He tried always to be fair and applied the same very tough standards to everyone. The Titans were one of five final options for the ARHS students to pick from. Denzel Washington plays the dictatorial Coach Herman Boone who arrives at T.C. Coach Boone ordered them off the buses. Answers will vary. Discussion Questions Remember Yoasts statement to Boone: Theres a fine line between tough and crazy and youre flirting with it. Why did Coach Boone push the boys so hard? "[22] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to critics' reviews, the film received a score of 48 based on 32 reviews. All Rights Reserved. He refuses, believing it is unfair to Yoast, a successful coach who is nominated to the Virginia High School Hall of Fame, but relents after seeing what it means to the black community. The racial composition of the city changed as middle class white families left and community support for football declined. Bertier: Mom, just get to know him. Mother: I dont want to know him. We do not know if this exchange really occurred, but it exemplifies one of the themes of the movie. Will Patton portrays Bill Yoast, Boone's assistant coach. Roger Ebert, writing in the Chicago Sun-Times[26], Todd McCarthy, writing in Variety, said, "As simplistic and drained of complexity as the picture is, it may well appeal to mainstream audiences as an 'if only it could be like this' fantasy, as well as on the elemental level of a boot camp training film, albeit a PG-rated one with all the cuss words removed. Conard High School changed from the Chieftains to the Red Wolves. The screenplay, written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington, and his attempt to integrate the T. C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971. But again, there is no society-wide agreement that this is a rite of passage. They would not have been a success because the cancer of racial preference, this time in favor of blacks, would have wrecked the efforts to build the team. Yoasts daughter never went to the Boones home. He didnt own one. Team members backed each other up. Bowker, New Providence N.J., 1998. The film accurately portrays the dynamic of the personal and professional relationship of coaches Boone and Yoast. (Alexandrias population in 2001 was 60% white.) The titans college california is a school in the United States that has a Titan The settlement on Burgandy and Grey(silver) was made in order to start out fresh and neither color had been taken from either school. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Even though the Titans and Falls East hasnt been around for 26 years, the tradition is still there, and if MFHS can no longer use Indians, Titans is a good alternative, especially if they revive that logo. WebCheck out our titans high school selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Subsequently, the Titans go through the season undefeated while battling racial prejudice and slowly gaining support from the community. Experience a celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction, and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. The film is often listed among the best football films, but later received criticism from the real-life Titans for its multiple inaccuracies.[2][3][4][5][6]. For a detailed description of what is accurate and what was changed in the adaptation of this story to the screen, see the Helpful Background section above. An organization by that name does exist today. 9. Its head coach was now the prime head coach for the city. Yoasts reservations about Boone fell away as he realized that Boone treated every player, black or white, in the same tough manner, that Boone lived and breathed football, and that he knew what he was doing as a coach. A dicey option but it could happen. Benefits of the Movie Districts could get extensions of up to eight years for portions of compliance thatcost more than $5,000. Links to the Internet Bertier had been at a banquet honoring the team for their undefeated season. Coach Boone applied his racially neutral attitude across the board and if a white boy was a better player than a black student, he got the position. Though rumor has it, this option is not on the table and MFHS wants to keep their current logo of an F with a feather, which could still be objected to. This Puerto Rican software company is using satellite data to save Is this 3D-printed robotic arm the future of prosthetics? The character of the other white coach is fictional, an amalgam representing all of the white racists who initially pinned their hopes on Yoast. The story of the successful integration of the team as a whole has been simplified and enhanced by the filmmakers, but it still captures the spirit of the team and of its time. Thats asking a lot of people, but having come to know these individuals through the research for this Learning Guide, the authors believe that this probably would have happened. Williams High School is best known for its depiction in "Remember the Titans" starring Denzel Washington. With Super Bowl 53 just around the corner, we break down the ultimate battle on the gridiron between two of the biggest and baddest high school football programs the world has ever seen. The following additional resources were consulted in the preparation of this Learning Guide: This Learning Guide was written by James Frieden and Mary RedClay and was last updated on October 14, 2012. Bertier was not injured before the last game of the season. 