In the yard outside Cedarville middle school, Griffin Bing and 680 other students do calisthenics in the rain at the behest of new principal Dr. Egan. Griffin can see all of his friends nearby: Ben Slovak, Logan Kellerman, Melissa Dukakis, Pitch Benson, and Savannah Drysdale. As they exercise, Griffin’s arch enemy, Darren Vader, slaps him on the back of the head, causing Griffin’s retainer to pop out and fall in the mud. Ben, who has a ferret for a service animal, and Savannah search for the retainer.

Dr. Egan announces that the school has received the Super Bowl ring of former student Art Blankenship, who was a part of the 1969 New York Jets. Egan criticizes Griffin for being on his hands and knees during the exercise time and tells him that he is aware of Griffin’s bad reputation. Griffin and his posse also see the article written by Celia White, a longtime columnist in the Cedarville Herald. Referring to Griffin and his friends, she complains that there is a youth crime wave in Cedarville. Griffin wants the principal to leave them and says he will devise a plan for that. This troubles his friend Ben, who thinks, “In Cedarville, New York, Griffin Bing was The Man With The Plan.