Two-A-Days
Encyclopedia
Two-A-Days is a show on the United States cable television
channel MTV
. The show chronicled the lives of teens at Hoover High School
in Hoover, Alabama
, a suburb of nearby Birmingham
. It focused on the members of the school's highly-rated Hoover Buccaneers football
team during the football season, while they balanced athletics with school and relationships.
The show premiered on August 23, 2006, at 10:30 P.M. EDT
and subsequently was broadcast weekly on Wednesdays at the same time. The show began on MTV Canada
on September 7, 2006, at 10 P.M. EDT. Repeat episodes of the show are also shown on CMT
, MTV's sister channel, at various times.
In Hoover, the show's premiere episode was shown to the cast, their families and supporters at a local theater; the event was staged as a movie premiere, with the traditional red carpet
replaced by a carpet of artificial turf
, complete with stripes as would be found on a football field. The second season began on Tuesday, January 30, 2007.
of Florida, a team led by 2007 Heisman Trophy
winner Tim Tebow
.
Cast of Characters:
In particular, two individuals were criticized for the way they were shown in the show. Head Coach Rush Propst was criticized by local news media and commentators for his use of language considered objectionable by some; he later apologized on several occasions, including local radio interviews. Team chaplain Terry Slay was also criticized for his pre-game inspirational messages, which appeared to be more in the line of a coach's pep talk instead of focusing on religious themes. Supporters claim Slay was a victim of selective editing by MTV. Some felt his messages brought in religious promotion and/or endorsement to a public school.
of River Ridge, Louisiana
. Then sixth-ranked John Curtis rallied from a 14-0 first quarter deficit to defeat top-ranked Hoover 28-14, led by high school All-American Joe McKnight
. The game was nationally televised on ESPNU
. Filming continued through the 2006 playoffs, which ended when Hoover lost 35-21 to Prattville High School
in the Class 6A championship game, ending a streak of four straight state titles.
The 2007 senior football class, the focus of the second season of the show, was considered by some recruiters to be superior to the 2006 class portrayed in the series' first season, with wide receiver
Brandon Clear, guard
Patrick Crump, center
Ryan Pugh, defensive end Byron Clear, and defensive tackle Josh Chapman all considered legitimate Division I prospects. Defensive Tackle Kerry Murphy
had already announced his intention to attend the University of Alabama, making that announcement shortly after Nick Saban
was named the Crimson Tide's new head coach. (Murphy later became a part of an investigation into possible changing of grades by Hoover High faculty, centering on Propst.)
The second season of Two-A-Days premiered January 30, 2007.
Cast of Characters:
in West Monroe, Louisiana
. The program was to be aired on ESPN2
and would focus more on the football program and less on the private lives of its players and coaches.
version of the original series. They chose Ballard High School in Louisville, KY as the most desirable location because of the school's strong basketball tradition as well as the state of Kentucky's well-known love of basketball. The crew started filming at the school for a short time until the Jefferson County Public School board rejected MTV's contract on the grounds that it would be a distraction to the school. Elizabethtown High School in Elizabethtown
also allowed film crews to document the lives of another strong, successful basketball season, but this was discontinued due to similar issues that JCPS had.
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
channel MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. The show chronicled the lives of teens at Hoover High School
Hoover High School (Alabama)
Hoover High School is a public high school in Hoover, Alabama, USA, serving grades 9-12. It was built as a replacement for W. A. Berry High School. It is currently one of the two International Baccalaureate schools in the Greater Birmingham Area...
in Hoover, Alabama
Hoover, Alabama
Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in north central Alabama, in the United States. The largest suburb of Birmingham, the population of the city was 62,742 as of the 2000 census and 81,619 in the 2010 census. Hoover is part of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA and is also included in the...
, a suburb of nearby Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. It focused on the members of the school's highly-rated Hoover Buccaneers football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team during the football season, while they balanced athletics with school and relationships.
The show premiered on August 23, 2006, at 10:30 P.M. EDT
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
and subsequently was broadcast weekly on Wednesdays at the same time. The show began on MTV Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on September 7, 2006, at 10 P.M. EDT. Repeat episodes of the show are also shown on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
, MTV's sister channel, at various times.
In Hoover, the show's premiere episode was shown to the cast, their families and supporters at a local theater; the event was staged as a movie premiere, with the traditional red carpet
Red carpet
A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.- History :...
replaced by a carpet of artificial turf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, complete with stripes as would be found on a football field. The second season began on Tuesday, January 30, 2007.