4. Bibliography. His goal at the training camp was to give the boys, black and white, something in common: the shared experience of being put through a tremendously rigorous training regimen under a coach who was very tough on everyone. Fredericksburg, VA. Associated Press. There are some near misses. There is no right answer. Williams into the mid-1980s, by the late 1980s, white players reported that the team belonged to the black players. Its players represented the entire town. Nonfiction Grades 4 and up; The Story of Football by Dave Anderson nonfiction Grades 4 8; Crash by J. Spinelli Fiction Grades 5 and up; Quarterbacks! In the epilogue, descriptions show the players' and coaches' activities after the events in 1971. Coach Yoast replied, but to date, Coach Boone has not. Many people, including the coaches and the players on the team. Compton High used to share land with Compton College and since the college was the Tartars, the high school was the Baby Tartars. This movie is on TWMs short list of the best movies to supplement classes in United States History, High School Level. Suggest specific concerns about aspects of sports that are not yet fully open to all races. In 2018, at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the song was used during the Washington Capitals' Stanley Cup celebration as captain Alexander Ovechkin lifted the Cup in Las Vegas. WebT-Rac is the mascot of the NFL 's Tennessee Titans. Coach Boone refused. He is a raccoon, the state animal of Tennessee. The right thing would have been for the players to have gone on strike in support of Coach Boone and for Coach Yoast to have declined promotion to the position. In fact, he vomited before every game. Yes, in that during a year marked by racial violence throughout the nation, an entire town took its cue from the football team and remained calm. ; Always do your best; Use self-control; Be self-disciplined; Think before you act consider the consequences; Be accountable for your choices). What is it? It wasnt a rock that was thrown through Coach Boones window; it was a toilet filled with human excrement. On the one hand, thats right, slavery, and segregation, and racism, and white supremacy is deeply entrenched in America. Have persons for each position explain their position and start a discussion of the different views. Primarily the Pillar of Respect, but also the Pillars of Citizenship and Caring. The film combines four stories: (1) the time-tested formula of the triumph of an underdog sports team; (2) the friendship between the two coaches, the black head coach and his white assistant, despite the fact that many thought that the white coachs experience and years of service meant that he should be the head coach; (3) the friendship of two players, Gerry Bertier, the white team captain, and Julius Campbell, a talented black player; and (4) the story of a racially divided team coming together and playing as a unit despite the racial hatred roiling the community around it. Williams High School is named, Thomas Chambliss Williams, was a segregationist who was the superintendent of Alexandria city schools for 30 years. Real life is never this simple, but then that's what the movies are for". The state superintendent can decide whether to hold a hearing on the complaint. Williams High School, located in Alexandria, Va., voted unanimously on Monday during a school board meeting to remove Williams as the school namesake, the Los Angeles Times reports. School board members voted unanimously on Monday to remove former superintendent T.C. This is false as well; all the schools the Titans faced were integrated years before. Hatred and prejudice are born of ignorance. Moral-Ethical Emphasis RELATED: Petition circulating to change name of T.C. At that time, if white families in Alexandria could afford it, they usually sent their kids to private schools. He was very outspoken about his beliefs to keep black students and white students in separate schools. The game uses Mad Men's Ken Cosgrove and it's made by @. The head football coach for a large high school was an important public figure whose job could be forfeited if the season didnt go well. The plan was to fire him and give the job to Yoast on the first loss of a game. It grossed an estimated $115.6 million in the U.S., and $136.8 million worldwide. What events in the film show that sometimes life is just hard for no reason? (Other Pillars involved are: Respect (for Coach Boone, the game, the players etc. 3. There is no correct answer to this question. Black young people, like Campbell, let go of their rage and forgave. There were eight. Use at least four sources. He pushed everyone very hard. WebThis must-see film featuring a rousing performance by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington (2001 Best Actor, TRAINING DAY), will give you something to cheer about. 