By Sabrina Cognata

When’s Coach Eric (Kyle Chandler) gonna get a break?  His team, family & support system has fallen apart.  What else could happen?  Oh, I guess his monthly check gets cut down to a fourth of what it should be.  When Eric’s sister-in-law notices it she says he makes the same as she does and she’s a pre-school teach while he lead the Panthers to a championship.  Tami’s (Connie Britton) sister proves to generally be a pain-in-the-ass, as she shows up and makes Tami feel inferior for choosing to be a mother and goes out of her way to undermine and belittle Eric.  Eventually, Tami and her sister come head-to-head admitting each is jealous of the other’s choices.  There’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to make people appreciate what they have, right?

Now Eric runs to Buddy Garrity to complain about his substantial pay cut.  Buddy’s solution is to hire Eric as the high school’s Athletic Director.  Eric isn’t exactly interested, but he needs the money.  While Buddy promises him it’ll be a walk in the park he soon realizes Buddy continues to be full of crap, as the Panther soccer coach comes into his office bitching about funds.  Gee, how awesome, right?  Eric’s problems are multiplying by the second because Buddy also brought him Lyla’s juvie reject, Santiago, promising Eric he’ll be a star—problem is the boy has no idea how to play football. 

Riggins is in deep water with Eric also, as he took off for a week to save Streets from getting himself killed and Eric’s solution to Riggins’s lack of dedication is to drop him from the team.  Smash pleas with Coach Eric to renege his decision, but Eric refuses to comply.  In the meantime, Smash invites Riggins to his house for dinner to talk some sense into him.  Riggins realizes he’s been an idiot and he decides to help the team even though he’s been dropped from it to show Coach Eric he isn’t finished with Panther football. 


Julie (Amiee Teegarden) tells Matt (Zach Gilford) she’s sorry about everything she put him through after she sees the new girl in school flirting with him.  Yea, sorry is about all she’s capable of since there is no way in hell she’s getting back with Matt.  Matt accepts her apology and then makes out with the new girl in his car after Street’s birthday party.  Julie catches them, bursting into tears.  Hey Julie, welcome to life—it will continue to slap you in the face for being a spoiled know-it-all brat.  Speaking of Streets, it’s his 19th birthday and he finally understands that he has to move forward with his life—and apart of moving forward is leaving Panther football behind.  Eric tells him he understands and accepts Streets final resignation as an assistant coach. 

I’ve saved Landry’s woes for last since they are mighty woeful.  Poor Landry, his father finally has enough evidence to confront his son for playing a part in the death of the man found in the river.  Landry starts crying, saying the entire thing was an accident.  Then his father takes Landry’s car into the desert and torches it because the car is a giant beacon of evidence connecting Landry to the crime.  I bet you anything in two episodes Landry will be imprisoned and within four episodes he’ll be on trial for murder.  TAKE ME UP ON THAT BET!