User Reviews

Professor Everett (Richard Long) faces a conundrum in that the campus' star athlete Richie Cooper (Ed Begley Jr., "St. Elsewhere") is a failing academic student. He is pressured by the basketball coach Phil Wartel (Sheldon Leonard-like Frank Campanella) that their success has importance to the well-being of the university. Meanwhile, Hal (David Doremus) is smitten with a girl at school who is so busy with clubs that he doesn't have a chance to get to know her. Nanny (Juliet Mills) suggests that he join the debate team that she belongs to. Hal's debating coach has given him the task of taking a side on the subject "the end justifies the means". His father explains to him that it means, "the end is what you're out to achieve, and the means is how you plan to achieve it. The implication being, if the end is worthy, it doesn't matter what means you use to get there or who suffers along the way." The professor then relates it to his situation, which helps him decide his position as well. Richie runs into Nanny's car at the grocery store and arranges to work 12 hours for the professor to pay for the damage. The professor puts him to work on his school studies. Nanny deflects a pursuing head scout for the professional Parkside Patriots basketball team, Skip Whitney (character actor John Larch) who wants to sign Richie. Richie breaks through on his academic work as Skip Whitney offers him a lucrative contract. The professor imparts wisdom for all parties.