Foul Trouble

“‘That was a great win today, especially with Danny sitting out those last few minutes. Danny, you need to remember how much your dad and Terrell need you out there in tight games.’

Danny instantly liked Tom Konchalski. For one thing, he hadn’t looked right through him to get to Terrell. Plus, he had just said that Danny had an important role to play on the court.”

The dialogue here is spoken by Tom Konchalski, a fictional character who is based on the real-life basketball recruiter of the same name. In the real world, Konchalski was known for being honest and paying attention to everyone, not just the star players, and Feinstein shows this dynamic here with Konchalski’s thoughtful focus on Danny as well as Terrell. This moment is critical to Danny’s character growth. Before this conversation, Danny believed that his only role on the team was to get the ball to Terrell so that Terrell could score. Konchalski’s assessment makes Danny realize all that he does for the team. Danny’s ability to assess the game and adjust accordingly is just as valuable as Terrell’s talent for making baskets, even if it is less impressive to spectators.

“‘But, Coach, no one stopped me—’

‘No one on that team has stopped anyone all day. You don’t humiliate helpless kids like that. It isn’t their fault that they don’t belong here.’

‘It’s not my fault, either, Coach.’”

This exchange between Danny’s dad and Swanson comes during a timeout in one of their games. The Rebels are playing against a team that has nowhere near their skill level, and Danny’s dad has instructed his team to slow down the game, which Swanson has ignored. This exchange comes after Danny’s dad tells Swanson to follow instructions or get benched. The conflict demonstrates the main difference between Danny’s dad and most of the other coaches and colleges. Danny’s dad doesn’t care about a single player’s talent or skill, and he is willing to do the right thing at the expense of winning. By contrast, Swanson’s arguments show his arrogance, and his final line shows the careless disregard he has for anyone who is not at his level.

“‘One-and-done’ had become as much a basketball term in recent years as ‘jump shot’ or ‘slam dunk.’ The NBA had established a rule saying that players had to go to college for at least one year before declaring for the draft. So now a lot of the elite players did just that—one year of college. Kentucky coach John Calipari had made one-and-dones his specialty.”

Here, Feinstein inserts important basketball terminology. By including this information, Feinstein educates readers who are unfamiliar with the inner workings of college basketball, using a real-life school that employs certain tactics. This passage also reflects Feinstein’s personal history as a sportswriter and a knowledgeable fan of the game, and the sentiments expressed here demonstrate The Unfairness of Subjective Value Judgments. For elite players, this one-year rule is a way of life, allowing them to gain quicker access to professional basketball. For players like Danny, however, this rule means nothing because players who aren’t at star levels are unlikely to be targeted by an NBA team.

“‘Who are we playing tonight?’ they both asked.

‘The Gauchos. Don’t you look at the schedule?’

Terrell shook his head and smiled semi-sheepishly. ‘My coach always tells me one game at a time.’”

This exchange between Danny, Terrell, and Danny’s dad comes between games. At first glance, Danny and Terrell’s question seems like carelessness or lack of interest, but it soon becomes clear that the boys are focused on what is happening in the moment. The middle line of dialogue is spoken by Danny’s dad, which also reveals the ironic humor in Terrell’s last line. He’s telling his coach something that his coach always tells him, showing that Terrell does listen and internalize the lessons from Danny’s dad.

“‘If I could talk to him, I’d tell Danny I really admire the way he runs a team.’

‘And I’d tell him I’m willing to bet he’s a lot better player than he knows he is,’ Dixon said. ‘But, of course, I can’t talk to him.’

‘Too bad,’ Kelleher said. ‘I bet he’d really like to hear all that.’”

Danny wanders into a conversation between Kelleher and two college coaches. Per NCAA rules, coaches are not allowed to talk to potential recruits outside of very specific events, and this exchange shows that such rules are not always followed even as it implies the ridiculous situations that ensue during real-world attempts to adhere to such strict rules. Because the coaches cannot speak directly to Danny, they pretend to discuss his talents among themselves, thereby delivering indirect compliments and encouragement. This is another critical moment for Danny, for he realizes that he is garnering attention from some colleges and gaining new opportunities. This moment also foreshadows the fact that Danny will take on more responsibility in future games, even leading the team to victory while Terrell is injured.

