Yes, Italians do play American football, to one degree or another, and the Parma Panthers desperately want a player from the home of American football at their helm. So, Rick Dockery - one-time NFL player and current national laughing stock due to his terrible performances on the field - reluctantly agrees to play for the Panthers (at least until a better offer comes along) and heads off to Italy. He knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is), has never been to Europe, and doesn't speak or understand a word of Italian. To say that Italy - the land of opera, fine wines, extremely small cars, romance and soccer - holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.