The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-05
WHAT WILL Be
THE BIG GAME?
Western Conference Teams
AS a Whole Do Not
Promise Much
(By. Bruce)

Unless the University of Illinois
shows unexpected strength the pres
emit season and the Badgers have a
stronger eleven than has represented
the Madison institution during the
past few years, it begins to look as
If the conference contests the present
season will be about as exciting az
playing blind mans buff at the church
fair.
OF course it is early to judge of the
prospects of any team. Some of the
reports emanating from the Badger
camp have indicated strength or prom
Use Of strength. On the other hand
from the general look of things at the
present time Stagg will not have a
very strong team at Chicago and it
may be remembered that the last two
stitution have been far below the form
OF the average good western team.
Last season Illinois had one of the
best teams in the history of the Cham
payne institution. When you get as
far north as Champagne, ILL.,, the de-
velopment of football is at times ham,
pere dby the weather conditions. At
least this is the theory that some Of
the loyal alumni of Illinois have al
ways held. In the past the Illinois has
had some pretty fair teams, but like
w~oebegone Northwestern. only not so
bad. many of the football aggrega-
tons sent out from Champagne have
been easy for the stronger western
teams.
II Illinois is strong this season, as
strong as last year, for instance, it
may be that the big game as far as the
western conference teams is concern
ed. will be played between Minnesota
and the Illini. That is not a predjc-
ffNn fNN IL 4. 4r~~I .--I, A.
predict as yet. 1t is merely a sug-
'gestion and goes to show how dis
NAL the conference season which prac-
ttcally means the western season, will
be without its annual big game that
focuses the eyes of the eastern foot
ball world. as we'll as centers the rapt
attention of every man, woman and
child. here in the glorious west. who Is
at all interested in the great old col
lege game of football.
Those who have not been Influenced
or rather warped in their judgments by
the name attitude of the men asso-
.ciated with the western conference, re-
greet sorely that the game between
Minnesota and Michigan will not be
played the present 8
The calling off Of the athletic rela-
tons that have existed for years means
that there will be no really big west.
ern game and that many lovers Of
football scattered throughout the state
and not living right in the twin cities,
will probably miss seeing the univer.
sity play this season.
However 1t is early as yet and one
who has followed football and develop
ment of football teams with any de-
gree of interest and consistency. would
be rash indeed to predict hat there
is no chance for one Of the western
teams to develop into a form repre-
sentative of the standard western
team average in the past. There is
that chance of course, and it may be
that Wisconsin OF Chicago may come
fast after the first two weeks Of the
season.
But should this be. and it is inn
probable, there will be those Of US who
will sigh and think of the grand old
struggles of the past in which two
great teams Of two great, schools strug-
gled In contests that took on some-
thing of the epic in the very grandeur
Of the contests. Some will never for
get that memorable and historical 6
to 6 struggle fought out under a wan
ing light on Northrup field and there
are others who will look back upon
the contests Of the past two years and
wish fervently that the present fall
held a game between the cohorts Of
Yost and Williams.