“No offense, but who’s recruiting you? Vermont? BU? Or maybe you’re a really good student so you’ve got the Ivy League looking at you. But you think you’re ever gonna play in the NBA? Ever gonna have a shoe deal? A billboard? No. But I will. Terrell will too. It’s different for us.”

This excerpt is spoken by Michael Jordan, the athlete who is named after the basketball star, and the contemptuous tone of this passage represents The Unfairness of Subjective Value Judgments. These lines also show the kind of arrogance and privilege that Terrell could adopt if he is not careful to maintain his humility and his integrity. The shoe deal and billboard that Jordan references are examples of the exploitative attention that he misguidedly desires and expects. However, as Terrell and Danny’s experiences prove, there is no guarantee that Jordan will receive the special treatment he anticipates.

“‘It’s kinda funny that a two-hour meeting on how to deal with the media is all about why everyone in the media except TV is evil.’

Actually, Danny thought, that was funny. The entire message had been: Don’t tell the media anything. It had been two hours’ worth of the famous Crash Davis speech in Bull Durham, in which he tells Nuke LaLoosh to always say noncommittal, noncontroversial things when talking to the media.”

This dialogue from Terrell and follow-up thought from Danny indicate that the camp they attend is focused on more than just playing basketball, for the camp also puts some effort into helping athletes navigate the cutthroat world of professional sports. However, Terrell and Danny’s attitudes about the seminar show how uninformative the seminar actually is. Danny’s comparison of the seminar to the speech from the 1988 sports romantic comedy film, Bull Durham, shows that the seminar’s message could have been delivered much more succinctly.

“Terrell had seen an ambulance parked out back, which he knew was routine at an event like this, but he had never given it any real thought. Whytlaw was still lying flat on his back, his arms at his sides, eyes wide open. He was moving his head from side to side, moaning loudly. Terrell didn’t know if it was from pain or fright or both.”

This encounter occurs right after Omar Whytlaw makes the showy move that caused his injury. This incident forces Terrell to realize that there are inherent risks to his budding basketball career. Up until this point, he has had only an academic awareness of the possibility of sustaining devastating injuries, but Omar’s experience forces him to acknowledge the ugly reality. This moment also plays a huge role in Terrell’s decision-making process.

“Danny thought that might be an overreaction. ‘Call off the games?’ he said. ‘Everyone’s worked pretty hard to get this far.’

‘Really?’ Kelleher said. ‘You’ve been here since Tuesday. It’s a camp tournament. Everyone is just here to show off for the college coaches. You know that. And you’ve all already done that. But what the hell. The Olympics went on in 1972 after the Israeli athletes were murdered. That set the standard for tastelessness. Relatively speaking, this is nothing.’”

This exchange between Danny and Kelleher comes while Whytlaw is being taken off the court following his injury. Kelleher thinks that tomorrow’s games should be called off but Danny’s much narrower perspective causes him to disagree. However, Kelleher’s bitter response illustrates a broader issue in the world of sports, and Feinstein uses this scene to deliver a stinging rebuke to those who would pursue lucrative endeavors at the expense of acknowledging the humanity of the players involved. The situation at the 1972 Olympics that Kelleher references is a real-life event. Following a night out, nine Israeli athletes were taken hostage, and after failed negotiations for the release of Palestinian prisoners, they were murdered. After the tragedy, the Olympics were only suspended for 34 hours to allow for a funeral service, after which the games resumed. As Kelleher notes here, this response was tasteless and inadequate and shows that the perceived value of athletics over individual athletes is a problem that persists around the globe.

“The practice seemed to fly by, at least for Terrell. When he was playing, everything made sense. He made sense. At six feet seven inches, Terrell was often uncomfortable. Classroom desks were too small. Doorways were too low. His elbows were always knocking into things. But in the gym, his long arms were an asset. His big hands were perfect for palming a basketball. And his long, powerful legs propelled him high above his defenders. Here, on this court, in purposeful motion, he was perfect.”

