - Work. 332 00:24:16,135 --> 00:24:18,262 - See? He's gotta leave. - Sit down. 333 00:24:18,370 --> 00:24:21,237 Mr. Butera says he will replace me if I take any more time off. 334 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:24,333 - I'll talk to him again. - That's all right. I should go. 335 00:24:24,443 --> 00:24:26,435 - Would it help if I went with you? - It won't help. 336 00:24:26,546 --> 00:24:29,100 - I have to be at work. - Agna, where are you going? 337 00:24:29,214 --> 00:24:31,341 I need to get home to take care of my sister. 338 00:24:31,450 --> 00:24:34,579 My mother's working late. I don't want her to be alone. 339 00:24:34,687 --> 00:24:36,814 Nobody else can help? 340 00:24:36,923 --> 00:24:39,446 We have no money to afford baby-sitter. 341 00:24:40,426 --> 00:24:43,054 Guys, come on. This is crunch time. 342 00:24:43,162 --> 00:24:46,363 Nothing is supposed to get in the way of your studying. 343 00:24:46,465 --> 00:24:48,728 If you have to stay here all night, then... 344 00:24:48,835 --> 00:24:50,993 No one wants to take care of her, and she's... 345 00:24:51,103 --> 00:24:53,898 Wait a second. Dr. Plecki, I don't know what world you're living in... 346 00:24:54,006 --> 00:24:56,947 but we finished 12,000 points behind Young. 347 00:24:57,042 --> 00:25:00,608 - They killed us. - That's what I'm talking about. 348 00:25:00,713 --> 00:25:03,622 We simply have to work harder. Whitney Young is working... 349 00:25:03,716 --> 00:25:06,187 so we'll work twice as hard and beat them. 350 00:25:06,285 --> 00:25:09,111 I appreciate your optimism, but the fact of this is... 351 00:25:09,222 --> 00:25:12,454 no matter how hard we study and work for this... 352 00:25:12,558 --> 00:25:15,050 Young is gonna take that thing for the tenth year in a row. 353 00:25:16,596 --> 00:25:18,254 So if Dominik wants to keep his job... 354 00:25:18,364 --> 00:25:21,263 and Agnieska wants to make sure her sister gets fed tonight... 355 00:25:21,367 --> 00:25:23,734 instead of studying... 356 00:25:23,836 --> 00:25:27,434 cytoplasmic binding proteins all day, that's... 357 00:25:38,217 --> 00:25:40,449 Look, I love the dream that you gave us. 358 00:25:43,989 --> 00:25:45,542 No, I really do. 359 00:25:47,292 --> 00:25:50,232 But there's a certain point... 360 00:25:50,329 --> 00:25:54,657 where you have to just wake up and realize... 361 00:25:54,767 --> 00:25:57,499 you know, it's just a fuckin' dream. 362 00:25:58,370 --> 00:25:59,923 It's just a dream. 363 00:26:03,276 --> 00:26:06,873 - We can't use the copy machine. - Why not? 364 00:26:06,979 --> 00:26:09,065 Mrs. Fadely says we can't. 365 00:26:11,784 --> 00:26:16,091 You know what they say about Elizabeth. She has a lot of growing up to do. 366 00:26:16,189 --> 00:26:18,514 Excuse me. 367 00:26:18,624 --> 00:26:21,033 I'll call you back. Excuse me. 368 00:26:21,126 --> 00:26:24,588 - Where do you think you're going? - To make copies. 369 00:26:24,696 --> 00:26:27,355 - For the decathlon? - For the decathlon, that's right. 370 00:26:27,466 --> 00:26:31,231 Extracurricular activities are only budgeted $50 a semester. 371 00:26:31,336 --> 00:26:34,276 - You saying I can't use the machine? - You exceeded your budget. 372 00:26:34,373 --> 00:26:38,607 - He can make all the copies he wants? - Athletic department has its own budget. 373 00:26:40,679 --> 00:26:43,619 What is it, a penny a page? Here. 374 00:26:43,715 --> 00:26:46,614 I hate to take a dime away from the school board's $4 billion budget... 375 00:26:46,718 --> 00:26:50,044 and do something really outrageous like spend it on kids. 376 00:26:50,155 --> 00:26:53,418 - You can't make any more copies. - Go upstairs and tell those kids... 377 00:26:53,525 --> 00:26:56,225 if they wanna be in a basketball tournament, we'll throw money at 'em... 378 00:26:56,328 --> 00:26:58,924 but if they wanna be in an academic tournament, they are on their own. 379 00:26:59,031 --> 00:27:02,087 - Don't be gettin' smart with me! - You go tell them. 380 00:27:02,201 --> 00:27:04,923 - Don't come in and get smart with me. - You go up! 381 00:27:05,037 --> 00:27:07,592 Jerry, what's your record? 382 00:27:07,706 --> 00:27:09,374 My record? 383 00:27:09,475 --> 00:27:12,468 You 0-4, 0-6? We're 11-0. 384 00:27:12,578 --> 00:27:14,372 Congratu-fuckin'-lations. 385 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:16,451 That's why I get to use the machine. 386 00:27:17,517 --> 00:27:20,353 I get it. So, if we don't win, why even bother trying to compete? 387 00:27:21,286 --> 00:27:22,944 That's not what I'm saying. 388 00:27:23,055 --> 00:27:26,611 If you can't win, you should think twice about entering the competition. 389 00:27:50,415 --> 00:27:51,645 That you, Jerry? 390 00:27:51,750 --> 00:27:54,023 Yes, Mother, it's me. 391 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,110 Did you remember the furnace filters? 392 00:27:56,989 --> 00:27:58,887 They're in the car. 393 00:28:27,719 --> 00:28:29,116 - I'm going to work. - Okay. 394 00:28:29,222 --> 00:28:32,350 Don't use the phone. Don't bother your father. 395 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,020 That was a tight game we played. You gonna be around tomorrow? 396 00:29:45,130 --> 00:29:46,652 Definitely. 397 00:29:46,765 --> 00:29:49,319 Yo, yo, Matt. 398 00:29:49,434 --> 00:29:51,989 See ya later, man. What's up? 399 00:29:52,104 --> 00:29:56,943 Listen. You're on that team, right, the one that takes tests and shit? 400 00:29:57,042 --> 00:29:59,513 The academic decathlon. 401 00:29:59,611 --> 00:30:02,843 Listen. If I show you something, will you give me 20 bucks? 402 00:30:21,133 --> 00:30:23,365 Dad, I gotta take a pee. 403 00:30:39,117 --> 00:30:41,912 - What the hell? I been here ten minutes. - Sorry, man. 404 00:30:42,020 --> 00:30:43,574 Down here. 405 00:31:07,279 --> 00:31:09,312 Tests, tests, tests. 406 00:31:09,414 --> 00:31:11,718 Shit, they were right here yesterday. 407 00:31:11,817 --> 00:31:14,184 Damn it. You're wasting my time. 408 00:31:14,286 --> 00:31:17,226 They're here somewhere. I know they are. 409 00:31:23,128 --> 00:31:24,796 Here you go. 410 00:31:24,896 --> 00:31:26,293 Beautiful. 411 00:31:27,532 --> 00:31:29,764 Let's get out of here. 412 00:31:42,647 --> 00:31:44,618 Here you go. 413 00:31:55,761 --> 00:31:58,201 What the fuck, man? 414 00:31:58,296 --> 00:32:02,165 What's up? I got that copy of Fantastic Fable you wanted. 415 00:32:02,267 --> 00:32:05,864 The one where Starhawk beats up Pogo. What's that? 416 00:32:06,838 --> 00:32:07,933 Nothin'. 417 00:32:08,039 --> 00:32:10,594 Can't be nothin'. Let me see it. 418 00:32:10,709 --> 00:32:13,232 - It's nothin', dude. - Just let me see it. 419 00:32:13,345 --> 00:32:16,045 - Chill out. - Just let me see it. 420 00:32:17,816 --> 00:32:19,787 Holy shit! 421 00:32:19,886 --> 00:32:22,284 Is this the real thing? 422 00:32:27,359 --> 00:32:28,766 Hello! 423 00:32:29,995 --> 00:32:31,392 What? 424 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,654 Is Dr. Plecki around? 425 00:32:37,769 --> 00:32:40,240 Sure. Come in. 426 00:32:44,342 --> 00:32:45,573 What's going on? 427 00:32:45,677 --> 00:32:47,575 Let's go outside. 428 00:32:54,386 --> 00:32:57,295 - I got the test. - The what? 429 00:32:57,389 --> 00:32:59,620 I got the test. Check it out. 430 00:32:59,724 --> 00:33:02,060 Oh, my God! Where did you get these? 431 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,789 I didn't get 'em. Matt got 'em, but he wasn't gonna share 'em. 432 00:33:07,567 --> 00:33:09,965 - Look at this. It's the real deal. - I know. 433 00:33:12,270 --> 00:33:14,637 Are the rest of the children coming over to study? 434 00:33:16,074 --> 00:33:17,106 Not today. 435 00:33:19,110 --> 00:33:20,695 What's the matter? 436 00:33:20,812 --> 00:33:23,440 We should get 'em over here right now. This is the real deal. 437 00:33:23,548 --> 00:33:27,146 - I don't believe this. - What's the matter with you? Come on. 438 00:33:59,551 --> 00:34:01,146 I'm a teacher. 439 00:34:01,254 --> 00:34:03,162 I'm a teacher. I couldn't. 440 00:34:05,223 --> 00:34:08,122 I'm a teacher. I'm supposed to spout the same platitudes... 441 00:34:08,226 --> 00:34:09,780 you've heard a million times before. 442 00:34:09,896 --> 00:34:12,388 "Cheaters don't prosper." "It's not whether you win or lose... 443 00:34:12,497 --> 00:34:14,687 it's how you play the game." 444 00:34:14,799 --> 00:34:17,709 This may not be approved curriculum, but guess what. 445 00:34:17,802 --> 00:34:21,713 Winning does matter. Cheaters do prosper. 446 00:34:24,109 --> 00:34:27,445 I'm sure your father came to this country thinking like mine did... 447 00:34:27,546 --> 00:34:29,912 that a democracy was a meritocracy. 448 00:34:30,715 --> 00:34:33,374 No one worked harder than my dad. 449 00:34:36,688 --> 00:34:41,589 He never understood why after giving 24 years of his life to his job... 450 00:34:41,693 --> 00:34:46,562 he could get laid off simply so they could not have to pay his medical bills. 451 00:34:54,973 --> 00:34:56,600 Look, I'm a teacher. 452 00:35:01,479 --> 00:35:02,741 Listen up. 453 00:35:02,847 --> 00:35:06,518 We all know the state competition is tomorrow. 454 00:35:06,618 --> 00:35:09,183 An opportunity... 455 00:35:09,287 --> 00:35:11,884 has presented itself which... 456 00:35:11,990 --> 00:35:14,586 I would be remiss in not bringing to your attention. 457 00:35:15,527 --> 00:35:16,622 Paul, wake up! 458 00:35:20,365 --> 00:35:23,858 Now, there are those who don't think you're mature enough... 459 00:35:23,969 --> 00:35:27,097 to make a decision based on the choice I'm about to offer up. 460 00:35:27,205 --> 00:35:29,875 - I don't think there's a more... - What is it? 461 00:35:29,975 --> 00:35:32,133 - I got the tests. - You got the what? 462 00:35:32,244 --> 00:35:35,507 - I got the tests for the state finals. - I'm the one who got the tests. 463 00:35:35,614 --> 00:35:38,606 - You were gonna keep 'em for yourself. - Shut up, faggot! 464 00:35:38,717 --> 00:35:40,281 Shut up. 465 00:35:41,753 --> 00:35:43,380 Let me see. 466 00:35:43,488 --> 00:35:45,386 Sit down. Sit down! 467 00:35:50,495 --> 00:35:52,893 Just be cool. 468 00:35:52,998 --> 00:35:54,697 - No one sees these... - What? 469 00:35:54,799 --> 00:35:57,062 Unless we are all comfortable seeing them. 470 00:35:57,168 --> 00:36:01,068 - We do this together or not at all. - I'm so comfortable with seeing them. 471 00:36:01,172 --> 00:36:04,071 Can you see the look on Young's face when we win? They're gonna shit. 472 00:36:04,809 --> 00:36:07,677 - You're okay with this? - I got the damn things, didn't I? 473 00:36:10,415 --> 00:36:12,980 I wouldn't mind taking a look at them to... 474 00:36:13,084 --> 00:36:14,419 see how hard they are. 475 00:36:15,787 --> 00:36:19,311 If we can get the tests, I'm sure Whitney Young has them too. 476 00:36:19,424 --> 00:36:22,365 Of course they do. Doesn't the decathlon have their offices at Whitney Young? 