Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football - Feature Length Documentary

This award-winning documentary follows a predominately Arab-American high school football team from a working-class Detroit suburb as they practice for the big game during the last ten days of Ramadan, revealing a community holding onto its Islamic faith while they struggle for acceptance in post 9/11 America.

The film was distributed in the U.S. via AMC Theatres during the Fall of 2011. It has also been distributed via cable and network television in over 40 countries worldwide.

FORDSON won the Grand Jury Award for Best U.S. Documentary at the 2011 Traverse City Film Festival, with founder and filmmaker Michael Moore commenting, “It’s one of the best documentaries I’ve seen this year…I want everybody in the country to see this film. You told an American story with the American game.” It also won Best Documentary at the 2011 Manhattan Film Festival, the Special Grand Jury Award at the 2011 Slamdance Film Festival, Special Jury Prize at the DEADCenter Film Festival, the Audience and Founders Award at the 2011 Politics on Film Festival, the Best Documentary Award at the Detroit-Windsor Film Festival and was named Champion of the World Cup Film Awards.

(slow, dramatic music)

>>Black 19, black 19, ball!

(whistle blows)

>>Oh, late hands! Come on!

>>Aw, that's ridiculous.

>>He deserved that, he's on the ground,

you can't jump on top of him.

I mean that's, it's on
the ground, he's down.

>>We should take anybody
who's a known Muslim

and put them in a separate line.

(audience shouting)

>>Islam is a violent religion,

it's not a religion of peace.

(whistle blows)

>>That's two times that

he had flags thrown on him.

>>And they mean to kill

as many of us as they
can, and it's because

it's what God wants them to do.

(whistle blows)

>>Get the ball! Get the ball!

He didn't recover, he
was down, he was down!

>>Probabbly gonna be impossible

for a Muslim to be a
good citizen in America

because he must swear
his allegiance to Allah.

>>I told you not to do
anything stupid, didn't I?

>>And that if all Muslims

would boycott airlines,
we could dispense with

the airport security altogether.

>>We looked like the most
undisciplined team ever, ever.

We're so friggin' stupid.

I am so disgusted right now.

How many friggin' times do we

gotta tell you to keep your mouth shout?

Don't give the extra push.

>>It's clear that the problem is Islam.

>>You know it's gonna be called on us.

I told you that.

How many times, over
and over and over again?

>>The Muslim threat to the world

is not isolated, it's huge.

(cheering)

The Muslims will see the
West through razor wire.

>>I don't want to hear
anymore about Islam,

I don't want to hear one
more word about Islam!

Take your religion and
shove it up your behind!

(team prays in Arabic)

>>Every time they move,
there's always 20 people

that will be attending.

>>Oh, oh, okay.
>>Okay?

How'd you find me?

Fordson High School was
among the first high schools

built in the city of Dearborn.

It is the 11th largest public high school

in the state of Michigan.

Go to the office and check with them,

they'll tell you where to go and get one.

Dearborn is a magnet to Arabs
throughout the United States.

And looking at the number
of students at Fordson

as an example, we have 2,440 students,

out of which at least 95% are Arabic.

Come here, come here!

So, you can do the math.

Say, "I'm sorry."

>>You just bumped me.

>>Oh, I'm sorry.

>>Okay, that's okay.

We've been called a lot of names,

an Arabic school, an Islamic school,

a Hezbollah high school,
God knows what else.

But, Fordson High School
is a public high school

in Dearborn, Michigan, in
the United States of America

that has the same issues,
the same problems,

the same ideas as any other

high school in the United States.

Did make any promises in Seg?

>>Yeah.

>>What promises did you make?

>>That I would never be in the office,

and I'll never see his face again

in the office as a bad note.

>>And when the teacher says
"jump," what are you gonna do?

>>Jump.

>>You're gonna say,
"how high," okay, okay?

>>(laughs) Yep.

>>Okay, and I want to
see you in the office.

>>All right, anything for you.

>>Okay, is that a promise?
>>Yeah, I promise.

>>Okay, get out of here.

>>A lot of the people that do graduate

tend to stay in the community,

a lot of the kids that go through Fordson.

You're always intertwined with somebody,

you know, either playing at Fordson,

coaching at Fordson, in
the clasrooms at Fordson,

and it's definitely a
close knit community.

(Arabic pop music)

>>Dearborn is a unique city.

There isn't a single
city in the United States

that has the Arab community
concentration that Dearborn has.

(all shouting)

(indistinct)

This is the largest single concentration

of Arabs in one city
outside the Middle East.

>>There will always be
a connection to somebody

somehow someway within
this community to Fordson.

>>So, this is a company town.

Henry Ford built that
school in honor of his son,

and so he just called "Ford's Son."

And he named it also after
his famous Fordson tractor.

(tractor engine)

And the teams are called the "Tractors."

>>Let's go, boys!

>>Whoo! Whoo!

>>My older brothers went to Fordson,

football was always a big deal

in our family and in other families,

and as a youngster, we all had the dream

of playing Fordson football.

>>Go!

>>Everybody knows that every

single Arab knows soccer, right?

So, that's the national sport of Arabs,

so, they started a soccer team.

And they thought this was just gonna be

the best soccer team in
all of North America.

It was just an average soccer team.

Because most of the really good talented

athletic guys went out for football,

which gets you far more attention.

You get hundreds of people
that turn out for the games,

you become a national hero,
or at least a local hero.

(cheering)

♫ Oh, say, can you see

♫ By the dawn's early light,

♫ What so proudly we hailed

♫ At the twilight's last gleaming ♫

>>One, two, three, Fordson!

>>Whoo, let's go!

>>I grew up with a football in my hand,

and I think that has a lot to do with it.

And when you grow up in an
atmosphere like this one,

I mean football comes to you,
you don't go to football.

We didn't know no other
sports besides soccer.

>>There you go, good job.

>>You'll notice that most people that do

come from the old country,

they tend to fall in love with football.

>>Sure, you know, coming
from their country

might be soccer, but, you know,

this next second and third generation,

and fourth generation are born here.

>>Red 44, go!

>>And they grow up around football,

and they grew up around the tradition,

and they see it and their uncles played

and their fathers played.

(cheering)

>>Yeah! Way to go!

>>I chose number 32 after my cousin,

and I wore that 32 after him and then,

Ali wore it after me.

>>32, It's Uncle Reginald for
a quarterback, my dad wore it.

I always wanted to be like him growing up.

He meant a lot to me growing up.

As a person and a football player.

it represents him.

>>I mean, coming to the game, you get

the butterflies as a parent
sitting in the stands.

>>You guys are underlying the scrimmage.

>>People see everything
when you're a quarterback.

Any mistake you make, it's gonna be seen.

>>The bloom his left hand.

>>You got to let him know in the huddle,

the first time you gotta
let him know in the huddle,

and then, after that, they're right to

the line of scrimmage.

>>It is a lot of pressure,

but, he handles it very well.

That's the one thing about Ali growing up

is he handles pressure well.

>>Red 44, red 44, go!

(rock music)

(whistle blows, cheering)

>>No, I don't worry about getting up.

'Cause I know if I get hit,
I'm gonna hit that guy hard.

So, when we make contact, he's
the one that's gonna feel it,

I'm not going to feel nothing at all.

(grunts)

I make sure that's gonna happen.

>>You can't ask for a
better teammate than Bilal.

He's a bruising running back.

He's so emotional, and he takes it all out

while he's playing football.

>>I'm not afraid of nothing.

>>Red 63, go!

>>Seriously, like, honestly nothing.

When I'm on the field, I feel unstoppable.

(whistle blows)

(rock music)
(players shouting)

>>I just wanted to play Fordson football,

I just wanted to be there.

My brother did it, I wanted to do it too,

and I loved football.

(players shouting)

>>Okay, here we go, here we go.

>>I really didn't like football,

I didn't want to play football,
I did it for the family.

But, as the years went
on, I got used to it,

and I can do something
with my life with football.

>>Go, go, go!

Here we go, whoo!
(whistle blows)

Whoa!

>>We got to apply to Northern University,

a very good school.

We got right here, Stanford.

We got Cincinnati.

We got right here, Central Michigan.

We got Michigan State.

Would be a hard decision
between them in Michigan,

I love Illinois.

You got Ball State University,

you got Princeton, very smart.

I got a couple one of
these, Western Michigan,

they're handwritten by the coaches.

But, the most favorite letter I received

from a college is probably
Harvard, it's somewhere in here.

