"Ballers" Recap: "Raise Up"

Written by Scotty

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Some things in life should come easy, or so we think.  When dealing with our friends to get things done, it becomes more difficult when we are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings.  Sometimes it needs to be done so that their eyes get opened to what is happening around them to make sure they are not missing a single thing.  We do wind up getting complacent in our friendships and take them for granted, but if we do not make sure that we are all on the same page, some things will happen that could jeopardize something that took a lifetime to build. 

Spencer is having a good day, or so he thinks when walking one of his clients out of the office.  But his boss Joe is not too happy with his favorite retired football player’s performance to this point. His tune does change however when Spencer delivers the news that he has add Vernon Littlefield to his client list, but he is still waiting on the final paperwork.  Without a signed release, the verbal commitment is worth nothing and Spencer needs to get it soon or he will be looking for a new job.

Ricky Jerret is heading off to his first practice with the Miami Dolphins with high hopes of fitting in.  Since his attitude cost him his last job, he is not taking this opportunity for granted at all, and after a short conversation with his girlfriend before he left, he knows that he cannot screw up again.  Not wearing his regular number eighteen, Ricky is a bit frustrated and tries to make a deal with the young buck that is wearing it, but Ricky finds out that not everyone on the team is happy to have him as a teammate.  Feeling out of sorts when getting home, Ricky looks as his past accomplishments and has to find a way to deal with his new dilemma. 

Charles Greane is having a good time working at the auto dealership and has the opportunity to make a big sale.  Larry from the Dolphins has spoken with the retired offensive lineman before, but now he is inquiring about why Charles hung it up so early.  Trying to get the large man back on the field, Larry puts a thought Charles’ head and instead of leaving empty handed, purchases one of the highest end trucks on the lot.  With the sale in hand, Charles starts to think hard about what he could be doing, rather than selling cars and asks his wife about what she thinks about him. Knowing that he wants to get back into shape, the breaking of his coffee table confirms his doubts about himself.

Spencer is fighting an uphill battle to catch Vernon’s ear.  Even after loaning the D-Lineman three hundred grand, he cannot get any face time with his should be star client.  As Vernon keeps spending money like it is going out of style, he is confident that he will get a new contract from the Cowboys to alleviate his financial woes.   But the talks are not going well and with his manager Reggie and Spencer not seeing eye to eye, Vernon is stuck in the middle.  Spencer gives the younger player a long talk about what happened to him when he first joined the league and how he almost ended up in the poor house as well, and with much consideration to his friend and his manager, Vernon makes a business call that may prove to be the best thing he has done since joining the league, signing with Spencer.

The second episode has caught my attention more than the first one.  The story seemed to flow much better and seeing the characters coming together and playing off each other is making it easier to like.  With so many things happening in the storylines, it is going to be easier to miss the little things as the larger picture is starting to show its self for each of the characters.  I don’t feel good about Ricky at this point, I think he is gonna lose it and punch out the young guy that is wearing his number and get kicked off another team.  Spencer is starting to pimp his friends for business, which could be a good thing, but with no income, the loan that he gave Vernon may end up costing him more than just three hundred grand, it could cost him his livelihood.  Can’t wait to see what happens next….HIKE!

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