The Waiver Wire Episode 7: Pawns

Balor

John.

John Seana

Which Balor am I talking to?

Balor

Your mom's name was Martha.

You used to wear wrist bands on your arm.

John Seana

He's back.

Big E. Langston

Just like that, we're supposed to be cool?

Balor

What did I do?

John Seana
You blew up an entire football stadium.

A lot of people are dead, Balor.

America is in danger.

Balor
I was brainwashed by secret service...
I don't know how.
But he's got The Bullet Club.

Stephaneah McMahon

... And we've got something even greater than The Bullet Club.

Stephaneah McMahon appears from the shadows.

Stephaneah McMahon

And if you three want to stop running from the President...

It's time we fight back.

John Seana

Stephaneah...

Stephaneah McMahon

My father is dead, John.

We can't keep living in fear of Trump.

We must strike back.

John Seana

And how do we do that?

By voting?

Coach Rockson
By creating a team of remarkable Fantasy Managers.

You didn't think you were the only Superstar in the WCC Universe, did you?
Mr. Seana, you've become part of a larger universe.
You just don't know it yet.

Coach Rockson appears and reveals that he survived the Explosion in Dallas.

John Seana
Coach, you're alive.

Coach Rockson
You're damn right.
It's time to assemble the S.T.A.R. Alliance Program.

"This us, man." - Erik Stevens

Drug Addict
Y'all got any red tops?

D'justin Barksdale
Yeah, later.

Ahead of Week 10, D'justin looks to prep his team for a win, keeping the pit busy.

Julio Jones
Mother fucker, it ain't even 9'o clock and you feigning on it.
Get the fuck outta here!

D'justin Barksdale
Yo, why you gotta be like that man?

Julio Jones
Look at these junkie mother fuckers, man.

D'justin Barksdale
So you just gonna take his money and treat him like a dog?

Julio Jones
How'm supposed to treat him?

D'justin Barksdale
I don't know, but you ain't gotta punk him like that.

Devonta Freeman
He punked himself.
He a goddamn drug addict.

D'justin Barksdale
... And you a goddamn drug dealer.



Julio Jones
So?
Oh, what? The customer's always right?
We in the projects, customers be fucked up.
Can't give these people shit.



D'justin Barksdale
Why not?
Why can't you?
Shit, everything else in this world gets sold without being taking advantage of.
Scamming, lying, doing each other dirty.
Why it gotta be that way with this?

Devonta Freeman
Cause they dope fiends...

D'justin Barksdale
Yeah, but the game ain't gotta be played like that.
You can't tell me this shit can't get done without people beating on each other.
Killing each other.
Without all that, you ain't got 5-0 down our back every 5 minutes.
You think 5-0 care about people getting high?
In the projects?
They be here about the bodies, man.
The bodies.

Julio Jones
Man.. whatever.

D'justin Barksdale
Look, I'm saying, there's more than one way to play Fantasy Football.
We down right now, but we not out.
There's still 4 more weeks left on the season.
We can make the playoffs still.

Erik Stevens comes over.

Erik Stevens
Yo Just, you think we could talk?

D'justin Barksdale
What's on your mind?

Freeman and Julio Jones leave.

Erik Stevens
This Fantasy Football shit man...
Sometimes I don't know if I was meant to play this game.



D'justin Barksdale
Man, you smart.
You better than most of these mother fuckers.
You could be in high school, hell, you could make it to college.
You don't need the game.
But if you gonna be out here, you gotta be in it.
You gotta stand up and let people know, you're not one to be messed with.



Erik Stevens
I need to tell you something, Just.
We need to leave the game, both of us.
Things are about to get bad out here.

D'justin Barksdale
Look, you know I can't leave.
Not right now.
But if you want out the game, you need to be sure.
You can't be in the game one day and out the game the next.
No back and forth, no in and out.
Either you in, or you out.
You can't have anyone questioning your loyalty.
No back talking, no snitching,
nothing that could lead to anyone thinking that you're snitching.
If you stay in the game, you stay in the game.
And if anyone ever asks you if you in this game, you tell them you're in it for life.
Listen, we'll talk more next week.
I gotta head to Oakland this Sunday.
But don't make any decisions right now.
We'll talk about it next week, I promise.

Later that day, Kenneth Bell has asked Julio Jones to meet him to discuss Stevens.

