Spencer's got a long road back.

But at least he's alive and walking thanks to a talented neurosurgeon on All American Season 2 Episode 11.

This near-death experience even brought him back to football.

His self-imposed exile from the game didn't take long. Coming back from the effects of being shot just might.

It was horrible that Spencer, fighting for his life, and Olivia, who was in shock, were treated so insensitively by most of the hospital staff and the police.

Spencer was shot in a drive-by, so he had to be a gang banger. 

That meant instead of giving him the treatment he needed, the doctor ordered a tox screening to see what drugs he was on and one nurse questioned whether they should waste blood on him.

And of course the E.R. had to be shut down in case the rival gang was coming after him.

If Nurse Joy hadn't shamed the other two, Spencer still might be waiting to be treated.

It was great to watch the smug looks disappear from their faces when the neurosurgeon with a daughter at Beverly High detailed Spencer's accomplishments.

At the same time, poor Olivia was having to deal with the white cop, who assumed they'd been shot at because of a drug deal gone bad. 

It was obvious that Olivia was traumatized. Otherwise, she would have sicced her mother the ADA on that cop's ass for his assumptions and behavior.

Good thing Nurse Joy rescued her at Spencer's request. It was amusing how many of Spencer's "relatives" that she allowed in to see him.

It spoke volumes about Spencer that his first concern was having Olivia reach out to Coop to prevent retaliation against Tyrone because he didn't want a gang war starting in Crenshaw over his shooting.

Grace raised him right, didn't she, worrying about others before himself?

This episode was aptly named because it was all about crossroads, people making decisions about their futures.

Coop was blaming herself as much as Olivia was since, in his ineffective way, Spencer was trying to protect Coop and his surrogate mom, Laura.

While Spencer meant well, he should never have been trying to intimidate Tyrone, because he was so out of his element. This is what happens when you mess in something you don't understand.

While trying to honor Spencer's wishes, Coop only succeeded in making things worse. 

First, she volunteered to take out Tyrone herself, so there wouldn't be gang warfare.

Then, Preach, trying to spare Coop, went to kill Tyrone, only to discover he had been set up and was heading back to prison for his third strike.

We finally found out why Tyrone was talking to Darnell on All American Season 2 Episode 10. He was just setting up his alibi for the time of Spencer's shooting.

This is why Tyrone has always been a step ahead. He's got that cunning he's developed from years inside gangs. If Coop seems overmatched, that's because she is.

So Tyrone was still free to threaten Coop. But so many people wanted him dead that he was smart to leave town. Power in numbers, and all that.

But you know he won't stay away.

Spencer also had a tough decision to make. He could leave the bullet inside himself and never play football again or he could undergo a risky surgery that could leave him paralyzed on one side.

That made Spencer realize how much football meant to him and his future.

He had originally quit the sport because it was too painful after Corey's death since football was something they shared.

But Spencer determined that Corey wouldn't want Spencer leaving behind something he genuinely enjoyed because of his grief over the loss of Corey.

Corey wouldn't want him to be a quitter, in other words.

So Spencer rolled the dice on what was essentially all-or-nothing surgery.

Despite the O.R. complications, did anyone truly think Spencer was going to end up paralyzed?

After all, it's impossible to handle the paralyzed football player any better than was done with Jason Street on Friday NIght Lights.

Yes, there was a moment of doubt toward the end, but just a moment.

Poor Grace was having to battle so many doubts through the whole process, but Billy was there for her the entire time.

It was heartening to see, through that candlelit vigil, how Crenshaw came out to support Spencer.

He returned that love with his words on Olivia's podcast. Then his "sister" thanked him for saving her.

How about how the team rallied to save Billy's job from that underhanded stunt Cliff tried to pull?

Simone got word of it and because the Bakers had been so good to her and her unborn child, she came to warn Jordan.

Billy rightly put family ahead of his job. But Simone rallied the team and they were able to overcome Cliff and that weak-willed principal.

Cliff got pushed out and good riddance!

Coach Billy's position looks better now, with no Cliff to stab him in the back and his star receiver returning, after he gets past the whole being-shot thing.

To follow Spencer's recent love-hate relationship with football, watch All American online.

How hard will Spencer's comeback be?

Will there be psychological aftereffects from the shooting?

Are you glad to be rid of Cliff?

Comment below.

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.