New-York tribune., 1911-12-28
impossible to Balance Forces
Under Conditions That
Now Obtain.
ONE WAY TO EFFECT CURE
Ed Cochems Suggests Five or
Six Downs Alternately
with the Goal Line
to Gain.
BY EDWARD B. COCHEMs.


tack. Its rules are complicated and un-
natural Baseball, track and field athletics
aQuatics basketball. lacrosse, lawn tennis
soccer football. English rugby football
wrestling. hockey, etc, are all natural IL
their system OF play. This is not true ol
American college football.
So long as the rule makers ignore or mis-
understand this situation, so long Will they
be compelled TO tinker with the code dnd
have various interests clamoring for con
cessions. They will never be able TO bal
ance the forces Of the game so long as
they attempt TO adjust the number OF
downs TO any distance to be made within
the goal lines This is a mathematical i'm
possibility, and a positive discrimination
against the weaker eleven. The stronger
team will be unfairly aided in the anot-
ment Of time in just that degree that It
can more successfully accomplish the re-
Quired distance.
As a fundamental proposition l contend
that each team should be allowed an equal
time period I'm which to express its efforts
and that these efforts must be unrestricted
by the imposition Of artificial restraints. All
the above mentioned sports are based on
this elemental principle.
The goal lines are the prime considera-
tion and any other line within these lines
is mere incident and an unnatural de-
terminator of the forces In conflict. II
has given rise TO all brutality, caused end
less discussion, denaturalized the playing
effort and made impossible natural con-
oeption of the game itself Up TO the pres
ent writing all suggestions offered are OF
the old school and absolutely without value
considered from a just and equitable point
OF view
All the educational institutions Of the
South and all the smaller colleges in this
country should make a determined protest
against the present code on the basis of IN
justice. The open game is the only one
that the South can successfully master
owing to the climatic conditions, which do
not permit Of the endurance test. The
South failed Of success until the 1906 game
was established. The smaller colleges
should demand the enactment Of rule
which gives them an equal period Of play
ing time.
Let us take a concrete example. one
team. by its superiority in gaining ability.
uses M forty Of the sixty minutes of time
and lust in that degree has 1t had an un-
fair advantage and this advantage always
goes 10 the stronger eleven Moreover the
chance. such as exists in the exercise Of
+be onside kick No one under the sun is
able 10 overcome the laws controlling this
play. then why should II not be abolished?
AT present the use Of the forward pass Is
restricted 10 practically seventy-hve yards
Of the playing field by reason Of scientific
considerations. No coach will instruct his
players to use the pass inside his own As
yard line, except under most desperate
and trying conditions. In wet weather II
is practically imperative over the entire
playing field. owing to the fact that II can
not be successfully executed with Slip
perry ball. The physical proportions Of the
ball were designed for the purpose of KICK
ing and carrying, and not for passing
This is proved by the fact that only a small
number of players in any squad can even
EN successfully pass a ball under tine best con
w ditions.
With rule. however. allowing any
number Of passes in any part of the felo
to the present six eligible players IN any
one scrimmage short passes will predomi-
rate Since failure means possession tc
opponents. they viii not be used as freely
as many would anticipate. These can be
made successfully, and will constitute a
safe and scientific play in any part Of the
field under any weather conditions. since
the physical proportions Of the ball will
not necessarily preclude their use for
these purposes.
The game at present is unsymmetrical
inasmuch as the weather. the physical
proportions Of the ball and the element
Of chance enter largely as unbalanced, de-
termining factors. Further because each
team has not an equal period Of time in
which to express its ability Add TO all
this the unnatural restraints imposed
upon the three arms Of the offence, and
we begin 10 recognize the cause for all
the troubles
This lnisconception Of the fundamental
principles Of the game has made necessary
the huge volume Of technical and artificial
rules They cover siXty-five pages Of an
ordinary book and represent an expendi-
ture Of some fourteen thousand words
The simple truth seems 20 be that We are
back-end forward, or in the condition OF
Dantes Amphiarous-going backward, but
trying 10 20 forward
The opposition 10 the proposed changes
will undoubtedly raise the objection that
this is an attempt 10 introduce English
Rugby The facts are quite to the con-
trary. since the rules, and not the writer
have un-Americanzed and denaturaliZed
the old game Of American football. There
s. not one element of the old game that
Is eliminated save that all brutal conduct
and brute force are scientifically done
away with and the forward pass is made
4 free agent and .ne time Is equally
shared by both teams II the forces OF
the attack the kick the pass and the rush
are 70 be permitted at all, why not make
them free agents? Why restrict them to
arbitrary conditions as represented by a
certain distance 10 be made within the
goal line? This is the gnat that is in the
ointment and over which al present
suggestions are straining their utmost
powers.
The changes herewith submitted will
simplify. debrutalize and spectacularize.
They will economize time. make the game
absolutely just and incidentally eliminate
official supernumeraries. unnecessary chalk
lines questions OF Interpretation and a
multitude Of don't" rules
The natural distance 10 be gained is
10 Yards and IS marked by the goal line.
Abolish rh1 rule requiring a certain dis
tance Il be gained in any number Of downs
and substitute FIVE or six downs, 10 be al
lowed alternately TO each team until score
has been made. This will give each team
one-aalf Of the playing time for the ex-
uression Of offensive strength.
Reruoye all restrictions now imposed
upon The three arms Of the positive service.
tho rush, The kick and the pass. such as
five and twenty yard zones, and only one
pass I'm each scrimmage etc. Maintain the