Casey begins to slow down at the job, due to his impending divorce. He's been out of his house for 6 months and, according to Dan, for the last three months, Casey "has been showing them nothing but the back of his hand."

The staff tries to get Casey out of his haze, while J.J. and the network brass threaten to fire him based on his on-air performance. At the same time, Casey himself thinks about leaving until he witnesses that he'd only do this for the wrong reasons.

Ntozake Nelson, a 41 year-old South African distance runner, is running the 15,000 meters that night in the World Pacific Games, which CSC is broadcasting. J.J. objects to having a 3-minute, 20-second piece devoted to him on "Sports Night" because it doesn't fit CSC's demographics, but Nelson proves everyone wrong by winning the race and providing an inspirational moment for the whole staff, including Casey, who calls his son up to have him watch the history-making event.

Dana hires a new associate producer, neurotic, but brilliant Jeremy Goodwin- even though he freaked out when he had to give an instant analysis of the New York Knicks. Dan has a New York Renaissance....

Also, much trivia and background information is released in this episode, such as that CSC stands for Continental Sports Channel, that Luther Sachs is the CEO of the company, and Helsinki is in Finland. Also, Dan and Casey originated the show two years and two months ago- making their first show around mid-July of 1996- and they had worked in the 3rd and 5th largest markets (which, according to the Nielsen system, was Chicago and San Francisco).

Casey and Isaac regret asking Jeremy to guess a play during a college football game, since Jeremy correctly guesses the play and result.

Jeremy gets "the call " from Isaac and Dana to produce a segment on outdoor activities for CSC's hunting show, "CSC Outdoorsman. " Jeremy initially thinks it is punishment for correctly guessing the college football play. While he wants to advance with his career, Jeremy has a big problem with hunting for "sport."

While filming his segment, Jeremy has to be taken to the hospital. Upon returning, he is confronted by Dana and Isaac. Jeremy gives an impassioned account of shooting a deer, and how he believes it is "just plain mean."

Isaac advises him to speak up more, even though Jeremy believes that speaking up and not fitting in is how qualified people lose their job. Isaac reassures Jeremy that even though Jeremy might not initially trust them, they trust him.

Dan admits he has no interest in soccer and challenges everybody to name the teams in the MLS. Dan is "smoked" when they rattle off each team in the American soccer league.

Technical errors occur on the set.

Natalie tries to orchestrate romance between Casey and Dana for a formal party, which is sponsored by CEO Luther Sachs. When Casey sees Dana in her formal attire, he is literally knocked off his feet. Casey falls for Dana, but he may only be jealous because Dana was on the arm of another man, Gordon. Casey drives Dan nuts over Dana being with Gordon.

Isaac and Dana are excited to be getting a notorious football player, Christian Patrick live in the studio on the show. The staff not when Patricks's lawyers force them to not mention the ex-girlfriend he badly abused, Mary Pat Shelby.

When Natalie goes to pre-interview him, he assaults her by exposing himself and grabbing her arm.

Dana struggles with how she should handle the situation, then makes the difficult decision of breaking the story. After realizing that she has done a "big thing badly," Dana dumps Patrick from the show.

Natalie is worried that the incident will mark her for the rest of her career. After initially trying to be heroically silent, Natalie decides to press charges.

Also, Dan wrestles with whether or not to get a goatee and Dana realizes her absence of a sense of humor.

One evening, after the show, Dan tries to convince Casey to come out with the rest of the staff to "El Perro Fumando." At this bar, if you wear something blue, you can get a giant blue margarita at two dollars off.

Jeremy is invited to join the group, but he wants to write a letter to his sister, Louise, before joining them. Louise, a sophomore at Amherst College, and her brother correspond through mail, and she is interested in learning more about Jeremy's coworkers at "Sports Night."

Jeremy writes about the events of the week, which include:

• ...the beating of an 80-year-old Negro League baseball player. Isaac knew the player, Archibald "A.K." Russell, who played for Kansas City and was overshadowed by the talents of Jackie Robinson and Sachtel Paige.
• ...Dan's writer's block. Natalie tried to help him beat it by putting him through "shock therapy" by giving him things that are surprising and unexpected. For instance, Natalie sneaks up and blows an air horn behind Dan, and she throws water in Dan's face not once, not twice, but three times.
• ...Casey trying to annoy Gordon, but he finds him to be a more formidable sparring partner than he anticipated.
• ...Isaac is mad because his daughter is dating a successful and overachieving young man, who happens to be a Republican.
• ...his love for Natalie and him making a picnic for her in the newsroom.

The staff returns from the bar earlier than expected because Dana got them thrown out for dancing wildly.

Natalie decides to take matters into her own hands, and gives Jeremy a couple of things: stamps to mail his letter, and their first kiss

The network is covering some climbers, Desmond Corey and his team, ascending Mt. Everest.

Dan is trying to find a worthy charity to which to donate money. Natalie advises Dan that it doesn't matter what he does because there is no end to what humans can do, so the only important thing it to get in the game.

