Playing For Pizza

The next morning, Rick wakes up hungover on his couch to the sound of his door buzzer. He tries to reconstruct the previous night: After dinner, he and Sam had gone to a bar for beers, and he doesn’t remember arriving home. After a few moments, the door buzzes again. A police officer introducing himself as Signor Romo tells Rick that he needs to come to the police station to address complaints made against him. Although he can’t remember offending anyone, Rick leaves with the police and walks to a nearby station. Rick calls Sam, but he doesn’t answer. He suspects Arnie won’t answer either. The police assure Rick that he’s not under arrest, and he recalls being arrested after a drunken fight in college.

At the station, Rick is brought to see Judge Giuseppe “Franco” Lazzarino, the Parma Panthers’ fullback. Franco greets Rick enthusiastically and plays him clips of his favorite player, Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris. Rick is openly unimpressed with the tape, which offends Franco. He tells Rick that he is confident the Panthers can win the Super Bowl now that he’s on the team. Shortly after, Franco receives a call and dismisses Rick, who realizes there were never any complaints made against him.