We got Indiana University here for us.

(all shouting)
(rock music)

>>(sing) The mighty Fordson
(indistinct) in blue,

the mighty Fordson High,
we're gonna fight for you...

>>As this team evolves, I
think great things are gonna

happen to Fordson, this year or next year.

These kids, new look up to these seniors,

you know, with Baquer and Baidoun,

you know, with all these
kids, I'm telling you,

I think Fordson can have a
magical season this year.

(all shouting)

>>Playing Dearborn the last
Friday of the month of Ramadan.

It's gonna be tough.

Let me tell you, they're gonna get

their run for the money
playing Dearborn High,

they're a good team.

>>The Fordson kids have
always been, you know,

tougher, more blue-collar kids.

The Dearborn High have always
been the more affluent.

>>The rivalry becomes very
alive when the poor kids

are playing the rich kids if you want to

look at it from that angle.

And it's been around
Dearborn for a long time.

>>Obviously, there's a lot of tradition,

a lot of pride in this school,

and when I was younger, I would always

come and watch Fordson High school.

(cheering)

And then, once I got
here to school, you know,

that was the thing you
had to do, you know,

you played football.

So, I joined, I played,
and I did pretty well.

(whistle blows)

>>Well my brother,
Popeye, raised that kid.

He has a great personality,
a great kid, a great athlete.

>>Keep that ball close to your body, Ali.

>>He's good for these kids.

I think he's a very good coach.

I mean what, we went 9-0 last year.

I went to every single
game, I didn't miss one.

>>Yeah, got a year to grow, yeah, okay.

>>He's only 16.
(laughter)

>>Trust me, I was saying
that until I was 25,

never happened.

>>Coach Zaban, he's
kinda that kinda person

that likes to just observe.

(blows whistle)

He's a good father figure.

>>Hey, hey, line, great,
that's fine, good job!

If you have to just fan
him out, that's fine,

that's a good job.

>>You know, he's a good leader
on us young kids as well.

>>You gotta fight it, you gotta fight,

you can't let him wash you down.

You gotta fight pressure with pressure,

but, don't forget that we have
another defender right here.

So, if he blocks down,
he's coming up right now.

>>And I believe with Walker Zaban,

he's really getting these kids involved,

and Fordson over the
years, slowly, slowly,

instead of putting one
kid in Division 1 schools,

you're seeing a trend were three or four

or five of 'em are going now.

And we're getting scouts to these games

which are really awesome.

>>I'm not bargaining right now.

>>This is a bigger punishment.

>>Let's go.
>>It's not punishment.

Didn't I give you a break last time?

They did more than you guys.

When I first took over, it was
a no-excuse mentality here.

Get your ass in the corner,

we're not making deals right now.

(whistle blows)

We didn't want to talk
about anything aside from

doing what we needed to do
to make our program better.

To win games and do the right things.

So, you better learn what you need to do.

>>Yes, Coach.

>>So, make sure that you're

taking care of business in class,

do the right things,
everything will work out.

You do good things and
good things will happen.

If you act like a jackass
and you do bad things,

bad things are gonna happen to you.

You guys gotta figure it out.

>>You know that message of "No excuses,"

it is the mantra that
Coach Zaban is trying to

build around the program.

Whatever obstacles.

You know, you're fasting,
unhappy with officiating,

racism, whatever, you
know, that's just life,

there are no excuses.

>>Fix it, get it straight!

Is that understood?

>>Yes, Coach!

>>All right, that's good,
that's enough about that.

Now, the temperature's supposed to drop...

But, as I look back, and I think about it,

this is the way this community is.

We have many people that have had to work

two or three jobs to make ends meet,

to support their family.

You know, they put the hard work in,

that now, they've owned their
own businesses, for example,

or they're professionals.

This "no excuses" has really
lived in this community.

(people scream)

>>Today, we've had a national tragedy.

Two airplanes have crashed
into the World Trade Center

in an apparent terrorist
attack on our country.

I have spoken to the vice president...

9-11 was a sad day, and
you know, for this country

to go through something like this,

was obviously heartbreaking.

(slow, dramatic music)

>>Your heart just went out
to the people and said,

"My God, what must be
going through their mind?"

And the agony and the
sorrow you felt for them

and their families and
the pictures they showed

and the letters and the lost loved ones,

and it was just really, really,
very, very difficult to see.

>>We asked folks here,

one of the police officers told me that

he had heard a plane had
gone into the Pentagon.

>>I remember my knees
shivered on that day.

And I prayed that, for this
not to be an act of terrorism.

>>Look, you want to be careful here,

we don't don't want to
get too far ahead of this,

but, obviously, this has
all the appearances of

an extraordinarily
well-coordinated and devastating

terrorist attack here
in the United States.

>>You know, the towers on fire,

and I have to admit some
of the first thoughts

that came into my mind is,

"Please, God, don't let them the Arabs,"

'cause it didn't, get was an accident.

>>Authorities say they
are looking at more than

a dozen hijackers of
Middle Eastern descent.

They have gathered evidence
linking the hijackers

to Osama bin Laden and possibly
some other terrorist groups

from Saudi Arabia and even Egypt.

>>I think in the Dearborn community,

we were living in a safe
haven up until 2001.

2001 shook things up.

>>We were all really
afraid that there would be

a backlash against Arabs
that we couldn't anticipate.

Within hours, within minutes,
there were people on the phone

to each other saying,
"Let's meet, and make sure

"we get this under control,
we don't want a problem."

>>And it's just inevitable,
one supposes that

at a time like this, many Arab-Americans

and many Muslims feel themselves very much

on the defensive end and
in many cases threatened.

>>The mood, in the city was
so dampened by the attacks,

and by the minute, to the anger,

and the frustration of the non-Arabs

have been growing and the fear of Arabs

had been climbing by the minute.

>>Detroit, the offices of

the Arab American News,
that's "Arab-American."

The phone has been ringing there.

>>I hope every Arabic
born son-of-a-(beep) dies.

>>Immediately, threats started
coming into the mosques,

and Islamic parochial
schools here in town,

and some of the other
Islamic organizations.

We were receiving threats
that they were gonna

bomb the school, and slit the throats

of these Muslim students,
somebody had to pay for

what was done to the
towers, so on and so forth.

>>I was 15, 16.

(stammers) In my mind, I'm like,

it's just two planes hit the building.

We didn't really think like

the United States was under attack.

>>And then, when it really hit us was that

day we actually received a bomb threat,

and school got out early that day,

and got to the point where
practices were canceled,

all school events were canceled

and everyone had to go home.

I would say it definitely woke us up.

I mean we were kids growing up,

all we did was play
football in the summers,

played baseball, go to school,

we had no idea what was going
on in the outside world.

>>I remember when I was assigned

to the airport here at Metro.

The FAA came out with this profile of what

a possible airplane
hijacker might look like.

The physical description
that they gave us to use

looked, sounded exactly like me.

>>In a way, you feel you're responsible,

or they make you feel
that you're responsible.

Somewhere in a blood trail,
you're related to those people

that were on the airplane
whether you like it or not.

And this is not Islam, this is not Arabs,

this is not any civilization with any

sense of humanity in it.

>>Okay, good morning.

>>Good morning.

>>Okay, let's think about
today, today is what?

>>9/11.
>>Friday.

>>9/11, September 11, why?

Yes?

>>The time that those
planes hit the building.

>>Okay, the planes hit the building,

what buildings?

>>The Twin Towers.

>>Okay, the Twin Towers.

Uh, what else happened that day?

>>People died.

>>Okay, people died, okay,
and what kind of impact

did it have on our country, do you think?

>>People judge a whole religion
based on someone's actions.

>>Okay, people judge a whole religion

based on the actions of who?

>>Some.

>>Just a few, right?

Do you think that's fair?

>>No.

(beep)

>>Good morning, may I have
your attention please?

My name is (indistinct) Hamadi,

president of student Council.

On this day, at this
time, eight years ago,

our nation lost many innocent lives.

Please observe with me
at moment of silence,

to commemorate the tragic event.

Thank you.

>>Okay, let's go back to our discussion.

>>Yes, it's true, my name is Osama.

My name is Osama Siblani,
not Osama bin Laden,

and I'm an American,
and I love this country.

Why would it be that we've
been dealt like this?

We were hit twice on September 11;

once by Osama bin Laden,
like all Americans,

and second, by those who
associated us with Osama bin Laden.

