Here's the wrap-up of Hardball. It's short and sweet.

Krix plays Hardball (in her VCR) part 4

It's the morning after the tragedy with G-Baby. Conor gets the phone call, and there's some nice editing here. At the funeral, Mama is barely holding it together, but she exudes grace and dignity to me. She asks Conor to say a few words and he starts off awkwardly, but tells the story of the last game with tenderness and passion. We cut between the church and the field. Slow motion and thoughtful music in the background. This had the potential to be pretty cheesy but it worked just fine. Conor's eyes are glistening with tears as are mine every time I watch this part, and if anyone who watched this movie wasn't reaching for the tissue, well, they're just not human. By the way, to the AOLChatMC(or the chatter) that asked "Did you use drops in that scene?" I extend a whole-hearted "Fuck You." Because Reeves(in the chat) was too gracious to. Great scene. So proud.
Anyway, after the service, the rest of the team wants to talk to Coach Conor. They all seem a little more grown up. Conor tells them they don't have to play, but they want to. For G-Baby.
"Hell Yeah" they do, and Conor does the little nod that I've noticed he does when he learns something about these boys and himself. He did it in the pizza place, he did it at the stadium. Every time he's treated them as equals, and given them respect, they rise to the occasion. Even in the face of this sensless death, they have strength you just don't expect.
So the Kekambas make it to the 'ship. Elizabeth is there and even Ticky shows up. It's all good. Elizabeth plants one on Conor when she finds out that he applied for the job at the school. Heh, I'm fighting the urge to make a raunchy cloakroom joke, because really, this final part of the movie is just so uplifting.
Conor's little speech to the team is a big part of that. "I'm blown away by your abilty to show up."
I'm blown away by this whole movie. And when Kofi shows up to play, in honor of his brother, that's what it's all about. They don't even have to show the game or if they won, because at this point it's unimportant, really. They do win though, because it's Hollywood.

I said before, I really thought I was going to hate this movie. I read the book and wasn't that impressed. But the movie was very different and much better.