477 00:36:22,460 --> 00:36:24,358 I mean, you do the math. 478 00:36:24,462 --> 00:36:26,485 So, two wrongs make a right? 479 00:36:27,599 --> 00:36:28,965 Two wrongs make it even. 480 00:36:29,067 --> 00:36:31,371 Guys, won't we get caught? 481 00:36:31,469 --> 00:36:35,025 Only if you talk, and then we'd have you killed. 482 00:36:42,113 --> 00:36:43,521 Okay. 483 00:36:48,987 --> 00:36:51,041 Isn't cheating wrong? 484 00:36:51,156 --> 00:36:55,024 Get down off of your crucifix. This is the ultimate affirmative action. 485 00:36:55,126 --> 00:36:57,796 - We can level the playing field. - No one will be pressured into cheating. 486 00:36:57,896 --> 00:37:00,868 This isn't about cheating. This is about winning. 487 00:37:00,966 --> 00:37:04,375 We all know winning isn't everything. It's the only thing. 488 00:37:18,016 --> 00:37:20,101 What should we do, Dr. Plecki? 489 00:37:26,524 --> 00:37:29,246 I'm a teacher, so I'm supposed to spout the same platitudes... 490 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,257 you've heard a million times before. 491 00:37:31,362 --> 00:37:34,260 "Cheaters don't prosper." "It's not whether you win or lose... 492 00:37:34,365 --> 00:37:36,492 it's how you play the game." 493 00:37:36,601 --> 00:37:40,438 Well, this may not be approved curriculum, but guess what. 494 00:37:40,539 --> 00:37:44,407 Winning does matter. Cheaters do prosper. 495 00:37:45,009 --> 00:37:47,918 I used to run a business supporting Irish crystal... 496 00:37:48,012 --> 00:37:50,577 and let me tell you what happens when you don't pay off the right people... 497 00:37:50,682 --> 00:37:53,591 or inflate sales claims or be creative with your accounting... 498 00:37:53,685 --> 00:37:56,521 you don't stay in business very long. 499 00:37:57,956 --> 00:38:00,928 Try telling the truth on your loan application, you won't get one. 500 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:04,496 This is a results-oriented city. 501 00:38:04,596 --> 00:38:07,432 That girl doesn't care about how that guy got where he is. 502 00:38:07,532 --> 00:38:10,629 All she cares about is where he is. 503 00:38:10,735 --> 00:38:14,896 Think Bill Gates fired those who stole Apple's operating code to give to him? 504 00:38:15,006 --> 00:38:17,373 He probably promoted them. 505 00:38:17,475 --> 00:38:21,740 Do you think he would ever send his kids to a Chicago public school? 506 00:38:24,249 --> 00:38:27,878 They call this place a public school. Uses public money. 507 00:38:27,986 --> 00:38:30,082 But what it is is a private school... 508 00:38:30,188 --> 00:38:32,159 operating within the public school system. 509 00:38:32,857 --> 00:38:36,059 These kids get the best education your tax dollars can buy. 510 00:38:37,028 --> 00:38:40,793 You get to go to school here if your parents know how to work the system. 511 00:38:40,899 --> 00:38:43,704 Maybe they don't even live in the city limits... 512 00:38:43,801 --> 00:38:46,168 so they keep a mail drop in Bucktown or... 513 00:38:46,271 --> 00:38:49,097 they lie about your address... 514 00:38:49,207 --> 00:38:51,334 your income... 515 00:38:51,442 --> 00:38:52,995 your ethnicity. 516 00:39:10,295 --> 00:39:11,588 So? 517 00:39:16,635 --> 00:39:18,261 Okay. 518 00:39:19,638 --> 00:39:23,068 - It's about fuckin' time. - You okay? 519 00:39:23,174 --> 00:39:26,605 - Where are the answers? - How about thanks for getting the test? 520 00:39:26,711 --> 00:39:30,173 We don't have a lot of time. Jolie, you take language and lit. 521 00:39:30,282 --> 00:39:31,189 Got it. 522 00:39:31,283 --> 00:39:32,847 Matt, music. 523 00:39:32,951 --> 00:39:36,048 Darius, mathematics. 524 00:39:36,955 --> 00:39:38,394 - Right here. - Science. 525 00:39:39,424 --> 00:39:42,396 Agnieska, take social science. 526 00:39:42,493 --> 00:39:45,047 Economics, Dominik. Flickas, art. 527 00:39:45,163 --> 00:39:46,957 Everybody focus. 528 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:04,952 I know it's late, but I'm struggling with this math question... 529 00:40:05,049 --> 00:40:08,145 and I thought since you are the best math teacher at Steinmetz... 530 00:40:08,253 --> 00:40:11,152 May I speak to somebody in the music department, please? 531 00:40:23,534 --> 00:40:25,432 What are you doing? 532 00:40:27,639 --> 00:40:29,537 No, it's not. 533 00:40:32,878 --> 00:40:34,869 Burning the midnight oil? 534 00:40:34,980 --> 00:40:37,816 We won't rest until we're number one, sir. 535 00:40:37,915 --> 00:40:40,438 I like that. That's the Steinmetz spirit. 536 00:40:40,551 --> 00:40:42,449 I'll try to stop by tomorrow. 537 00:40:42,553 --> 00:40:45,910 You definitely should. I think we're gonna do better than anyone expects. 538 00:40:46,557 --> 00:40:49,612 Very good. All right, keep up the good work. 539 00:40:49,727 --> 00:40:51,124 We will. 540 00:40:58,136 --> 00:40:59,898 I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. 541 00:41:00,004 --> 00:41:02,736 Okay. Let's get back to work. 542 00:41:04,042 --> 00:41:06,670 12 "C", 13 "B"... 543 00:41:06,778 --> 00:41:10,209 14 "C", 15 "E"... 544 00:41:10,315 --> 00:41:13,610 16 "D", 17 "E"... 545 00:41:13,718 --> 00:41:18,348 18 "D", 19 "E", 20 "A"... 546 00:41:18,456 --> 00:41:23,013 This is a waste of time. Just write the answers on your hand, man. 547 00:41:23,127 --> 00:41:26,359 What are you doing? Are you trying to get caught? 548 00:41:26,464 --> 00:41:28,894 If you're gonna cheat, cheat smart. 549 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,732 - Do you have that gum? - Yeah. 550 00:41:31,836 --> 00:41:34,308 You can write the answers on a stick of gum. 551 00:41:34,405 --> 00:41:37,314 I'm not gonna read answers off a piece of gum. 552 00:41:37,408 --> 00:41:39,472 We wouldn't wanna cross that line, would we? 553 00:41:39,578 --> 00:41:42,987 Guys, put 'em on the bottom of your shoes. 554 00:41:43,081 --> 00:41:45,552 Wait, listen. Everybody give me your calculators. 555 00:41:45,650 --> 00:41:49,842 I'll program the answers in, then you can just bring 'em up. 556 00:41:52,690 --> 00:41:55,557 Guys, who's got a beeper? 557 00:41:55,660 --> 00:41:58,423 I mean, we could program them with the answers. 558 00:41:59,865 --> 00:42:02,461 All right, Agnieska! Welcome to the team. 559 00:42:04,236 --> 00:42:05,435 Thanks. 560 00:42:05,536 --> 00:42:07,871 I'm telling you, shoes are the key. 561 00:42:09,807 --> 00:42:13,394 We could wear skirts and we could write the answers on our thighs. 562 00:42:13,511 --> 00:42:17,109 Yeah, I'm gonna wear a skirt. I'm not gonna wear a skirt. 563 00:42:17,215 --> 00:42:19,478 I mean, you can wear shorts. 564 00:42:33,030 --> 00:42:36,356 Math answers are 1 "B"... 565 00:42:38,102 --> 00:42:40,500 - I need to speak with you. - Sure. 566 00:42:40,605 --> 00:42:42,169 In private. 567 00:42:48,647 --> 00:42:52,557 Have you talked to Dominik, 'cause he's acting like he will still be competing? 568 00:42:52,651 --> 00:42:55,883 We agreed Dominik would compete at State and you would compete at Nationals. 569 00:42:55,987 --> 00:42:58,959 - Agreed? I got you the exams. - I know you did. 570 00:42:59,056 --> 00:43:01,986 - I've already sent the names to State. - That's just crap! 571 00:43:02,093 --> 00:43:04,992 - I can't change that. - I put my ass on the line. 572 00:43:05,096 --> 00:43:07,328 But you'll reap the rewards at Nationals. 573 00:43:07,432 --> 00:43:09,799 That's crap. I can't believe it. 574 00:43:09,901 --> 00:43:12,925 I fuckin' worked my ass off, I got the fuckin' exams. 575 00:43:13,037 --> 00:43:15,362 Do you wanna participate in State finals? 576 00:43:15,473 --> 00:43:17,736 - Yes! - Okay, good. 577 00:43:17,842 --> 00:43:20,043 I think I know of a way you can. 578 00:43:21,216 --> 00:43:24,949 So then you just press the "shift" button. 579 00:43:25,054 --> 00:43:27,327 And then the "memory" button... 580 00:43:27,423 --> 00:43:31,114 and all the answers should come up and then you just scroll through it. 581 00:43:31,226 --> 00:43:33,635 What if a proctor comes by? What do you press? 582 00:43:33,728 --> 00:43:36,137 - "AC" button clears the whole screen. - Does it come back? 583 00:43:36,231 --> 00:43:37,201 Yeah. 584 00:43:37,298 --> 00:43:40,322 Remember, nobody's ever gotten a perfect score on the math section... 585 00:43:40,436 --> 00:43:42,459 so don't set a precedent. 586 00:43:42,570 --> 00:43:46,032 Jolie, you get two wrong, Darius, three, the rest of you at least four or five. 587 00:43:46,140 --> 00:43:48,163 - What? - Four or five. 588 00:43:48,277 --> 00:43:54,147 I think I should score the highest. That would arouse the least suspicion. 589 00:43:54,249 --> 00:43:57,816 - I did the best on the essays. - No, listen. 590 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,152 This has already been decided. No arguing. 591 00:44:06,095 --> 00:44:10,193 Now, don't be surprised if you see Irwin in the Speech and Interview room. 592 00:44:10,299 --> 00:44:14,063 Each school has to supply two alumni volunteer judges. 593 00:44:14,168 --> 00:44:16,254 Irwin's gonna get here on his own... 594 00:44:16,372 --> 00:44:19,312 and he's gonna disguise himself using a friend's ID. 595 00:44:20,408 --> 00:44:23,140 Here's your badge, Mr. Tully. 596 00:44:23,244 --> 00:44:26,143 It's nice to have a college volunteer helping us out. 597 00:44:26,247 --> 00:44:28,270 - Got it? - Thank you. 598 00:44:28,384 --> 00:44:30,438 Come here a second. 599 00:44:30,552 --> 00:44:33,180 All right, just remember. 600 00:44:33,289 --> 00:44:35,061 Get some answers wrong. 601 00:44:35,156 --> 00:44:38,315 The only way we get caught is if we do too well. 602 00:44:38,426 --> 00:44:39,990 All right. 603 00:44:46,734 --> 00:44:48,569 Good morning, decathletes. 604 00:44:48,671 --> 00:44:50,433 Good morning! 605 00:44:50,538 --> 00:44:52,728 Good morning, decathletes, and welcome... 606 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:56,271 to the State Finals of Illinois Academic Decathlon. 607 00:45:01,816 --> 00:45:06,487 What a wonderful thing to see so many bright young kids here today. 608 00:45:07,188 --> 00:45:08,512 You know... 609 00:45:08,624 --> 00:45:11,794 I was trying to explain to my 15 year old... 610 00:45:11,894 --> 00:45:15,262 what the academic decathlon was all about. 611 00:45:15,363 --> 00:45:18,262 And he said... 612 00:45:18,366 --> 00:45:21,056 "You mean those dorks take tests for fun?" 613 00:45:26,407 --> 00:45:28,274 I thought that was kind of... 614 00:45:28,376 --> 00:45:31,431 But I know that you know that hard work... 615 00:45:31,547 --> 00:45:34,008 and determ... and dedication... 