The New York herald., 1922-11-27
Team Voices Confidence in
ITad Jones and His Coach
ing Methods.
BY w. o. McGEEHAN.

BY w. u. McGEEHAN.
Immediately after the departure of
the old grads conditions in New Haven
resumed state of normalcy and the
memory of the late lamented Yale
Harvard game ceased to sting. Some
time after Thanksgiving the Yale men
will elect their captain for next year.
From present indications William NAL
lory, the fullback, viii be the man
picked. There are absolutely no signs
of change in the coach or the coach
ing system. While some Of the nom
combatants. as far as football Is con-
cerned, have been finding fault with
Jones in and out Of the football sea-
absolute faith in him.
OF course. these have been doleful days
for Yale as far as football is concerned,
but the philosophical Yale men recall
that Yale still holds the greater number
of victories over Harvard. There is not
a lot of consolation in this, but still II
Is something. There is no denying that
'efeat of Saturday was something of
a Jolt 10 the sons OF Eli. They con-
fidently expected a victory. and there
We're all indications that the Harvard
men were prepared for the worst.
Holding an inquest on a defunct foot
ball game is the universal notion OF
nothing to do. The paradoxical fact re-
mains that. according to the statistics
Yale outrushed and outkicked Harvard.
also attained the greater number OF first
downs. Statistics will insist that the
Yale team should have won, but the net
results prove very conclusively that the
Blue team lost. In the Princeton game,
is about as useless as moral victory.
ut lost in the matter Of the net result.
Statistics Mean Nothing.
The statistics mean nothing. I be-
lieve that the statistics will show that
the German armies outrushed the allied
armies during the world war and the
Germans gained the greater number Of
first downs. Yet the Germans did not
get the decision. Perhaps the open game
introduced by the American troops helped
to stop them.
Naturally the Harvard men arc all
the more jubiant over the victory of
their team because it was unexpected.
The feat of George Owen. Jr. was about
as spectacular as anything that has hap
pened for the entire season. II was not
chance, that fifty-seven yard run. 1t
was magnificent individual effort. a
real inspiration. 1t was that run that
brought the Harvard team back strong
and confident for the second half. where
the Yale team seemed to wilt. They
played with confidence and certainty
once they were shot into the lead.
To non-expert like myself II would
seem that confidence is the best sort OF
food to feed n football team Bill Roper
fed his Princeton team on 1t. and that
Princeton team did not lose a game
during the season. II was a rather bold
stroke for Roper to say in the presence
of his football team. 81 expect this
team TO win every game on its sched-
ule."
Confidence Good Stimulant.
Old line coaches would not take that
chance, yet IL seemed to me good ap-
piled psychology. Il is the sort OF psy-
chology that William J. Burns used
when he started after the graft ring in
San Francisco. The old school detec-
tive worked with gum shoes and silence.
Burns. arriving in San Francisco, an
that he had come 10 put the
grafters in Jail and that he had all the
evidence TO do it. He had little evil
dence. but his declaration caused such
a panic that evidence came to him
quickly. Similarly IL seems good psy-
chologv 10 announce in stentorian tones
that the team surely will win. Conf
dence ought 20 be. and is, a good stimu-
liant. The Princeton team was confident
ard won all It's games against the pre-
dictions of all experts. The trouble is
that few coaches like 60 burn their
alihis behind them OH the eve OF a good
game.
or the "Big Three" Princeton GER
tainiy has had the happiest yesr Start
ing the season with very lugubrious
football outlook the Princetonians de-
veloped football team which Is better
than any expert has been willing 20
admit. IF il is any consolation to the
Yale and Harvard men I will give It
as my opinion that they were beaten
by avery good football team. In some
ways il might not seem a coIorfui or
flashy team. but ii certainly attained
all OF its objectives for the season.
This team was developed after the
strict application OF the eligibility rules
at Princeton deprived the team OF It's
stars. Which increases the amount OF
Crt0lt t1Hl II 0ue Dill roper anu tllc
young men who made this team real
championship team.
with some satisfaction your corre-
spondent while in New Haven has seen
that the good old custom OF observing
the night before the game has not en-
tirely died out. Your correspondent was
taking his usual nightcap OF black
coffee In a Greek cafe of New Haven
when the place was invaded by young
men wearing Harvard feathers In their
hats. Two OF them walked from table
10 table rcciting with grea. gravity
1.-The Declaration of Independence" In
duet Shortly afterward Yale man
of tho vintage of 'T entered with a
roll OF bills. He suspected everybody
in the cafe of being a Harvard man
and besourht everybody to bet. IT was
iust mild suggestion OF the good old
days. oh. well. the undergraduates
must be undergraduates and tho old
L. xriIf he ola grads