Natalie and Jeremy admit their feelings for each other and decide to become a couple. Although they decide to keep their relationship completely out of work, they're already having trouble. Jeremy confesses to Casey that he's in love with Natalie and the Everest attempt is seen as a metaphor for of what human beings are capable.

A skeptical Dana goes with her niece to see "The Lion King," and discovers a love for the theater that she never knew she had. Casey is teased for his assertion that he is a climber with the spirit of the hill.

The crew stays late with ongoing coverage of the ascent, and everyone is starving because no restaurants will deliver because a water main is broken outside the office and the kitchen in the building is being exterminated. Dan remembers that he has a half a turkey sandwich inside his office, and he goes to get it.

Dan is given an opportunity to get into the game, when he encounters a homeless man in his office. Dan decides to give him the half a turkey sandwich, but the man surprises him by giving him half of the sandwich back. Together, he and Dan eat their sandwiches and watch the climbers reach the summit and stand on the top of the world.

An African-American football player at Tennessee Western refuses to play where the Confederate flag is hung. The player is joined by six of his teammates, and all are suspended from the team and lose their scholarships.

Luther Sachs, a Tennessee Western alumnus and owner of Continental Corp, asks Isaac to put together a feature on Southern gentlemen, tradition, culture, and history. Isaac asks Dan to put together the feature, and Dan tells Isaac that he needs to stand up to Luther and they will stand with Isaac, just as the teammates at Tennessee Western have stood behind their star football player.

Dan accuses Casey of not knowing the people with whom he works in putting together the show. Dan reminds him that everybody works together as a team. Casey makes an appearance on "The View," and he takes full credit for his television wardrobe. Another staffer approaches Casey and reminds him that it is Maureen that dresses him for his on-air appearances and that it would have been wonderful if Casey had given Maureen credit.

The "Sports Night" team debates what should be aired as "Play of the Year."

At the last-minute, Isaac decides to do an on-air editorial. He supports the suspended players from Tennessee Western, Roland Shepard and the "six southern gentlemen" who chose not to let him stand alone. The editorial leaves Dana speechless and makes Jeremy call it the "Play of the Year."

Dan and Casey then take a minute to recognize the support staff of "Sports Night" and wish everybody a merry Christmas.

It's Dana and Casey's night off, and neither wants to take it due to their decision 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 eleventh-hour trade, which in its chaos, her authority is questioned by Isaac and Jeremy.

Casey's replacement is Bobbi Bernstein, a psychotic woman who thinks that Dan slept with her in Spain. Dan says she's crazy because she accuses Dan of never calling her back.

Meanwhile, things aren't going quite so smoothly on the double date as both Dana and Casey have trouble relaxing knowing that it's Natalie's first solo show and a potential blockbuster baseball trade is rumored. A drunken Dana is particularly worried about Natalie's small town upbringing.

When the big story of the trade breaks, Natalie gets the exclusive for "Sports Night," proving without a doubt that she can handle the show. Everyone (including Jeremy, most of all) is impressed with her performance.

Dan is frustrated that his seventeen attempts to get Rebecca to go out with him have been to no avail, and the distraction causes him to make a hideous blunder on the air. Dan asks Casey to help him get with Rebecca. When Casey refuses, Dan tries to recruit Jeremy in his efforts to be "more than friends" with Rebecca. Jeremy to pleads Dan's case to Rebecca, and Jeremy finds out that she used to be married to a sportscaster. Dan goes to talk to Rebecca again, but this time, instead of another no to his request for a date, Rebecca gives Dan a glimmer of hope... and he seizes the opportunity.

Dana agrees to go snorkeling with Gordon, even though she's afraid of fish, in an attempt to keep the relationship going. After Gordon cancels the snorkeling trip, Natalie, thinking that Gordon is about to dump Dana, convinces Casey to go be there for her. Casey does, only to find out that things are good again between Dana and Gordon once Gordon schedules a skiing trip.

A televised tennis match plays longer than the network anticipated, and it delays the start of "Sports Night." Dana is dismayed that the start of the show has to be held, and she had plans to meet Gordon's friends at a restaurant just after midnight.

During the delay, Jeremy writes a letter to his sister, Louise. Other staffers play garbage-can basketball, a game Dana dominates.

Dan's charms are beginning to work on Rebecca, but she intercepts a call from Elaine, the woman with whom Dan was to have broken things off.

Casey finally confesses to Dan what has been bothering him, and he tells Dan that he figured Gordon had been sleeping with Sally since he caught Gordon wearing Casey's missing shirt.

As the tennis match drags on, Dana tries to reach Gordon to cancel, but her call is too late. Gordon arrives and is upset that the show hasn't started and Dana is sticking with it. Gordon calls into question Dana's commitment, and fearing being dumped by Gordon, Dana dumps the show to Sally. Dana's decision surprises everyone, but it shocks Casey most of all.

It's March Madness in college basketball as "Sports Night" hosts expanded coverage of the Sweet Sixteen one Saturday afternoon. Everyone is excited, but Dan is dismayed to learn that Bobbi Bernstein will be sitting in as the guest analyst, since she still insists he once slept with her and never called her.