1. So we have a complicated situation. Remember the Titans is a 2000 American biographical sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Your commute. Parenting Points Free-Lance Star. 1970 was Herman Boones first year as an assistant coach at T.C. Since Bertier was older and already revered in the city (and perhaps because he was on the white side of the racial divide, we dont know) it was Bertier who made the initial overtures to Campbell. The purpose of this question is to get students to think objectively about people who have made a difference in their lives. T.C. Williams. In a competitive football league (high school, college, or professional), each player must do his or her best for three reasons. If coaches are first and foremost teachers, list what they should teach their students in order of importance. Bertier was even more fierce, strong-willed, and aggressive than is shown in the film. More on the Brett Favre sexting scandal "Dong-gate" and there are MORE GIRLS! There is no right answer. Answers will vary. Practice scenes were filmed at Clarkston High School in Clarkston Georgia. These are remarkable and impressive men who were able to bridge the racial divide, serve their students, and become good friends. His previous job had been in North Carolina where he had a reputation as a race man, i.e., a man who stood up to racially prejudiced whites. At the time, high school football was the citys most popular sport. Pro Football Hall of Fame by Terry Dunnahoo Nonfiction Grades 4 6; Americas Greatest Game by J. Buckley Nonfiction Grades 4 and up; Football by J. Buckley Nonfiction Grades 4 and up; Quarterbacks! The colorguard even had flags with burgandy, silver, white and yellow accents. Prepare a power point presentation for the class that shows the results of your research. Why did Coach Yoast stay on as an assistant to Coach Boone? 7. The Assembly approved the bill 53-45 with no debate. If so, what is it? Coaches Boone and Yoast agree that a coach is first and foremost a teacher. What was wrong with the actions of Bertiers friend, the white boy that Bertier eventually cut from the team? *this question negates the option of MFHS andsimilarschools holding out for a year and hoping that WHEN Republicans win back a majority in the senate, assembly and also gain the governorship that the bill will be overturned. Real-life athletes Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell are portrayed by Ryan Hurst and Wood Harris, respectively. They were not only racial, but between students of the same race who were from different schools. When Boone was tapped for the head coaching job, Yoast looked for coaching positions elsewhere and tore up the petitions the boys had circulated to protest Coach Boones elevation. Im glad to see that at least the district had the wear withall to get rid of that design for the far better F / Feather symbol. T.C. by G. Sullivan Nonfiction Grades 5 and up; and I am Third by Gale Sayers and Al Silverman Nonfiction Grades 6 and up. There is no dispute that Coach Yoast deserved the position by custom and seniority and by a wide margin at that. By deciding not to do that in a key play, he was being dishonest. The desire to win sets a context in which the true beneficial lessons of sports can be taught. Answers will vary. The black community in Alexandria needed a black man to take a prominent position, as did the struggle for integration as a whole. In the situation of the Titans, not only was the goal of winning a uniting factor, but Coach Boone designed the training camp so that it was extremely rigorous and that all the players would have to work together in order to avoid very unpleasant consequences such as three times a day practices. See. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Links to the Internet Should Coach Boone have taken the job in the first place or should he have insisted that Yoast get the job? Williams High School is the Virginia school the movie Remember The Titans is based on. Coaches teach by example, by expecting excellence, and by setting standards. The movie shows Alan giving up his spot to Pete (Donald Faison) during a game. Coached by Yoast, he went on to become a prominent wheelchair athlete, winning two gold medals in the wheelchair Olympics. THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. From now on, the school will be known as the Titans. 72 et seq. The Great Book of Washington DC Sports Lists. In addition, racial prejudice leads one to other wrongful actions, as it did Bertiers former friend. But there is no agreed-upon ritual or occasion for a rite of passage from adolescence to maturity. It was also used during the 2008 Democratic National Convention to accompany the celebration and fireworks at Invesco Field after future president Barack Obama gave his nomination acceptance speech, and was also used immediately following his victory speech upon winning the 2008 Presidential Election.