Kenneth Bell
What up, man?

Julio Jones
You know.
Catching passes, big yards. No touchdowns.
Same old, same old.

Kenneth Bell
That's good to hear.

Julio Jones
You and Jesse still planning on coaching this year's Basketball Game on Sunday against Prop Vinny?

Kenneth Bell
Of course.
You know South Side gotta win it this year.

Kenneth Bell
So, what's up with that boy?

Julio Jones
He just a punk, that's all.
He back now, running shop for D'justin.

Kenneth Bell
I heard he damn near shit his pants when we saw what happened to Oumar's bitch.

Julio Jones
He just ain't built for Fantasy Football.

Kenneth Bell
What about you?
You built for this shit?

Julio Jones
No doubt.

Kenneth Bell
You ready to put the work in?

*Commercial*

*Commercial*

Rocksonberg
That's 3 in a row.
We've come a long way, Carson.



Rocksonberg discusses the season with Carson Wentz,
but Wentz appears uninterested.

Rocksonberg
128.62, 142.84 and 128.54.
Scores in the triple digits in the last 3 weeks.
I told you, Carson.
I told you that we'd steady the ship after Fring.
It took a little longer that I had expect.
But we are on the right track.
We win a few more games, and we can make it to the playoffs.
And you know what I'm capable of when it comes to the playoffs.
Undefeated as a professional...
We can repeat, Carson. I'm telling you....
Carson....

Carson Wentz
Huh?

Rocksonberg
Carson, I just told you my plan for the rest of the season.

Carson Wentz
... yeah, and?

Rocksonberg
Well. Do you have anything to add?

Carson Wentz
We're still in last place, Mr. Yan.
12th place out of 12.
I mean, whoop-de-doo, we won a couple of games.
And we've supplying the most chemical pure crystal meth San Francisco has ever seen...
Big deal.
Playoffs are still a long shot.
What's the point, Mr. Yan?



Rocksonberg
Wh-what?
Did you just hear a word I just said?
We've established a steady flow of Fantasy Points.
We are independent.
We've surpassed Gus in distribution.
We have nothing but bright days ahead of us.
We just need a 6th seed and we'll run the table.

 Carson Wentz
We're not getting 6th place, Mr. Yan.
The amount of effort to string together these 3 wins.
Dumpster diving through free agency to pick up journeymen Fantasy Players...
We lack the star power to win down the stretch.
I mean, clearly you don't believe in the Fantasy Team.
You don't believe in me.
That's why you started Phillip Rivers over me.
I doubt we even make it in the consolation bracket.

Rocksonberg

Who are you talking to right now?

Who is it, you think you see?

Do you know I am a 2x League Champion?

Do you know I won a basketball league championship?

No, you clearly don't know who you're talking to.

So let me clue you in.

I am Mr. FantasyMania!

I am not in danger, Carson.

I am the danger.

Rocksonberg
A Fantasy Manager finishes the season in 12th place,
and you think that of me?
No.
I am the one who wins it all!

Kirk Cousins

You think we can win it all?

We cut to Kirk Cousins who is with The Baugh.

Kirk Cousins

I mean, this Greek...

He's playing real well lately.

3 game win streak and his team seems to be clicking.

He's established a network within the drug trade in San Francisco.

The Baugh

We'll catch that sumbitch.

Don't you worry, Kirk.

There's no way The Greek repeats as Champion this season.

Kirk Cousins
Well speaking of champions.... Baugh.
When are we gonna win our first title?
We've had some strong seasons throughout the years.
But when will we get the monkey off our back?

The Baugh
This is the year, Kirk.
This is the year.
The Baugh can smell it.
Once we get rid of these dealers, we won't need the SCGD unit anymore.
We win the title, we bring in the President...
And then the Baugh immortalizes himself in the WCC Hall of Fame.

Kirk Cousins

So what do you want me to do for Sunday?

The Baugh

Take the week off.

Take a bye.

We don't need you this week.

Go home, rest. Make sure your minerals are doing well.

We'll take care of everything related to The Greek this week.

*Commercial*

Believe in what is right.

Just Do It.

*Commercial*

Erik Stevens
Where y'all at?
You better come out now.

Erik Stevens heads home in preparation for this Sunday's matchup.
He expects to find his cousins in his section 8 housing.
But they're no where to be found.

Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman have accompanied Stevens,

but they aren't looking for Steven's family.

Julio Jones pulls out his gun.

Julio Jones
Look man.
You just weak, man.
You should have just quit the game, man.

Erik Stevens
Yo... we boys.

Julio Jones
You fucking brought this onto yourself.

Erik Stevens
It ain't gotta be like this.
We boys.
Justin's Team, remember that?

Julio Jones
Come on, man.
Be a man.
You crying like you a little boy.
Stand up and be a man!

Erik Stevens
Please... come on, this us, man.

Julio Jones hesitates.

Devonta Freeman
Do it, goddamnit!
If you gonna...

Jones fires off a shot.

Erik Stevens is left gasping for air.

Freeman finishes the job, firing off a couple of shots and putting Stevens out of his misery.

The credits roll, and the audience is left confused on what any of this has to do with Fantasy Football.

Week 9 Recap: HitMikeJonesUpOnDaLo vs. Covfefe

Underneath the Golden Gate Bridge,

 Erik Stevens meets with The Baugh to discuss the Barksdale case.

Erik Stevens

Baugh, look man. I don't think I can do this anymore.

I'm going nuts.

I can't be someone else every fucking day.

It's been a year undercover with the Barksdale organization.

I've had enough of this.

They killed a man, Baugh.

They killed Jimmy Graham because I gave Kenneth Bell his location.

It's my fault he's dead.

The Baugh

What did you think was gonna happen when you told Bell his location?

Erik Stevens

I don't know!

I wasn't thinking.

But I can't do this anymore.

I want out.

Get me out of the streets, Baugh.

The Baugh

No, no, no.

We are this close to wrapping up the case.

You are going to know your role and shut your mouth.

You will stay on a little longer and we'll bring everyone down.

Come on, Erik.

I need you to stick with me.

You wanted this training.

You wanted to be  Black Ops.

This is the lifestyle of Black Ops, you better get used to it.

Kirk Cousins

You signed the papers, Erik.

The Baugh and I are the only two people on the face of this earth that even knows you're Black Ops.

How about we just erase your file?

And bang, you're just another corner boy for Barksdale.

Open for arrests for, I dont know, how many felonies?

How about we do that?

Erik Stevens

Man... come on bro.

The Baugh

Relax. He's joking.

Now The Baugh says this, you're going to stay on as a corner boy.

And when The Baugh says so, we'll take you out and we'll bring him down.

Barksdale, Bell, Prop Vinny, The Greek, and especially, the President.

All of them, all at once.

Erik Stevens

Why can't we bring Barksdale in now?

We know he's involved in the murder.

And if you bring him in, him and Bell, they can get you Prop Vinny.

Vinny can get you The Greek and The Greek can get you the President.

What are you waiting for?

Do you want Barksdale to chop me up and put me on display like Jimmy?

Is that what you want?

Kirk Cousins
That'll stick.

The Baugh

The Baugh says this, we are building a case and that takes time.

You know this.

From a distance, it's reveal that Keenan Allen, from Prop Vinny's team has been watching the interaction between Stevens and The Baugh.

Keenan Allen

Yo, Prop.

We might have a problem.

Tag Team Match
281 - 330 - 8004 & HitUpMikeJonesOnDaLa
vs.
Better than the 9ers & Covfefe

At the ferry building, Prop Vinny has arranged a meeting between Victor Oumar and Kenneth Bell.
The two Fantasy Teams appear to be making peace ahead of the playoffs.

Kenneth Bell

Yo, is this mother fucker showing up or what?

Prop Vinny

Said he would if I guaranteed a parlay, and I'm here on it.
While I'm here though, I thought you should know.
One of my Fantasy players, spotted your boy, Stevens, talking to a federal agent.
He's the one that gave up Graham's location?
Well you better watch him.
Anyone talking to the police is bad for business.
For all of us.



Kenneth Bell
Is that so?
I'll take care of it.

Victor Oumar shows up.

Prop Vinny

Alright, y'all both here on my guarantee.

So respect that shit and say what you feel.
I'm out of here.



The Fantasy Managers share a sense of contempt, sizing each other up.

Kenneth Bell

I got a man that says he gonna give you your life back, yo.

Victor Oumar

Who, Barksdale?

