Terrence Cook

Life isn't easy for the former Sharks champion. Charming but weak-willed, he succumbs to a gambling addiction and becomes indebted to shady people, who force him to throw an important game. His team never really makes it again after that, and though his scam has erased some of his debts, it also has rendered him vulnerable to blackmail from often rather surprising sources. One of them is one-night stand Leslie Dumass, a Neptune High journalism teacher, who wants to regain Terrence's love or at least make lots of money on him by writing a tell-all.

Fortunately for him, she is one of the victims in the tragic bus crash that rattles Neptune — or rather, unfortunately, since their tumultous relationship doesn't stay secret for long and Terrence soon becomes the prime suspect for the dastardly deed. His generally suspicious behavior doesn't help matters, especially after incriminating evidence is found in the hangar he uses to store his cars. Keith Mars, a long-time fan, does what he can to help his idol, but he can't prevent that a warrant is issued for Terrence's arrest. In a desperate attempt to at least destroy Leslie's scandalous manuscript Terrence gets shot and has to be hospitalized, which at least gives him ample time to spend with his formerly estranged daughter. Now that his secret has been leaked to the press, and his time as a free man grows constantly shorter, she might be the one positive aspect left in his life.