[13]. How did this happen? 5. Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects. Williams High School, made famous by the Disney movie "Remember the Titans", will be renamed after a 9-0 school board vote by Everyone has their own approach. The two coaches were lifelong friends, as were the two players. Give some examples of rites of passage that are used in our society, and describe their benefits. Alexandria is adjacent to Washington, D.C. and, in 1971, it had many urban characteristics. by Alexandra Kelley | Nov. 25, 2020 | Nov. 25, 2020. One of the things that impressed Yoast about Coach Boone was that he was fair, dishing out the same harsh treatment to the black players as well as white players. The story of what happened to the Titans in the 1990s shows that if a community doesnt have a plan in place and isnt willing to work hard to keep integration functioning, the community will become resegregated. This film was released in 2000. This did not occur; neither did his speech at Gettysburg. After approximately 10 months, since the Northborough-Southborough Regional School committee voted to retire the name Tomahawk s, Algonquin Regional Early on, the black and white team members frequently clash in racially-motivated conflicts, including that between captains Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell. In his free time Bass was often at the Berg (then a black area of town) playing basketball. Williams. Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass was far from being the only one with long hair at the time. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Blog at WordPress.com. A good discussion will include the following concepts: It took respect for others, the ability to communicate, the moral courage to change when necessary, and a commitment by the coaches not just to win football games but also to help the players mature. Many also tried to change the name in 2004, but others claimed changing it would make people forget about the 1971 Titans team depicted in the famous film. At training camp, the 1971 Titans did come together. The last winning season was 1995 and the last trip to the state playoffs was in 1990. In 1981, a group of former football coaches and players attend a funeral for an unnamed person. What were the similarities in the coaching styles of Boone and Yoast and were those similarities more or less important than the differences? Dismayed at the prospect of the students losing their chances at scholarships, Yoast changes his mind and accepts Boone's offer to serve as his defensive coordinator. [18], Remember the Titans opened strongly at the U.S. box office, grossing $26,654,715 in its first weekend and staying within the top five for six weeks. Williams They are vehicles for propaganda. Minor racial violence is shown. Certainly, normally, Yoast had the right to the job and Boone should have turned it down. Forecast: Rain chances return; trending warmer by midweek, Remembering West, Texas, on the 10th anniversary of a devastating explosion, Petition circulating to change name of T.C. The Titans became the citys most important football team. This story has several male role models. Williams High School, the high school made famous by the movie "Remember the Titans." The Titans were ranked second in the nation at the end of the 1971 season, finishing 130. It features songs by several recording artists including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, The Hollies, Marvin Gaye, James Taylor, The Temptations, Cat Stevens, and Steam. WebRemember The Titans is based on the true story of an African American football coach hired by a Virginia high school in 1971. Graduation from high school or from college can serve this purpose in some families. Williams the man," Solomon said. She was very interested in football, although not as interested as the character portrayed in the film. It was at this point that Julius made the comment, Well, Bertier, I dont guess youre Superman after all. During tense racial times at the school, team members would patrol the halls wearing their team jerseys. Williams from the name. Tough to say at this point. Thats just the way the boys should have felt, but given the racial tension in the town, it was due to the hard work of the coaches that race was made irrelevant. But in interviews Bass said "I'll say for the record my hair was never that long." Look at the coaches and the players Bertier and Campbell. This happened all over the South, perhaps haltingly at times, with backsliding often, but ultimately the actions of people like Boone, Yoast, Bertier and Campbell improved the lives of many people in that region. In real life, Ronnie Bass got the quarterback position because he beat out Rev Harris. For many years, people have been trying to change the name of T.C. [17], A