Kenneth Bell

My man say, if that mother fucker can find a way not to dip into our pockets,

we gonna call this shit even.

Victor Oumar

So y'all think after what you did to Jimmy, we supposed find some peace on this, huh?

Kenneth Bell

Yo, I don't know shit about shit.

I'm just the messenger.
....

You know there's dead on both sides, right?

And there's gonna be a whole lot more if this beef keep up.

But truth be told, there be more soldiers on one half than the other.

You know what I'm saying?

Victor Oumar

Look here, you tell Barksdale that he's been paid back for his Fantasy Team.

But as far as his product goes, a man gotta win some fantasy games, you know?

Keep myself in first place, you know?

Kenneth Bell

I don't know nobody called Barksdale, b.

The man I'm talking about, can't have his shit taken like that.

Victor Oumar

Alright, tell him send me some cash then.

Maybe trade me a running back or two and we'll see.

You know? For my retirement.

Kenneth Bell

We can send you $5000 - $10,000.

Running backs, that won't do.

We need our players.

So how about you tell us where you be at, and we'll send it to you.

Victor Oumar

Nah, nah.

We gonna work something else out.

I'll be in touch.

Winner via Pinfall:
Better than the 9ers & Covfefe

The SCGD remain strong, having tied Kenneth Bells' involved into Jimmy Graham's murder and using Victor Oumar as a wire.



Det. Tai improves to 6-3, Joyce to 7-2, placing her in first.
Victor Oumar loses his first place lead after controlling the pace through the first 9 weeks.
Kenneth Bell continues his slide down the rankings.



With Oumar wearing a wire, the SCGD unit has been listening into the entire conversation.

Det. Tai

How careful is, Kenneth Bell?

Det. Joyce

"I don't know nobody named Barksdale."

Det. Tai

120 points, but he still took the loss.
Might be good enough for a week's worth of Fantasy Football.
You and I in the top spots, Minh in 4th.
We may just take these guys down after all.

Victor Oumar
I did what I could for y'all...



Det. Joyce
We'll see if it was enough.
If not, we may need you to do it again when you receive the $10,000 from Barksdale.

Victor Oumar
Ain't no $10,000 coming way.
Barksdale just trying to set me up.
I take a chance at his life, and he wants to pay me?
Nah, they'll still coming for me.

Det. Joyce
Well you stay out of trouble then.
The last thing I want is to pull up to scene and find you outlined in white chalk.
Better yet, I don't want you putting anyone else in white chalk.
Or we may have to come for you next.

Across the city, Jesse Barksdale sets up a meeting with D'justin.



Jesse Barksdale
Yo, D. Let me talk to you real quick.
You know where Erik Stevens is?



D'justin Barksdale
What you want with Erik?



Jesse Barksdale
What's it to you?



D'justin Barksdale
You don't need to worry about Erik.
He ain't no problem.

Jesse Barksdale
We just want to talk to him, that's all.



D'justin Barksdale
Come on.... Jes.
Let the boy be.
Just let him be.



Jesse Barksdale
Changing the subject:
We got a package coming in from Oakland.
Zeke and McCaffrey got their hands tied at the moment.
I'm gonna need you to go and get that while they're away.
Jordan Howard is gonna fill you in on what you need.



D'justin Barksdale
A package?
I haven't picked up a package in a while.

Jesse Barksdale
Did you just hear what I just said?
My Fantasy Team is busy at the moment.
So I'm gonna need you to do it.
So go get it.

D'justin Barksdale
Alright...



Albert Wilson, who has been listening on the outside of the office steps in.



Albert Wilson
Boss, you wanted to talk to me?



Jesse Barksdale
How you doing?
You doing good?

Albert Wilson
I'm alright.



Jesse Barksdale
I mean, you looking to get back on my team?
You need some cash, or something?
Cause if you need a little something..
The thing to do... is to just ask.
Cause that's all I fucking do for you anyways!
Put cash in your pocket to keep you from straying from the nest.
Listen mother fucker, the last thing I need, is a clean name on my liquor license to be dirtied the fuck up by you!



Albert Wilson gets his ass kicked and remains cut from the team, placed on IR.



Jesse Barksdale
Do your fucking job!

Back in the SCGD unit, it's reveal that Albert Wilson has been wearing a wire,

recording the conversation between Jesse and D'justin.