Season 1
Two-A-Days debuted on August 23, 2006, with a 60-minute pilot episode and continued with eight additional episodes that lasted 30 minutes each. The first season followed the Hoover Buccaneers football team during the 2005 season while they competed for their fourth consecutive state championship and dealt with many obstacles along the way. In the pilot episode, the Buccaneers defeated Nease High SchoolAllen D. Nease Senior High School
Allen D. Nease High School is a public high school in the St. Johns County School District, located in Ponte Vedra, Florida that was established in 1981. The school is a member of the International Baccalaureate program. The principal is Mr...
of Florida, a team led by 2007 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
Cast of Characters:
- Alex Binder (#34) is a senior and starting linebacker for the Hoover Bucs and one of the co-captains for the team. Despite being referred to as a safety by MTV and various other sources, Coach Propst announces him as a linebacker, and also his letterman jacket has the letters LB on his right sleeve for linebacker. Much of the show centers around his hopes for an athletic scholarship to attend college and his relationship with cheerleader Kristin.
- Kristin Boyle is a senior cheerleader at Hoover and Alex's girlfriend. They break up at the end of the series.
- Dwarn "Repete" Smith (#91) is a starting defensive endDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. Repete and his family moved to Hoover because his father wanted him to play for the Bucs and hopefully earn a scholarship and be the first in the family to go to college. - Ross Wilson (#14) is a junior and is the starting quarterback, whose older brother, John Parker WilsonJohn Parker WilsonJohn Parker Wilson is an American football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. college football at the University of Alabama, he went undrafted during the 2009 NFL Draft, before signing with the Falcons as a free agent.-Freshman:After leading Hoover High School to...
, was the quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Alabama Crimson Tide (and recently signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
). - Rush PropstRush PropstRush Propst is the head coach of football at Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Georgia. He is the former head coach of the team at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama...
is the outspoken and often controversial head coach. - Max Lerner (#24) is a senior and a starting safety. His stepfather, Jim, stays close to the program.
- John C. "Goose" Dunham (#90) is a senior and starting defensive lineman. He is also a close friend of Kristin.
- Cornelius Williams (#1) is the top wide receiver on the team. He briefly plays quarterback when Ross gets injured midway through the season.
- Other coaches:
- Jeremy Pruitt: Defensive coordinator and good friends with Jim, Max's stepfather.
- Terry Slay : Team chaplain and youth pastor of Hunter Street Baptist ChurchHunter Street Baptist ChurchHunter Street Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist megachurch located in Hoover, Alabama a suburb of Birmingham.As of 2007, the church has a membership of approximately 6,200, making it one of the largest churches in the state....
, located near the school campus; the church is the largest in Hoover and metro Birmingham and one of the largest in the state.
- Other students:
- Danielle, a freshman cheerleader who dates Alex at the end of Season 1.
- Blair, a senior cheerleader and one of Kristin's best friends.
- Taylor, a senior and ex-football player who throws frequent parties.
- Keagan, a senior who gets involved in the drama between Alex and Kristin.
- Elliot Mayson, Ross's girlfriend, who is a sophomore cheerleader. They have been dating for roughly a year.
Controversy
The show generated controversy in Hoover, beginning when the show's producers first approached Hoover City Schools officials for permission to use the school for their production. Critics predicted that students would be exploited and the school and its football program would be misrepresented.In particular, two individuals were criticized for the way they were shown in the show. Head Coach Rush Propst was criticized by local news media and commentators for his use of language considered objectionable by some; he later apologized on several occasions, including local radio interviews. Team chaplain Terry Slay was also criticized for his pre-game inspirational messages, which appeared to be more in the line of a coach's pep talk instead of focusing on religious themes. Supporters claim Slay was a victim of selective editing by MTV. Some felt his messages brought in religious promotion and/or endorsement to a public school.
Life after Season 1
- Alex Binder accepted a partial scholarship to Bevill State Community CollegeBevill State Community CollegeBevill State Community College is a two-year institution of higher learning located in Sumiton, Alabama. The college enrolls 3,986 students and has been accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1994...
