The Washington times., 1924-12-15

Mr. Camp is quoted--we trust ac-
curately-as saying that football
teams on the Pacific coast pay too
much attention to the stunts put
on before the game and during the
intermission. and too little toethe at,
tack during the game.
Laugh that one off!
AS III football teams had anything
to do with stunts in the roofing sec.
tons Why. the athletes never even
see them! They're in the dressing
rooms between halves listening to
matters of far more import than
the cheers Of the partisans.
Let us hope, for the sake of MIR.
Camps ancient and honorable rep
ItatiOn, that his meaning what
ever 1t may have beerl-was twist
ed In transit to the Pacific coast.
Mr. Camp made this statement
before gathering Of Western Con-
ference football officials IN Chicago.
One can but. wonder IL Doctor John
WIlce, of Ohio State, were present,
and If So, what his reaction thereto
must have been.
Pacific coast teams pay too little
attention to attack during the game,
do they? And show decided weak
ness in the defense against forward
pass formations?
Can one imagine Doctor Wilce re.
plying imagine only, mind you--to
this general effect:
my dear Mr.. Camp. + can only
take you at your word,
but, speaking from personal ex7
perfence, can but wonder at your
unequivocal statement.
when took my Ohio State
team to Pasadena, just four years
ago this month, / was much of the
same mind you are now. / did not
think that California knew much
about the forward pass, and / had
been told by numerous and sundry
that my team did.
You may not recall, Mr.. Camp
| but / do, and stiIl painfully-tfat
my great forward passing team
was 'decisiveIy licked by the Cali
Ornia team by . score of rs to 0,
and that the forward passing
game Of Ohio State was broken 7
mp and nullified by a superior
pass. Offense developed by Cali
fOrnia.
III what you, say is true, then
what a great change has come
about In Pacific coast football
within the past four years.
When the Dean of Football
Critics graces an intercollegiate
contest he maintains an attitude of
strict neutrality, even to changing
sides at half time-just like the
President Of these United States at
the Army-Navy game.
This attitude of strict neutrality
is pleasing, but bewildering.
Out on the coast. where he was
interviewed copiously, Mr.. Camp
had stock reply to the effect that
coast football differed in no mate
rial aspect from the best exposi.
tions of the game in the East.
Coming from ia resident Of New
Haven, Conn, this was praise, in
deed. But Mr.. Camp did not stop
there. He usually had lot more
nice things to say.
Arriving in rival zone Of in.
fluence, Mr.. Camp became strictly
neutral again. Il Having seen the
Stanford California game, which is
nationally famous for elaborate root
ing stunts, he Judges coast foot.
ball accordingly, arguing from the
particular to the general. Seeing
= an inexperienced backfield In diff
ficulty in the marder of defending
against brilliant stanford passes,
again he argues from the particular
to the general and informs the
waiting world that Pacific coast
football coaches do not know how
to build ia defense against the for
ward pass: ~
If that's the Deans" opinion
fair enough; theoretically, this is
Q country of free opinion. But
Wthv mt AxnrasS n ont ON the