616 00:45:34,115 --> 00:45:36,982 are the keys to achieving your dreams. 617 00:45:38,853 --> 00:45:40,688 And you are... 618 00:45:40,788 --> 00:45:44,844 And you are our hopes and our future. 619 00:45:48,564 --> 00:45:51,786 Good luck, decathletes. Let's show the world all about youth power. 620 00:45:51,899 --> 00:45:53,161 Okay? 621 00:45:54,268 --> 00:45:56,458 Go Whitney! Go Whitney! 622 00:46:21,362 --> 00:46:23,729 Hey, Jerry, you want in on this? 623 00:46:23,831 --> 00:46:26,021 Remember? 624 00:46:26,135 --> 00:46:28,064 Come on. A buck? Two bucks? 625 00:46:28,169 --> 00:46:30,870 Something. You gotta be in it to win it. 626 00:46:30,973 --> 00:46:33,204 How about a hundred? 627 00:46:33,307 --> 00:46:35,966 - All of it? - Yeah. I'm feeling lucky. 628 00:47:54,957 --> 00:47:57,762 Oh, shit. I'm sorry. Is that bothering you? 629 00:48:01,396 --> 00:48:04,263 "And if the employer can be part of the overall solution... 630 00:48:04,365 --> 00:48:06,659 then we will not feel the despairing that accompanies... 631 00:48:06,769 --> 00:48:09,532 many women's experience in the workforce." 632 00:48:15,810 --> 00:48:17,572 Everything going as planned? 633 00:48:17,679 --> 00:48:20,410 I had to kill a proctor who was onto me, but other than that... 634 00:48:21,749 --> 00:48:24,304 Let's go over the signals. Point up, it's "A". 635 00:48:24,419 --> 00:48:25,409 - To the left ear... - "B." 636 00:48:25,521 --> 00:48:26,511 - Right ear? - "C." 637 00:48:26,622 --> 00:48:29,854 To the neck is "D." Eraser's "E." Got it? 638 00:48:33,996 --> 00:48:37,625 And now, your starting line up for your Super Quiz. 639 00:48:37,732 --> 00:48:40,818 Introducing from Whitney Young... 640 00:48:40,935 --> 00:48:44,428 The number of base pairs of human DNA is... 641 00:48:44,540 --> 00:48:46,604 A: Nearly two billion... 642 00:48:46,708 --> 00:48:48,438 B: Nearly three billion... 643 00:48:48,544 --> 00:48:50,817 C: Nearly four billion... 644 00:48:50,913 --> 00:48:53,540 D: Nearly five billion... 645 00:48:53,649 --> 00:48:55,880 or E: Nearly six billion? 646 00:48:55,984 --> 00:48:58,079 The correct answer: "B." 647 00:49:01,255 --> 00:49:04,217 DNA fermentation first occur at which level? 648 00:49:04,325 --> 00:49:05,816 A: P1... 649 00:49:05,928 --> 00:49:07,888 B: P2... 650 00:49:07,996 --> 00:49:09,049 C: P3. 651 00:49:09,163 --> 00:49:11,499 The number of base pairs of human DNA is... 652 00:49:13,634 --> 00:49:15,824 Lambda exonuclease comes from... 653 00:49:15,938 --> 00:49:18,367 Map the 100,000 human genes. 654 00:49:25,346 --> 00:49:30,143 Well, it's been a great day. I see a lot of anxious faces in the crowd. 655 00:49:30,251 --> 00:49:33,984 I'm just thinking I'll go home and maybe announce it tomorrow. 656 00:49:35,690 --> 00:49:37,984 Are you ready to find out what happened here today? 657 00:49:38,092 --> 00:49:41,085 You give me a team cheer if you think you're gonna take home the medal. 658 00:49:43,866 --> 00:49:45,096 Here we go now. 659 00:49:45,199 --> 00:49:47,170 In Language and Literature... 660 00:49:47,268 --> 00:49:51,543 the bronze medal goes to Steinmetz's... 661 00:49:51,639 --> 00:49:55,435 Agnieska Maryniarczyk. 662 00:49:57,111 --> 00:50:00,604 The silver medal from Steinmetz, Darius Bettus. 663 00:50:00,715 --> 00:50:03,311 And the gold goes to Steinmetz's Jolie Fitch. 664 00:50:03,418 --> 00:50:06,212 The bronze medal goes to Steinmetz... 665 00:50:15,663 --> 00:50:17,717 And the winning team. 666 00:50:17,832 --> 00:50:21,627 The winner of the Illinois Academic Decathlon for 1995... 667 00:50:21,736 --> 00:50:26,637 scoring 49,166 points... 668 00:50:26,741 --> 00:50:28,295 Steinmetz High School. 669 00:50:44,025 --> 00:50:46,653 How do you like that? 670 00:51:26,701 --> 00:51:29,464 I know you don't want me to grab the mike. 671 00:51:29,570 --> 00:51:32,553 You want some? Then check this out then. 672 00:51:32,674 --> 00:51:35,770 All right. Steinmetz in the house tonight. 673 00:51:35,877 --> 00:51:37,545 Let's hear it. Come on now. 674 00:51:39,781 --> 00:51:42,377 Reach to the top, yo Reach to the sky, The time is high 675 00:51:42,483 --> 00:51:45,883 We're used to be number five But now we're number one from the slum 676 00:51:45,988 --> 00:51:47,886 You know we have more fun than Whitney Young 677 00:51:47,990 --> 00:51:52,046 Praise to teach and now we on our way My main man Plecki and the capital "J" 678 00:51:52,160 --> 00:51:56,122 Agnieska on my left, Matt on my right Darius and Dominik be rockin' tonight 679 00:51:58,232 --> 00:52:02,643 You can't go in there. If one of the other kids that you judged saw you... 680 00:52:02,737 --> 00:52:06,105 with one of your teammates or if you got your picture taken by somebody... 681 00:52:06,207 --> 00:52:08,772 It's not fair. I'm the one that brought you the tests. 682 00:52:08,876 --> 00:52:11,973 Just lay low for a while. Let the hubbub die down. 683 00:52:12,080 --> 00:52:15,176 In a week or so, nobody will remember you. They won't know your face. 684 00:52:15,283 --> 00:52:17,181 That is bullshit. 685 00:52:18,419 --> 00:52:21,516 - You guys had a hell of a night. - I know. It's unbelievable. 686 00:52:21,622 --> 00:52:23,145 Yeah, unbelievable. 687 00:52:23,257 --> 00:52:24,822 Tell me about it. 688 00:52:26,928 --> 00:52:28,836 I've only got $180, but... 689 00:52:28,930 --> 00:52:31,995 Oh, keep it. Keep it. 690 00:52:32,100 --> 00:52:34,498 You didn't know what you were up against. 691 00:52:35,837 --> 00:52:39,288 Of course they cheated. The only question is how. 692 00:52:39,407 --> 00:52:41,107 I understand that. 693 00:52:41,209 --> 00:52:43,305 It's statistically impossible for any team... 694 00:52:43,411 --> 00:52:46,174 to increase their score by 10,000 points in three weeks. 695 00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:49,148 Just take it easy. No. Listen to me. 696 00:52:49,250 --> 00:52:54,120 You don't jump from a tricycle to tooling around in a Mercedes. 697 00:52:54,222 --> 00:52:56,192 It's not like the Mavericks beating the Bulls. 698 00:52:56,290 --> 00:52:58,199 Those kids aren't in the same league. 699 00:52:58,292 --> 00:53:00,524 It's like a bunch of five year olds beating the Bulls. 700 00:53:00,628 --> 00:53:04,497 Because I don't have proof. Could you please get me all the scores? 701 00:53:04,599 --> 00:53:06,663 And crunch the numbers. 702 00:53:06,768 --> 00:53:08,467 Yes, that's all... 703 00:53:08,569 --> 00:53:10,467 Yes, good. Thanks. 704 00:53:23,001 --> 00:53:24,898 That was so cool. 705 00:53:27,238 --> 00:53:29,438 How many of you saw the look on Haden's face when we won? 706 00:53:29,540 --> 00:53:32,304 That alone was worth the price of admission. It was so cool. 707 00:53:32,410 --> 00:53:35,069 They were such poor losers, sulking in the corner. 708 00:53:35,179 --> 00:53:38,203 They wouldn't even shake my hand. They just walked right out. 709 00:53:38,316 --> 00:53:40,433 - Because he thought we cheated. - We did cheat. 710 00:53:40,551 --> 00:53:43,283 He doesn't know that. He thinks we're too stupid to win without cheating. 711 00:53:43,388 --> 00:53:45,379 - It's so insulting. - Guys, listen up. 712 00:53:45,490 --> 00:53:48,315 It was amazing what you did. Really, I look at all the medals. 713 00:53:48,426 --> 00:53:51,627 We got medals in Speech and Essay and Interview competition. 714 00:53:51,729 --> 00:53:56,025 Those are areas we didn't have any advanced preparation. 715 00:53:56,134 --> 00:53:58,626 Agnieska, your speech was beautiful. 716 00:53:58,736 --> 00:54:00,863 It really was. And a bronze medal. 717 00:54:00,972 --> 00:54:04,371 Dominik gets a gold for the essay. 718 00:54:04,475 --> 00:54:08,709 Jolie loses all the answers, and look at all those medals. I don't believe it. 719 00:54:08,813 --> 00:54:11,806 You were all beautiful. Just a beautiful job today. 720 00:54:11,916 --> 00:54:13,710 I'm very proud of you. 721 00:54:13,818 --> 00:54:16,811 But now comes the really hard part. 722 00:54:18,990 --> 00:54:20,429 Keeping quiet. 723 00:54:22,593 --> 00:54:25,461 This will be the real test of your skills. 724 00:54:25,563 --> 00:54:27,117 Right here. 725 00:54:28,232 --> 00:54:31,423 You cannot say anything. 726 00:54:35,406 --> 00:54:37,304 Not to your parents... 727 00:54:39,376 --> 00:54:41,972 your friends, if you still have any. 728 00:54:43,681 --> 00:54:45,652 Not to your teachers. 729 00:54:45,749 --> 00:54:48,679 Not even to your priest. 730 00:54:49,787 --> 00:54:51,487 You can't. 731 00:54:55,893 --> 00:54:58,417 Benjamin Franklin said... 732 00:54:58,529 --> 00:55:01,793 "The only way three people can keep a secret... 733 00:55:01,899 --> 00:55:04,120 is if two of them are dead." 734 00:55:09,140 --> 00:55:11,434 Let's see if we can prove him wrong. 735 00:55:35,333 --> 00:55:37,324 Gonna fly now 736 00:55:39,404 --> 00:55:41,802 Looking strong now 737 00:55:44,742 --> 00:55:46,577 Flying high now 738 00:55:46,678 --> 00:55:49,201 Gonna fly now 739 00:55:52,016 --> 00:55:53,851 Gonna fly 740 00:55:56,988 --> 00:55:59,251 They said it couldn't be done. 741 00:55:59,356 --> 00:56:02,818 They said that a general enrollment school could never beat Whitney Young. 742 00:56:02,927 --> 00:56:03,991 They were wrong! 743 00:56:05,729 --> 00:56:08,388 Faculty members, these kids are your creations. 744 00:56:08,499 --> 00:56:11,429 Stand up, faculty members, please. 745 00:56:11,536 --> 00:56:13,830 Let's have a round of applause for your teachers. 746 00:56:17,942 --> 00:56:19,777 The boos are unnecessary. 747 00:56:19,877 --> 00:56:22,641 But now, most of all... 748 00:56:22,746 --> 00:56:24,612 we salute Dr. Jerry Plecki. 749 00:56:28,586 --> 00:56:32,715 Jerry, you inspired these kids. You taught them how to win. 750 00:56:32,824 --> 00:56:35,545 I don't know how you did it... 751 00:56:35,660 --> 00:56:37,349 but I want you to keep doing it. 752 00:56:40,965 --> 00:56:43,770 I notice that we have some media here and I would assume... 753 00:56:43,867 --> 00:56:47,162 we could have some positive images for our school for a change. 754 00:56:47,272 --> 00:56:49,065 Thank you. 755 00:56:49,173 --> 00:56:53,939 It's true that our school does not have the most up-to-date facilities. 756 00:56:54,044 --> 00:56:57,099 And we don't have as much money as some other schools. 757 00:56:57,215 --> 00:57:00,145 But we have something that I believe is much more important. 758 00:57:00,251 --> 00:57:02,952 - Good weed! - We have heart. 759 00:57:06,024 --> 00:57:08,578 Years from now they'll still be talking about the stunning upset... 