>>You know, once you're
tagged, you're tagged,

it's gonna go on for generations.

You think they're gonna forget
about what happened at 9/11

which had nothing to do with us?

I mean the guy's a maniac,
what kind of maniac

would want to kill over 2,000 people?

To set what, to set an
example, to send a message?

And they can't find this
guy, how do you like that?

You can put a guy on the moon,

you can't find Osama bin Laden.

I think that would ease the tension

if they found him and they executed him.

The man was sick, he deserves to be shot,

on national television.

>>Perhaps only an aging
generation of Japanese Americans

can really understand the
feeling that one day you are

a respected neighbor, and the next day,

you are suspected enemy.

To find that feeling
today, all you have to do

is go to Dearborn, Michigan.

>>We became fair game.

I mean I remember the FBI agent in Detroit

telling Detroiters, "Keep
an eye on your neighbor,

"you can't tell where
these guys will pop up,"

and people were doing it.

They started watching us
like we were the enemy.

>>Here, in Dearborn, Michigan,

the center of the largest concentration

of Muslims and Arabs in the country,

people fear the horrible crimes of 9/11

have cast a pall over them all,

subjecting them to increased
government scrutiny,

profiling, arrests, and
the painful suspicion that

Muslim Americans are somehow un-American.

>>Most of the respectable,
the major networks and news,

the international news came in to see

that there is another side to 9/11;

the Arab Americans who
are serving their country,

running their businesses, and this was

actually from that angle only.

And so, in fact, the media
maybe came in for a story

and left with another story.

(street traffic)

>>Come on in, look at us.

Young lady, I brought my crew.

>>Hey! How are you, Big Joe?

>>You look at Dearborn, I mean per se,

you look at Dix Avenue,
you look at Warren Avenue,

they were ghost towns until

the Arab community came in there.

You look at some of the homes they built

in West Dearborn, you look at some of

the areas they've developed and their

involvement in the community,
increasing the tax base.

Without question, goes to say that

we've definitely done our part.

>>How many meat stores they got on Warren?

>>On Warren, six.
>>Only six?

>>No, there's six on Schaefer.

>>There's six on Schaefer?

>>10 on Warren.

>>10 on Warren?
>>Yeah.

>>Well, there's a local joke that we have,

that while people came
to America generally

to do good and seek religious freedom,

people come to the
Detroit area to get rich.

They came to look for jobs, basically.

>>This guy's a very good meat cutter.

See how quick he is with that knife?

How long it'd take you to get a lamb?

If the Arabs didn't move into Dearborn,

Dearborn would've been on a decline.

I mean they brought up the population,

they bought up all the old
businesses that were shut down,

you know, they made this city what it is,

and we ain't getting
credit for it, not at all.

>>Inside the Dearborn plant,

the wheels of industry are high,

with full crews assembling the latest

models for a record output.

(light, mid-tempo music)

>>So, the first Arabs who came here

maybe 100 or so years ago,
they came as individuals,

and then, in time, they would bring

relatives and friends out.

What happened in the 1920s and 30s,

as the auto industry began to build up,

was that there were an
unlimited number of jobs

for almost anyone who was willing to work.

>>And presto, you have

a 1931 model practically FOB.

>>They by everything in sight

just to bring their families in.

Like next door I want my
sister to live next door,

the house is up for sale,
let's buy this house, you know?

They buy businesses together, they uh,

you know, they share a lot,

they like to stay tight, very tight.

>>You can't take a lion out of the jungle,

and put him like, and another environment,

another habitat, it won't work,

like, I can't go to another
area, it just don't work.

(car horn honks)

I can live there, yeah,
but, it's gonna be hard

going to a place and
not having (indistinct),

you know, not having a mosque

down the block, not speaking
Arabic to your neighbor,

you know, it's gonna be hard.

But, my thoughts on that,
yeah, it'd be nice to get away

here and there, but not
to live somewhere else,

this is home, you know, home sweet home.

Home doesn't get no better, you know?

>>Hold on to it tight.

>>Those look like bruises.

>>We're gonna have potato and chicken.

>>Mmm!

>>(indistinct) yeah.

>>In a typical American family,

maybe at the age of 18,
you move out on your own,

you leave the house,

usually with the Arab families, you know,

until you get married, you're living

at home with mom and dad.

(general chatter)

So, this family unity, family pride,

is definitely always there.

You live not to upset your parents,

you want to make them happy, you know.

You want to live at home, living
at home is not a bad thing,

it's not a thing that's looked down upon,

and I think this family structure

sometimes carries into football.

(children talking)
(light, mid-tempo music)

Uh, the teamwork, the
togetherness that they display.

That's of a big part of it.

>>(indistinct)

>>So, to say they're not
American or we're not American

it's just wrong, that's just wrong,

we have the same ideals
and the same desires,

and the same goals, and we found a way,

I think and I hope that,
you know, we found a balance

where we can practice our
faith, keep the culture,

and still live the American dream,

and raise our kids to do the same.

>>Can I open your mail?

>>Yeah, you always do anyways.

>>Well, it says "To the
parents of Baquer Sayed,"

that's why I open it.

>>What's this? That good?

My dad, he worked on the assembly line.

One day, it was Take-Your-Son-to-Work Day,

and I went with him.

I was in elementary
school, I think I was nine.

It was like scary, all those
machines making noises,

big noises and seeing
like a lot of people just

passing parts and doing that.

I was just like, wow,
is that what I'm gonna

do when I'm older, 'cause that looks hard?

(Nasri speaks Arabic)

(slow, dramatic music)

>>Because, this country does
really give the opportunity,

where other countries
don't, our own country

didn't give us the opportunity.

>>Go give your mom a hug.

>>Say, hello to your mom.

>>Bye.
>>Call me.

(car door dings)
(mid-tempo music)

>>How'd it feel yesterday, Baq?

>>Good.

My knee's killing me, though,

I don't think I'm going to practice.

>>Yeah, right.

>>Monday and Tuesday.

>>It looked like a lot
of guys were banged up.

>>Yeah.

>>So, you just do your job,

(indistinct) and follow the plays.

>>See, I'd like games
like yesterday every game.

>>Yeah, well, you have
to be that dominant.

>>When you did on both
sides of the ball, though.

(mid-tempo pop music)

>>Hey, Bill, pull up more.

>>You know, being a Muslim or,

it's tough in the world,
it's tough these days.

You know, but if you look at Baquer,

would you ever think
anything bad of the kid?

But, all's we ask for
is just an opportunity,

give those kids a chance.

And if we find Baquer being
at a Division 1 college,

like Michigan, for
instance, or Michigan State,

that's special, and we
hope the best for Baquer.

And at the same time, it
puts out the community,

you know, Fordson High School, Dearborn,

the city that we all grew
up in, it puts us out there.

(shouting, cheering)
(mid-tempo pop music)

Oh, gotta be crazy around
here, it gets crazy.

That's what we're gonna
be cheering for, bro,

you gotta make it, gotta do it.

(prays in Arabic)

(parade music)

(people shouting, cheering)

>>How can you be a Muslim,

how can you be an
Arab-American all at once?

Well, quite honestly, what is it

that you need to do differently?

You're a Muslim, you're
following a religion,

and Arab, you know, that's just where,

you know, your background is from,

but, now, you're an American,

because you live in this country,

so, what's so hard about being

an Arab-American Muslim
that lives in this country?

>>Just finished up some lentil soup here.

We got potluck going on tonight,

and we're invited to friends of ours.

And usually, we have
lentil soup with fatouche,

a little salad, Arabic salad.

And I also made some roast,
that's just about done.

So, we're ready to head out
and take all this stuff,

and we're gonna have our nice feast.

>>I eat pretty much the same foods,

I coach football, I love watching sports,

I watched the Super Bowl, I
love basketball, you know.

I went to a college and I got educated,

isn't that what most Americans do?

So, is there a difference?

Quite honestly, me personally,

I don't feel that there is a difference.

Aside from a practicing my religion

the way I practice it, that's
the only difference there is.

Now that we have Christians,
we have Jews who are Americans,

we have for Buddhists, we have atheists.

So, is there a difference
for them if they're American

and they practice other
religions, you know?

(general chatter)

>>How are you, neighbor?

>>This is how we do
Iftar here in Dearborn,

we watch football, we're
at Capt. Nick's house,

this is a charter captain,

the best walleye fisherman
in the country here,

and these are our relatives
here, we're all coaches

and, you know, we love watching football

and having Iftar at the same time.

