My favorite part is that they lost the one game 74-6 because they managed to score a touchdown but then punted on the extra point.
INT. SOUND STAGE
A PROFESSIONALLY-DRESSED MAN STANDS ALONE IN THE FOREGROUND OF A DARK, EMPTY SOUND STAGE. THE FOREGROUND IS LIT. THE MAN HOLDS A FOOTBALL.
MARK REYNOLDS
I’m Mark Reynolds and welcome to “Sports Stories.” Montana, Rice, Payton, Taylor, Sanders. Traditionally, the stars of the NFL are the ones in the position to make the most on-the-ball plays, whether it’s scoring...
REYNOLDS THROWS THE BALL TO HIMSELF LIKE HE’S CATCHING A PASS AND THEN STIFF-ARMS AN INVISIBLE DEFENDER.
MARK REYNOLDS (CONT'D)
...or preventing touchdowns.
REYNOLDS PRETENDS TO INTERCEPT A PASS. HE STOPS HIS GESTURING AND RETURNS TO ADDRESSING THE CAMERA.
MARK REYNOLDS (CONT'D)
But it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when even the unsung heroes of today’s game were the face of the NFL. This is the story of James Moth...
REYNOLDS BENDS OVER WITH HIS BACK TO THE CAMERA. HE LOOKS AT THE CAMERA BETWEEN HIS LEGS.
MARK REYNOLDS (CONT'D)
The greatest long snapper the league has ever known.
HE SNAPS THE BALL BETWEEN HIS LEGS AT THE CAMERA.
FADE TO:
MONTAGE OF PHOTOS
VARIOUS BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOS OF JAMES MOTH, A 6’0” 295 POUND OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, CROSS THE SCREEN. MOTH IS DRESSED IN HIS FOOTBALL GARB. HE WEARS NUMBER 77. LOTS OF PICTURES OF HIM SITTING ON THE BENCH. HIS TEAMMATES ARE ABOUT 1/3 HIS SIZE.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
James Moth’s NFL career began in 1938 as a backup left guard for the New York Giants. Although enormous for the era, Moth lacked the coordination to start at guard. Moth would sit for his first three seasons until one fateful Sunday when his number was finally called.
CUT TO:
GAME FILM - MOTH IN ACTION
OLD GAME FOOTAGE OF MOTH’S FIRST GAME. THE GIANTS LINEUP TO PUNT. AN ANIMATED RED ARROW POINTS OUT MOTH AS THE SNAPPER.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
With normal snapper Jeff Tiller out with mutilated testicles, James Moth got his first taste of action in the NFL as the long snapper on punts. Moth did not disappoint.
INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC PLAYS AS MOTH SNAPS THE BALL TO THE PUNTER, WHO PUNTS THE BALL AWAY.
CUT TO:
TALKING HEAD - FORMER TEAMMATE
ALEX REY, FORMER TEAMMATE OF JAMES MOTH.
ALEX REY
That first snap was incredible. He blew our minds. We knew James was special right off the bat, we had to involve him more in the offense.
CUT TO:
GAME FILM - MORE MOTH ACTION
REPLAY OF THE PREVIOUS CLIP.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
And involve him more, they did. The next week, the Giants took every snap from the punt formation, punting a record eighty-seven times.
FOOTAGE OF PUNT AFTER PUNT AFTER PUNT.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Though they lost 74 to 6, Giants coach Yes Mayberly knew he had something special in Moth.
CUT TO:
TALKING HEAD - YES MAYBERLY
YES MAYBERLY
Every snap was perfect. Every. Single. One. This guy was incredible, scientists could calibrate their telescopes to this guy’s snaps. That afternoon, God came to Earth and disguised Himself as James Moth.
HE NODS TO THE CAMERA.
CUT TO:
GAME FILM - MOTH IN ACTION CONTINUED
REPLAYS OF MOTH SNAPS THAT WE’VE ALREADY SEEN CONTINUE IN SLOW MOTION.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
For the Giants to improve, God would have to take an even bigger role in the offense. The next week, Moth became a utility player on offense and defense, playing every position on the field including referee and head cheerleader.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE - MOTH PLAYS EVERY POSITION
WHILE INTENSE “NFL FILMS” MUSIC PLAYS, QUICK CLIPS OF GAME FOOTAGE SHOW MOTH PLAYING EACH POSITION. EACH TIME, HE LINES UP IN THE PROPER PLACE BUT CROUCHES DOWN LIKE HE’S STILL A LONG SNAPPER:
-AS QUARTERBACK, MOTH STANDS IN THE SHOTGUN FORMATION FACING THE OFFENSIVE LINE LIKE HE’S GOING TO SNAP THE BALL BETWEEN HIS LEGS TO IT. THE BALL IS SNAPPED TO HIM. IT BOUNCES OFF HIS BUTT CHEEKS AND ROLLS AROUND ON THE FIELD AS THE DEFENSE CONVERGES.
