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Show IT MAY seem odd to suggest that the Rt Hon. Dr. John Bain Sutherland, better known as Jock, Is tackling a new sort of Job. The )ob Is stiU coaching a football team, but this time It is the Brooklyn Dodgers and not the Pittsburgh Panthers. Pan-thers. "This Is my first shot at pro football," foot-ball," Jock tells you, "and I'B have to admit It may be something entirely en-tirely different. "For example, there's the matter of forward passing. As you know ire liked to hang onto the ball at Pittsburgh as long as we could. I used good passers when I had them, bat I didn't like to throw the ball ground too much when I didn't have them. "It is different with the Dodgers. We have the passers, one of the best in Ace Parker, and we'll do our full share of air work. I know also that pro crowds demand a more open or more spectacular game. College football is full of spectacular play, but no fireworks are demanded by the crowds." Big crowds still remember those slashing Panther backs who ran and blocked with an offensive that was bard to stop. Speed Before Weight "Being new at this pro game," Jock continued, "I may be entirely wrong, but I still don't believe weight is as Important as some others oth-ers do. I'd rather have a fast 190-pound 190-pound Uneman than a slower player at 230 or 240. I still believe in speed far above bulk. That extra yard or two io moving around means more than you might think." "What about a big, fast man?" I asked Jock. "As for instance?" Jock asked. "Well, Cal Hubbard?" "How many Hubbards do you see around?" Jock said. "I mean 240 or 245-pound players who are just as - " 1 JOCK SUTHERLAND fast as your backs and ends? We haven't seen many Hubbards in football. foot-ball. Or Fat Henrys either. The 1940 rush may break all records, rec-ords, both among the colleges and the pros. Sport remains the big mind distraotor and football leads all other competitions in this respect. re-spect. I can't recall when the college game had so many strong teams scattered all over the map Cornell, Princeton, Fordham, Tennessee, Alabama, Al-abama, Tulane, Texas A. and M., Southern Methodist, Ohio State, Minnesota, Min-nesota, Michigan, Notre Dame, Southern California, Washington, Duke, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, Nebras-ka, L. S. U., Texas, T. C. U., Georgia Geor-gia Tech and Santa Clara. And even this list is only a partial roll calL There should be at least 35 exceptionally excep-tionally strong college teams this year and they cover all known and explored sections of the map. The Football Phenomenon Pound for pound, one of the great football players and one of the most amazing is 150-pound Dave O'Brien of Bert Bell's Philadelphia Eagles, Little Dave has one record that Is almost beyond belief. As I recall the vital statistics O'Brien's slight frame has never left a football game through Injuries in five years of college col-lege and pro play. He finished three years with T. C. U.'s hard schedule minus a dent in his small but solid system. And he was always between be-tween a 50 and 60-minute man. He was supposed to be too small for the pro game. But in place of being rumpled into a shapeless mass Little Dave went along passing and running and kicking without any trouble. You might ask Steve Owen of the N. Y. Giants about him. "One of the best I ever saw," Bleve said, "smart running bis team, a fine ball carrier and one of the best of all passers. And above all as tough as green hickory when It comes to taking his share of being knocked about." O'Brien completed 40 passes in his last two pro games a year ago. That ought to be a record and I think it is. Star Running Backs A group of football coaches were talking about the star running backs of football, apart from the powerhouse power-house delegation. In the discussion my top nomination nomina-tion was Cliff Battles, and no one cared to dispute the pick. Cliff Battles Bat-tles and Red Grange were two of the first nominations. Cliff will tell you he was rarely even jarred. Extremely fast and slippery, he had a way of avoiding any shock tackling. No one could Dick an opening quicker. |