>>It's just a family
gathering, a family dinner,

you know, every night,
every 30 days of Ramadan,

it's just a family dinner,
everyone sits on the table.

You know, we all break
our fast at the same time.

Mainly mostly everybody
that lives in Dearborn

does it the same way, you know?

We all believe in the same beliefs.

>>I saw you brought a whole
camera crew home with you.

You gonna get in the shower, come on,

you gotta be (indistinct).

I'm just preparing some sambusas.

For my family, it's eating together,

because after Ramadan, everybody
has their own schedule,

work, school, coming
home at different times.

During Ramadan, everybody makes

an effort to come home for dinner.

So, that's what makes it special for me.

Family, we always have a
lot of family coming over,

we go to family's house, a lot of outings.

(food sizzles)

It's very spiritual, it
brings us closer together,

we pray together, we eat together.

It's just extra bonding time.

Sambusa, it's ground
beef with peas and onions

and honey and spices, and we wrap 'em in

a type of like phyllo, agro type of dough.

And it's a traditional dish,

we have it a lot during Ramadan.

And as you can see, we fry 'em.

So, kind of unhealthy, but, delicious.

Today, we are, what's today's date?

Saturday the 12th, so, we will
break our fast at 7:48 PM.

That tells us the Iftar time
time, and as you can see,

the kids have been crossing it out,

as we're counting down the days.

Counting the days to Eid holiday.

>>It's 7:46 tomorrow night.

>>Okay, well, we're
gonna eat when I'm ready,

so, it doesn't matter.

(general chatter, praying in Arabic)

>>Well, what Ramadan teaches, discipline.

And from the discipline, obviously,

that plays a role in football,
so, discipline is key.

Enjoy.

There's many people in
this world that don't have

the opportunity to have food there.

And this is one of the reasons Ramadan

is mandatory for us.

We fast from sunrise to sundown because

there's, you know, the
poor that don't get to eat.

So, it gives us an idea of
what they're going through.

If you step back and you think about this,

this is an unbelievable time for Muslims.

>>Did you already pray
and everything or no?

>>I didn't pray yet.

>>How about you, did you pray anything?

>>Yeah, I prayed, I prayed.

Fatiha is a chapter in the Koran.

it's the opening of the book you can say.

It's a nice short prayer, you know,

to ask God, you know,

just protect us throughout this game,

you know, we use it every game.

The Surah Fatiha, for the opening chapter

is the main Muslim article
in which we praise God,

and also in which we seek
His help and His guidance.

It is the most major and important

article of faith in Islam.

(praying in Arabic)

>>People make a big deal out of it because

they feel that even
Fatiha is anti-American.

Well, if you look at
the verse of the Fatiha,

what does it say?

"In the name of God, the most merciful,

"the most compassion."

(prays in Arabic)

>>How have you been?

You still want to break my fast?

Broke my fast?

And all I did, I got full of water.

(laughs)

I'm not lying, that's how bad it is.

>>I know everybody says when you fast,

you think you're going to be a lot,

but, you don't eat a lot.

>>You have a big appetite,
and once you drink your water,

and you eat your date,
and you drink like...

Me, I crave drinks more than I crave food.

I just great whatever I want
to drink, and then, I get full.

>>Everyone says the same,

you think you can eat
a lot when you're done.

>>Yeah, your appetite is big,

but, your hunger is very small.

>>But, at night, you get hungry.

>>Yeah, if you stay up
and you get hungry again,

your cravings, man, like a bitch.

Like me today, I'm craving
peanut butter and jelly,

and am craving Snickers
and Snicker ice cream,

ice cream bar, Snickers ice cream bar,

that's what I'm craving.

And a Mountain Dew.

>>You know what I'm craving?

Crunch wraps supreme,

and the potatoes and those nachos.

>>Taco Bell?

>>That's what I'm craving right now.

(whistle blows)

>>Well, we were fasting, so,

we'd wake up and there's no breakfast.

And you got to go to school.

You know, so, wake up, shower,

brush your teeth, go to school.

(mid-tempo pop music)

>>We value fully realize life,

something we are better off for adding.

>>Sitting in class for seven hours,

and right when the bell rings
2:30, bell rings at 2:15,

2:30 I gotta be out on the field.

Dressed in pads and uniform, you know?

(indistinct)

>>Nice, nice, nice!

>>And we're at practice
till 6:00, 6:30, 7:00.

Go home, shower, sleep,

wait for Fatiha to come by, you know,

and probably do our
homework if we feel like it

'cause it's a long day, you know,

we tried doing our homework,
I did, you know, but...

I tried to fit it in
during class, during lunch.

I don't like doing it after school.

Me and homework don't go together,

especially during that time.

>>Good lock, good lock!

As you approach, your hands are up.

Make sure you nail 'em, right there.

Hit him!

>>I wear the Dearborn High jersey.

(blows whistle)

it helps motivate them,
they're hitting me as

hard as they can, working as
hard as they can at practice.

There are couple of other kids on the team

that have the jerseys, we're all basically

the dummies for the week.

(shouts)

>>I know they exercise and they play,

>>Set, go!

>>Yet, they do not break their fast.

>>Come on Ali, come on, you don't wanna

be the one that lost
to Dearborn, trust me.

Come on.

>>We know that when you play,

especially during vigorous
games, your body longs for water.

But, these people teach us that
despite our need for water,

we can excel spiritually,
not only physically.

>>You know, these kids are fasting, okay,

so, how do I know exactly what

they're gonna be going through,

so, last year, I decided to fast myself.

Yeah, they're gonna play like
a four three with the strong safety?

>>I don't know, depends on
what you're doing coach.

If you're throwing, they're
probably gonna be fine.

I'm fasting right now, too.

About a week ago, I was
really starting to get dizzy,

and you know, I am a
teacher, so, I said I gotta

go get something to eat, so,
I did, I went and got a sub.

I felt better, but now,
I kinda get a feeling

for what they're going through.

So, again, it helps me, okay,
lets tone it down a little bit

or let's push 'em a little bit more,

'cause I'm doing the same
things they're doing.

Bilal, you ready?

>>It's hot, but, today's a nice day,

it's windy, breezy, it's all right.

>>Are you okay?

It's very tough, especially us running,

like the pads and helmets,

it's hard to breathe,
but, we get through it.

>>Your mouth gets dry,
put, water in your mouth,

and it makes it even worse.

that's just the way it is.

>>Good job.
(whistle blows)

Spit it out.

There you's go.

>>Looks like a water
fountain of heaven right now.

(laughter)

When I sleep during the
day, I dream about it.

Sleep at night, I hope I
don't wake up until like

5:00 in the afternoon, so,

then I'll fast for, like,
two hours and then I can eat.

But, I always wake up at
like 8:00 in the morning,

and then I gotta go through
the whole day, whole process.

It's not fun, but, it's
something you gotta do.

>>Okay, listen, let's look good, okay?

I know we've had three good games,

but, that means nothing.

We're zero and zero as far
as I'm concerned, okay?

You know what I think
about this week, okay?

So, I know it's hot out here,

but there's no excuses, let's look good.

Run hard, let's look good.

>>And we know, come Friday night,

whether you're fasting
or you're not fasting,

you gotta be prepared to coach,

you gotta be prepared to play,
you gotta be at your best.

(general chatter)

>>He can drink, that's not fair.

That's not fair.

All we get to do is wash up and

look up and ask God for help, that's it.

(light hip-hop music)

>>You know, fasting isn't
for the weak of mind.

And these kids are doing
the most physical thing

at the time of the most glorious

month of the year for us Muslims.

And for them to do that, and
focus and to be successful

and win at the rate they do,

I put them a notch ahead of who I am.

(general chatter)

>>Yeah, we've been criticized a lot.

One of the issues that I always hear is

why are the kids praying
before the football game?

(praying in Arabic)

You know, a couple ago,
I was on the field.

A gentleman from the Detroit News was

asking me "What are they
doing," I said, "I don't know.

"Go ask them."

He said, "I'm not going
in the middle of the field

"to ask them what they're doing."

I said, "Neither am I."

I have no idea what they're doing.

They're alone, there's nobody with them,

and they're doing what they do.

It's none of my business, I have no way

of promoting this or stopping this.

(praying in Arabic)

>>Hey, I thought we had separation of

church and state in this country.

Why is it that you are
accommodating Muslims

because of their faith and
not, let's say, Christians?

I hope you get sued.