Terrell’s thoughts show the importance of athletics in helping young athletes find their place in the world. Much of Foul Trouble focuses on the struggles inherent in the competitive and publicized world of sports, but this moment shows that athletics also offers young rising stars a sense of purpose and vision, as well as a sense of belonging. Because Terrell’s height and proportions are unusual in everyday life, he often feels out of place, but on the basketball court, he feels powerful, useful, and fully himself.

“‘So the system is corrupt on both sides,’ Danny was saying. ‘You play by the rules: The colleges get rich and you don’t. You don’t play by the rules: Some sleazy agent or sneaker company guy ends up owning you.’”

Danny makes this observation during a meeting with Bobby Kelleher, in which they discuss Kelleher’s article on corruption. Kelleher has just outlined the fact that neither the colleges nor companies like Athena have an athlete’s best interests at heart. Danny’s summary shows that he is actively analyzing the issues involved in this topic, for he reflects on the idea that the rules are designed to protect the colleges more than the athletes. By the end of the conversation, Danny reaches the cynical conclusion that college athletes are destined to be exploited either by their colleges or by their partners and affiliates.

“‘Let me guess,’ Tennyson said. ‘The Palm for dinner. Stewart Jenkins showing up with some hot woman and everyone coming over to tell you why U of A is the place for you.’

Terrell laughed. ‘I thought she was more obvious than hot,’ he said.

‘Most of them are,’ Suliman said, and they all laughed.”

This exchange is between Terrell and a few athletes on the Mass State basketball team. Terrell has just visited the University of Atlanta, where he was wined and dined by the coach and several representatives from Athena. By contrast, Terrell’s visit to Mass State has been down-to-earth, and Terrell has gotten a real sense of community from the members of the team. However, when Mass State makes Terrell an offer similar to Atlanta’s, this moment becomes tainted by Terrell’s realization that both universities are equally exploitative even if Mass State is subtler in its offerings.

“It was heady stuff. Coach Todd had seemed nice enough in Terrell’s living room in Lexington, but there had been five other people there—two assistant coaches, Coach Wilcox, Coach Stephenson, and his mom. Now it was just the two of them. Man to man.

And somehow this felt more real than all the wining and dining of the previous weekend.”

This excerpt also comes while Terrell is visiting Mass State. Here, Terrell is spending time with the basketball team’s coach and discovers that he genuinely likes the man and his attitude. Again, this shows the difference between Mass State and Atlanta, but it also foreshadows the realization that the two schools are more similar than they initially appear to be. These lines also show the important influence that coaches have on the lives of athletes. Terrell is lucky because Danny’s dad is an honest coach who cares more about his players than he does about making a name for himself. As a result, Terrell is now searching for a similar coach in his college career. The comfortable feeling that he gets from the Mass State coach causes him to seriously consider the school, and this moment also heightens his disappointment when he learns that the school is willing to bribe him to attend.

“On Friday nights, he satisfied his unofficial commitment to the dudes and spent time with them. He insisted on going to Nettie’s—in part, because he liked the pizza; in part, because Valerie Dove worked there. He and Danny had made a pact: Danny would ask Laurie Walters to the Thanksgiving dance and he would ask Valerie Dove.

‘If we both get shot down, we can stand in the corner by ourselves all night,’ Danny had joked.

‘We won’t be alone,’ Terrell had answered. ‘The dudes will hang out with us.’”

Before this exchange between Danny and Terrell, Terrell had agreed to appear publicly with the Dudes to satisfy their desire to be seen as people who know Terrell. This exchange between Danny and Terrell about the dance also serves as a reminder that although the boys face unique challenges in the sports world, they are still teenagers who are afraid to ask girls out to a dance. Danny’s line truly is meant as a joke, and Terrell’s response is a reminder that his public persona rarely affords him any privacy. He knows that the Dudes will hang out around him regardless of the situation because they are determined to be viewed as close friends of Terrell.