760 00:57:08,692 --> 00:57:10,892 at the Illinois Academic Decathlon. 761 00:57:10,995 --> 00:57:14,770 The architect of this amazing triumph is Dr. Jerry Plecki. 762 00:57:14,866 --> 00:57:17,389 We all think Dr. Plecki's the best. 763 00:57:17,502 --> 00:57:21,037 He taught us if they won't let you in the front, sneak right in the back. 764 00:57:21,139 --> 00:57:23,443 If it weren't for him, we wouldn't even be on this team. 765 00:57:23,540 --> 00:57:26,950 There would be no team. There would be nothing. 766 00:57:27,045 --> 00:57:30,444 - So a lot of studying they had to do? - Months! Months and months. 767 00:57:30,547 --> 00:57:34,822 I mean, holidays, weekends, the whole deal. 768 00:57:34,918 --> 00:57:36,347 Birthdays, everything. 769 00:57:36,453 --> 00:57:39,790 And you got a place in your trophy case for all of these? 770 00:57:39,891 --> 00:57:43,947 I'm sleeping with it, actually. It's gonna replace my teddy bear. 771 00:57:44,062 --> 00:57:47,419 - The Nationals are coming up. - The Nationals. We're excited about it. 772 00:57:47,532 --> 00:57:50,597 - We're gonna win. You better watch out. - We're gonna kick some ass. 773 00:57:50,702 --> 00:57:52,610 Did I say that? Sorry. 774 00:57:52,704 --> 00:57:54,226 That's okay. 775 00:57:54,339 --> 00:57:56,466 - Thanks, and good luck. - Thank you. 776 00:57:56,573 --> 00:57:57,908 Hi, Mom. 777 00:57:58,009 --> 00:58:00,272 Those kids were in here night and day. 778 00:58:00,377 --> 00:58:02,681 They didn't think they were winners and they are. 779 00:58:02,780 --> 00:58:05,304 All kids need to be part of a team, right? 780 00:58:05,416 --> 00:58:09,003 And he did that for them. He made them part of a winning team. 781 00:58:09,119 --> 00:58:12,779 He worked hard, like his father taught him to work hard. 782 00:58:12,890 --> 00:58:16,561 I wish that his father was alive now so he could share this joy. 783 00:58:16,661 --> 00:58:19,862 The kids were great. They really worked hard and, I mean, tireless. 784 00:58:19,963 --> 00:58:22,424 Months and months of... And it paid off. 785 00:58:22,533 --> 00:58:25,630 Listen, he's so humble, but he deserves the credit. 786 00:58:25,737 --> 00:58:29,198 It seems all of Chicago is relishing in this Cinderella story. 787 00:58:29,307 --> 00:58:32,675 But now it's back to the hard work of studying for the National competition... 788 00:58:32,776 --> 00:58:37,687 which will be held here in Chicago at Palmer House on April 14. 789 00:58:37,781 --> 00:58:39,220 We wish them well. 790 00:58:39,317 --> 00:58:42,080 Were there any surprises on the exams? 791 00:58:42,186 --> 00:58:44,157 Not really. We tried to study everything... 792 00:58:44,254 --> 00:58:46,777 so there would be no surprises. 793 00:58:46,890 --> 00:58:49,726 - So what are we gonna do now? - Do? 794 00:58:49,827 --> 00:58:52,559 - At the Nationals? - We're gonna do well. 795 00:58:52,664 --> 00:58:54,394 - We are? - Yeah. 796 00:58:54,499 --> 00:58:57,929 So what are we gonna say when we drop 9,000 points... 797 00:58:58,036 --> 00:59:01,164 and the team from North Dakota edges us out of 43rd place? 798 00:59:01,271 --> 00:59:03,398 That's not gonna happen. 799 00:59:03,508 --> 00:59:06,938 You know what I think? I think you could've won State without any help. 800 00:59:07,045 --> 00:59:08,473 Please. 801 00:59:08,579 --> 00:59:10,342 No, I do. I really do. 802 00:59:10,447 --> 00:59:14,576 All having the test did was give you a psychological boost. 803 00:59:14,686 --> 00:59:17,981 It's all up here. It's all about having the confidence, the cockiness... 804 00:59:18,088 --> 00:59:21,748 to think you can do it, to know that you can beat anybody in that room. 805 00:59:24,062 --> 00:59:26,032 You know what I think? 806 00:59:26,130 --> 00:59:28,466 I think that if I can get the State tests from DeVry... 807 00:59:28,565 --> 00:59:30,796 I should be able to get the tests for the Nationals from the same place. 808 00:59:30,902 --> 00:59:33,561 I guarantee they haven't even tightened security... 809 00:59:33,670 --> 00:59:36,444 because they don't even know it was breached. 810 00:59:36,541 --> 00:59:38,032 Good, good, good. 811 00:59:38,142 --> 00:59:40,207 Okay if we get some pictures with everyone? 812 00:59:40,310 --> 00:59:42,041 Absolutely. Come on, guys. 813 00:59:45,183 --> 00:59:48,874 - Get in there tight. - Always strategizing, huh? 814 00:59:48,987 --> 00:59:50,582 Always. 815 01:00:16,381 --> 01:00:18,570 The following story is true. 816 01:00:18,682 --> 01:00:21,122 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 817 01:00:21,219 --> 01:00:23,544 Well, heck, they've been changed to protect me. 818 01:00:23,655 --> 01:00:26,647 I stress the need for total privacy. Somehow, I... 819 01:00:26,758 --> 01:00:28,947 I rushed into Dr. Plicky's house, thinking if he knew... 820 01:00:29,059 --> 01:00:32,051 how easily the test could be gotten, he'd call the proper authorities... 821 01:00:32,162 --> 01:00:34,320 and launch a full-on investigation. 822 01:00:34,431 --> 01:00:39,092 But when he saw the tests, he got that sneaky smile he's so used to modeling. 823 01:00:39,203 --> 01:00:41,112 He'd lost control of his senses. 824 01:00:41,205 --> 01:00:43,510 Soon the group began to congratulate me for such a wondrous deed. 825 01:00:43,608 --> 01:00:46,434 My brain spun as they discussed cheating techniques. 826 01:00:46,543 --> 01:00:48,566 I could almost taste the madness to come. 827 01:00:48,680 --> 01:00:50,744 Dr. Plicky decided I could help the team even more... 828 01:00:50,848 --> 01:00:52,913 by posing as a speech judge. 829 01:00:53,016 --> 01:00:55,352 This information came as a bit of a surprise. 830 01:00:55,452 --> 01:00:58,820 If I'm not competing, I won't get any recognition whatsoever. 831 01:00:58,922 --> 01:01:02,759 If the decathlon team as a whole would benefit, Steinmetz would benefit. 832 01:01:02,961 --> 01:01:04,858 I had to do it. 833 01:01:04,963 --> 01:01:07,455 I shook hands with Dr. Plicky after the contest. 834 01:01:07,564 --> 01:01:09,462 I hope he noticed that would be the last time... 835 01:01:09,566 --> 01:01:11,829 he would see me holding any respect for him. 836 01:01:11,935 --> 01:01:16,377 He turned a simple contest among friends into a competition of deceit. 837 01:01:16,473 --> 01:01:19,705 I now know what it's like to sell my soul to the devil. 838 01:01:19,811 --> 01:01:23,106 I can't begin to imagine how my teammates must feel. 839 01:01:23,213 --> 01:01:25,809 Guilt must clot their veins. 840 01:01:31,089 --> 01:01:32,319 What is this? 841 01:01:34,092 --> 01:01:35,583 It's a story. 842 01:01:35,692 --> 01:01:37,590 I know that, Irwin. 843 01:01:38,630 --> 01:01:40,527 But is there any truth to it? 844 01:01:40,632 --> 01:01:44,260 Well, I think that every good writer... 845 01:01:44,369 --> 01:01:46,558 draws on inspiration from his own life. 846 01:01:46,671 --> 01:01:50,539 It's really a very simple question. 847 01:01:50,642 --> 01:01:52,904 Either you had the tests or you didn't. 848 01:01:54,112 --> 01:01:55,342 Okay, well... 849 01:01:56,547 --> 01:01:59,040 Here's what happened, see? 850 01:01:59,149 --> 01:02:02,381 I just thought, you know, what a funny story it would make... 851 01:02:02,487 --> 01:02:05,573 you know if the decathlon team, you know, the "Cinderella Team"... 852 01:02:05,689 --> 01:02:07,816 that's getting all the attention, you know... 853 01:02:07,925 --> 01:02:10,418 if they only won 'cause they cheated. 854 01:02:11,763 --> 01:02:13,660 How funny would that be? 855 01:02:21,572 --> 01:02:25,472 Irwin has always been one of our more imaginative writers. 856 01:02:25,576 --> 01:02:28,548 - Thank you. - He wants to be a screenwriter. 857 01:02:28,645 --> 01:02:30,616 Well, I am a screenwriter, really. 858 01:02:30,714 --> 01:02:33,800 I have written several... 859 01:02:33,917 --> 01:02:38,046 drama and action kind of pieces. 860 01:02:41,793 --> 01:02:44,160 Well, Irwin... 861 01:02:44,262 --> 01:02:47,598 I think you've written a very dramatic story. 862 01:02:47,699 --> 01:02:50,722 - Thank you. - But I'm not sure you understand... 863 01:02:50,834 --> 01:02:53,701 how damaging this can be in the wrong hands. 864 01:02:53,805 --> 01:02:56,672 You may have written this as a flight of fancy... 865 01:02:56,773 --> 01:02:59,901 but there are a lot of people out there who would like nothing better... 866 01:03:00,011 --> 01:03:02,607 than to destroy the pride and prestige... 867 01:03:02,714 --> 01:03:05,008 and self-esteem that this win has brought the school. 868 01:03:06,618 --> 01:03:09,412 And this may create real problems for you... 869 01:03:09,519 --> 01:03:12,356 your teammates and the entire school. 870 01:03:12,457 --> 01:03:14,615 So I have to ask you... 871 01:03:14,726 --> 01:03:17,551 right here and right now... 872 01:03:17,662 --> 01:03:19,601 in plain, simple English... 873 01:03:20,430 --> 01:03:23,120 is this story true or isn't it? 874 01:03:23,233 --> 01:03:25,871 Yes or no? 875 01:03:35,747 --> 01:03:38,875 - You're sure? - Yeah. 876 01:03:38,982 --> 01:03:41,714 It's a tall tale. 877 01:03:41,818 --> 01:03:46,052 A fantasy. A kind of sciency fiction thing. 878 01:03:54,798 --> 01:03:57,384 All right. You'll have to write a recantation. 879 01:03:58,802 --> 01:04:00,700 A what? 880 01:04:00,804 --> 01:04:03,098 You had idle time. 881 01:04:03,206 --> 01:04:06,668 You orchestrated a fictitious story. 882 01:04:06,778 --> 01:04:08,832 I can't tell you exactly what to write. 883 01:04:08,945 --> 01:04:12,042 Just explain why you wrote what you wrote... 884 01:04:12,150 --> 01:04:14,579 should this thing ever become an issue. 885 01:04:18,388 --> 01:04:20,411 How do you spell "orchestrated"? 886 01:04:22,860 --> 01:04:24,758 - Calm down! Calm down! - I can't believe you did this! 887 01:04:24,862 --> 01:04:27,052 - I changed the names. - Oh, yeah, "Dr. Plicky"! 888 01:04:27,164 --> 01:04:29,761 - How fucking original. - I'm gonna tear you apart! 889 01:04:29,867 --> 01:04:31,765 - Guys! Guys! - He's probably wearing a wire! 890 01:04:31,869 --> 01:04:33,798 I'm not wearing a... Let's talk about this. 891 01:04:36,066 --> 01:04:38,558 - Stupid motherfucker! - Leave him alone! 892 01:04:38,667 --> 01:04:40,565 - Sit down! - Fuck off! 893 01:04:40,669 --> 01:04:42,567 - Piece of shit. - Get back there. 894 01:04:42,671 --> 01:04:44,569 Sit down. 895 01:04:45,674 --> 01:04:47,666 Shut up. Do you understand why they're upset? 896 01:04:47,777 --> 01:04:50,446 Confessions are for priests... 897 01:04:50,547 --> 01:04:52,414 not English teachers. 898 01:04:52,515 --> 01:04:55,810 You write that kind of story, make those sorts of explosive charges... 