Richard Lewis plays coach Steven Adler, a one time high profile division one college basketball coach haunted by the demon of having lost five championship titles. Now he finds himself wasting away in a slack-jawed, low profile town coaching a second rate college program. Once again, he has miraculously brought this unlikely team to the finals. As his behavior on the day of the championship game indicates, he is far more successful at the game of basketball than the game of life. The question remains: if he finally wins the big game, will Coach Adler get his life back on track or is he already too far gone... ?

从神学院毕业后的约瑟夫·威利成了一名神父，但在上世纪六十年代黑人神父在美国是极为少见的。约瑟夫因鼓动黑人工人罢工而被贬到路易斯安那州的一所黑人学校担任老师，于是他千里迢迢来到了这所学校任教。学校的篮球队教练离开了，没有人愿意来带这个由黑人学生组成的球队，约瑟夫又担任了教练。他带领球员进入不肯卖给黑人食物的餐馆，他的勇气赢得了同学们的尊敬。以往黑人球队无缘参加与白人球队的较量，这一次，为了争取与白人球队拥有公平的机会，约瑟夫不遗余力。他教导球队靠集体的力量团结一致取得胜利，而不是靠个人出风头。他们走进耶酥会，和冠军球队定下了比赛的时间，在他的统一调动和全体队员的积极配合下，终于战胜了一向瞧不起他们的冠军队。