Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-05

those distances py nara runufHE- h big games he would knock down the entire opposing backfield when play ing defense and thus save his support ing back. He also made touchdowns in big games, caught forward passes, got down under punts and opened holes on defense. Being dexterous- his first name was Dexter. by the way he made interference without re- quest. There's your AIl-American tackle" we said with pride. But we had broken the first rule we had learned. He held once that season in long run during the Cornell game. Tackles must not hold to be All-s American stuff.
 Having learned that [ gave my at tention to producing and selecting All-American guards. In 1906 Cornell had six successive chances to score from Pennsylvania's one-yard line and win the game. Six successive times who was opposite Tommy Thompson. Six successive times Zeigler stopped the play without gain. Well" we said, there is your All-American guard" But we were far-sighted for the man between us and Zeigler, the same being Thompson, was the choice. reckon we were prejudiced.
 So I travelled up to Syracuse this fall to see a real alive All-American guard. Pitt won the game and made tldIy gains LuAouSA udI dS. Afterwards, I asked Syracusian, Which one of those fellows is your All-American guard?" Search mel" he replied: What" " a I said, don't one else does. You see we had an AlI-American banquet last fall and the man who selected White got him mixed up with Schlachter and Schlach- ter said he knew all the time they had been mixed all fall and that
 ,ioI, yr1izy ynI 1,a whole team this fall. No more All American guards for us,'' he sighed. We don't want 'em.'
 Indeed, the further you go the more mixed it is. I know of but two rules; one is that tackles shall not hold and Is a new one invented last year. It seems that if you have a good play CT, say in 1914. and don't play him in 1915, he is likely to be chosen be- cause he is missed so badly. It has it's merits in that 1t cheers up the old boys and the ''has beens" with the hope that springs eternal.
 The thing that impresses me, a mere losing and often licked coach, in l this selecting of All-American teams, 1 is the territory man can cover. The picker doesn't confine himself to a mere state like Rhode Island, or a mere city like Pittsburg, but just goes 1, ambling everywhere in the good old ! U. s. A. He's prepared, nationally l No wa mere coach like HaughtOn or 1 Warner or Robinson has his troubles l picking the best eleven men from the | squads at Harvard or Pittsburg o1 | Brown to play on those teams. Even l at that mere subs get by them now | and then and win games. While this
 must gratify the coaches think what | a shock fx must be to their sense oi | Judgment when they fail to select the l best eleven from small student body 1 of several thousand when other fe1- 1 lows who don't coach can right of | pick the best, eleven from 100, ,000, ,00( people. No wonder coaches don't get | swelled up and cease work when they 1 win.
 1 Personally. I am glad am not be- | Ing asked at space rates or otherwise | to pick an A1l-Paper eleven. I have my troubles picking a small college l team. I haven't the breadth of Visio1 | and I fear some one would say tha ! my selection reminds them of tht 1 story which ends with the sentence
 ence of opinion.'' And even if space rates were enticing I can't figure ou | another reason for this All-Allegor l stuff. Some defend it on the ground of being harmless, but in these day
 of high cost of print paper space is to, | valuable to engage in harmless past 1 times.
 But 1 don't think the All-Americal
 game is harmless. It tends toward | intercollegiate sport for glory's sake
 It makes or big heads and dissension
 and it has nothing educational abou
 it, which. by the by, is the reasol 1 back of our college games.
 Fortunately there is an idea goin!
 the rounds which is impressing edu
 cational men. It is, therefore. strang
 as it may seem, not my own. It ha
 something of this All-American busi
 ness back of it. The plan is to hay
 the coaches of the leading teams il the east and west select two sectiona teams to play an annual post-seasol
 game in say, New York and Chicago
 Such game would be Q spectacula
 individual affair, nothing more. Blu it would draw crowds and much prof
 it, which, so the plan outlines, woul
 be used in educational work simila
 to the Rhodes Scholarships. Let u
 have this-there is a purpose back o
 it, a reason for it. But let us talk I lightly to these All-American myths
 they mean absolutely nothing.
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