Casey begins to slow down at the job, due to his impending divorce. The staff tries to get him out of his haze and J.J. and the network brass threaten to fire him. At the same time Casey himself thinks about leaving until he witnesses that he'd only do this for the wrong reasons. Dana hires a new associate producer, neurotic, but brilliant Jeremy Goodwin. Dan has a New York Renaissance....

NOTE: Many trivia and background information is released in this episode, such as that CSC stands for Continental Sports Channel, and that Luther Sachs is the CEO of the company. Also Dan and Casey originated the show two years and two months ago, making their first show around mid July of 1996.

Dan is misunderstood on his opinion over marijuana and the law. When Luther Sachs reads this, he demands an on-air apology, Isaac seconds it as does Dana. But no one will answer as to who he should be apologizing to. Casey worries about why he is not considered "cool" like Dan is. Dan is stalked by one of the CSC fitness show stars.

Jeremy gets the "call" from Isaac and Dana, to go out on assignment for CSC's hunting show. While he wants to move up, he has a problem with hunting animals. Natalie tries to orchestrate romance between Casey and Dana, during one of Luther Sach's parties. Technical errors occur on the set.

Casey spins out of control, due to jealousy when Dana starts to seriously dating Gordon. He swats flies that no one else can see, kicks fire hydrants and other odd behavior. Dana, Natalie, and Jeremy wonder where all their "good" ideas went and CSC has to pay royalties after Dan sings Casey "Happy Birthday" on the air.

Dana's faced with a difficult decision when a notorious football player agrees to come on the show.

This episodes title represents it three main themes. "The Head Coach" involves Dan's harsh treatment on a coach's bad decision. "The Dinner" is about Jeremy's major decision about where to take Natalie on their first date. And the morning mail is about the hate mail Natalie receives after the events of last week's episode.

Jeremy writes a letter to his deaf sister about his new job at Sports Night. In it he describes the last few days there, including Dan's writer's block and the beating of an 80 year old Negro League ball player, Archibald Russell. He also talks about his love for Natalie. Isaac's mad that his daughter is dating a Republican and Casey tries to annoy Gordon, Dana's new man.

NOTE: In this cleverly written episode, Jeremy reveals the background of some of the characters. Isaac Jaffe, the managing editor, started out as a stringer for the Atlanta Journal, and went on to win the Pulitzer Price for his coverage of the Gemini Mission. He was later went on to be the London Bureau Chief for CNN, which he retired from. Until three years ago Luther Sachs bought Continental Corps and brought him out of retirement to run a new cable sports show. He has a 16 year old daughter.

Jeremy has a sister Louise who is deaf and is a sophomore at Amherst College. Dana has six brothers, one of which plays for the Denver Broncos. She has attended all girl schools most of her life. Also the show has 4 run down meetings a day, at noon, 6 PM, 8 PM, and 10 PM for a 11-midnight airing of the show.

[TV Guide Online]
In a letter to his sister, Jeremy (Josh Malina) describes a day in the life at the "Sports Night" studios.

November 23rd marks the birthday of Thespis, the Greek God of Theater. A legend states that on his birthday he has been known to haunt live productions, and for the first half hour of it, Sports Night is targeted. This date also is the anniversary of Dan and Casey's first broadcast, and Casey can't remember. Issac worries over his expecting daughter, and Dana worries about making Thanksgiving for her mother.

NOTE: This episode gives away more details about the characters. Besides the 16 year old daughter described in the last episode, Isaac has an older daughter Cathy, who is married to Douglas a radar officer in the navy. They live in San Francisco.

Also Dan and Casey discuss their first TV broadcast, 5 years ago in this episode, which they say was called Lone Star Sports. This most likely is a Texas sports show. They've stated many times that they've known each other for ten years so they probably met in college. Dana states she is 33.

Just to make sure, Thespis isn't made up, here is what Grolier's had to say about it:
"Thespis [ thes'-pis ] - Thespis (fl. 6th century BC) was an Attic poet traditionally regarded as the founder of Greek tragedy. Hardly anything is known of him, but he is believed to have introduced the role of an actor - the responder - separate from those of the chorus and chorus leader, which modified dithyrambic performance (exchanges between chorus and leader) by instituting spoken dialogue and thus inventing the drama. The word thespian (actor) is derived from his name."

[Yahoo!TV]
Momentous day includes an anniversary, a child's birthday, turkey preparations and chaos.

[TV Guide Online]
The crew experiences personal and technical difficulties in an episode that takes place in real time during a sportscast's first 30 minutes. Dana's plans for a smooth production are undermined by a series of amusing glitches that Jeremy (Josh Malina) believes are the work of Thespis, a 2500-year-old ghost who, he says, “likes to wreak havoc on performances of any kind.” The unflappable Isaac (Robert Guillaume), meanwhile, has more earthly concerns as he awaits news of a family emergency; and Dan (Josh Charles) has a negative---and wifely---reaction when Casey (Peter Krause) forgets an important anniversary.