restored widescreen hi-definition Blu-ray version was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on September 4, 2007. Selected Awards & Cast The Titans of Falls East and the Indians of Falls North. The Alexandria (Virginia) City schools voted unanimously to rename T.C. We were allowed to ask what we liked better Indians/Titans/or a possible name change to something else. WebGeorge C. Marshall High School is a public school in Northern Virginia, located in Idylwood in unincorporated Fairfax County, near Falls Church. See Learning Guide to Gentlemans Agreement. We were also asked about proposed colors. At least one of the adults should have taken some action to support the Civil Rights Movement (attended a demonstration, took a personal action). The true story of a newly appointed African Bertier was killed by a drunk driver in a second car accident in 1980. "You can Remember the Titans without honoring TC Williams," Alexandria resident Marc Solomon said back in June. How did the individuals portrayed in this film make racial integration work? Yoast states that his religious beliefs helped him deal with this situation. Feb 20, 2012, 7:36pm Archmere Academy is the only school in America to choose Auks as its mascot. The effort should be to get students to discuss what makes a male role model and what they respect most about the actions taken by the characters in the film. Yoast lost his relationships with many of them when he acted honorably toward the team and Coach Boone. WebHowever, while researching the Remember the Titans true story, we learned that actor Ryan Gosling's character, Alan Bosley, is not a real person. As Yoast recognized by the end of the season, Boone was the right man for the job. White kids at T.C. Named for General George C. Additional assignments include: 1. Jim Doyle, who can sign it into law or veto it. The only question that really remains is what should MFHS do?*. In 2000 the football team was starved for resources while the T.C. Turner County High School (Ashburn GA) ASHBURN Turner County High has a new identity. Under the proposal, aschooldistrictresident could object to the use of a race-based nickname, logo, mascot or team name. This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 12:59. He argued Black & white students learn differently. Boones coaching style was very harsh. He required them to ride as teams, defense on one bus and offense on the other, sitting white and black together. The issue is whether this was an unintended and subtle racist attitude because it was applied to blacks more than it was to whites. Example video title will go here for this video. (LogOut/ Following the civil rights proteststhis summer decrying the police deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, two Black Americans, multiple municipalities have elected to remove or change statues and names that make a reference to the history of slavery and institutional racism characterizing much of the U.S.s past. The only person to whom he expressed sadness, to our knowledge, was Coach Yoast, who told Bertier about the wheelchair Olympics. The schools mascot is a Titan, and the athletic teams are called The Titans.. During the game, the referees make several biased calls against the Titans. He, too, had no trouble relating to black students. This was part of his effort to unite them. The screenplay, written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of coach Herman Boone, portrayed by Denzel Washington, and his attempt to integrate the T. C. Williams High School (now Alexandria City High School) football team in Alexandria, Virg Superintendent Craig Matthews and TCHS Principal Jason Clark presided over the 72 et seq. (LogOut/ It is his funeral the former football coaches and players were attending in the opening scene. Under the seniority system then prevailing in Alexandria, Yoast had the right to the head coaching job at T.C. [21] Rotten Tomatoes reported that 72% of 137 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 6.3/10. Boones coaching style was in-your-face and he demanded a full effort from all of his players. Disloyalty to the team and dishonesty to his teammates. Their daughters had met and were friendly but not as friendly as shown in the film. Your news. Bridges to Reading In addition to websites which may be linked in the Guide and selected film reviews listed on the Movie Review Query Engine, the following resources were consulted in the preparation of this Learning Guide: drafts of the Guide were submitted to Coaches Boone and Yoast for their comments. For most of the season, Coach Boone was afraid that Yoast was after his job. Coach Yoast more than complied with these obligations. T.C. What is the significance of this exchange between the Bertier character and the character of his mother. The site's consensus states: "An inspirational crowd-pleaser with a healthy dose of social commentary, Remember the Titans may be predictable, but it's also well-crafted and features terrific performances. Its heart is in