The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-23
ARE BADGERS STALE
Details of Wisconsin's Game With
Northwestern Implies Lack of
Physical Reserve Power.
Coach Stage Thinks Michigan Team
Is Slightly Stronger, Than
Chicago Aggregation.

The failure of Wisconsin to score a
decisive victory over the Northwest
ern football team Saturday must have
tendency to boom Minnesota stock
for the Thanksgiving Day game The
badgers We're confident of victory by
a score Of something like 20 to 0, but
fumbles and weakness in the kicking
department allowed Northwestern to
get away with a tie.
The most surprising feature of the
game was that in the second hall WIS
consin repeatedly pushed the ball IN
side Northwestern's twenty-tive-yard
line, only to lose it on downs or OH
weaken at critical moments, some
thing very unusual in Wisconsin
team. 1t implies a lack of reserve
power behind the offense, which mill
tates against Wisconsins chances Of
scoring against a strong defensive
team on straight football. This IS
further borne out by the fact that
while Wisconsin held Northwestern
well at most times, when the purple
got the ball within striking distance
of the badger goal line, Curtis men
weakened and allowed the pigskln TO
be carried over.
It is not likely that this is due to
lack of grit, for that is an unheard OF
quality in a Wisconsin team, ana IS
refuted by the badgers repeatedly
holding Michigan close to the goal. It
| rather indicates that the team is
| showing the effects Of the hard sched-
ule and that the men have not the
physical energy necessary to make a
supreme effort when one Is needed.
In connection with this fact is an
other of considerable significance TO
those who are specializing upon the
outcome of the Minnesota-Wisc onsln
game. The severity Of Wisconsin $
schedule has. been commented upon
often during the last few weeks. Ever
since Northwesterns' tie game with
purple had a much stronger eleven
than usual, the critics have pointed
out that the badgers would do ex-
| tremely we'll to come thru up tc
Thanksgiving Day with the men IL
shape for a hard game. The game
Saturday turned out to be more wear.
ing than was expected a few days
ago. From the Geographic accounts
1t is evident that Wisconsin was
! forced to extend herself to the limit
Even then the steam was lacking
when it was needed. 1t looks as tho
that steam would be lacking agar
Thursday, inasmuch as the badgers
have only three days to recover from
the grueling contest of Saturday.
In this connection the views O.
"Norsky" Nelson, the old Wisconsin
halfback, are interesting. Nelsol
watched the Wisconsin-Chicago gam'
q oct. 81, and at its conclusion tolt
!: Coach Curtis that unless he wantet
to lose to both Michigan and Mime
sofa, he must make up his mind t
hold some of his best men out Of tn
Michigan game. and save them 70
Minnesota. Nelson advised Curtis t
y keep out four or five men, who Wer
not in the best physical condition, i
order that they might play their hes
game against Minnesota. Curtis
however. played all his regular team
except Balm, who was unable to g
upon the field, and Captain Abbot
!, as we'll as several Of the other mer
were badly bruised and battered
While none of the badgers wa
seriously injured Saturday, the gam
> cannot but have stiffened a larg
number of them, so that they will b
) inclined to be logy THURSDAY, and wi
! find it difficult to throw themselve
: into the plays with their accustome
+ dash.