Show I I Old Guard Liked Rugged Matches By GRANTLAND RICE RICE- NO ONE CAN QUESTION the fact that footballs football's big argument argument argument ment this winter will concern the two platoon system This correspondent opposed at first to the platoon double-platoon idea must admit in talky talk- talk talking talking y ing with Fritz F r i t z Crisler of Michi Michi- Michigan Michigan gan gun and Red Blaik of Army one gets a afar afar far better picture of what the two- two w. w plat platoon o o n game means Crisler and Blaik must be listed lis l i s t e d Grantland Rice 1 among the top foot- foot football ball baU coaches c cf all time ime I mean up with Rockne and Haughton and Sutherland to mention men men- mention tion bon only a few Both are smart subtle talkers They know their subject On this day Red Blaik stood for nearly two hours chal chal- challenging challenging challenging a long list of doubters doubters- answering every charge Of course he said the Uthe old guard juard is against it The old guard guardin in n anything is against every form of change This is new football- football football that is faster keener more exciting less punishing on the player I thought about the old guard Ive I've heard them grumbling for over 40 years about the modern players of the and They couldn't understand why a fellow couldn't play 60 minutes min min- minutes minutes utes of every game Shep Hom- Hom Homans Domans Homans ans of Princeton was Snake Ames Ames' substitute Romans Homans nev nev- never never never er got to play a minute until untilA Arne Ames A m e s graduated Romans Homans weighing w e i f g h I f n g pounds was Princeton's fullback in 1890 and 1891 Sheps Shep's substitute never got to play a minute Homans Romans played the full 60 minutes for 22 games But the game was different in 1925 and 1930 It is the contention of Crisler and Red Blaik that the game is still dif dif- dif dif- ferent Today's demand is for speed They prove to you that it is fast fast- faster er keener and more exciting be be- because because because cause it is played with fresh men with rested athletes And if you tell teU Fritz Crisler the public doesn't like it it he points to Michigan's attend attend- attendance attendance attendance ance record a game for either five or six games plus games plus tele tele- television television television vision in Detroit S a a Important Point It has always seemed to us that in any football problem there should be only one angle to con con- sider what sider-what what is the players player's view view- viewpoint viewpoint viewpoint point I have never been interested In what the coaches or what the public might think The player is the one who takes most of the beating be a ting who makes most of the sacrifices The coach is certain to be biased and selfish Nearly always The public pays but it doesn't have to pay unless it wants to and its viewpoint is usually warped But the player should know To get this slant I had a long talk with Arnold Galiffa Army's leading star Red Blaik had just said that thai Galiffa his offensive spark was also the best defensive player on the Army team Galiffa GaI fa played en en- entirely entirely entirely on offense this fall faU Dont you like defensive play I asked Galiffa Oh I like it very much he said Do uDo you like to tackle I asked him himI I sure do he said Then uThen you dont don't like the two- two platoon system I inquired I certainly do Galiffa said Ill tell teU you why My Iy job Is to try to run the Army team on offense To call the plays plays to to pass pass to to run with the ball to ball to block Scoring is the big factor in football Under our ou two pla toon system I am always fresh I am never tired or battered I Ican Ican Ican can do a far better offensive job for the team We are out to win games Galiffa doesn't count Cain doesn't count John Trent pur our captain doesn't count No one counts but the Army team Individuals are out outTo outTo To show you what I mean we have very good men on our defensive defensive defensive sive squad They know they won wont won't be picked on any All America They dont don't give a rap about All AU- American mention They are ou out outto outto to help win games for Army Isn't Isn that the way it should be Official Has Say Suppose an official said you were working a game anc and you saw a player holding suppose holding you saw him palpably offside sup offside sup suppose pose you saw backs distinctly in motion before the ball was snapped suppose you saw every form o of rule breaking taking place under unde your nose nose code code infractions infractions' that tha definitely affected the play The uThe officials are taking all th the blame he said while the full ful blame belongs to the players and their coaches |