The Best Episodes of Coach Season 9

On their way to face the Buffalo Bills in a wild-card game, Luther's love of chicken wings saddles the Breakers with a severe case of food poisoning.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Doris promotes Luther, leaving Hayden to find a new defensive coordinator, a job he thinks would be perfect for Dick Butkus -- until the former linebacker shows up and starts taking over.

Director: Gordon Hunt

Writer: Cindy Chupack

In the first episode of the three-part series finale, Doris offers Hayden a 17-million-dollar package to stay with the Breakers for 10 years. When Hayden learns there are other teams in the league that want to lure him away, he and Christine plan to sneak off to the cabin to think things over

Director: Jay Kleckner

Writer: Tom J. Astle

When Doris brings in a gorgeous Brazilian soccer player to play kicker for the Breakers, Hayden is skeptical of his talent, while Luther becomes suspicious of his intentions towards Doris.

Director: Ted Wass

Writer: Frank Dungan

When Hayden's former gardener Kenny is fired by the Breakers, the guilt-ridden coach writes him a glowing job recommendation. But Hayden comes to regret that generosity when his words earn Kenny a job as his personal bodyguard.

Director: Tony Dow

Writer: N/A

Dauber's fairy-tale romance with his new girlfriend is jeopardized when he begins to suspect that Hayden doesn't approve.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: Paul Redford

Hayden's insecurity gets the better of him when an obnoxious mother boasts that her baby girl -- who's just a few days older than Tim -- can already walk and talk. So the coach tries to bring Tim up to speed.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: N/A

Skeptical Hayden warns Christine not to trust the new neighbors.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: N/A

Hayden recalls how Tim got his name as a result of the coach's mishap with a hospital clerk, which led to a baby-naming contest sponsored by an antagonistic sportswriter.

Director: Tony Dow

Writer: Tom J. Astle

When Hayden passes on the chance to write a memoir of his failures with the Breakers, Luther makes a play for writing it himself -- without Hayden's involvement -- then discovers the topic is living with losing.

Director: Craig T. Nelson

Writer: N/A

When Hayden, Luther, Dauber and Howard decide to celebrate "Man Week" in the Florida Everglades, Doris, Christine and Shirley decide to take a vacation of their own. Meanwhile, having allowed Luther to plan their trip, the men wind up in swamp mud with an alligator.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: Tom J. Astle

When Luther and Doris plan to get married, Howard plans a huge televised half-time wedding for them during the Breakers vs. Niners game. Unfortunately, Luther's new obsession with Doris' money causes some problems.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Hayden, Luther and Dauber return to Minnesota State, where they reminisce about their college-coaching years and see some familiar faces. Later, at the lake with Christine and Tim, Hayden shares his vision of the family's future -- an idea she quickly embraces.

Director: N/A

Writer: Barry Kemp

Hayden, Luther and Dauber return to Minnesota State, where they reminisce about their college-coaching years and see some familiar faces. Later, at the lake with Christine and Tim, Hayden shares his vision of the family's future—an idea she quickly embraces.

Director: N/A

Writer: Barry Kemp

Hayden and Christine ask the Burleighs to become Tim's legal guardians, but the eccentric couple's enthusiasm causes the Foxes to reconsider their request.

Director: Gary Shimokawa

Writer: N/A

As a reward for the Breakers' successful season, Doris gives the coaches a session with her psychic, but Luther is troubled by the woman's prediction and convinces himself that a defensive tackle Hayden's trying to sign is out to kill him.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: N/A

When Hayden and Christine made plans to celebrate Christmas in Minnesota, they never believed the Breakers had any chance of making it to the playoffs. But fate is with the team and it looks like Hayden will play the Bills in Buffalo instead of playing Santa to Tim on his first Christmas.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: Cindy Chupack

In this very special episode which analogizes nine years of relationships between friends and family, Dauber believes he is contacted by aliens, and he considers leaving the Breakers, Orlando and Earth.

Director: N/A

Writer: Barry Kemp

When Christine and baby Timothy both become ill, an exhausted Hayden has too much to do while preparing for an important game.

Director: Jeff Meyer

Writer: N/A

Howard and Shirley give Timothy a doll, but Luther feels the boy should have more masculine influences.

Director: N/A

Writer: Cindy Chupack

When Doris invites the whole gang to spend Valentine's Day weekend at a ski resort she's thinking about buying, Hayden helps Christine conquer her fear of the slopes. Meanwhile, Dauber runs into his ex-fiancée Judy, which stirs some unresolved feelings. The gang heads off to a ski resort, where Hayden and Christine go their separate ways after an argument and Dauber spends his time trying to hide from Judy after spotting her in a grocery store.

Director: Craig T. Nelson

Writer: Cindy Chupack

Luther plans to "invest" his life savings at an Elvis memorabilia auction in Las Vegas, but he gets into a heated bidding war with The Drew Carey Show's Mimi. In the end, Luther and Mimi go from bitter rivals to dance partners in a wild, Elvis-inspired dream sequence set to music.

Director: Jay Kleckner

Writer: N/A

Hayden's plans for an evening of dinner and dancing go awry when Christine resists leaving their baby at home.

Director: Jay Kleckner

Writer: Cindy Chupack