Meanwhile, Casey and Dana's bickering escalates because of their issues with Dana dumping the show earlier. They bicker over Dana's plans for welcoming Isaac back.

Dan is rattled when he goes to see Rebecca, and he finds her in her office with her ex, Steve Sisco.

Observing that Isaac and Rebecca are missing from the set and Bobbi is coming, Dan worries that "Eli's Coming." The song is about an inveterate womanizer, but Dan initially misinterpreted the Three Dog Night song as a portent of something dark.

After providing proof of their one-night stand, Dan apologizes to Bobbi. Also, Rebecca informs Dan that she and Steve Sisco aren't divorced, only separated. Steve wants to go to couples counseling, and Dan tells Rebecca that he will support her in any way she chooses.

Casey learns of Isaac's stroke at the airport. He informs Dana and Natalie, and then he tells Dan shortly before returning to air.

Jeremy receives word of a great feat that has been accomplished in a cricket game in New Delhi - a man got all ten wickets in one inning - but despite the fact that this appears to be a major news story, no one understands what happened.

Dana has been losing and forgetting things as a result of the stress created from Isaac's stroke and Casey being mad at her.

Casey continue s to obsess over the bomb threat, even though it's been a week, and he is upset that Dan has chosen to move on. In fact, Casey has been making Jerry Falwell jokes on-air because of the church's silence, instead of condemning the bomb threat. Dana tires of the jokes on her show, and she threatens to suspend Casey if he makes one more Falwell joke.

Natalie continues to rebuke Jeremy's attempts to break up with her. Finally, Jeremy "gets over it" and gets back with Natalie. Natalie insists they were never broken up.

Dan tries to mend his relationship with Rebecca, and he bought wine, flowers, and an abacus for when she returns. When Rebecca comes back, she informs Dan that she's going back to her husband.

After a show, Dana and Casey apologize. Dana admits that she shouldn't have threatened to suspend Casey, and Casey admits that he shouldn't question Dana calling the shots. Dana also apologizes for dumping the show and making Casey feel abandoned. After the two make peace, Dana drops the bombshell that Gordon intends to propose marriage to her once he returns from out-of-town.

Dan shares Rebecca's gift of wine with Jeremy, Natalie, and Casey. They make toasts to Chauncey St. John, the cricket player, and Jerry Falwell, whom Casey hopes to blame for all of this. Natalie says she hasn't heard the bell ring on Casey's relationship with Dana, and Dan and Jeremy agree. A new hope fills Casey, and he responds that he's going to need a plan.

Casey worries about his son Charlie's behavior of late, a strange formality which seems unnatural for a nine year old, and wants Dan to make a big deal over Charlie's recently emerged baseball skills when he comes to visit. When Charlie visits, Dan gets him to admit that he made up the story of his sudden baseball success. Upon learning the truth, Casey and Charlie have a private talk. Casey learns that Charlie lied because he doesn't want to embarrass him. Casey responds that his son will never embarrass him; all he has to do to make he and his mom happy is come home at the end of the day.

Jeremy wishes they could see a ninth-inning rally in one of the games they cover, and Dan thinks Rebecca should have come crawling back to him by now.

Dana is excited by her new camera and decides to take the inaugural photograph of the "Sports Night" team. When running through the motions of taking the picture (sans Casey), things don't go very well as Dana's camera- despite her detailed instructions of how it will work- refuses to cooperate.

Gordon comes to see Dana to tell her that he's decided to end things. When she demands to know why he's calling off the engagement, he says it's because she wasn't mad that he slept with Sally, but she was furious that Casey slept with Sally. Gordon also thinks Dana is hung up on Casey.

Jeremy finally finds a chance for a ninth inning rally in a Phillies game and remarks that "watching proud and accomplished athletes battle in the face of odds that are virtually hopeless is one of the more stirring sights in all of sports."

Dana thinks she's fixed the camera problems and prepares to take the staff picture- this time, for real. Once again, Dana's camera fails her, she finally loses control and lets loose with an outburst which includes the fact that she and Gordon broke up and that she can deal with all his humiliations, but that the camera is the living end. Dana says she has seen enough and now she wants just one good thing to happen before the day is over, and at that moment, a voice is heard asking if she is planning to get his show on the air any time soon, and she turns to find a recovered Isaac standing in the middle of the news room. Dana walks over and gives Isaac a big hug.

As the staff joyfully gathers around Isaac to welcome him back, Dana discovers that the camera misfired because she put the film in backwards. When she tells this to Casey, he laughs and says she's funny, which makes Dana smile because it's one of the things she thinks Gordon never saw in her.

With Isaac in attendance, Dana is finally able to get the camera right and the picture snaps just as everyone turns to look at Jeremy's ninth inning rally on the monitor. As we see the shot from Dana's camera, a voice-over recounts all of Dan and Casey's "Sports Night" introductions from the season, ending with their phrase, "You've been watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around", and the season is out...