Ballers: – Raise Up — June 28, 2015
Editor’s Note: Last week we met the guys on and off the football field who populate the world of Ballers. This week, we begin to see how the lives of friends Spencer, Ricky, Jason and Charles’ lives connect and see what foolishness grown men get into when they get to play kids’ games.
The opening of this week’s episode finds our man Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson) sweet-talking some little old lady client into buying a savings bond. Before he can even finish getting the woman out of the office, his boss, Joe Kutel (Rob Corddry), motions Spencer into his office and begins again to apply pressure about Spencer bringing some big money accounts into the business. This time Joe rolls out the fact that the firm’s owner didn’t think it was such a hot idea to hire Spencer in the first place. “Anderson didn’t even want ya here,” Joe says. There’s a great fucking way to build an employee’s moral. Despite this ‘overwhelming display of confidence’ in Spencer’s sales abilities from his boss, he lets go a little tidbit implying that he’s managed to sign Vernon Littlefield (Dononvan Carter), Dallas’ star defensive back, as a client. We see Joe experience an immediate attitude adjustment; all of a sudden he can’t stop kissing Spencer’s ass. It’s almost nauseating to see a grown-ass man act like this. But when Joe asks to see the signed contract things quickly come to a screeching halt. Spencer tells Joe that the deals almost in the bag and Joe goes ballistic on him telling Spencer that he has to have the signed contract as proof of the deal.
On the field, it’s Ricky Jerret’s (John David Washington) first day of OTA practice with the Dolphins. As he’s headed out the door of his house, his girl beckons for a little attention. She presents him with a small present, a diamond-studded number 18 pendant, and a small reminder, that if he messes up again, like he did at the nightclub in the previous episode, she’ll be the one headed out the door after dropping his ass. Ricky reassures her that this going to be a new start for them and that everything will work out. He puts on the pendant and thanks her with a kiss exclaiming that it must have cost her a small fortune and that he’ll cherish it always. That’s good, she tells him, ‘cause she bought it with his credit card.
At the practice, it already seems like there’s gonna be some drama in the offing for Ricky. Apparently another receiver has acquired his number, 18, and there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing Ricky can do about it. When he eventually approaches the guy wearing the jersey and tries to pay him to give it up, offering not only $40,000, but also his newly acquired pendant, the receiver treats Ricky like his name is Stanley. Seems there may be more to that number then just a sentimental value.
Meanwhile, Spencer heads to the Cowboys’ practice field to get Vernon to sign the contract but is waylaid by not only Vernon’s boy Reggie (London Brown) but also by Vernon’s mother. As we see Vernon in the background pushing a huge tire up the field, his Moms tells Spencer that Vernon can’t be disturbed, but that he should join them for brunch the next day at the Biltmore. It’ll be “just us” she assures him. After agreeing to stop by, Spencer exits stage left, but not before he and Reggie have a few words in mildly threatening tones about who’s most concerned about Vernon’s best interest. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that while Spencer can’t get a word in edgewise with Vernon, there are an over-abundant amount of hangers-on there on the side lines conversating and having a good time while watching him work out. Guess they all got his best interest in mind as well.
Later Spencer and super agent Jason Antolotti are discussing Vernon’s situation over coffee. Jason lets Spencer know that he’s on his way to Dallas to negotiate a new contract for Vernon, so that not only will Vernon have funds to manage if Spencer can sign him on, but that Vernon will also be able to repay the $300,000 that Spencer loaned him in the previous episode.
We find Charles Greane (Omar Miller) at the Chevy dealership shooing away two young Corvette groupies pawing over one of the ‘Vettes and trying to get a test drive even though they don’t look like they have enough cash to buy a ‘Hot Wheels’ car. Next on the lot is Larry Seifert (Dule’ Hill), the Dolphins’ general manager, who is looking at a truck. It’s soon evident that a new vehicle isn’t the only thing on his shopping list. Seifert says he thinks Charles has at least two more good years left in football, and that he could do better for himself by putting his skills to use on the playing field rather than the sales lot. He also implies that Charles has put on more than a few casual pounds.
Charles tries to convince Seifert that he’s happy in retirement, even saying that he’s seriously considering starting a family. Seifert doesn’t buy that sales pitch; he does buy the truck, though. Back at home, Charles casually brings up the subject of his weight with his wife Julie (Jazmyn Simon). She tells him that he’s not fat he’s burly and that she finds his body sexy. She then leans back and he moves forward and they start to get busy, but instead of knocking’ boots they only manage to knock the legs off the ottoman they were on. Maybe it couldn’t take the weight.
Back in Dallas, after a very bumpy plane ride, we find Jason in a bar trying to talk the Cowboys’ guy into getting Vernon a new deal. As he will later tell Spencer, Jason has run into some turbulence in the attempt. But he assures Spencer that he’ll manage to get the rep to warm up to the idea of giving Vernon a new contract. Arriving for brunch, Spencer -with Joe tagging along- finds that “just us” has acquired a whole new connotation. Along with Vernon and his Moms, are wayyy more than the usual number of hangers-on including (tah-dah) Reggie, who wastes no time in giving Spencer ‘stink-eye’.
Spencer finally gets Vernon alone and they start to hash things out. Upon finding out about Jason’s difficulty in negotiating with Dallas, Vernon admits his concerns to Spencer about his financial situation. Spencer gives Vernon the brutal truth that Vernon’s ‘entourage’ is bleeding him dry. Spencer then explains that once the contract is signed Vernon will be able to provide for his friends and his family, but within reason. Vernon finally signs the contract that Spencer hands him but with the understanding that Reggie will still have a hand in Vernon’s business affairs Now it’s finally starting to look as if things will get interesting on this show.