Oh, that's right, it's our
money, so what do you care?

(cheering, parade music)

>>I see high school games where, you know,

they're public schools,
and they're sitting there

and they're having a
priest maybe lead a prayer

before both teams, for that matter,

and nothing gets said about that.

>>Amen.
(applause)

>>Even if you want me to stop it, I can't.

By law, I can't.

If these kids were reading
a bible before they

go into a football game, I can't stop 'em.

I have no right to stop 'em.

As long as the coach is
not sitting in the middle

of the field and doing the
same thing they're doing,

as long as the coach
is not promoting this,

we have no right to stop it.

>>I try to separate church
and state as much as possible.

It's something that as soon as they're

getting ready to do that, I
walk out of the locker room

and you know, I say it
to myself, and you know,

I walk onto the field,
and once they're finished,

we go line up and we run out on the field.

>>We eat these schools alive.

>>Probably 80% of all the children in

the public schools are of Arab heritage.

That is a big impact to
occur in a very short time,

and that created all sorts of tensions.

I think if they had been
Albanians or Germans

or any other group, you
still would've had tensions,

but, the fact is they were
Arabs, mostly Muslims,

and so, that created a dynamic of its own.

>>Y equals 4 over 3, x + 1

>>You know, they're here,
they are the elected officials

who are elected by the non-Arabs.

A lot of their decisions are being made,

you know, for the Arab Muslim kids,

and it can be a very difficult
dynamic to operate in.

You know, when your schools are 65% Arab,

yet your city is 70% non-Arab.

So, I mean, it can be tough
on the administration,

it can be tough on the elected officials,

and quite frankly, I
don't envy that position.

>>Why does the Dearborn
Public School System

have to be run by Arabic holidays?

I know that I'm not alone in

my feelings regarding this matter.

I have a granddaughter in the fifth grade,

and I hate to see what this school system

will look like when she
reaches high school.

Believe me, if I had children
in the Dearborn system,

I would be selling my
house ASAP, loss or not.

(general chatter)

>>We have parents who came
to school board meetings,

complaining about being off for the Eid.

For awhile the school board
would not give the Eid off,

until one day too many
kids were off school.

So, now, the schools don't
get paid by the state

for that day because it
doesn't count as a day.

So, the schools had to adapt.

>>The State of Michigan tells us that

if you don't have 75% attendance,

we're not paying you for that day.

So, here comes a religious holiday,

where at least 60% or 70% of your

student population are staying home.

The State of Michigan is gonna tell you,

"We're gonna deduct $200,
$300,000 for that day."

We can't afford to lose
that kind of money.

So, what do we do?

We build our calendar around
the holidays of our community.

We never did that in the past.

We started doing that when we realized

that we're gonna lose money.

What's the line over here
for, what's going on?

>>One of the problems that
Imad Fadlallah has had

as principal of Fordson High School,

is because he is Muslim,
because he is Arab-American,

it allows people to put
that pressure on him,

that if I did the same thing that he did,

I wouldn't be under the
same scrutiny that he is.

And it's made it very difficult for him,

because he's trying to do what's in

the best interest of the kids.

>>What do you wanna do?

Every principal or every administrator

should be measured in what he
does for improving the school,

for improving academic achievement,

for creating new
opportunities for children.

I don't think my religion
or my ethnic background

has anything to do with this.

(whistle blows, players hit dummies)

>>Let me get the pits!

In the armpits, Billy!

(whistle blows)

>>Hey, quicker, quicker, quicker!

>>They wanna talk about
their family with you guys?

They ain't got no blood with you guys.

>>I'll tell you how I feel on Friday.

I'm gonna tell you something
that you don't know,

and we'll see what you're gonna do, hut!

>>Get aggressive!
(blows whistle)

>>Growing up as a youngster, I was really

into professional wrestling.

I kinda carried that over
into my coaching style.

I'm using my hands, you see that?

>>Keep him off your body.

>>Because if I'm like
this, not only do I know

where the fullback is,
as soon as he approaches,

boom, I'm gonna shock him.

>>Everything that he

does in practice makes us laugh.

We're never in a bad mood during practice.

He's like aggressive on
us and he doesn't wanna

be our friends, but, he makes us laugh.

>>Don't play soft for one second,

no feeling sorry for anyone.

No "my bad's," no shaking hands,

no lifting anyone off the floor.

My main focus is to try to
get them a little bit angry.

Would you stop!

I already explained that,

I told you to (indistinct) our goals!

Who am I talking to?

To light a fire under
them, to say things that

I normally wouldn't say in the classroom,

or maybe even outside of school.

Everyone is your damn enemy, you got that?

(all agree)

No Mr. Nice Guy for anybody.

>>I had goosebumps,

'cause we're laughing at
him 'cause he's hilarious.

(applause)

No matter what he does, it's hilarious.

>>And it seems to work with these kids,

they kinda rely on me for that,

and I'm pretty much known
for that around here.

>>Don't worry, we finally got the speech.

Come on, let's go do something with it.

>>And you set the ton for the rest of the game.

You show 'em who's boss first
play, you understand me?

>>Yes, Coach.

>>Okay, you go all out.

All right, this is Dearborn High

on our left side as we approach.

It is a big difference
here as you can see.

They got the new field, new facilities.

You definitely know
you're on the west side.

>>Dearborn High is the
newest west part of the city,

that's the wealthy part of the city.

These are the cakes, that's what

Fordson High kids call them.

That sort of implies rich and
not very sophisticated, right?

>>The home value on the
west end is sometimes

10 times as much as the
home on the east end.

So, always the underdog, wants to feel

some type of advantage.

>>I mean, growing up, the
term, "cake eater" has always

been a rich kid who got
everything that he wanted,

that doesn't have the toughness,

hasn't had to work for anything,

hasn't experienced, you
know, what the tough

blue-collar east end kid has.

(parade music, cheering)

>>Last week, I was at
the Dearborn-Edsel game.

I went to see what's going on with 'em,

and I was wearing my Fordson hat.

And the guys, they were reading
"the Tractors" on the back,

you know, I had it on,
and the guys kept saying,

"Hey, take that hat
off, take that hat off."

Big Joe says, "No way, I
ain't taking this hat off."

I went like this, I said,

"You see this 'F' on this hat, you guys?"

There's about 10 of 'em back there.

"This 'F' is gonna 'F' you up next week."

>>No, we're gonna be
prepared, no doubt about that.

This is the game we live for,

this is the game of the season, basically.

This is the biggest game,
especially right now,

it's the biggest game of my life.

It's my last time ever
playing these guys, you know?

It's something very big.

>>Those were the days.

It's fun playing Dearborn High, though.

(baby laughs)

>>It's the last game I'm
playing 'em, think about it.

>>Yeah, it's the funnest game of the year.

>>From the moment I
could carry a football,

I was playing football with him.

Me and my three brothers we
were going all out on football.

>>Well, I started off with Ali.

We had to go to every single game.

It was away or home, no
matter how far it was

we went to every game,
and it wasn't just us.

It was the entire
community cheering him on.

>>He's basically my role
model with everything.

'Cause my brother's the
one that supports me,

you know what I mean?

But, if my brother wasn't
there to be around me,

then I wasn't gonna do as good.

It's the best thing in the world.

(child laughs)

>>I didn't like it
because it was dangerous,

(chuckles) it's dangerous.

>>That's the name of
the game, look at him,

he hurt his jaw, how is your jaw?

>>Yeah, did I sleep that night?

I didn't sleep, you guys don't care.

>>You guys came downstairs
and slept by me.

(laughter)

>>I slept with him.
>>Slept by you?

>>What? Is your son a little baby?

(newsroom music)

>>WXYZ-7 is on your side.

Now, 7 Action news at 7.

>>Two Dearborn men are
jailed in Ohio tonight

accused of making suspicious purchases.

Police say they bought
hundreds of cell phones

that could have been headed to terrorists.

Good evening everyone,
thanks for joining us,

I'm Frank Turner.

Police say they fear
the cell phones could be

used to trigger roadside bombings,

and so, they weren't taking any chances.

But, as Action News reporter,
Glen Zimmerman tells us,

family members say the
whole thing's a mistake.

>>Because it's ridiculous, I'm so afraid.

I'm just thinking about how my
brother is feeling right now,

he must be so scared.

>>Her brother is Ali Houssaiky.

He is currently in an Ohio jail
with Osama Sabhi Abulhassan.

Both men are from Dearborn.