-AS RUNNING BACK, MOTH LINES UP IN THE BACKFIELD, STILL IN LONG SNAPPER STANCE. THE QUARTERBACK TAKES THE SNAP AND HANDS THE BALL DOWN TO MOTH, WHO THEN HIKES IT BETWEEN HIS LEGS, LAUNCHING THE BALL 30 YARDS DOWN THE FIELD. IT PASSES OVER THE DEFENSE AND LANDS IN THE GRASS, JUST BOUNCING AROUND AS A REFEREE CHASES IT DOWN.
-AS CORNERBACK, HE LINES UP ACROSS FROM A WIDE RECEIVER. MOTH IS STILL IN HIS SNAPPER STANCE. THE PLAY STARTS AND THE RECEIVER EASILY JUKES AROUND MOTH, CATCHES A PASS, AND GOES EIGHTY YARDS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. MOTH DOESN’T BUDGE.
-AS REFEREE, MOTH SNAPS A FLAG AT HIS OWN TEAMMATE AND CALLS HIM FOR A FALSE START.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
Though the Giants again lost, this time 94 to 2, Coach Mayberly knew things would start going their way.
CUT TO:
TALKING HEAD - YES MAYBERLY
YES MAYBERLY
Moth was a young player at the time. Every young player is going to have their growing pains. But for a player of Moth’s caliber, the wait was worth it. We knew he was going to be special, we just had to give it time.
CUT TO:
INT. SOUND STAGE
BACK TO THE SOUND STAGE FROM THE BEGINNING. MARK REYNOLDS IS THERE WITH THE FOOTBALL AGAIN.
MARK REYNOLDS
The Giants’ patience would reward them. The following year, James Moth amassed 3500 passing yards with 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions, 1400 rushing yards, 1900 receiving yards, 18 interceptions, 140 tackles, 13 sacks, and was voted Most Valuable Player for the first time. For his career, Moth would win the MVP award 18 more times and lead the Giants to 20 consecutive Super Bowl victories, using the long snapper stance all the while. His dominance of the sport was so great that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during halftime of a game in his eighth season. In his prime, the league contemplated replacing their leather footballs with porcelain replicas of Moth’s face. In short, the game came easy to Moth and he was recognized for it as he was named the greatest player of any sport ever forever in 1960. But, after retiring in 1961, Moth would find that it was life that was difficult.
CUT TO:
TALKING HEAD - JAMES MOTH
MOTH LOOKS THE SAME AS HIS OLD PICTURES EXCEPT THAT HE IS NOW 90+ YEARS OLD. HE HAS PHYSICALLY AGED ACCORDINGLY.
JAMES MOTH
When I retired from the NFL, I was only 45. Football was all I knew and here I had to make a life adjustment with half of my life to go. I struggled with that for a long time.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE OF PHOTOS
THE CAMERA AGAIN PANS OVER A PILE OF OLD PHOTOS OF MOTH. EVERY PHOTO IS A DIFFERENT INSTANCE OF MOTH LOOKING OFF INTO THE DISTANCE WITH A PLAIN LOOK ON HIS FACE.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
Unable to separate his NFL career from the real world, Moth tried to combine the two unsuccessfully for decades. In applying his trademark long snapper stance to every day life, Moth would be single-handedly responsible for starting the Cold War, beginning the AIDS epidemic, the breakup of the Beatles, and the assassinations of Johns Kennedy, Lennon, and Denver.
FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN:
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
90+-YEAR-OLD JAMES MOTH SITS AT THE DINNER TABLE WITH HIS FAMILY EATING THANKSGIVING DINNER. THEY ARE ALL LAUGHING AND HAVING FUN.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
Today, Moth lives a happy, normal life with his family.
CUT TO:
TALKING HEAD - JAMES MOTH
JAMES MOTH
I finally understood that though I was a star in the NFL, I’m just a regular guy now. So I don’t try to play up my athletic prowess too often.
CUT TO:
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS
MOTH AND FAMILY ARE STILL AT DINNER LAUGHING IT UP. MOTH STANDS UP ON THE TABLE, GRABS A ROLL, AND HIKES IT BETWEEN HIS LEGS TO HIS 3-MONTH-OLD GRANDSON. IT BOUNCES OFF HIS HEAD. EVERYONE LAUGHS IT UP. MOTH IS LAUGHING EXTRA HARD AT HIS OWN ANTICS, ELBOWING AND HIGHFIVING EVERYONE IN SIGHT.
MARK REYNOLDS (V.O.)
Only just enough to show that he’s still number one.
FADE TO:
INT. SOUND STAGE
BACK TO THE SOUND STAGE WITH MARK REYNOLDS.
MARK REYNOLDS
Today, James Moth resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and hamsters. In his twilight years, Moth has taken an interest in politics and is actively petitioning Congress to allow George W. Bush to serve a third consecutive term as President. Says Moth, “My whole career, all I did was put W’s on the board. What’s one more?” For “Sports Stories,” I’m Mark Reynolds.
THE SOMBER CLOSING THEME TO “SPORTS STORIES” PLAYS AS THE CAMERA PULLS AWAY FROM REYNOLDS. REYNOLDS WALKS OFF INTO THE DARKNESS.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