“‘Skeptical. That’s a good word,’ Valerie said.

‘A Harvard word?’ Terrell said.

‘Maybe Yale,’ she answered with a smile, and stole his last French fry.”

This conversation between Terrell and his crush comes after the dance. Danny and Terrell have just explained the attention-seekers who hang around Terrell, and Terrell has also told the boys’ dates about Kelleher’s article. Terrell’s explanation makes it clear that he has learned valuable lessons about navigating the sudden, public attention that comes with his skills. Likewise, the observations of his date, Valerie, highlight the complicated nature of college basketball and hint that the attention and offers are not necessarily all bad. Valerie’s response to Terrell asking if “skeptical” is a Harvard word grounds the book in New England and references the long-standing competition between Harvard and Yale.

“What struck Terrell about the Vietnam Memorial was how quiet it was. At the other monuments, there was a constant cacophony—people laughing, talking, shouting. Along the wall of the Vietnam Memorial, people spoke quietly to one another. There were people standing silently in front of the wall, staring at the names, or Terrell assumed, one name, in particular. Many had tears in their eyes.

Terrell could see that Danny had noticed too. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, taking it all in.”

Here, Danny and Terrell are visiting national monuments while at a basketball tournament in Washington, D.C. Prior to this, they visited the Lincoln Memorial, and Terrell notices the difference between this monument and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Danny’s somber reaction to the monument is a unique moment; for most of the book, Danny is loud and outspoken, but in this setting, he remains reserved and quiet, showing that there is more to him than boisterousness.

“‘There are a lot of things in life that aren’t fair. Is it fair that we get our butts kissed all the time because we can play basketball, but the really talented kids in the band get nothing—in fact, are considered geeks?’

‘What are you talking about with the band?’ Mayer said. ‘People pay to see us play. The band’s the sideshow.’

‘I know, it’s different. You’re right. But it’s not really fair.’”

This exchange between Alex and Swanson comes during the Washington, D.C. basketball tournament and shows how the two boys have changed. Swanson’s attitude shows that he is no longer the arrogant person he used to be, because the implications of Omar Whytlaw’s injury have changed him. Rather than focusing on the many benefits that he might gain from accepting bribes, he now understands the broader ethical picture and is beginning to make more perceptive and mature judgments.

This exchange between Alex and Swanson comes during the Washington, D.C. basketball tournament and shows how the two boys have changed. Swanson’s attitude shows that he is no longer the arrogant person he used to be, because the implications of Omar Whytlaw’s injury have changed him. Rather than focusing on the many benefits that he might gain from accepting bribes, he now understands the broader ethical picture and is beginning to make more perceptive and mature judgments.

These lines reflect an interaction between Terrell and his doctor while Terrell recovers from a concussion. Terrell’s main concern is his focus on the game, and he is eager to recover and return to the court to support his team. By contrast, the doctor is adamant that Terrell cannot play until all signs of concussion are gone, which shows that the doctor, truly cares about athletes’ welfare and will not compromise professional integrity for the sake of the game.

“The game on Friday with Waltham would decide the league championship and who would advance to the sectionals. There were four sectionals held around the state, and the winner of each sectional would advance to the state championship series at the TD Gardens in Boston, the home arena of the Celtics.

It snowed on Wednesday but not enough to create a snow day. It took a blizzard to call school off in Lexington. A little three-inch storm just meant everyone stayed inside at lunchtime.”

In this passage, Feinstein interjects with information about high school basketball to provide much-needed context for readers unfamiliar with the situation. The second paragraph is another example of the author’s attempts to ground the novel in the reality of New England. In a region known for nor’easters—hurricane-like snowstorms that can drop several feet of snow within 24 hours—three inches is a relatively small amount of snow. This explanation is a humorous moment for people familiar with the region because it invokes a shared understanding of life in New England.

