The One With the Football

Thursday, 21 November 1996

A Thanksgiving touch football game restarts Ross and Monica's childhood rivalry over the Geller Cup, while Chandler and Joey compete for a Dutch spectator and Rachel fights to be given a real part in the game.

What happens

• Joey proposes a game in the park and talks a moping Chandler into playing as a way of getting past his breakup with Janice.
• Ross and Monica explain that their mother banned them from football after Monica broke Ross's nose at Geller Bowl VI and their father threw the Geller Cup into a lake, and Monica talks Ross into playing again.
• Monica and Ross make themselves captains and pick teams, and Ross leaves Rachel until last, which she takes badly.
• A Dutch woman named Margha returns their stray ball, and both Joey and Chandler stop the game to introduce themselves before she asks to stay and watch.
• Chandler admits he wants Margha's number, Joey tells him he would have no chance without permission, and Chandler turns it into a contest between them.
• Phoebe scores as the timer sounds, Ross and Monica deadlock over whether the play counted, and Monica declares a tie at halftime and produces the Geller Cup as the prize, revealing that she swam into the lake and recovered it years ago.
• Monica trades Joey to Ross for Rachel to prove she can still win, turning the second half into the men against the women.
• Ross demands that Margha choose between Chandler and Joey, she picks Chandler, and then withdraws her answer when Chandler celebrates over Joey.
• Rachel insists that Monica let her throw instead of running deep, and her throw hits Monica in the face.
• Rachel's touchdown is ruled five feet short of the end zone, the others give up and go home to Thanksgiving dinner, and Ross and Monica are left wrestling over the ball in the dark park as it starts to snow.