The team broadcasts an Everest ascent, while Dan searches for a charity to donate to and Dana discovers the Broadway musical.

[TV Guide Online]
Dan tries to be more charitable; Jeremy and Natalie (Sabrina Lloyd) try to balance work and their budding romance.

A southern African American football player, and five other students refuse to play at a Tennessee college where the Confederate flag is hung. Luther Sachs the owner of CSC and alumnus of the college sides with the college, but Isaac disagrees and says so on the show.

Casey goes on "The View" and takes credit for his wardrobe, which he doesn't deserve. This lead Dan and another staffer to teach him that the show is a team.

[TV Guide Online]
Dan and Isaac consider how to cover a story involving college athletes who refuse to play under a Confederate flag; Casey (Peter Krause) guests on "The View."

Certain employees try to position themselves for a promotion when rumors of Isaac's leaving start to circulate.

[TV Guide Online]
Dan advises Casey to start dating again but cautions against a dally with Sally.

It's Dana and Casey's night off, and neither wants to take it. They decide to double date, Dana with Gordon and Casey with Lisa a lawyer who's on a blind date. Natalie is left to produce the show for the first time, and has to handle an 11^th hour trade, which in it's chaos, Isaac and Jeremy question her authority. Casey's replacement is Bobbi Bernstein a psychotic women who thinks that Dan slept with her in Spain and never called.

[TV Guide Online]
Dana (Felicity Huffman) has trouble leaving the stresses of work at the office when she and Gordon (Ted McGinley) go out to dinner with Casey (Peter Krause) and a blind date. With Dana gone, Natalie (Sabrina Lloyd) runs the show and chases down rumors of a major trade; and Dan (Josh Charles) can't recall the past his temporary co-host (Lisa Edelstein) claims they share.

[Yahoo! TV]
Dana and Casey have a disastrous double-date; Natalie produces the show alone.

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Rumors spread about Isaac's job status when the New York Times reports the recent trouble between Luther Sachs and Sports Night. J.J. begs Isaac to let him forward messages to Luther instead of Isaac doing it himself. This leads Isaac to realize that J.J. is the only one to gain if there is turmoil between the show and company. Maybe J.J. is starting trouble? Dana is nervous that Gordon is going to dump her because she is so preoccupied with work. Dan feels he should apologize for not calling Rebecca after he met her in the elevator. She doesn't remember him though?

NOTE: Around this time actor Robert Guillame was hospitalized, it has not been said if he is leaving or staying with the show. He will most likely be written out till he is recovered. Here's what PEOPLE Online Daily said on January 20, 1999: HOSPITALIZED: "Benson" star Robert Guillaume, 71, by a "slight" stroke, reports Variety. The actor was stricken last Thursday while in his dressing room on the set of the new TV comedy "Sports Night" and is now in hospital rehab. I'm doing pretty good," the actor told Variety's Army Archerd. "I'm moving in the right track."

[TV Guide Online]
Rumors about Isaac's job security---or lack thereof---begin to surface; Dan agonizes over whether to call a colleague (Teri Polo) he'd once expressed a casual interest in, and Dana worries that Gordon is planning to break up with her.

[Yahoo! TV]
Rumors about Isaac's job spread; Dana fears Gordon is about to dump her.

[Yahoo! TV]
Dan pursues Rebecca; Dana agrees to go snorkeling with Gordon.

When Casey has a one-night stand and does not tell anyone, the entire staff, led by Dan, prods him for details. After Gordon cancels a date with Dana, she questions the status and future of their relationship. Jewish Jeremy, panics when he is set to visit Natalie's parents for a Catholic holiday, he knows nothing of.

[Yahoo! TV]
A slow news day provides time for staffers to mull their personal curiosities.

[TV Guide Online]
Dan uses his slack time to poke into the intimate secrets of Casey's life, while Jeremy feeds his paranoia about visiting Natalie's parents.

A slow news day provides time for plenty of juicy office gossip in this pivotal episode. The day finds Isaac (Robert Guillaume) in the uncomfortable role of father figure for several of his troubled staffers. First, there's Dana (Felicity Huffman), who's feeling insecure after her boyfriend abruptly canceled the previous night's dinner plans. Then there's Casey (Peter Krause), whose conflicts center on a recent one-night stand---his first since his divorce. As rumors swirl, the office gets a visit from Sally (Brenda Strong), the ambitious producer who's made it clear she wants Dana's job...and more.