899 01:04:55,919 --> 01:04:57,817 who's the one you're hurting, huh? 900 01:04:57,921 --> 01:05:00,121 You're the one who's not gonna go to Nationals. 901 01:05:00,222 --> 01:05:04,216 You're the one admitting stealing tests, impersonating a judge. 902 01:05:04,326 --> 01:05:06,266 - I've never... - Look, look. 903 01:05:08,531 --> 01:05:10,522 I understand why you wrote it. 904 01:05:10,633 --> 01:05:12,531 You're upset about not getting the credit you deserved. 905 01:05:12,635 --> 01:05:15,200 - Yeah! - All right. I feel badly about that... 906 01:05:15,305 --> 01:05:19,299 but it was too risky for you to get any kind of media exposure. 907 01:05:19,408 --> 01:05:21,806 If just one kid from another school recognized you... 908 01:05:21,911 --> 01:05:25,039 as a judge at the competition, we'd all be in big trouble. 909 01:05:25,147 --> 01:05:28,140 - Especially you. - I'm so fucking sick of this guy. 910 01:05:28,250 --> 01:05:30,409 Jerry. 911 01:05:30,519 --> 01:05:34,388 - Hey, Connie, what's up? - Can I see you a minute? 912 01:05:34,491 --> 01:05:36,055 Sure. 913 01:05:41,731 --> 01:05:44,129 - Get over here! - Can we just talk about this? 914 01:05:44,234 --> 01:05:47,102 - I'll talk about my fist in your eye! - I changed the names! 915 01:05:47,203 --> 01:05:48,798 Get him, get him, get him! 916 01:05:50,039 --> 01:05:51,947 Absolutely. I think so. 917 01:05:52,041 --> 01:05:54,168 Hello, Dr. Plecki. I'm Joan Isenberg... 918 01:05:54,276 --> 01:05:56,831 from the Illinois Academic Decathlon Association. 919 01:05:56,946 --> 01:05:58,844 - Hello. - And this is Bruce McCaully... 920 01:05:58,948 --> 01:06:01,346 from Hartcourt Brace. 921 01:06:01,450 --> 01:06:03,744 I want to congratulate you on your win, Dr. Plecki. 922 01:06:03,853 --> 01:06:05,750 - Thank you. - And I want to inform you... 923 01:06:05,855 --> 01:06:08,326 that your team will have to take the test again. 924 01:06:08,424 --> 01:06:13,585 We've performed random number probability experiments... 925 01:06:13,696 --> 01:06:19,504 using a mixed model methodology and utilizing a two-way analysis... 926 01:06:19,602 --> 01:06:21,896 of your team's performance at State versus Regional. 927 01:06:22,005 --> 01:06:25,842 Now, the high and low scores indicates statistical variances... 928 01:06:25,941 --> 01:06:27,964 beyond normal parameters. 929 01:06:28,077 --> 01:06:29,985 Would you like to put that in English for us? 930 01:06:30,079 --> 01:06:34,709 Whitney Young's scores went down from the regional to the state competition. 931 01:06:34,818 --> 01:06:38,019 Your scores went up, way up. 932 01:06:38,120 --> 01:06:41,175 You had the highest scores in decathlon history. 933 01:06:41,291 --> 01:06:44,555 Yeah, well, that probably has something to do with us winning. 934 01:06:44,661 --> 01:06:47,560 If I could just take you through... 935 01:06:47,664 --> 01:06:50,532 some of the original scores. 936 01:06:50,633 --> 01:06:53,500 In mathematics, for example. 937 01:06:53,602 --> 01:06:58,336 Kurgan, Paul: Regionals 300, State 900. 938 01:06:58,441 --> 01:07:04,113 Kur, Matt: Regionals 175, State 875. 939 01:07:04,214 --> 01:07:08,979 Fitch, Jolie: Regionals 575, State 975. 940 01:07:09,085 --> 01:07:11,253 - Who hired you? - Dr. McCaully was retained... 941 01:07:11,354 --> 01:07:13,950 by the decathlon committee after anomalies were detected. 942 01:07:14,056 --> 01:07:17,581 Come on. Let's talk about who's really behind this, okay? 943 01:07:17,693 --> 01:07:20,185 I can just imagine the phone calls you got from Whitney Young... 944 01:07:20,296 --> 01:07:22,861 demanding to know why you let us crash their little party. 945 01:07:22,966 --> 01:07:25,625 - We're just doing our job, Dr. Plecki. - Then good. 946 01:07:25,735 --> 01:07:28,706 Why don't you investigate Young's scores for the past nine years? 947 01:07:28,804 --> 01:07:31,109 You won't because you're in bed with them. 948 01:07:31,207 --> 01:07:34,762 - Are you questioning my integrity? - I don't need to. 949 01:07:34,878 --> 01:07:37,005 I call your office, the phone rings at Whitney Young. 950 01:07:37,113 --> 01:07:39,678 We have not had our office there for two years. 951 01:07:39,782 --> 01:07:42,514 - Please! The whole system is corrupt. - That is not true! 952 01:07:42,619 --> 01:07:45,320 Are you, like, serious? 953 01:07:45,421 --> 01:07:48,622 Just one second. Let's be calm here a second. 954 01:07:48,724 --> 01:07:52,249 Dr. Plecki, if you have anything to say to us, just say it now. 955 01:07:54,663 --> 01:07:56,895 We cheated. 956 01:07:57,000 --> 01:08:00,055 We cheated a system that tries to make it impossible... 957 01:08:00,169 --> 01:08:03,704 for a general-enrollment school, or anyone who is not Whitney Young, to win. 958 01:08:03,806 --> 01:08:05,704 And that must piss some people off. 959 01:08:05,808 --> 01:08:08,644 You have completely misunderstood the situation, Dr. Plecki. 960 01:08:08,744 --> 01:08:11,372 - I have not misunderstood anything. - Oh, for heaven's sake! 961 01:08:11,480 --> 01:08:13,952 - I know exactly what... - Let's be calm for one second. 962 01:08:16,318 --> 01:08:20,312 What, in your view, do we have to do to remedy this situation? 963 01:08:20,423 --> 01:08:24,082 Your team has to take a validation test this Thursday. 964 01:08:24,193 --> 01:08:27,467 And if there's no significant decrease in the scores... 965 01:08:27,563 --> 01:08:30,785 they'll be eligible to compete in the Nationals. 966 01:08:30,900 --> 01:08:32,662 It's so unfair. 967 01:08:32,768 --> 01:08:36,063 Would they ask Whitney Young to retake the test? Of course not. 968 01:08:36,172 --> 01:08:38,695 You go to a good school, and they expect you to do well. 969 01:08:38,808 --> 01:08:41,904 It's so much easier to cheat. 970 01:08:42,011 --> 01:08:44,169 What about just taking the test again? 971 01:08:44,280 --> 01:08:46,178 - No, no, no, no. - What? 972 01:08:46,282 --> 01:08:48,273 You know, we should just sue them. 973 01:08:48,384 --> 01:08:50,793 - For defamation of character. - Yeah. 974 01:08:50,886 --> 01:08:53,827 - And violation of due process. - Yeah. 975 01:08:53,923 --> 01:08:55,820 - Pain and suffering. - Guys, look. 976 01:08:55,925 --> 01:08:59,751 I'm glad to hear we've got a handle on cause of action, but we're not suing. 977 01:08:59,862 --> 01:09:02,385 - What are we gonna do? - "What are we gonna do?" 978 01:09:03,499 --> 01:09:06,022 We're gonna do some research. 979 01:09:06,135 --> 01:09:10,931 Your students averaged fewer than four wrong on the multiple choice... 980 01:09:11,040 --> 01:09:14,710 where other schools average 14 to 18 incorrect answers. 981 01:09:15,644 --> 01:09:19,273 Then we found out that most of your kids finished the test with time to spare. 982 01:09:19,382 --> 01:09:21,686 They should be rewarded, not punished. 983 01:09:21,784 --> 01:09:23,776 - That's right. - In this country... 984 01:09:23,886 --> 01:09:26,378 one is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. 985 01:09:26,489 --> 01:09:28,887 - Those scores wouldn't be questioned... - Right on. 986 01:09:28,992 --> 01:09:33,455 If my kids did not have Spanish surnames and come from barrio schools. 987 01:09:33,562 --> 01:09:35,231 You know that! 988 01:09:35,331 --> 01:09:37,489 If you're so confident of your students' abilities... 989 01:09:37,600 --> 01:09:40,008 why not encourage them to retest? 990 01:09:40,102 --> 01:09:42,469 - Why should I? - If they don't... 991 01:09:42,571 --> 01:09:44,740 everyone will assume they cheated. 992 01:09:44,840 --> 01:09:47,812 Everyone will assume they cheated if they do! 993 01:09:47,910 --> 01:09:51,476 - Bingo. - I want to see the tests, please. 994 01:09:51,580 --> 01:09:54,385 We feel that by honoring your demand for a retest... 995 01:09:54,483 --> 01:09:56,715 we would implicitly accede to the reason behind it... 996 01:09:56,819 --> 01:09:58,779 the suspicion that cheating has occurred. 997 01:09:58,888 --> 01:10:01,912 We thereby notify you, that unless you have direct evidence of wrongdoing... 998 01:10:02,024 --> 01:10:04,495 we reject your ultimatum and refuse to be retested. 999 01:10:06,462 --> 01:10:08,235 Well, then... 1000 01:10:08,330 --> 01:10:12,355 I have no choice but to proceed with this course of action. 1001 01:10:14,103 --> 01:10:17,408 As a result of scores that indicate statistical variances... 1002 01:10:17,506 --> 01:10:19,404 beyond normal parameters... 1003 01:10:19,508 --> 01:10:22,376 and your refusal to submit to a retest... 1004 01:10:22,478 --> 01:10:24,605 you are summarily stripped of your championship... 1005 01:10:24,714 --> 01:10:27,341 and eligibility to participate in the national competition. 1006 01:10:28,351 --> 01:10:30,843 All trophies and medals should be returned immediately... 1007 01:10:30,953 --> 01:10:34,519 to the Illinois Academic Decathlon Association Representative... 1008 01:10:34,623 --> 01:10:36,354 Miss Joan Isenberg. 1009 01:10:36,459 --> 01:10:39,430 Miss Isenberg, if you try to take our championship away... 1010 01:10:39,528 --> 01:10:41,718 we will see you in court. 1011 01:10:41,831 --> 01:10:43,801 Do what you have to do, Dr. Kiamos... 1012 01:10:43,899 --> 01:10:46,955 and we'll do what we have to do. 1013 01:10:58,547 --> 01:11:00,779 You're those kids from Steinmetz, right? 1014 01:11:00,883 --> 01:11:02,968 Yeah, I saw you guys on TV. 1015 01:11:03,085 --> 01:11:04,983 Go kick some ass at Nationals, man. 1016 01:11:05,087 --> 01:11:07,350 You know we will, man. You know we will. 1017 01:11:08,624 --> 01:11:10,595 Oh, my God, we are so high up! 1018 01:11:10,693 --> 01:11:13,393 - Wow. - Check this out. 1019 01:11:13,496 --> 01:11:15,727 Look at this view, man. Whoa! 1020 01:11:18,000 --> 01:11:20,565 - Hi, I'm... - I know who you are, Dr. Plecki. 1021 01:11:20,669 --> 01:11:24,298 We've been expecting you. I'll show you to the conference room. 1022 01:11:27,176 --> 01:11:29,074 Guys, I think I can see Steinmetz. 1023 01:11:29,178 --> 01:11:30,742 Paul, sit down. 1024 01:11:35,685 --> 01:11:37,812 Hey, guys, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. 1025 01:11:37,920 --> 01:11:39,912 Everything all right here? 1026 01:11:40,022 --> 01:11:45,361 When Constantine told me what they were trying to do to you, I was outraged. 1027 01:11:45,461 --> 01:11:47,390 It's bullshit. Pardon my French. 1028 01:11:47,496 --> 01:11:49,832 I come from the streets, just like you. 1029 01:11:49,932 --> 01:11:51,986 I didn't go to the right schools. 1030 01:11:52,101 --> 01:11:54,760 I didn't know the right people. I don't speak the queen's English. 1031 01:11:54,870 --> 01:11:58,603 Everyone assumes I got where I am today by lying, cheating, stealing. 