, despite missing his senior season of baseball due to shoulder surgery. He left the school due to subsequent shoulder problems and legal trouble stemming from a July 2006 arrest for breaking and entering a motor vehicle. He was sent to disciplinary boot camp and was released in the summer of 2007. He and his wife, Danielle Martin, have one child; a daughter. - Kristin Boyle is a graduate of the University of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. She is a member of Phi Mu sorority and served on the student government. On an episode of "Two-A-Days: Three Years Later," she said that she lost touch with Alex after high school. She is currently an external auditor for an accounting firm in Alabama. - Max Lerner accepted a scholarship from Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) school Furman UniversityFurman UniversityFurman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
in Greenville, South Carolina. Lerner was selected for First Team Defense honors on the All-Southern ConferenceSouthern ConferenceThe Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
football team after his sophomore season. - Ross Wilson returned for his senior season at Hoover to be the starting quarterback. He announced his intention to play college baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for the University of Alabama. - Dwarn "Repete" Smith walked on at Auburn UniversityAuburn UniversityAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
during the 2006 season after turning down several scholarships from Division II and Division III schools. He eventually quit the team but announced his intention to walk on again for the 2007 season. He was not listed on the 2007 Auburn University football roster. As of August 2008, he is attending Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville State UniversityJacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
. - Cornelius Williams accepted an offer to play at Troy UniversityTroy UniversityTroy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
. After spending a year as a graduate assistant with the football team at the University of South AlabamaSouth Alabama Jaguars footballThe South Alabama Jaguars football program, established in 2009, will be a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I FBS and the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.-History:...
, Williams is now on the coaching staff at Murray StateMurray State RacersMurray State University features 15 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Racers, with the exception of the baseball team which is known as the Thoroughbreds. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Ohio Valley Conference. Football competes the Football...
. - John C. "Goose" Dunham is currently attending the University of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
where he is majoring in Chemical Engineering. He is not playing football.
Season 2
On September 27, 2006, Hoover City Schools and MTV announced plans for a second season of "Two-A-Days," that would air on January 30 at 10:30p (ET/PT).http://www.townhall.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ContentGuid=13367212-9d54-449d-9c58-72ab9c39605b&page=full&comments=true MTV sent out a film crew to Hoover to begin filming, starting with the Bucs' Week 6 game against John Curtis Christian High SchoolJohn Curtis Christian High School
John Curtis Christian High School is a co-ed private high school in River Ridge, Louisiana. The school colors are red, white, and blue. The mascot is a Patriot. John Curtis Christian High School was founded by John Curtis Senior in 1962.-Football:...
of River Ridge, Louisiana
River Ridge, Louisiana
River Ridge is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 14,588 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. Then sixth-ranked John Curtis rallied from a 14-0 first quarter deficit to defeat top-ranked Hoover 28-14, led by high school All-American Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight
Joe McKnight is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jets...
. The game was nationally televised on ESPNU
ESPNU
ESPNU is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced by, affiliated with and owned by parent network ESPN. ESPNU originates out of ESPN Regional Television's ESPNU (often referred to as The U) is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced...
. Filming continued through the 2006 playoffs, which ended when Hoover lost 35-21 to Prattville High School
Prattville High School
Prattville High School, formerly Autauga County High School, is a high school in Prattville, Alabama and forms part of the Autauga County School System...
in the Class 6A championship game, ending a streak of four straight state titles.
The 2007 senior football class, the focus of the second season of the show, was considered by some recruiters to be superior to the 2006 class portrayed in the series' first season, with wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Brandon Clear, guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
Patrick Crump, center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
Ryan Pugh, defensive end Byron Clear, and defensive tackle Josh Chapman all considered legitimate Division I prospects. Defensive Tackle Kerry Murphy
Kerry Murphy (American football)
Kerry Murphy is an American football defensive tackle. He currently attends the University of Alabama in his junior year. Murphy is considered one of the top defensive tackles in his class.-High school career:...
had already announced his intention to attend the University of Alabama, making that announcement shortly after Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
was named the Crimson Tide's new head coach. (Murphy later became a part of an investigation into possible changing of grades by Hoover High faculty, centering on Propst.)
The second season of Two-A-Days premiered January 30, 2007.
Cast of Characters:
- Ross Wilson (#14) is a senior and returned as the starting quarterback.
- Elliot Mayson is Ross's girlfriend and a varsity cheerleader. She is a junior.
- Brandon Clear (#18) is a senior and a wide receiver whose family moved to Hoover from VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
so he could play for the Bucs. - Byron Clear (#9) is a senior who plays defensive end. He is also Brandon's twin brother.
- Michael DeJohn (#45) is a senior and a middle linebacker who is dating a girl named Jamie.
- Charlie Zorn (#6) is a senior and a wide receiver.