“Every time the Hawks had the ball, they made no attempt to get into their offense until the shot clock was under ten seconds. On a couple of occasions, they didn’t get a shot off, but on a number of others they managed to find a good shot with the clock under five seconds. Playing good defense, staying in a stance for thirty seconds on every possession, was tiring. Danny was just glad that Massachusetts was one of a handful of states that had a shot clock. Otherwise, Lexington might never have touched the ball.”

These lines are spoken when Danny’s team plays against another team that has tailored its approach to neutralizing Terrell’s skill. The other team’s success shows that there is more to basketball than the efforts of one star player. Even a team made up of mid-level players uses streamlined strategies to win against a team with a player like Terrell. This offers a counterpoint to all the attention Terrell has received. Danny’s final thought also indicates that regulations may vary from state to state in the United States; Massachusetts has both a standard clock to time the game as a whole, along with a shot clock that times how long the team in possession has to attempt to score.

“‘If he gets hurt before all of this kicks in, they pay off a flat fee—I think it’s a million for Mass State and Brickley and two million for Atlanta and Athena. In either case, your mom keeps the house. If he turns out to be a lousy player, or not a great player, even…well, it’s their loss, and they move on to the next guy,’ Kelleher said. ‘Danny, for these people, this is pocket change. It’s a risk/reward deal, certainly. They all are. But if they get Terrell locked up now and he takes off, he’s worth much, much more than what they’re paying.’”

Here, Kelleher has just detailed the terms of the offers that Terrell should expect from the University of Atlanta and Mass State. Danny is amazed at these offers, and Kelleher’s explanation bolsters the novel’s messages about corruption in the world of athletics. Such schools and companies can afford to pay exorbitant sums because they make far more than this every year. This reality also puts an enormous amount of pressure on Terrell as he realizes just how much he is worth to these schools if he succeeds in college basketball and gets drafted into the NBA. Conversely, the scene also shows how little the schools value him as a person; both schools and brands will easily move on to the next prospect if Terrell fails to provide them with the money and attention they seek.

“As Terrell and Danny were being oozed on by super friends, Central High School was wrapping up their slot in the championship game. Wilson Walton scored 36 points and also grabbed 24 rebounds in Central’s win over Barnstable. Like Lexington, Central ended any notion of an upset early, taking a 24-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looking back, winning by a final score of 79-47.

Cinderella had been sent home from the ball, and now the two best teams in the state would play for the title for the second year in a row. Terrell was determined to come away the winner this time.”

This passage offers a glimpse into the mechanics of scoring. As Feinstein shows here with the game between Central and Barnstable, the difference between 11 and 24 does not seem like much, but in basketball terms, this is quite a lead, as games are often won by a difference of just a few points. Here, Barnstable is referred to as the “Cinderella” team, so named for the famous fairytale character. In basketball, a Cinderella team is a lesser-known team that manages to succeed by winning against opponents with higher rankings and greater skills.

“‘No, she doesn’t think he should do it,’ she said. ‘But she wants him to decide for himself. She’s afraid that if she tells him not to do it, and then he doesn’t because of her and something goes wrong, that it could affect their long-term relationship.’

‘They’re eighteen,’ Danny said. ‘No one should be thinking about a long-term relationship at eighteen.’

‘Really?’ she said sharply, and Danny realized he’d made a mistake.

‘Well, you know what I mean,’ he said. ‘You kind of go one step at a time. See where life takes you. So much will change during college, right?’”

This conversation between Danny and his girlfriend comes during the climax of the story while pressure mounts for Terrell to choose a college. Danny’s girlfriend is good friends with Valerie, and the scene also indicates that Terrell and Valerie’s relationship is serious—potentially much more serious than Danny’s relationship with his girlfriend. Danny’s comment about not considering long-term relationships shows that he is not yet ready to commit to serious, life-changing decisions—at least, not beyond the realm of basketball. However, his girlfriend’s reaction suggests that she and Danny are not on the same page and that their relationship may not last, which is a reminder that Danny and Terrell are still just teenagers. This moment also indicates that basketball is more important to Danny than romantic concerns.