1032 01:11:58,708 --> 01:12:00,939 - Mr. Clifford? - What? 1033 01:12:01,043 --> 01:12:03,671 Tell him I'll call him back. 1034 01:12:03,778 --> 01:12:06,969 And by the way, you didn't cheat, did you? 1035 01:12:11,987 --> 01:12:14,177 All right. I had to ask that. 1036 01:12:14,290 --> 01:12:16,448 But, obviously, you know where my sentiments lie. 1037 01:12:16,559 --> 01:12:18,550 I wouldn't have taken this case pro bono... 1038 01:12:18,661 --> 01:12:21,528 if I didn't think there was a real wrong being perpetrated here. 1039 01:12:21,630 --> 01:12:23,997 And that's why I've invited the press down to meet with you. 1040 01:12:24,100 --> 01:12:26,300 The press? 1041 01:12:26,402 --> 01:12:28,300 - To meet us? - Yeah. 1042 01:12:28,404 --> 01:12:30,740 If we're gonna win this thing, we're doing it in a court of public opinion. 1043 01:12:30,840 --> 01:12:33,832 So sit tight, all right? All right. 1044 01:12:33,943 --> 01:12:35,851 Look what I'm wearing. 1045 01:12:37,413 --> 01:12:39,936 All right, all right. 1046 01:12:40,049 --> 01:12:42,072 As you can see from the press releases in front of you... 1047 01:12:42,184 --> 01:12:45,156 these young people are the cream of the crop. 1048 01:12:45,254 --> 01:12:47,152 They're our future leaders. 1049 01:12:47,256 --> 01:12:50,457 Honor roll students taking AP classes. 1050 01:12:50,559 --> 01:12:53,823 But they're here today because they are accused of being too successful. 1051 01:12:53,929 --> 01:12:56,401 Our firm, Robert A. Clifford and Associates... 1052 01:12:56,499 --> 01:13:00,023 is filing a motion seeking injunctive relief... 1053 01:13:00,136 --> 01:13:02,075 and a temporary restraining order... 1054 01:13:02,171 --> 01:13:05,195 barring the Decathlon Committee from stripping the team... 1055 01:13:05,307 --> 01:13:08,373 of its rightfully won title and its ability to compete at the Nationals. 1056 01:13:11,614 --> 01:13:13,772 Whoa! One question at a time. 1057 01:13:13,883 --> 01:13:16,406 Of the 5,000 students who took the state tests... 1058 01:13:16,519 --> 01:13:19,240 only 12 scored 900 or better in the math section. 1059 01:13:19,355 --> 01:13:21,545 Six were from Steinmetz. 1060 01:13:21,657 --> 01:13:24,650 Okay, so we'll try to do better at the Nationals. 1061 01:13:24,759 --> 01:13:27,189 And of the 105 students in the state finals... 1062 01:13:27,296 --> 01:13:30,424 only 17 could answer one difficult calculus problem... 1063 01:13:30,533 --> 01:13:32,795 yet all six from Steinmetz answered it correctly. 1064 01:13:32,902 --> 01:13:35,957 Props to our math teacher. You're the best, Dr. Miller. 1065 01:13:36,072 --> 01:13:39,523 How do you explain the high scores, though? I mean, there must be... 1066 01:13:43,713 --> 01:13:46,580 Hold on. Let me explain. Can I just say something? 1067 01:13:46,682 --> 01:13:48,674 If we didn't have Polish surnames... 1068 01:13:48,783 --> 01:13:50,879 or come from a poor school... 1069 01:13:50,986 --> 01:13:53,155 these scores would never have been questioned. 1070 01:13:53,255 --> 01:13:55,153 The Steinmetz team's defiance... 1071 01:13:55,257 --> 01:13:57,155 of the state board directives is being viewed... 1072 01:13:57,259 --> 01:13:59,731 as a brave and courageous stance... 1073 01:13:59,829 --> 01:14:03,426 in a city now gripped by "did they or didn't they" fever. 1074 01:14:03,531 --> 01:14:05,439 Those Whitney Young whiners should just shut up. 1075 01:14:05,533 --> 01:14:09,235 Learning how to lose gracefully is just as important as knowing how to win. 1076 01:14:09,338 --> 01:14:13,300 No one's proven these kids guilty. They worked hard. They're innocent. 1077 01:14:13,409 --> 01:14:15,776 If these kids cheated and managed to keep it quiet... 1078 01:14:15,878 --> 01:14:18,005 they're even more talented than I thought they were. 1079 01:14:18,114 --> 01:14:21,242 Hey, guys, call me. I will hire you in a heartbeat. 1080 01:14:21,350 --> 01:14:23,342 Absolutely. We reached those heights. 1081 01:14:23,451 --> 01:14:26,548 We achieved those scores. 1082 01:14:26,655 --> 01:14:29,679 Until and unless someone comes along to prove that we didn't... 1083 01:14:29,792 --> 01:14:31,690 we're going to stand by this year's scores. 1084 01:14:31,794 --> 01:14:34,526 If it is discovered that they cheated, should they be stripped of their title? 1085 01:14:34,630 --> 01:14:40,000 All I have is accusations from people whose voracity I question. 1086 01:14:40,101 --> 01:14:42,562 - I have absolutely no reason... - Fuck. 1087 01:14:42,671 --> 01:14:45,768 To believe that this isn't... 1088 01:14:45,875 --> 01:14:48,398 a very clear case of people jealous... 1089 01:14:48,511 --> 01:14:51,347 of those who they don't expect to beat them. 1090 01:14:51,447 --> 01:14:54,210 What do you think this says about the city of Chicago? 1091 01:14:54,316 --> 01:14:57,841 I don't think it says much about the city itself. 1092 01:14:57,952 --> 01:14:59,850 The school system might be punished for it. 1093 01:14:59,954 --> 01:15:03,719 But along the lines of the city, the city's still a very respectful city. 1094 01:15:03,826 --> 01:15:06,454 You don't think this gives us a black eye nationally? 1095 01:15:06,562 --> 01:15:11,233 Hi. Yes. Can I speak to a Gloria Abrams, please? 1096 01:15:25,915 --> 01:15:28,386 - Hello? - Dr. Plecki? 1097 01:15:28,484 --> 01:15:30,476 - Yes? - This is Gloria Abrams... 1098 01:15:30,586 --> 01:15:32,484 from the Sun-Times. 1099 01:15:34,924 --> 01:15:36,863 How did you get this number? 1100 01:15:36,959 --> 01:15:39,399 Irwin Flickas gave it to me, and he also gave me... 1101 01:15:39,495 --> 01:15:45,126 a very interesting essay concerning some stolen decathlon materials. 1102 01:15:45,234 --> 01:15:47,226 We're going to print it in tomorrow's paper... 1103 01:15:47,336 --> 01:15:50,391 and I was wondering if I could get a comment from you. 1104 01:15:51,474 --> 01:15:54,967 Dr. Plecki, do you know Irwin Flickas? 1105 01:15:58,446 --> 01:16:00,344 Dr. Plecki, are you... 1106 01:16:16,632 --> 01:16:19,802 Jerry? You okay? 1107 01:16:19,902 --> 01:16:23,197 I'm fine. Go back to sleep. 1108 01:16:23,304 --> 01:16:25,640 It's okay. Go on. 1109 01:17:36,679 --> 01:17:38,274 Jerry? 1110 01:17:38,379 --> 01:17:40,580 What the hell are you doing? 1111 01:17:45,120 --> 01:17:47,017 Jerry, my paper! 1112 01:18:37,238 --> 01:18:40,033 - Hey, did someone get killed? - Yeah, you. 1113 01:18:48,284 --> 01:18:50,588 This is so messed up. I can't believe that he would... 1114 01:18:50,686 --> 01:18:52,584 - This is no good right here. - Excuse me? 1115 01:18:52,688 --> 01:18:56,213 Get the hell out of here, man! What are you doing, huh? 1116 01:18:56,325 --> 01:18:58,233 You want some of this? 1117 01:19:02,498 --> 01:19:04,698 Get out of here! 1118 01:19:04,799 --> 01:19:06,697 Don't give them what they want! 1119 01:19:06,801 --> 01:19:09,533 I can't fucking believe this! I'm never gonna get into college now. 1120 01:19:10,638 --> 01:19:13,078 This is ridiculous! 1121 01:19:13,174 --> 01:19:16,083 - I look so fat! - I'm gonna kill him. 1122 01:19:16,177 --> 01:19:18,544 - Am I that fat, for real? - Yes, you are. 1123 01:19:18,646 --> 01:19:22,379 - Why would he do that? - Maybe we should give back the medals. 1124 01:19:22,484 --> 01:19:23,380 What? 1125 01:19:24,987 --> 01:19:28,011 Maybe we should just end this insanity. 1126 01:19:28,123 --> 01:19:31,584 Let Whitney Young go to Nationals. Let all this craziness just fade away. 1127 01:19:31,694 --> 01:19:34,561 - Maybe we should just tell the truth. - No, no, wait! Hold on! 1128 01:19:34,662 --> 01:19:37,259 Hold on! You were the one that taught us... 1129 01:19:37,366 --> 01:19:40,338 to take charge in each situation, to get our foot in the door. 1130 01:19:40,436 --> 01:19:43,460 Now you want them to slam it in our face? 1131 01:19:45,074 --> 01:19:46,972 I mean, what evidence do they have? 1132 01:19:47,076 --> 01:19:49,902 Some kid wrote an essay who can't even spell. 1133 01:19:51,914 --> 01:19:54,135 We have to let people know who Flickas really is. 1134 01:19:54,249 --> 01:19:56,511 He's this kid pissed off because he's dropped from the team. 1135 01:19:56,619 --> 01:19:58,517 Yeah, yeah, he's just jealous of our success. 1136 01:19:58,621 --> 01:20:00,519 We don't hate him. We're not mad at him. 1137 01:20:00,623 --> 01:20:03,615 - Yeah, we feel sorry for this kid. - We can survive this. 1138 01:20:05,194 --> 01:20:08,499 We can. You taught us how to survive anything. 1139 01:20:09,632 --> 01:20:12,291 We just have to stick together and keep our stories straight... 1140 01:20:12,400 --> 01:20:14,308 and take the offensive. 1141 01:20:21,142 --> 01:20:22,696 All right. 1142 01:20:25,447 --> 01:20:27,344 But you understand this: 1143 01:20:29,385 --> 01:20:31,689 Things are only going to get worse. 1144 01:20:31,786 --> 01:20:34,310 The media is going to lie to you, they're gonna threaten you... 1145 01:20:34,422 --> 01:20:37,154 they're gonna try to turn you against each other. 1146 01:20:37,258 --> 01:20:38,385 So look around. 1147 01:20:41,397 --> 01:20:44,796 Those are the only faces you can trust. 1148 01:20:45,900 --> 01:20:48,497 - Talk to me! - Did you cheat? Did you steal the test? 1149 01:20:48,604 --> 01:20:52,066 Get out of here! Leave my son alone! 1150 01:20:52,173 --> 01:20:54,405 We just want to let him tell his side of the story! 1151 01:20:54,510 --> 01:20:56,668 If he doesn't defend himself, who will? 1152 01:20:56,779 --> 01:21:00,554 - I'm coming down there to kick your ass! - Yeah, beat his ass, Dad! 1153 01:21:00,648 --> 01:21:02,609 Listen to me. I'll take you to New York. 1154 01:21:02,717 --> 01:21:04,615 I'll put you in a nice hotel room. 1155 01:21:04,719 --> 01:21:07,420 I could get you courtside seats at the Bull's game. What's your shoe size? 1156 01:21:07,523 --> 01:21:09,421 Do you like musicals? I'll take you to Cats. 1157 01:21:09,525 --> 01:21:12,820 Get away from my house! I've had enough of this! 1158 01:21:12,927 --> 01:21:16,191 Agnieska is not a cheater. She is a good student! She won! 1159 01:21:16,297 --> 01:21:18,206 Are you sure about this? 1160 01:21:20,935 --> 01:21:23,000 - Out! - George, keep it going. 1161 01:21:44,325 --> 01:21:46,734 I see your son, this boy here... 1162 01:21:46,829 --> 01:21:49,457 as the bright shining light in this whole sordid affair. 1163 01:21:49,565 --> 01:21:52,464 The only one with the courage, with the honesty to come forward... 1164 01:21:52,568 --> 01:21:54,799 and blow the whistle on those disciples of darkness. 1165 01:21:54,903 --> 01:21:56,863 - So, who's gonna... - So, who's gonna play me? 1166 01:21:56,971 --> 01:21:59,172 - Shut up. This movie's not about you. - Wait a minute. 1167 01:21:59,274 --> 01:22:01,797 - Don't tell me to shut up. - They're making a movie about me! 1168 01:22:01,910 --> 01:22:06,341 All right. Let's examine the essay for a moment. 