- Kristen Padalino is a peer adviser at Hoover and Charlie's off-and-on girlfriend.
- Mark McCarty (#52) is a senior and plays defensive end.
- Brittany Benton is a senior and captain of the cheerleading team at Hoover.
- Caleb Foust (#7) is a senior and defensive line backer for the team.
Life after Season 2
- Ross Wilson went on to play baseball for Alabama. He and Elliot are still together. Elliot has since graduated from Hoover and is attending the University of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
with Ross. - Charlie Zorn managed to get into the University of Alabama and joined Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He and Kristen are no longer together.
- Mark McCarty is attending the University of Alabama. He turned down scholarships from schools far away to stay close to home and near Brittany. Mark and Brittany are no longer together. Mark continues to attend University of Alabama, while Brittany is a newly wed to husband Bubba Massey.
- Brandon Clear and his twin brother Byron Clear are both attending Clemson UniversityClemson UniversityClemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
, where they both play for the Clemson football team. - Michael DeJohn received scholarships from smaller schools to play football but went to the University of Alabama as a walk-on. He and Jamie are no longer together.
- Rush Propst was the subject of intense pressure after an investigation of charges that grades for some football players were changed to allow them to meet eligibility regulations and also came under fire for using ineligible players, which resulted in the Alabama High School Athletic AssociationAlabama High School Athletic AssociationThe Alabama High School Athletic Association , based in Montgomery, is the agency which oversees interscholastic athletic programs for public schools in Alabama....
forcing Hoover to forfeit four games. Propst came under further fire because of allegations of personal indiscretions, including extramarital affairs. On October 30, 2007, Propst resigned from the head coaching position of Hoover High School, while admitting to extramarital affairs. Propst denied having an affair with school administrators and denied having an affair at a school function in Houston, Texas, but he did admit having an affair that resulted in another child. Propst's career officially ended on November 24, 2007, as Hoover lost to arch-rival Vestavia HillsVestavia Hills High SchoolVestavia Hills High School , founded in 1970, is a public high school in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. Part of the Vestavia Hills School System, the high school is known for the success of its band, math, debate, "We the People" Team, Economics Challenge Team, American football,...
in a state quarterfinal playoff game. In January 2008, Propst accepted the head coaching job at Colquitt County High SchoolColquitt County High SchoolColquitt County High School is a public high school located in Moultrie, Georgia, USA. The school is part of the Colquitt County School District which serves Colquitt County, Georgia.-Sports:The following sports are played at CCHS:*Baseball*Basketball...
in Moultrie, GA.
Season 3
As Hoover High School continued to struggle with controversy over allegations of wrongdoings in its athletic program and in Propst's personal life, Humidity Entertainment declined to exercise its option for a third season. Instead, it announced that a similar program called Varsity Inc. would be filmed at West Monroe High SchoolWest Monroe High School
West Monroe High School is a high school in West Monroe, Louisiana, United States. It is administered by the Ouachita Parish School Board.It is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The school's mascot is the Rebel.-Band:...
in West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The program was to be aired on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
and would focus more on the football program and less on the private lives of its players and coaches.
Music
- The opening song was "The War" by Angels & AirwavesAngels & AirwavesAngels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch...
. - The closing song for Season 1 was "Everything I've Ever Wanted" by Day at the FairDay at the FairDay at the Fair were a pop punk band from Jefferson, New Jersey. They were signed to Rushmore Records.-History:Emerging from the remnants of the two now defunct bands Lanemeyer and Humble Beginnings, Day at the Fair started as a half-electric, half-acoustic recording project...
. - The closing song for Season 2 was "Say Anything (Else)" by CartelCartel (band)Cartel is a American pop rock band from Conyers, Georgia that formed in 2003. The band is best known for their single "Honestly", featured on their 2005 debut album Chroma, and for their 2007 appearance on MTV's Band in a Bubble....
.
Two-A-Days Basketball Edition
In 2007, the producers of Two-A-Days decided to create a basketball spin-offSpin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
version of the original series. They chose Ballard High School in Louisville, KY as the most desirable location because of the school's strong basketball tradition as well as the state of Kentucky's well-known love of basketball. The crew started filming at the school for a short time until the Jefferson County Public School board rejected MTV's contract on the grounds that it would be a distraction to the school. Elizabethtown High School in Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
also allowed film crews to document the lives of another strong, successful basketball season, but this was discontinued due to similar issues that JCPS had.