>>His name's "Ali" and his
friend's name's "Osama."

Of course, of course it's
gonna be discriminated against.

>>According to authorities,
TracFones are sent

to the Middle East, and then,
the chips from the TracFones

may be used to detonate
remotely, car bombs

on the side of the road.

>>I'm innocent, you guys
are just being racist.

>>Ali Houssaiky and Osama Abulhassan

ventured out to make a couple of dollars.

They went to Ohio to shop
around, go into every

Walmart they can go into, every
Rite Aid they can go into,

so they can buy these cell phones.

For whatever reason,
they're cheaper in Ohio.

They bring them to Michigan
and they make $5 apiece.

>>We're going around making extra money

buying up cell phones and reselling them.

It's a good way to make
extra money, of course,

all the college costs and stuff
that we were going through.

>>While I was inside Radio
Shack, I'm looking outside,

and I see the worker from
the electronics department

from Walmart, and she's writing
up my license plate number.

And we're go into a Dollar General,

we get surrounded by like, 10 cop cars.

And the next thing you
know, the media came.

>>I didn't believe it at
first, then, all of a sudden,

I seen news cameras at my
house, and I seen it on TV,

you know, and I seen my mom crying,

I still never believed it.

>>The actual charge we're
hearing from our sister station

covering the story out of
Ohio is "money-laundering

"to support terrorism."

>>I seen myself on TV and it says,

"Is this an act of terrorism?"
with a question mark.

And that's when I started going crazy,

I'm like what's going on?

>>This is the first
time in my life I cried.

>>First time.

>>It was a nightmare, it was a nightmare.

>>This is crazy, how is
my brother a terrorist?

I grew up with him,
he's nothing like that.

Couldn't live without him, and
my parents were going crazy,

and my brother was, I couldn't
even talk to him on the phone

in front of my parents
because I would start crying.

But, he would yell at
me when I'd start crying

and tell me to go play
football or whatever, so...

>>Yeah, I even told him, I don't want

nothing from this world.

I'll live on the street,
but, get my son, I...(sobs)

>>When they were arrested,
the district attorney came

and looked at the case and realized that,

what are we doing, these kids
didn't do anything wrong?

>>Tonight two young men arrived back home

in Dearborn to open arms after
a frightening ordeal in Ohio.

Good evening, everyone,
thanks for joining us,

I'm Diana Lewis.

>>And I'm Ray Saya, glad
you're with us tonight.

The two admitted buying
hundreds of cell phones,

but, insist they had
no sinister intentions.

>>And prosecutors cannot prove otherwise.

>>Honestly, I don't think
they accomplished anything,

all they did was make our lives worse.

(slow, dramatic music)

The main thing they did
was make me open my mind

and open my eyes and realize
what's going on in America.

>>We're kind of secluded here.

A lot of people might think
Dearborn is a diverse place,

but, in reality, it isn't.

We stick together, and that's
why we're comfortable here.

(children shouting)

Once we leave this
area, it's a shock as to

how people perceive Arab-Americans.

(laugh)

>>Go back home, go back home!

>>These who are assembling
are enemies of America.

They are your enemy, they are my enemy,

because they seek to destroy it,

they seek to destroy our way of life

and everything we stand for.

>>Last month someone opened fire

on the Hassans because they're Muslim.

>>I need to know who hates us that much,

you know, who wants us to die?

>>Not every Muslim is a terrorist, but,

except for Timothy McVeigh,

every terrorist has been a Muslim.

(suspenseful music)

>>This was what the
interior of Ali Mohamed's

Yermo home looked like.

This racist vandalism,

the reason he and his family moved out.

Last weekend, Mohammed had come back here

to clean it up, he was
killed in an explosion.

>>In New York City, this 21-year-old man

is in police custody tonight,
charged with attempted murder.

Police say he attacked a cab driver

after asking if he was a Muslim.

>>Since they don't have
a magic carpet,

what other mode do you suggest?

(indistinct)
>>Answer the question!

(all shouting)

>>What mode of
transportation? Take a camel.

(laughter)

>>You know back when I
played, they had signs,

they would have signs, you know,

"Go home, camel jockeys."

Or they would wear, you
know, turbans on their heads.

(suspenseful music)

>>Oh, I mean when I played,
I mean guys on the field

would make comments like

"towel head, sand
nigger, Allah," you know.

>>"Camel jockey, damn Arab, you're nasty,"

lots of tons of just ugly words and hate,

and that's real hate, you can feel it.

(dramatic music)

>>But, yet, that the light
of little fire under you

to play a little harder, to play with

a little more intensity,
to give a little more.

>>It gets to us, but,
we are better than them.

We are better than people
that are like that.

(shouting, cheering)

And the game is about that
person that's in front of you,

knock him down, make a play, that's it.

>>You gotta give those kids credit,

that they're able to control themselves,

and to be able to use
this in a positive way

instead of a negative way.
(all shouting, cheering)

>>My name's Big Joe.

My real name is Yusuf Hassan Berry.

Well, "Yusuf" is "Joseph" is "Joe."

So, you know, I just carried
the name, and I was big.

Some guys said they call me "Big Joe"

'cause when I stand on my
wallet, I can touch the moon.

That ain't right.

Like, my son, his name is "Hassan Yusuf."

He wanted to name his son after me.

So, instead of it being "Yusuf,"
they called him "Joseph,"

Because they didn't
want him to go through,

you know, through school, through life,

with an Arabic name like that.

Not that he's ashamed of the name,

just make life easier for that boy.

I honestly feel that, you know,

this is America, it's a free country,

you should be able to
have any name you want.

But, I've settled for
"Joseph," his name is Joseph.

>>It's a big thing when you're fasting,

the whole day your craving
7-Eleven, you want 7-Eleven.

So, I after we eat, you
go to that 7-Eleven,

you'll see like, the whole football team

going to 7-Eleven and get a Slurpee,

'cause it is so good.

It tastes like 100 times
better when you're fasting.

>>Well, the only reason we have 14 wins

is 'cause Dearborn is the best,

I mean I feel bad for you, though.

>>Yeah, we're gonna win this time.

>>You're going down.
(laughter)

>>Listen, that's the football team.

(all shouting at once)

>>Fuck Dearborn!

>>Because they beat our ass every year.

>>No! We're gonna win.

>>She has a point, but,
this is our senior year,

so, we should win.

>>But, I still love Dearborn.
(laughter)

(all shouting)

>>What up, bro?

>>How you been?

>>Friday, baby, Friday.

I live like four blocks away from Fordson,

and I've grown up with those kids,

and we went to elementary
school with each other.

(general chatter)

>>A lotta hint, Billy?

>>Huh?
>>A lotta hint?

>>A lotta hit, man,
you're my enemy on Friday.

We don't know each other on Friday,

but, outside of Friday, we're friends.

How do you guys feel that is our last time

ever playing you guys ever?

>>Everything's gonna be
left on the line, baby.

>>Yeah, well I admit it,

it's the hardest game I'm gonna play.

>>Well, it's sad.

It's like our last time
ever playing each other.

>>But, do you guys feel pumped up

we're playing you guys at your house?

Or you would rather play away game,

coming out to our field?

Yeah, 'cause I'm happy
with playing at your house,

just to be hated by you guys,
you know what I'm saying?

Feels good to coming to your house.

(all speaking at once)

>>Let's ask the officer,
let's ask the officer!

You're going to Fordson Friday night?

>>I don't know.

>>Oh, come on.
(all speaking at once)

>>Dearborn all the way!

>>What's that?

>>It's gonna be a tie.
(laughter)

>>Boo!

>>Hey, watch that guys so there's

no fights after the game.

(indistinct)

Well, there is, trust me.

>>All right, guys, I'm gonna
go, see you guys Friday.

>>All right, bro.
>>All right, guys.

>>El-A-Mustapha.

>>I actually got homework.

>>Good luck on Friday, man.
>>All right, El-A, guys.

El-A, everybody.

>>Good luck, Friday, bro.

(birds chirping)

>>We gotta beat Dearborn, okay?

If we beat Dearborn tomorrow,
this will eliminate them

from any chance of
winning the championship,

the league championship, okay?

And obviously, this will put us

in a much better position, okay?

So, you take care of business tomorrow,

we're in much better position and more,

and you know what?

I'm gonna say it:

It makes them not win
the league championship,

that's what's important.

They don't win the league championship,

and we're right in the front,
okay, we're right in front.