1169 01:22:06,448 --> 01:22:10,316 So, first of all, we have this tragic hero, Irwin Flickas. 1170 01:22:10,418 --> 01:22:14,912 And then there's the suffering victim, Irwin Flickas. 1171 01:22:15,023 --> 01:22:19,892 And then finally, we have this redemptive act performed by... 1172 01:22:20,995 --> 01:22:23,123 Irwin Flickas. 1173 01:22:23,232 --> 01:22:26,100 I mean, it's kind of an interesting profile, don't you think? 1174 01:22:27,770 --> 01:22:31,221 - You're wearing the shirt I gave you. - I gave 'em the usual "whatever." 1175 01:22:31,340 --> 01:22:34,176 You didn't have to give an exclusive. Wow, I got screwed. 1176 01:22:34,275 --> 01:22:36,298 My dad's screaming, "I'm gonna kick your ass! 1177 01:22:36,411 --> 01:22:38,309 Get the fuck off my private property." 1178 01:22:38,413 --> 01:22:40,999 Connie Chung's people called me. They want to take me out for breakfast. 1179 01:22:41,116 --> 01:22:44,348 Jeff, I'm outside the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers... 1180 01:22:44,452 --> 01:22:47,716 where I've obtained an exclusive interview with Angela Lam... 1181 01:22:47,822 --> 01:22:51,117 the captain of last year's Steinmetz Academic Decathlon Team. 1182 01:22:51,226 --> 01:22:54,792 - Switch to channel two. - All right, all right, all right. 1183 01:22:54,897 --> 01:22:58,838 She says that her former coach, Dr. Jerry Plecki... 1184 01:22:58,933 --> 01:23:01,592 came to her during the competition with a slip of paper... 1185 01:23:01,703 --> 01:23:04,330 containing the answers to the Super Quiz portion of the decathlon. 1186 01:23:04,439 --> 01:23:07,265 Quick, turn to channel two. Right now. 1187 01:23:08,644 --> 01:23:12,513 - Who is that? - That girl went to our school. 1188 01:23:12,614 --> 01:23:14,438 I admit it. I cheated. 1189 01:23:14,550 --> 01:23:15,989 This girl's full of it. 1190 01:23:16,084 --> 01:23:18,607 Could be true. She looks to happy to be on TV. 1191 01:23:18,720 --> 01:23:21,619 Their overall score didn't allow them to advance to state finals. 1192 01:23:21,723 --> 01:23:24,486 This year's team did much better, winning the state championship. 1193 01:23:24,592 --> 01:23:29,629 But Lam's admission tonight raises more questions about this year's victory. 1194 01:23:29,731 --> 01:23:32,171 I'd just like to say to the members of this year's team... 1195 01:23:32,267 --> 01:23:35,238 if you did cheat, it's time to come clean. 1196 01:23:35,336 --> 01:23:37,464 - Oh, come on! - Cheating is not all right. 1197 01:23:37,573 --> 01:23:39,513 It is wrong, wrong, wrong. 1198 01:23:39,607 --> 01:23:42,809 The integrity and morality are more important than winning the contest. 1199 01:23:42,911 --> 01:23:44,506 Oh, please! 1200 01:23:44,612 --> 01:23:46,448 God, man, what is she doing? 1201 01:23:46,548 --> 01:23:48,477 What's wrong with her? 1202 01:23:48,584 --> 01:23:51,149 This is not good at all. 1203 01:23:51,252 --> 01:23:55,152 In an essay, he claims Steinmetz obtained an advance copy of the test. 1204 01:23:55,256 --> 01:23:58,280 This comes only weeks after Steinmetz won the academic decathlon. 1205 01:23:58,393 --> 01:24:00,729 - There you are! - Mom, please! 1206 01:24:00,829 --> 01:24:02,726 If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have gotten caught. 1207 01:24:02,831 --> 01:24:06,595 - Come on. We'll be fine. - It would suck if we got caught, man. 1208 01:24:06,702 --> 01:24:08,861 But the investigation is ongoing. 1209 01:24:08,971 --> 01:24:12,277 Reporting live from downtown Chicago, I'm Lisa Martin. 1210 01:24:12,373 --> 01:24:15,272 Dr. Plecki, is Angela Lam telling the truth? 1211 01:24:26,955 --> 01:24:30,114 - Jerry, go home. - Okay. Look, I can explain. 1212 01:24:30,225 --> 01:24:32,654 I just got a call from Argie Johnson. 1213 01:24:32,761 --> 01:24:35,920 The school board has ruled that you are suspended until this mess is over. 1214 01:24:36,030 --> 01:24:38,794 Suspended? On what grounds? 1215 01:24:38,901 --> 01:24:41,424 I don't know. Dereliction of duty, fucking with other people's livelihoods. 1216 01:24:41,536 --> 01:24:44,362 Take your pick. If you want to see your union rep, I think you should. 1217 01:24:47,242 --> 01:24:49,536 Can I use the phone in your office? 1218 01:24:49,645 --> 01:24:51,637 You can't conduct business on school property. 1219 01:24:53,882 --> 01:24:55,435 Where are my kids? 1220 01:24:55,550 --> 01:24:58,845 They're on their way to the school board headquarters. 1221 01:24:58,953 --> 01:25:02,248 Listen to me. I've been here 26 years. 1222 01:25:02,357 --> 01:25:06,455 I don't think I'm gonna survive this debacle. Let me give you some advice. 1223 01:25:06,561 --> 01:25:10,190 By the way, no contact anymore with the students. That's the ruling. 1224 01:25:10,299 --> 01:25:14,428 I think you should go home, don't answer the door, don't talk to any reporters. 1225 01:25:14,536 --> 01:25:16,506 Just lie low, okay? 1226 01:25:16,604 --> 01:25:18,502 - Do it? - Yeah. 1227 01:25:21,677 --> 01:25:23,481 Two minutes! Come on, Plecki! 1228 01:25:23,578 --> 01:25:26,602 Was Angela telling the truth? Did you cheat last year? 1229 01:25:26,714 --> 01:25:29,123 - Come on, Plecki! - Talk to us! 1230 01:26:41,755 --> 01:26:43,882 Hi, Jolie. 1231 01:26:43,990 --> 01:26:46,514 My name is Jerry Marconi, and this is Corinne Davis. 1232 01:26:46,626 --> 01:26:48,753 We're attorneys working with the board of education. 1233 01:26:48,862 --> 01:26:51,802 Now, we know that cheating occurred. That's a given. 1234 01:26:52,732 --> 01:26:55,715 What we need to know now is whether Dr. Plecki stole the tests. 1235 01:26:55,836 --> 01:26:59,037 - Coerced you into looking at them. - Threatened you if you talked. 1236 01:26:59,139 --> 01:27:00,661 - Offered you alcohol. - Drugs. 1237 01:27:00,774 --> 01:27:03,235 - Sex. - That doesn't matter. 1238 01:27:03,343 --> 01:27:05,606 You're just a kid. He took advantage of your youth. 1239 01:27:05,712 --> 01:27:08,308 - Your stupidity. - Your innocence. 1240 01:27:09,182 --> 01:27:11,653 You did a lot of growing up lately, haven't you? 1241 01:27:12,786 --> 01:27:16,185 And now you know the difference between right and wrong. 1242 01:27:16,289 --> 01:27:19,657 You do know the difference between right and wrong, don't you? 1243 01:27:21,761 --> 01:27:23,284 Right? 1244 01:27:25,031 --> 01:27:26,189 Wrong? 1245 01:27:28,235 --> 01:27:29,705 Don't you? 1246 01:27:33,173 --> 01:27:34,799 - We didn't cheat. - We didn't cheat. 1247 01:27:55,362 --> 01:27:58,292 Well, well, well! Look what I just got. 1248 01:28:00,066 --> 01:28:02,402 Signed confessions from your teammates. 1249 01:28:03,637 --> 01:28:07,359 And guess what they're saying. That you were the ringleader. 1250 01:28:08,441 --> 01:28:11,007 That is was all your idea. 1251 01:28:21,988 --> 01:28:25,252 Come on, Dominik. It's time to get it off your chest. 1252 01:28:26,493 --> 01:28:28,547 You're a good Catholic like me. 1253 01:28:28,662 --> 01:28:31,686 We both go to church, share the same confessor. 1254 01:28:31,798 --> 01:28:34,739 Remember what the Bible says. 1255 01:28:34,833 --> 01:28:38,473 "Repent so that your sins may be blotted out... 1256 01:28:38,572 --> 01:28:40,803 less Satan take advantage of us. 1257 01:28:40,907 --> 01:28:44,838 For we are not ignorant of his devices." 1258 01:28:44,945 --> 01:28:47,937 You gotta let it go. The truth has to come. 1259 01:28:48,048 --> 01:28:50,540 You gonna live with that shame for the rest of your life? 1260 01:28:50,650 --> 01:28:52,016 Come clean. 1261 01:28:52,118 --> 01:28:55,382 Open up your heart. You can't live with a lie. 1262 01:28:55,487 --> 01:28:58,251 You can't. How are you gonna fill that hole? 1263 01:28:58,358 --> 01:29:01,882 You can only fill it with the truth, Dominik. The truth. 1264 01:29:02,996 --> 01:29:04,967 Tell me the truth. 1265 01:29:05,065 --> 01:29:06,962 Did you cheat? 1266 01:29:08,768 --> 01:29:12,731 All right. I know you all want to make your deadlines, so I'll be brief. 1267 01:29:12,839 --> 01:29:16,072 We have cracked the Steinmetz cheating conspiracy. 1268 01:29:16,176 --> 01:29:18,084 I have in my hand a signed confession... 1269 01:29:18,178 --> 01:29:20,545 from a Steinmetz team member, admitting that... 1270 01:29:20,647 --> 01:29:24,411 he did, indeed, receive stolen copies of the academic decathlon test. 1271 01:29:26,419 --> 01:29:27,639 Says the team was instructed... 1272 01:29:27,754 --> 01:29:29,412 - on how to cheat... - I won! 1273 01:29:29,521 --> 01:29:32,493 By their former decathlon coach, Dr. Gerard Plecki. 1274 01:29:32,592 --> 01:29:35,720 Now, while Dr. Plecki did not personally obtain the stolen tests... 1275 01:29:35,829 --> 01:29:38,352 he made sure that all the students studied with the test. 1276 01:29:38,465 --> 01:29:40,394 He directed the cover-up, and he attempted to maintain... 1277 01:29:40,500 --> 01:29:43,628 a code of silence amongst the conspirators. 1278 01:29:43,737 --> 01:29:47,762 As a result, we are considering pursuing criminal charges against Dr. Plecki. 1279 01:29:47,874 --> 01:29:51,816 Those charges may include conspiracy to defraud the decathlon competition... 1280 01:29:51,911 --> 01:29:54,111 theft of a scholarship and perjury. 1281 01:29:54,214 --> 01:29:57,519 How did Dr. Plecki get them to cheat? 1282 01:29:57,617 --> 01:30:00,485 These kids are a very tight-knit group. 1283 01:30:00,587 --> 01:30:03,986 Like a cult, if you will. And Dr. Plecki is the leader of this cult. 1284 01:30:04,090 --> 01:30:07,250 He brainwashed them, made sure they'd follow him to the gates of hell... 1285 01:30:07,360 --> 01:30:09,331 and then break them down for him. 1286 01:30:09,429 --> 01:30:11,358 And let me just tell you something. 1287 01:30:11,464 --> 01:30:14,989 I've dealt with hard-core rapists, serial killers, you name it... 1288 01:30:15,101 --> 01:30:18,157 but these kids may be some of the most skilled liars I've ever encountered. 1289 01:30:18,271 --> 01:30:22,536 They looked me straight in the eye and lied to me. They scared me. 1290 01:30:22,642 --> 01:30:25,072 Mr. Marconi, is it true... 1291 01:30:25,178 --> 01:30:28,171 one of the team members is a bisexual witch? 1292 01:30:28,281 --> 01:30:31,733 I can't comment on that aspect of the investigation. 1293 01:30:31,850 --> 01:30:35,688 Mr. Marconi, there have been allegations that perhaps there was some sort... 1294 01:30:35,789 --> 01:30:39,344 of sexual relationship going on between Dr. Plecki and one of his students. 1295 01:30:39,459 --> 01:30:41,680 I can't comment on that aspect of the investigation. 1296 01:30:41,795 --> 01:30:44,985 Sir, where is Dr. Plecki now? 1297 01:30:45,098 --> 01:30:47,006 His whereabouts are unknown to me at the moment. 