Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-30
SPORTING GOSSIP OF WEER
Foot Ball Men Are Vel Pleased with
EXPeriero, Of Season,
NEW RULES GIVE LIFE TO THE GAME
Lack of Expert Players the Only
Drawback and Another season
is Expected to Develop
Men TO Fine Point.


1t devised the changes in the rules which
have carried the game through the most
crucial period in its career. That the new
game Is vastly superior to the old. both
morally and physically and in the eyes OF
the spectators, is an acknowledged fact
even by those who opposed the changes ut
hrst. The game had gotten into a rut and
was growing less interesting to the spec
lators because of its sameness IL had
become series of hard mass plays into
the opposing line, with little variation and
too little action This has been changed.
and no one can say there was not plenty
Of action during the fall just passed. The
trouble was generally the men were not
skilled enough in the new game. 1t is the
majority opinion that the rules be left
alone for the next year and given another
seasons trial. 1t might be all right to
lengthen the halves and to more clearly
define the rules in some places, but not to
change the game again. A cleaner squarer
game has been developed. which is more
sport for both players and spectators. That
the new game is more liked by the spec
tators is shown by the increased attend
ance at the larger games, especially in the
west.
Under the old rules the game had de-
duty of the coach to see how many men
he could mass as quickly as possible at a
given point TO try to advance the ball. The
new game is more a contest Of wits in
dealing with emergencies which are con-
stantly arising. New situations develop
rapidly as the ball is kicked backwards and
forwards and man must more often rely
upon his own resources. Not that team
work is done away with, for that is Just
as necessary as ever, but individuality Is
brought to the front along with the ele-
ments of ruggedness and ability to with
stand the hard knocks due to frequent con-
tact with the opponents and the ground.
The value Of possession of the ball was
not so great under the new rules. Its
possession had become too great under the
old rules. Teams were skilled in the
mass and formation plays and under the
fve-yard rule 1t was no uncommon occur
renee for a stronger team to gain possession
of the ball and then rush it the entire
length of the field without once losing pos
session. The value of this possession of
the ball was a menace to the advancement
of the game, for team which could by
brute force carry the ball for large dis
tances by mass plays, would take no
. chances of losing the ball by the more
soon, however as II was made more diff
cult to gain the distance necessary TO hold
the ball the value of its possession de-
creased and the ACCESSIBILITY of taking
more chances made itself more apparent,
and the open game followed as a matter OF
course This is done away with In the ram
and push game and the spectator is now
able to see the ball most of the time, for
st is In the air from punt or being thrown
for a forward pass or being tossed around
for double or triple pass most of the
time. 1t is little wonder that the new game
is better liked by the spectator, fer even a
common citizen who is witnessing his first
game is able to know what is going on.
.
Coach Warner of Cornell has evolved the
idea that a foot ball team should have an
extra man in order to make better forma-
tons las are necessary under the new rules.
He draws lot of diagrams to show that
when a man is pulled out to give an extra
man in the back field to pull off some for
ward pass or double or triple pass the
line is weakened just that much. He also
shows that an extra man on the defense
would be Just one more loose man to stop
any fake plays or forward passes. Whether
that is better or not is a question. The
game was interesting last fall because of
the uncertainty of a man getting away
for a brilliant run through the mass OF
players To strengthen the defense might
have a tendency to keep down the scores,
and anything which would take away the
added action given by the new rules would
be a detriment to the game.
The Coruhusker foot ball team has made
a good start in the arrangement OF Its
schedule for next fall. Formal announce
ment has been made of the scheduling
OF a game with the Badgers OF Wisconsin.
which is one more large game added to
the list. Minnesota will again be met as
will also Kansas. which makes three hard
games already booked. with the prospects
OF more. The date of the Wisconsin game
is October 10 at Madison. The Wisconsin
faculty has sanctioned the arrangements
and the Nebraska board is expected to
give its approval at the meeting in jan
uary. It Is now up TO the Cornhuskers TO
get a good coach and have a good team.
An in-and-out team like the one Coach
Foster sent TO the front last fall will not
do to represent the great University OF
Nebraska
Iceboating has become quite q popular
fad In Omaha and many now have some
good ice boats which are able to scoot at
the rate OF a mile a minute. OulAua ~
not alone in this sport. for Council Bluffs
has also broken into that game and many
ice boats can be seen at Lake Manawa on
pleasant days. This sport has enough OF
danger TO It TO make It most interesting,
for with the varying winds and the curves
of the lake It takes considerable skill TO
handle an ice boat in such manner that
all are not sent scootins across the smooth
surface OF the lake Akin to the Ice boat
is the skating sail, which many now have
for use at Cut on. II Is an easy matter
TO scoot with one OF the sails from one
end OF the lake 10 the other with the wind
70 boost along, but II takes skill to tack
against the wind. Members Of the Omaha
Rod ana Gun club are having considerable
sport this winter with ice boats, skates and
sailA
The attempt OF the English authorities to
limit the number Of American athletes
who can compete at the Olympic games tc
be held IN London In July. 1908. 10 taken by
American athletes 10 be a DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST this country. This view is not
taken by some. however. who win not be-
usve the Englishman would run the chanos
= ..-.t... ,haIr raaaf NV anv discrimipa.