And we'll take care of business
the week after that, okay?

And the last thing I want to say,

just friggin' beat Dearborn tomorrow.

Beat Dearborn, you know I want to swear,

but, you know I don't swear, but,

beat Dearborn tomorrow, okay?

Just beat 'em, that's all I want from you,

just beat Dearborn tomorrow.

No, no, no, no, no.

Don't beat Dearborn 17, you
know, 15, anything like that.

Friggin' kick their damn ass!

I want a 45-2 score,
something like that, okay?

45-0, something like that, none of this

bullshit friggin' scoring
that we gotta friggin'

give them touchdowns
when the game's going on.

None of that bullshit, get
this friggin' shit going,

I don't want to break
this, it's too expensive.

(laughter)

Okay?
(applause)

Get this thing going.

Hey, you know who we're
playing tomorrow, okay?

You know who's out there today,

put this away, don't lose this,

your numbers are on it,
you're in trouble if you do.

(all speaking at once)

>>It's Friday, day of the game.

We're gonna head down
to the Islamic Center

and gonna do our Friday prayer.

Friday prayer is basically,

where we go do combine
prayer, Jummah prayer,

and it's important to me
just for the simple fact,

i mean obviously it was a verse

that was revealed in the Koran

to the prophet Mohammed,

and he kinda relayed the message to us

that we are to attend Friday
prayer whenever possible,

or actually, to drop
everything that we are doing

and head to Friday prayer.

But, also, it's important for me because

I feel a closeness to God at that time,

I mean is a different feeling when

you're doing a Jummah
prayer, than when you're

just at home and doing
your regular prayers.

For me, it's a spiritual
thing, and at that time,

since it is a Friday night, you know,

we're gonna be playing that night,

I ask for the safety of
our kids and our opponents,

obviously, we don't
want no one to get hurt.

But, I also asked God
to let us be victorious.

(dramatic music)

Hey, we're leaving the ghetto now,

leaving the ghetto, fellas.

>>Go, Fordson, baby!

Say, "Hi, Mama."

(applause)

>>I want you to put me in the lineback,

I just wanna move, I want
to play everything today.

I don't want to get out of the field.

(all shouting at once)

>>Hopefully, he gives no penalties.

And you don't have to
give me any information.

>>On your team, anyhow.

>>Yeah.
(Referee laughs)

>>A tail and a head.

What are you gonna call?

>>Tails on the tails.

>>Tails.

And it is a tail.

>>I want to take from this side.

>>Thank you very much.

Remember, the game of football is fun.

>>This is what it's all about, guys,

Dearborn versus poor kids

East versus West,

won't be no better than this, believe me.

(all shouting, cheering)

>>Controlled chaos, okay?

You gotta keep your heads, okay?

Stay focused.

Just make sure we don't
do anything stupid, okay?

Let's not kill our own selves, okay?

Make them earn it.

>>We've committed, man, we're attacking.

We're going after 'em, okay?

110% every single play.

If you make a mistake,

you're knocking somebody
on their ass, okay?

Let's not make mistakes, if we do,

we're knocking somebody
in a white jersey down.

>>Hell yeah.

>>Last year, during the game,
number four gets in my face,

he's all in my face yelling stuff.

So, after the game, and we beat 'em again,

I approached the coaches, okay,

and I thought it was all over.

And then, two days later, on a Monday,

the head coach emails our
principal and our head coach,

let me just read a few
things of what he says.

He's talking about me, he says,

(reads) "His demeanor
was very confrontational

"and was provoking.

"His actions I believe,
caused some tempers to flare

"for members of my staff.

"I feel as if his actions were
irrational and unacceptable.

"What a terrible demonstration of Roman"

The bad thing for me is, guess what?

I can't do a damn thing about it.

As much as I wanna put
my fist in his face, huh,

I can't do a damn thing about it.

But, guess what, Houssaiky, you
could do something about it.

Where's Kelson?
>>Right here.

>>You could do something about it.

>>Where's Hassan (indistinct).
>>Right here.

>>You could do something about
it, tonight, you understand?

Because to me, it's not only
about winning and losing,

hell yeah, we wanna beat 'em,

but, I wanna hurt people.

I wanna see bodies flying.

(all shouting at once)

>>Who's gonna answer the call?

I want people carried off the field.

(all shouting)

Hey, hey!

They talked about cutting the ribbon.

We're gonna open up the field.

You know what?

We're gonna convert the field
into a cemetery of orange.

(all shouting, cheering)

(praying in Arabic)

>>Let's get it, Bruce.

(applause)

>>Hold hands together, come on.

>>Let's go, let's go.

Dearborn.

(all reciting "The Lord's Prayer")

(all praying in Arabic)

(cheering, shouting)

>>And we are all set,

a capacity crowd, standing room only.

There's the whistle, and we are under way

at Dearborn High School,
it's a high, booming kick,

it's going to be taken
at the 11-yard line,

up to the 20, 25, up to the 30 and down

just across the 31-yard
line goes the ball carrier.

(cheering)

>>We're coming up on
the 10 1/2 minute mark,

Freddy in motion, and
they give it to Freddy.

Freddy trying to turn the corner,

he's going to try to bounce it outside.

Freddy is across the 45 and the 46,

and he's rolling down over there.

>>Guys, we're not talking
to anybody else tonight.

>>I'm talking about you.

>>Yusuf stepping up making a stop,

your people says stop
the clock for a moment.

>>Get somebody in for Rami.

>>Looks like we have a penalty out here,

it's unsportsmanlike I believe.

Oh, and they call it against Fordson.

>>Did I tell you to not
say a friggin' word,

did I tell you not to say
a word the whole time,

and not to push and not to do anything?

If they punched you, if they bit you,

whatever it was, did I tell
you not to do anything?

Did I tell you not to say anything?

>>Sala standing back,

awaiting the snap, there it is.

Here comes the rush, and
it is locked in there...

(shouting, cheering)

One setback.

>>Red 42, go!

>>Baidoun launched the throw

looking downfield, has
got a man over there

at the 18-yard line, and he's gonna

go into the end zone, touchdown!

(applause)

The Tractor's, they're
on the scoreboard here,

with 6-18 in the first quarter.

>>Man in motion, they give it to him.

>>Fumbled ball, loose,
back at the 5-yard line,

(whistle blows)
and it is covered by Fordson.

>>Baidoun barking the signals, takes it,

wants to throw, guns it over the middle,

gonna nail it, wide
open, and that is one of

the easiest touchdowns you will ever see.

Baidoun gives it on the
counter, coming back this way.

Ball on the ground and I think
the Pioneers have that one.

Let's wait for the signal, there it is.

Freddy in the slot, now Freddy in motion.

(whistle blows)

Forcing defense, shifts with him,

and I think they jumped offside there.

>>Wow, look how happy they are.

(cheering)

>>They're jumping offside again,

Fordson looked like number 40

came across the line that time.

>>Red 42, Red 42, go!

(shouting, cheering)

(applause)

>>Baquer! Baquer!

>>Baquer! Baquer!
>>41 zero, bitch!

(whistle blows)

>>That's two, ref.

Ref, that's two.

>>He's mushing my ankle.

He's mushing my ankle, (indistinct).

>>Do not say a word except "Dwight."

>>And I see as he went in

the final few yards, he pointed
at the Dearborn defender,

that's what this penalty's gonna be about.

But, I think it's going
to be a question of

when they want to assess this.

>>I told you not to do
anything stupid, didn't I?

>>I thought they (indistinct) like on him,

I didn't see the flag.

>>Yeah, yeah, yeah, just calm down.

>>You gotta relax.

>>You know if you get
another personal foul,

which you already got two,
they can kick you out,

and you don't play next week.

(all speaking at once)

>>Here's the call,

they're gonna call it against both,

apparently, something was said.

>>Gentlemen, you guys
back up, you guys back up.

All I want is the head coach here.

>>Tractors have incurred not one,

but two, unsportsmanlike penalties.

>>That is a separate one,
that is a separate one.

He gets two in the game, he's gone.

So, by rule, we have to reject him.

>>Hey, Paul, you know why that happens?

I told you they were going
after his knees the whole time.

>>He can have one, he
can get one free one,

don't do it twice.

>>Oh, I agree there, but,
the kid was frustrated.

>>I'm not disagreeing,
I can't argue with you.

>>And I'm not saying it's
right for him to do that.

>>Missed it, drops the ball, falls on it.

(whistle blows)

Tries to get up, and we've got a flag.

