Ross and Joey decide to throw around a ball without dropping it for as long as they can. Monica and Chandler later join them. Gary asks Phoebe to move in with him. Rachel buys a cat, but it's a mean one.
Tropes:
- Big "YES!": Monica when catching the ball while on the phone. As she's trying to fake being sick to her boss, though, she has to dance around what she just said.
- Cats Are Mean: Unlike the one that her grandmother had, the featured hairless sphinx cat repeatedly hisses at Rachel and scratches her arms.
- Commitment Issues: Phoebe has them about moving in with Gary. Chandler, as the "grand-master" of such issues, is sent to plant second thoughts about the matter in Gary's head, but Gary is certain of what he wants.
- Competition Freak: Ross and Joey were having fun, but Monica quickly got obsessive about it to the point that Ross has to remind her they're all on the same team. Everyone else didn't mind when it was finally over, but she just couldn't let it go.Monica: I made this game what it is.
Chandler: Not fun anymore? - Derailing Love Interests: Instead of having Phoebe and Gary break up because of their disagreement about living together they break up because Gary shoots a bird for being noisy.
- Epic Fail:
- Afraid things were moving too fast, Phoebe wanted Chandler to scare Gary out of moving in together. However, because Gary is so certain of what he wants, Chandler comes back thinking it's a great idea and saying he'd move in with him if offered. An incredulous Phoebe calls Chandler useless for failing to freak out about relationships (the one thing they both agree he's good at).
- Chandler's attempt to prove he's not a dropper. He catches the ball just fine, but while gloating, he lightly tosses it from one hand to the next and somehow loses control of it. He then sheepishly hands it to Monica.
- The Klutz: The others are apprehensive about letting Chandler play, due to his reputation as a "dropper". He does himself no favors trying to prove them wrong. When he questions how he even earned this reputation, a montage during the end credits shows assorted clumsiness.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": The other friends when a depressed Phoebe puts the ball on the table, thus ending the game.
- Oh, Crap!: The Chick and the Duck get rather talkative when Rachel brings her new cat over to Chandler and Joey's apartment.
- Picked Flowers Are Dead: Monica warns Gary not to buy Phoebe flowers because she'll be upset when they die and want to hold a funeral for them.
- Potty Emergency: Joey over having to go during the game while Rachel's in the nearest bathroom. After a scene cut, he's in his own bathroom and admits he didn't think they were gonna make it.
- Sanity Slippage: The only one who goes insane from the ball game is Monica. While others get tired from the game, Monica doesn't want to give up and when they suggest to get something to eat, she then decides to make it a race, complete with maniacal laughter.
- Shipper on Deck: Chandler comes back from talking to Gary all in on him and Phoebe moving in together.
- Status Quo Is God: Phoebe moves in with Gary... and then he shoots a bird, much to animal-loving Phoebe's displeasure, so she breaks up with him.
- Troublesome Pet: Rachel buys a Sphinx cat, expecting it to have the sweet personality of the one her grandmother had. However, Mrs Whiskerton hisses at whoever approaches her and scratches Rachel.
- Unsuccessful Pet Adoption: Rachel buys a hairless cat for $1,000 because a relative of hers had the same kind of cat and it was a very affectionate one. Rachel's, however, turns out to be very mean, leaving Rachel all scratched up. In the end, she sells it to Gunther for $1,500.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Monica over Rachel both buying a cat and spending a sizable amount when she owes her money.