1298 01:30:47,100 --> 01:30:49,133 Will the students be expelled? 1299 01:30:49,235 --> 01:30:52,102 Cheating is a serious infraction... 1300 01:30:52,205 --> 01:30:55,469 in any educational institution... 1301 01:30:55,575 --> 01:30:59,475 and it's something that I will not tolerate in this system... 1302 01:30:59,579 --> 01:31:02,207 by any teacher or anyone else. 1303 01:31:02,315 --> 01:31:06,340 They should hold that adult responsible as a teacher. They should fire him. 1304 01:31:06,453 --> 01:31:09,988 What it does is tell me how far we've come in our society. 1305 01:31:10,090 --> 01:31:13,614 When I was in school, cheating was a monumental offense. 1306 01:31:13,727 --> 01:31:15,750 Honor was held in high esteem. 1307 01:31:15,862 --> 01:31:17,760 He's a moral midget. 1308 01:31:17,864 --> 01:31:20,826 I always had a bad feeling about Jerry. 1309 01:31:20,934 --> 01:31:23,499 I knew something was going on. 1310 01:31:23,603 --> 01:31:26,200 Kids coming and going late at night. 1311 01:31:26,306 --> 01:31:30,174 One time I saw a teenager leave at 1:00 in the morning. 1312 01:31:30,276 --> 01:31:32,173 A crisis management team has been called in... 1313 01:31:32,278 --> 01:31:34,874 to counsel shocked students and team members. 1314 01:31:34,981 --> 01:31:37,974 Steinmetz is a school in pain. 1315 01:31:38,084 --> 01:31:40,180 There he is. Get that fuckin' snitch! 1316 01:31:45,225 --> 01:31:48,092 - Get him! - Help! Get 'em off me! 1317 01:32:23,062 --> 01:32:25,971 How could you do this? 1318 01:32:26,065 --> 01:32:28,598 How could you betray those kids? 1319 01:32:28,701 --> 01:32:30,640 It's not that simple, Mother. 1320 01:32:30,737 --> 01:32:33,198 Yes, it is. It's that simple. 1321 01:32:33,306 --> 01:32:35,903 Teachers don't teach kids how to cheat. 1322 01:32:36,009 --> 01:32:39,075 Believe me, those kids didn't need any instruction. 1323 01:32:39,179 --> 01:32:41,650 Yes! Yes, they did. 1324 01:32:41,748 --> 01:32:45,147 They needed someone to tell them that it was wrong. 1325 01:32:46,252 --> 01:32:49,713 Your father was so proud when you became a teacher. 1326 01:32:49,823 --> 01:32:51,846 He never cared how much money you made. 1327 01:32:51,958 --> 01:32:55,410 He just wanted you to reflect well on us. 1328 01:32:55,527 --> 01:32:58,395 He lived a decent, honest life. 1329 01:32:58,498 --> 01:33:01,095 Yeah, and look what happened to him. He got screwed. 1330 01:33:01,201 --> 01:33:04,433 He had this bullshit immigrant notion that if he worked hard enough... 1331 01:33:04,537 --> 01:33:07,936 and wanted something badly enough, all his dreams would come true! 1332 01:33:09,943 --> 01:33:14,437 All your dreams would come true! That's why he worked so hard. 1333 01:33:14,547 --> 01:33:17,810 So that you would have the opportunities that he never got. 1334 01:33:17,917 --> 01:33:20,388 That's why he worked at that factory! 1335 01:33:20,487 --> 01:33:22,677 Inhaling those diesel fumes so you wouldn't have to! 1336 01:33:22,789 --> 01:33:25,719 The minute he got sick, they laid him off! 1337 01:33:25,824 --> 01:33:29,224 They took his pension, they took his medical insurance! 1338 01:33:29,329 --> 01:33:32,655 They killed him! They fucking killed him! 1339 01:33:32,765 --> 01:33:36,894 That was his reward! That was the reward that he got for all his hard work! 1340 01:33:37,003 --> 01:33:39,370 - Right there! - Listen. 1341 01:33:40,540 --> 01:33:44,169 No matter what happened to your father... 1342 01:33:44,277 --> 01:33:48,344 he never used it as an excuse to do something that was wrong. 1343 01:33:49,749 --> 01:33:52,189 You're not the victim here, Jerry. 1344 01:33:52,285 --> 01:33:55,257 What you did was wrong. 1345 01:33:56,222 --> 01:34:00,184 And nothing you say can ever make it right. 1346 01:34:15,408 --> 01:34:18,172 Guys, I'm leaving tonight. 1347 01:34:18,278 --> 01:34:21,907 As I'm sure you know, the only question left unanswered... 1348 01:34:22,015 --> 01:34:25,143 is whether to form a lynching party or just burn me at the stake. 1349 01:34:25,251 --> 01:34:28,910 So I think it's time to head for friendlier climes. 1350 01:34:29,022 --> 01:34:32,348 Or at least someplace where there isn't a bounty on my head. 1351 01:34:32,458 --> 01:34:34,355 Have you considered Somalia? 1352 01:34:36,262 --> 01:34:39,358 Now, obviously, we made some mistakes. 1353 01:34:39,465 --> 01:34:41,727 - Getting caught, for one. - No, no, no. 1354 01:34:41,834 --> 01:34:45,233 This isn't about getting caught or being punished. 1355 01:34:45,338 --> 01:34:48,571 I look at what we did as kind of a civil disobedience. 1356 01:34:49,409 --> 01:34:52,933 Or maybe that was a mistake. Maybe I owe you an apology. 1357 01:34:54,514 --> 01:34:56,850 I don't know anything anymore. I just know that sometimes... 1358 01:34:56,950 --> 01:34:59,943 you need to break the rules in order to change them. 1359 01:35:00,053 --> 01:35:02,848 And things will change because of this. 1360 01:35:02,956 --> 01:35:07,419 - They'll make the tests harder to steal. - Yeah, probably will. 1361 01:35:07,527 --> 01:35:11,062 But they'll also have to justify holding a competition that isn't real... 1362 01:35:11,164 --> 01:35:13,531 where the same team wins, year after year. 1363 01:35:13,633 --> 01:35:15,729 They'll have to justify warehousing you... 1364 01:35:15,834 --> 01:35:18,994 while a chosen few get a quality education. 1365 01:35:19,105 --> 01:35:22,901 But I want you all to put it behind you. 1366 01:35:25,011 --> 01:35:28,473 If anyone asks, you tell them I got the tests... 1367 01:35:29,382 --> 01:35:31,416 forced you to look at them... 1368 01:35:31,517 --> 01:35:33,811 threatened you if you talked. 1369 01:35:35,989 --> 01:35:38,356 'Cause it doesn't matter to me. My career is over. 1370 01:35:38,458 --> 01:35:40,752 Yours are just beginning. 1371 01:35:42,895 --> 01:35:44,459 Here. 1372 01:35:44,564 --> 01:35:47,432 We got something for you. 1373 01:35:48,534 --> 01:35:51,433 - A little something. - Well, that's... 1374 01:35:52,538 --> 01:35:54,967 Thank you very much. That's... 1375 01:36:08,955 --> 01:36:11,249 "Dear Dr. Plecki, the skills you've taught us... 1376 01:36:11,357 --> 01:36:13,380 will serve us the rest of our lives. 1377 01:36:13,493 --> 01:36:15,954 You were the best teacher we ever had. 1378 01:36:16,062 --> 01:36:20,327 The '94, '95 Steinmetz Academic Decathlon Team." 1379 01:36:49,729 --> 01:36:52,858 These were children. And it incenses me that an adult... 1380 01:36:52,965 --> 01:36:56,427 would seduce and corrupt innocent children in this manner. 1381 01:36:56,536 --> 01:36:59,935 I am just so upset by this. I cannot even believe... 1382 01:37:00,039 --> 01:37:03,094 Everyone in my school cheats. It's like brushing your teeth. 1383 01:37:03,209 --> 01:37:08,005 Only the stoners don't cheat, because they don't even care about their grades. 1384 01:37:08,114 --> 01:37:10,638 But don't you realize that when you cheat... 1385 01:37:10,750 --> 01:37:13,243 the only one you're hurting is yourself? 1386 01:37:13,352 --> 01:37:18,086 Yeah, I'm in a lot of pain. I cheated in high school and got into a good college. 1387 01:37:18,191 --> 01:37:20,715 I cheated in college and got into a really great law school. 1388 01:37:20,827 --> 01:37:23,695 I cheated in law school and got into a great law firm. 1389 01:37:23,796 --> 01:37:26,423 Now I'm bagging, like, 700 grand a year... 1390 01:37:26,532 --> 01:37:30,369 and I never regretted not learning how to do that calculus derivative stuff. 1391 01:37:30,470 --> 01:37:34,370 I'm just glad I got out of high school and got an "A" in calculus. 1392 01:37:43,416 --> 01:37:45,314 People always ask me... 1393 01:37:45,418 --> 01:37:47,316 "Having gone through everything you went through... 1394 01:37:47,420 --> 01:37:49,318 would you do it again?" 1395 01:37:49,422 --> 01:37:51,612 And I always give the same answer. 1396 01:37:51,724 --> 01:37:53,632 "In a heartbeat." 1397 01:37:53,726 --> 01:37:55,957 I learned more about the way the world really works... 1398 01:37:56,062 --> 01:37:57,960 from my nine months on the decathlon... 1399 01:37:58,064 --> 01:38:01,026 than most people will learn in a lifetime. 1400 01:38:02,135 --> 01:38:04,294 Eventually the media siege ended... 1401 01:38:04,403 --> 01:38:06,311 and we returned to school. 1402 01:38:06,405 --> 01:38:09,033 We took some grief for ruining Steinmetz's reputation... 1403 01:38:09,142 --> 01:38:11,405 as if such a thing were possible. 1404 01:38:12,612 --> 01:38:15,167 We had to write an essay on ethics. 1405 01:38:15,281 --> 01:38:17,575 Matt copied his from the Dalai Lama's autobiography... 1406 01:38:17,683 --> 01:38:20,655 which we all thought was pretty amusing. 1407 01:38:20,753 --> 01:38:23,318 And then we just drifted apart. 1408 01:38:24,557 --> 01:38:27,924 Most of the kids just wanted to put the whole thing behind them. 1409 01:38:28,027 --> 01:38:30,050 They think I'm crazy for talking to you... 1410 01:38:30,163 --> 01:38:32,499 but I've never buried my head in shame. 1411 01:38:32,598 --> 01:38:35,038 And I'm not very big on apologies. 1412 01:38:36,335 --> 01:38:38,233 I spent my senior year half asleep... 1413 01:38:38,337 --> 01:38:41,788 which made it a whole lot easier to blend in. 1414 01:38:43,442 --> 01:38:47,675 I haven't seen Dr. Plecki since that day by the lake. 1415 01:38:47,780 --> 01:38:51,085 I heard something about a business near Wicker Park. 1416 01:38:51,184 --> 01:38:53,082 I thought about trying to find him... 1417 01:38:53,186 --> 01:38:55,741 but I never did. 1418 01:38:57,089 --> 01:38:59,988 I figure we'll meet up again when the time's right. 1419 01:39:03,095 --> 01:39:04,993 That's right. That's me. 1420 01:39:05,097 --> 01:39:07,766 I got into college... a good one... 1421 01:39:07,866 --> 01:39:11,161 just like Dr. Plecki promised. 1422 01:39:11,270 --> 01:39:15,639 I think the admissions officer thought my decathlon experience built character. 1423 01:39:16,742 --> 01:39:18,640 I'm getting good grades... 1424 01:39:18,744 --> 01:39:20,715 and no, I'm not cheating. 1425 01:39:21,814 --> 01:39:24,087 Don't laugh, but... 1426 01:39:24,183 --> 01:39:27,269 I'm thinking about becoming a teacher. 1427 01:39:27,386 --> 01:39:31,286 There's no more noble job than shaping young minds. 1428 01:39:32,391 --> 01:39:35,081 So what would I do if I caught one of my students cheating? 1429 01:39:35,194 --> 01:39:38,020 I'd turn the little bastard in. 1430 01:39:38,130 --> 01:39:40,028 But if they can get by me... 1431 01:39:40,132 --> 01:39:42,937 then I know they'll be ready for the real world. 1432 01:39:43,035 --> 01:39:45,496 I wouldn't have it any other way.