The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-28

the DOPE

By vEDD Err GARD

L1Ou.
Griffith has some high-powered
ammunition and Is likely to let
loose a barrage that will ami
hilate the one who has the to-
merity or foolhardiness to take
issue with the major.
The Western Conference is for
tunate in having such a man at
the head of affairs. From the
lecture platform his rapier thrusts
and cold, clear logic form a com
bination that Is most convincing.
He says that the present dis
cussi0n i'm press and. On the cor
q centers largely around four
points. They are:
I'll Has football become too
popular?
~ Is athletic interest an
tagOnistic to scholastic interest?
. 81 II an amateur sport Is
conducted at a profit does this
necessarily NEAR that the sport
has become professionalism?
AZ Are the present amateur
rules satisfactory?
Griffith admits that the debate
on athletics probably will be con
tinued indefinitely until III
agreement is reached regarding
life purposes. the function If the
college and the detectives Of ath-
letics.
But he has some mighty good
answers for the above questions
that we will summarize.
ANSWER NO. 1
Regarding whether football has
become too popular Griffith states
that the game has improved wor
derfully since the old days because
of uniform eligibility rules. The
playing regulations also have been
changed, vastly improving the
game for players and spectators.
Naturally the grid sport has
Increased in popularity with stu
dents, alumni and general public
ms judged by attendance figures.
Did the students and others
make better use Of their leisure
time before the days Of modern
football than they do Ow when
they attend the games?
ANSWER NO
Is athletic interest antagonistic
to scholastic interest? Greece led
the world in intellectual pursuits
at the same time that she led
in athletic activities. Is the United
States and Great Britain contrib
buting as much along intellectual
lines as such non-athletic nations
as China, Russia, France or
Spain?
If it is true that in the COL
leges the tail ways the dog an
other question is presented as to
whether we would help the dog
by cutting off its tail or whether
something constructive should
be done for the animal.
ANSWER NO. 8
Griffith doesn't believe that be-
cause possibly some $40, 200, 900
was cleared by colleges last fall on
football that the game has be-
come professionalism. All of this
money will be used to promote a
larger program In athletics and
physical education for the millions
of boys and girls in educational in
situations. Fully 80 per cent of the
organized amateur athletics In the
United States have been promoted
by schools.
If the practice of making
money from amateur athletics
and Of using the profits to pro-
mote more athletics is to be con-
demned, then some means should
be devised for financing the
school and college physical ed
ucation work.
ANSWER NO. A
Are the present amateur rules
satisfactory? The National
Amateur Athletic Federation.
which is composed of a num-
Der of national organizations,
will consider at it's annual meet
ing on Tuesday the ACCESSIBILITY
Of adopting the principle that
boys under 16 can hardly be
considered as professionals, and
will further propose that each
organization that belongs to
the federation shall assume the
responsibility Of passing on the
amateur status of, the boys and
young men who come under
their jurisdiction.
Most Of the difficult amateur
questions relate tt border line
cases. The above proposals, if
favorably acted upon, may do
away with some of the diff
cuIties in the administration of
amateur law.
Now don't become confused.
We have been telling you Major
Griffith's ideas. We may not
agree with the Big Ten boss who
has become a power in amateur
athletics-you may not agree
with him on some things--but
You must admit he's right most
Of the time. And when he's
wrong he can convince you he's
right. What he wants in those
New York meetings he is very
likely to get.
Just how high did you have your
bedroom window raised the last
two nights?
~%1ETTER hurry up and play
* Notre Dame in basketball.
- The club may be stronger
than ever shortly. Reports drift