Show I Platoon System Hides Grid Greats By By GRANTLAND RIC RICE NEW YORK YORK The The football old old- timer has always been a Joke writes one of them somewhat me md m-d. d- d ily fly When we talk of the days that used to be they slip sup us a laugh But Id I'd like to ask a question or rather make a statement I 1 think I can prove the past rast much better than the present Ill I'll leave it to you When I X was around the football writers were giving us a lot of stuff about Ted Coy OT or DIMES Eddie Mahan Red Grange Ed Weir of Nebraska B Ben Bennie e n n i 1 e Bennie F Friedman r 1 e d man Tom Hamilton Tack Hardwick Hardwick Hardwick Hard- Hard wick Charlie Brickley Brickley Brick Brick- ley George Gipp the Four Horseman and JANUARY many many more of the ty tyr e. e What do we get today Rec Recruiting Re Re- c r u i 1 t tin l a g subsidizing athletic scholarships low-grade low classroom assignments phony courses outright outright outright out out- right pay bowl games spring practice c choke h o 0 k e off d-off television games dopey college presidents and such other moody matter We hear a little about Dick Kazmaier Larry Isbell Vito Hank Lauricella etc But not too much about most of the stars I X think I X can understand why Footballs Football's scandal or near scandal near scandal has reached a new high But beyond beyond beyond be be- yond that who can pick out names or individuals from the the four forty-four men who race back and forth two twenty-two men on e each ch side With two teams I think that makes forty four The best man on the field may never be seen or selected since not even the coaches can follow tallow them This Is proved by bythe bythe bythe the trouble coaches have had hadIn hadIn hadin In making substitutions at the right time with the right man I have run across at least 5 fifteen fifteen I teen such costly mistakes So I i dont don't believe we can put too much blame on the football writer If II the coach doesn't know his players In a wild mob why should the writers or public recognize recognise the stars I At fiAt any rate I thought Id I'd put in a word for the good old days that have been laughed at so long We had coaches with humor and striking personalities s a such u c h as Rockne Haughton Warner Yost Stagg McGugin Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der Tad Jones Roper Sutherland Andy Smith Heisman Helsman these ard ad many more But dont don't let anyone any one start laughing at the good old days compared to what we have today Quite A Difference This reminds us that we haven't bavent paid our annual tribute to one Amos Alonzo Stagg who has just lust finished his 1951 season at Susquehanna Susquehanna Sus Sus- with an unbeaten team as an advisor to his son a mere stripling who Is somewhere in his GOs Mr Stagg who is having a brave and brilliant r race ce with Connie Connie Connie Con Con- nie Mack against time could coWd also tell you something about the good old days which you'll never see again It was back in 1891 or so as I X recall it dimly Chicago was playIng playIng playing play- play Ing Illinois in b big Midwestern party Stagg was coaching Chicago But before belore the game the tho referee referee ref ref- was taken ill HI So at the request of ot the Illinois team Stagg was named In his place As I heard about It later Lennie Lonnie Lon Lon- nie pleased both teams Can you Imagine Yale asking for Charlie Caldwell as one of the top officials when playing Princeton Princeton Prince Prince- ton or Ohio State demanding Ben Ben- Bennie nie of Michigan for forthe forthe forthe the Ohio State State Michigan meeting There was the time when Princeton Princeton Princeton Prince Prince- ton and Pennsylvania met and the total expenses were 60 which Included sandwiches and coffee Today you ou can let d only four or five sandwiches plus cups of coffee for lor 60 Expenses today for lor a big game will run ran to at least For bowl games even more In Stagg's day could have run football for four years all aU over the map Today isn't enough to pay the full expenses of a single team for one season in more than thana a few cases Ask Georgetown's president Are the games better now with 22 men against 22 men menor menor menor or were they better with 11 men on each side in a fight to the finish You tell em Attack on Football The recent tidal wave attack on football is easily understood There hasn't been enough proof offered to wreck the game as so 0 many are trying to do But there has been more than enough proof offered to show how much college football foot toot ball needs In the way of 01 cures I have haTe never thought such uch minor details at as spring practice practice tice lice and ed bowls were Important factors factor Especially if the bowls are controlled controlled con con- trolled so that no college gets more than or Take Takeaway Takeaway Takeaway away the financial incentive of or and Ind split put the swag wag among the bowl teams team's Conference Conference Con Con- ference members College football should be no financial rat race |