The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-06
If Michigan Athletics Are Stu
dent-G Governed, Why Spurn
the Conference?
CONFERENCE WANTS
FACULTY CONTROL
Unless Michigan Had That Now,
She'd Be Back in the
Fold

ANN ARBOR, Mich, Dec. 6.-(Spe-
cial) Michigan will not return to the
Western Conference-at least not this
year. While student sentiment here
seems TO be overwhelmingly favorable
to Michigan's return to the scene of
her former athletic triumphs, and
thousands of loyal alumni long for a
return OF the gridiron struggles which
decidd th championship Of th west,
II Is q safe wager that there will be
nothing doing in the conference line
just now.
Next Monday evening the Board In
Control of Athletics at Michigan will
meet. and the opinion has. been ex-
pressed that some action looking TO
Michigap's return will be taken al this
meeting, but II Is hardly likely that
any action that may be taken will be
favorable. A great deal has been said
recently about student control OF ath.
letics at Michigan, and this II ad-
vanced as one OF the reasons why
Michigan cannot get back into the
|conferencej under present conditions
As o matter OF fact. II Michigan had
real student control OF athletics. en-
trance into the conference would be
an easy task. As IL is, II looks at this
time as though the opponents of Mich
igan's return are too strong for those
who would like to again meet confer
ence teams, and that the opportunity
offered Michigan by the conference
will be passed by.
Ii will be remembered that about
this time last year Michigan's board
OF control announced very positively
that II was satisfied with Michigan's
present standing In athletics, and was
not seeking return to the western
body, and there is no reason to be-
lieve that the boards attitude on the
conference question has changed any
since that time.
Michigan men who have had a great
deal to do with Michigan's attitude In
athletics In recent years do not see
how 1t will be possible for Michigan
to return to the conference and at
the same time retain Coach Yost. a
freshman team and eastern games,
and as long as this Is not possible
there is very little likelihood OF Mich
igan grasplng the opportunity which
has been presented by the conference
colleges.
AS a matter of fact 1t Is doubtful II
there are very many members of Mich
igan's faculty and her governing body
In athletics who want to return to the
conference. or course. all OF them
would like to see Michigan playing
conference teams, but they don't
want conference games badly enough
to induce them TO abide by the con-
ference rules. IL IL would be possi-
BILE for Michigan to schedule games
with Chicago, Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin, no doubt II would be done, but
Michigan wants her relations with
Pennsy, Cornell and Syracuse TO re-
main as they are at present.
Events of the past few days indi.
cate that the YfeAent discussion OF
the conference>questfenis>d due to some
wild idea that members of the board
in control had that the conference is
about due for split, and that Ii would
be possible to schedule games with
conference teams just as was done
when Minnesota was scheduled for
two games three years ago. Rumors
OF conference troubles made II seem
that there might be some truth In the
reported split, and IL one were due
Michigan expected TO take advantage
of II. IL is extremely doubtful "
Michigan's athletic board ever for a
moment entertained any idea OF re-
turning to the conference this year
II it did It's failure TO send a repre-
sentative TO the conference meeting
after II had been plainly assured thai
such representative would be vel
come, was peculiar, to say the least.
AS matter Of fact, Michigan with
drew from the conference OF her owr
accord, and not because she was forced
to do so, and II she ever returns II viii
be up to her TO make the advances
The present temper OF her athleti,
board precludes the possibility OF an,
such move, so Il is a safe wager ina
Michigan will not return just vet ~
The speech or Ralph a. Afgfer. Z
professor In the law department. be
fore $50 Michigan students and teach
ers at the dinner OF the Michigan
Union. In which he bitterly denounced
the present athletic policy OF the unt
versity, is causing much comment.
Aigler said the Wolverines with
drawal from the conference as Is also
it's alleged student control.
i--------- -------------
a NrNfrrar OIInuy nE