The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-18
Kicks Out Conference But
Clings to Its Regus
DESPITE THAT FACT
WOLVERINES ARE GREAT
Finishing Year in Mid-Season,
They Prove Their
Class

big force OF men at work, pulling
down temporary stands, gathering up
the tackling dummy, demolishing the
goal posts--in short. putting Ferry
Field to bed for the long winter.
Battered with the bruises OF their
weliearned triumph over Cornell,
Michigan's football heroes are turn
Ing in their suits. Soon Captain
Thomson will allot the big block M's,
there will be a banquet and Fielding
II. Yost will pull up stakes and return
to his steady Job.
In short, Michigan is through with
football for 1912.
Furthermore, Michigan didn't ret
started until a period averaging two
weeks later than any OF her real
rivals. Hampered by late start,
eorced to play her biggest games at =
period of mid-development, the Yell
low and Blue, now right and ready
for any opponent has to look toward
rext year for anything In the line OF
action In football.
Just how long this absurd situation
is likely to prevail, Is a matter OF
deep concern, not only to Michigan
alumni, but also to every lover OF fair
play, to whose attention the situation
has been brought. Isn't the old west
ern conference bugaboo moth-eaten
enough to enable common sense 20
take hand In the direction Of ath-
letics at Ann ArbOr? - -ss-,-
So fnr as the average man can
find out, Michigan has no idea or RE-
Joining the conferences. Yet she keeps
conference rules--rules which Mich-
igan's annual opponents have laughed
at and declared foolish set Of empty
ethics.
One needs to keep this situation In
mind continually, to appreciate prop
erly just how great q feat Michigan
really performed on SATURDAY.. when
she placed In the field an eIevSn that
showed capable attack, plucky de-
tense, genuine versatility and good
keadwork-the sort OF team. a.
short. that was needed to trim Cor
.rell three touchdowns 10 one.
fost has really needed this- much
time to pick his team. The changes
which he has made from week 70
week have shown this conclusiveiy.
Il takes a big, hard game to try out
the material, that has survived the
preliminary sitting. Not until tha.
fennsylvania game, q week before
the untimeIy end Of Michigan's sea
son. could the coach find out that
inomson was not the man to shoot
tho long forward passes. but that ToS-
"s.t could Eur! the oval far better.
=.
wee. car be judged by the fact that
'orpetta forward passes, ably hand
Iec oy Pontius. were what made the
cornell game glorious victory, In
stead OF drawn battle Even now
very probable that. with the
knowledge gained In the Cornelf
came. the Michigan wizard might not
be able TO make another switch Or
two which would materially strenefh.
eE the weak right side OF the line.
against which the Red host made fts
only consistent gains.
With these considerations In mini
the wonder Is not that Michiaan lost
10 Syracuse and Penn: rather is tho
remarkable feature the fact that
Michigan, on SATURDAYS. beat 4 cory.
ing good team and showed ability
which would almost certainly enable
her 10 triumph over any of har sea-
scn's rivals, playing the same sort ar
football she showed against the Red
al Ferry Field.
Not In many years has a Michigan
team tackled as did the Wolverines
n the Cornell game The secondary
icfense was lightning fast. A cornen
runner needed only TO he momentar-
ily detained; three Michigan men
we're on him in a twinkllng.
And Michigan's attack was Just as
concerted. The era of spectators In
the backleld, so noticeable In the Da-
kota game. was entirely gone. Wher-
ever the Michigan man hit the line
and didn't find II piled up in front
OF him, he had help. Also, there was
such thing as Michigan interference
fair on end runs, excellent on the
forward passes, superb In the open
field work Whenever Michigan
man and Cornell man bumped. the
Michigan man had the better or Il, 4
with -tha-Ro -Rota~eRtAy exception OF
Taber. who in the third period was a
veTitable dynamo.
II there was one instance. more
than another where Yost's foresight
icomed large. IL was In the ilnal mo-
ments OF play when Cornell. deaper-
cite. spread scattered lire OF attack.
rlear across the field. hoping plainly
TO put across long run from for
ward pass Such tactics were admir-.
fitted TO befaddie an inexperi
need team, taken by burprIsc. But
Michigan wasn't bothered IN the leasi.
As quickly as the Cornell formation
dung itself out MichlEan'R gathered
10 meet Il. The whole Michigan eler.
IN became n busketbaff team. each
nan picking his opponent. And three
% those passes IN q row failed misef-
ably-faiied because Michigan had