(audience boos)

>>Hey, Paul, Paul, that's ridiculous.

>>He deserved that, he's on the ground,

you can jump on top of him.

>>Paul, oh, my God.

>>He's on the ground, he's down.

>>Red 44, go.

>>And now, he vacates the backfield,

and they're gonna go with a double pass,

this one is back to
Baidoun, he's got a convoy.

Baidoun, 30, 25, Baidoun the 20,

Baidoun touch back, 15, 10, 5,
Baidoun, touchdown, Fordson!

(applause)

And I think we got another penalty.

The official on the near
side blowing his whistle.

The Fordson crowd,
doesn't see the flag yet.

And I think this one is
gonna come back, there it is.

It's against Fordson.

And you can hear the "boos"
from the far side of the field,

an electrifying run, the
double pass to Baidoun.

>>You guys, this is...

>>Can we play a football game today?

>>Baidoun calls the signals,

Baidoun rolling left now,
looks like he's gonna keep it,

and he is sacked, ball
loose, no whistle yet,

that's a fumble.
(whistle blows)

And I think they're going high by now,

but, let's wait and see
what the officials say.

Well, pushing and shoving and
Dearborn High does have it.

Mifsad (phonetic) under center.

Man in motion, and back goes Mifsad.

Mifsad rolling
left, wants to go deep.

>>Take off, take off.

>>Throws one downfield,

and that ball is intercepted by Fordson.

(cheering, applause)

Number two, who played that one perfectly.

>>On you, they called it.

>>Except there may be
a penalty on the play.

>>And I think we got

a penalty here against Fordson.

That's a defensive holding call.

(audience boos)

A lot of penalties flying in this contest.

>>You just gotta try to
get the hell out of here,

'cause that guy over there,

he's looking to screw
you every chance he gets.

So, you just gotta try to get
your coaches under control,

get your kids, and let's win the game.

>>Hey, hey, hey, I just got a warning,

so let's make sure we stay
back, nobody says anything.

>>At halftime (indistinct).

>>And the official says,
start the clock again.

Mifsad with one lone setback,

they want to throw it down here,

they're gonna go deep, that's
Berry, and Berry has got it.

(cheers, applause)

Did he get into the end zone?

Touchdown, Dearborn High, Alex Berry.

With a circus catch
right at the goal line.

>>So, it's halftime here, 28-10 our score,

Tractors on top.

>>We looked like the most
undisciplined team ever, ever.

We're so friggin' stupid.

That's a shame, that's not football.

That's a disgrace, that's an
embarrassment to football.

That's an embarrassment.

I am so disgusted right now.

How many friggin' times do we gotta

tell you to keep your mouth shut?

Don't give the extra push.

You know it's gonna be called on us.

I told you that, how many times,

over and over and over again?

You've given these officials,
you gave it to them,

you gave them the right to throw
every little flag possible.

I don't blame them, I truly
don't blame them, l blame us.

You've given them the right to do

everything that they've done out there.

As soon as you get the first one,

that's gonna give 'em the right
to call every little thing.

Now, we've done all the stupid stuff,

get that out of your system now.

Let's go and execute a great second half.

Are they gonna come and play hard?

Absolutely, absolutely.

We still need to relax,

and I need to relax myself too, okay?

Relax, enjoy the moment, have fun,

and let's go get a W, let's go.

(applause)

Hey, bring it in, let's go,
bring it get in there tight.

>>Defense.

>>Hey, don't forget that
we are a family, okay?

(slow, emotional music)

And in real families,
there's always people

that make mistakes within those families.

Now, we've made those mistakes,

but, as a family, you pick each other up.

And it's time for the rest of us family,

pick this damn thing up and take it

home the way it needs to be taken.

"Family" on three, one, two, three:

>>Family!

(dramatic music, shouting, cheering)

(praying in Arabic)

(all shout)
>>Let's go, let's go.

>>One, two, three, Fordson!

>>Set, red 42, red 42, go.

(whistle blows)

Red 52, go.

Steve, go, go, go, go, go, got him!

>>He's in, he's in, he's in, go!

>>Go, Billy, go!

Go, Billy, atta boy!

>>We are very proud to be Arab,

proud to be Muslim,

we are very proud to be American too.

(whistle blows, shouting, cheering)

>>Red 44, red 44, go!

>>We are the luckiest
people in the world to be

born and live in America.

>>Fordson, Fordson!

(whistle blows)

(cheering, applause)
(whistle blows)

>>Red 42, red 42, go!

(cheering, applause)
(whistle blows)

>>Where else in the world

you can achieve your dream?

Nowhere.

>>(sing)The mighty Fordson
(indistinct) in blue,

the mighty meet Fordson High.

We're here to fight for you,
and here to cheer for you.

(indistinct)

>>Education is the only
weapon capable of defeating

ignorance, stupidity, bigotry, racism,

inequity, and injustices.

>>I just want to show everyone
that I can play at Michigan,

I can go do things, I
want to show my city good,

the city of Dearborn good.

I want to do it for the people and myself.

(slow dramatic music)

>>You should walk out today
with pride of being who you are,

and never allow any ill-minded person

to put a dent in your
character, and your integrity.

>>I would love to play football again.

I don't know if it would happen,

'cause I never got any offers.

That pretty much is done,
but, it's time in life

to move away from things like that,

it's time in life to go to
college 'cause college is

what's gonna make your future right there.

>>My parents actually wanted
me to go away for college.

I don't know if I want to
leave, I'm too comfortable here.

And I'm around people
that I'm comfortable with,

I know how people are around here,

I wouldn't leave for the world.

>>You should walked out
today full of pride,

knowing that many of you have

an advantage of being an Arab-American.

(reads in Arabic)

>>It basically means, "It's my religion,

"it's what I follow by the prophets."

And this shows really that
I'm proud to be who I am.

>>You have the ability to do something

many others cannot do.
(patriotic music)

You have the ability to
defend American democracy,

American ideals, and American
values in two languages.

>>Those lessons that they
learn outside of football,

after football, I think that is gonna play

a bigger role once they become adults.

I don't think you would really,
really be a coach unless

you were trying to teach those lessons.

>>Regardless how smart you think you are,

regardless how deficient
you think you may be,

it is education and only education where

you can make changes in
life, positive changes

that will portray the true
image of who you really are.

That's my daughter.

>>I don't know, I'll miss everything,

being with those guys.

Boy, it ain't nothing like
football, nothing like football.

(slow, dramatic music)

A lot of memories.

(Middle Eastern hip-hop music)

♫ Fordson, home of the Tractors

♫ Never give up when
your life is in a rapture

♫ Fordson High, the home of the Tractors

♫ Keeping faith, living like royalty

♫ Hit hard, no excuses, that's loyalty

♫ Everything start fresh
like the morning flowers,

♫ That somehow seems to
fall like the rain showers

♫ Bringing separation
in the hardeest hours

♫ When you fall, you gotta
hit hard to gain power

♫ Takes dedication and a lotta skill,

♫ No excuses when your
cliques hit that green field

♫ To get respect, you gotta
give it, that's how it's heard

♫ Negative energy is
what makes my fire burn

♫ It's motivation to my
spirit, that's how I learn

♫ Knowledge to past life
tests like a midterm

♫ So, keep your head up, and
never let 'em see you down,

♫ Welcome to Dearborn,
Michigan, we won this town

♫ Never give up when
your life is in a rapture

♫ Fordson High, the home of the Tractors,

♫ Keeping faith, and living like royalty

♫ Hit hard, no excuses, that's loyalty,

♫ Now, it's five ways to gain success,

♫ That when you go hard,
don't settle for less,

♫ Step two start with you
putting trust in your crew,

♫ Play five times a day,
and you fast with no food

♫ Keep your mind free
and hold onto your faith,

♫ Four words I live by,
"Live life, never hate,"

♫ Always move forward in
life with a steady pace,

♫ If you practice what you preach,

♫ Then, you'll always be straight

♫ Never give up when your
life is in a rapture,

♫ Fordson High, the home of the Tractors,

♫ Keeping faith and living like royalty,

♫ Hittin' hard, no excuses, that's loyalty

♫ Never give up when your
life is in a rapture,

♫ Fordson High, the home of the Tractors,

♫ Keeping faith and living like royalty,

♫ Hittin' hard, no
excuses, that's loyalty ♫

(echoes)

>>I mean we're Americans,
we're born and raised,

you know, well, he was naturalized, but...