the right place, but it has no soul. Another potential cause is a rule implemented in Alexandria requiring that students in the sports program keep a minimum C average. Williams a substantial advantage over most other football teams in its division. Of the coaches in the city who could do the job, Yoast had been working there the longest. Present your findings in an oral report to the entire class. which would have been violated had Coach Yoast cooperated in the conspiracy; Citizenship because it would have been bad for the City to raise racially divisive issues; Caring because he cared for the players and they for him. Film Study Worksheet for a Work of Historical Fiction; Film Study Worksheet for ELA Classes; and. How did playing football help the students overcome their racial prejudice? Williams High was renamed after him. Shapiro, Len; Pollin, Andy (December 16, 2008). 6-keys: media/spln/collegefootball/reg/free/stories, at Ronnie Bass, nicknamed Sunshine by his teammates, had come from California. In addition, in the mid-1980s, long after Coach Boone had retired, drug use was rampant on the team. He, too, was a gifted athlete, becoming an All-American the next year. Ask the class whether it is important to them that most of the story, particularly the interaction between the coaches and between Bertier and Campbell, closely follows the facts? ), (Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule; Be tolerant of differences; Use good manners, not bad language; Be considerate of the feelings of others; Dont threaten, hit or hurt anyone; Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements). The Senate passed the measure last week. 13. 5. The four questions which follow relate to rites of passage. Special features include backstage feature audio commentary with director Boaz Yakin, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and writer Gregory Allen Howard, feature audio commentary with real-life coaches Herman Boone and Bill Yoast, "Remember The Titans: An inspirational journey behind the scenes" hosted by Lynn Swann, "Denzel Becomes Boone," "Beating The Odds"; Deleted scenes; Movie Showcase and seamless menus. In 2004, when residents tried to change the name, one of the reasons it was not changed was out of fear that famed 1971 Titans football team would be forgotten. The Gettysburg college training scenes were filmed on the campus of Berry Interview them about the time and their reaction to what was happening. Williams report that the school is internally split, and the races dont mix socially or academically despite the fact that they go to the same school. Their opponents didnt appreciate the fact that the Titans had an advantage in having only seniors and juniors at the school. (There was an incident in which Boone had fought some members of the Ku Klux Klan; he bears a scar on his head from this encounter.) He lost control of his car on a snowy road. These similarities were the bedrock fundamentals of their coaching styles and allowed them to work together despite other, less significant but perhaps more obvious differences. We are sure there are more. ALEXANDRIA, Va. T.C. The fights at the beginning of camp are underplayed in the movie. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Bertier was a remarkable leader and was respected by much of the city. Consider the integration of professional as well as school associated teams in your analysis. Using the Movie in the Classroom Check out TWMs Guide: TWO CONTRASTING TRADITIONS RELATING TO RACISM IN AMERICA and a Tragic Irony of the American Revolution: the Sacrifice of Freedom for the African-American Slaves on the Altar of Representative Democracy. Bertier had excelled in the shot put while in high school. Define the term rite of passage. Tell us in your answer the difference between a passage and a rite of passage.. He was 62, weighed 220 pounds, and was extremely fast. Additional questions are set out below. Yes, because in a crucial year, this football team was led by two phenomenal coaches and two amazing players. Helpful Background There is no one right answer. North HS was always a Dark Purple and White scheme while East HS had been a Navy blue and Dark Gold. The difference between a passage and a right of passage is that people all have transitions in their lives. Williams High School, located in Alexandria, Va., voted unanimously on Monday during a school board meeting to remove Williams as the school namesake, I say that the best way to address this issue is to address it forthrightly, and straightforwardly, and embrace the complicated history and the complicated presence of America. WebSynopsis. When Coach Yoasts friends wanted to make the Titans lose and tried to enlist Coach Yoast in that effort, what Pillar of Character did they ask him to dishonor? The famous high school that served as the starring subject in the 2000 hit football film Remember the Titans will change its name, becoming the latest U.S. institution to shed its past links to problematic historical figures.