Plot

Greg joins the high school football team and becomes a starter, but Carol doesn't want him to play because he might get injured. Meanwhile, Bobby annoys his family when he becomes a photographer and takes surprise pictures of them.

Greg is nervous to tell his mother that he made the school football team. He is right to be nervous as Carol reacts exactly the way he thought she would: she forbids him to play for fear that he will get seriously injured. Greg and Mike are eventually able to convince her to let Greg play, even though she still reserves the right to be worried. It ends up being an even more exciting venture for Greg when he learns he has made first string, at least for the first practice game. One of the other perks for Greg is that he can get up close and personal with the cheerleaders, Linette Carter the one in who he is most interested. He indulges his interest in photography by taking photos of her practicing her cheers. In this regard, he acts as unofficial mentor for aspiring photographer, Bobby, who he tells that candid shots usually turn out better. Back with football, Greg ends up getting injured during the practice game, he having a hairline fractured rib. As such, both Carol and Mike forbid him to play at least until he is out of any medical danger. Greg ends up feeling sorry for himself in losing all the glory he saw as being first string, including possibly losing Linette as a girlfriend. Greg will learn that he doesn't have to be on the field either to attract a girl like Linette, or to make a valuable contribution to the team. Bobby also learns that there may be some practical good to his candid photographs, his subjects who usually didn't appreciate his efforts.—Huggo

Despite Carol's concern he might be seriously injured, Greg earns a spot on the varsity football team. His mother's fears become founded when he bruises his ribs during a scrimmage, so - after dealing with self-pity - tries to see how he can incorporate his photography hobby into the game.—Brian Rathjen <briguy_52732@yahoo.com>