Evening star., 1927-10-20
BY III. c. BYRD.

BY III. c. BYRD.
Georgetown and West Virginia
should put UP the best game in the
South Atlantic section Saturday and
possibly one of the best in the East.
While other contests will attract
greater attention, that between Yale
and the Army, for instance, the one
here may produce even better foot
bail.
Lafayette has generally been regard
ed as one of the strongest elevens in
the country, and just about as good
as any in actual gridiron play, yet
West Virginia was strong enough to
battle it to a tie last week, Z to Z.
While Georgetown lost to Syracuse
and did not make as good showing
as West Virginia, it is likely that the
strength Of Syracuse was completely
undereStimated by those who watched
1t play and predicted a Georgetown
victory. 1t has happened often before
that teams deliberately withhold show.
ing their real strength in their early
contests and then later in their first
big games burst forth with what seems
to be amazing results. Princeton is
one of the greatest teams in the coun-
try for this, and it undoubtedly is a
part of Bill Roper's scheme Of de-
Whether or not this is true of Syra-
cuse this year remains to be seen, but
II it is, then Georgetown is much
stronger than it's defeat at the hands
of Syracuse would seem TO indicate
At any rate, Georgetown is not a set
up for anybody and should put up a
good game against the Mountaineers
Georgetown spirit and determination
in such a contest ought to so long
way. Even if West Virginia is strong
er than Georgetown, the game will be
bitterly contested.
1t is to be regretted that Coach
Little found 1t necessary to disci-
pine some of his men on the eve
of a game of the Importance of this,
but in all probability the effects of
his action will be beneficial. Chances
are good that the men who take
the places of these disciplined play
ers will play just as we'll or better,
because of the spirit with which they
are likely to be imbued. Nine
chances out of ten a substitute who
takes a regulars place under such
conditions will be just as valuable
10 the team because, for one thing
the whole team will play harder and
more desperately to overcome what
1t considers a handicap. 1t is for
this reason that at the beginning or
important games coaches deliber-
,ately start several second string men
land leave their first -stringers on the
bench.
But no matter who Georgetown
starts against West Virginia, George
towns team may be depended on to
put up great fight. No one who
contemplates seeing the game need
worry about its being we'll worth the
xr,f1 l.
ton and demonstration of what con.
stitutes high-class gridiron effort.
whether Georgetown wins or loses.
OF course, local interest centers
lmainly in Georgetown and what
fGeorgetown may be able to accomplish
I'm game against team like West
Virginia, but great ma jority of the
general public goes to see a foot ball
game just because of interest in the
game, and only in a few contests that
have been played for dozens of years
Yale-aarvard, for instances the
crowd made up almost entirely of
intensely partisan elements. .. 49, =
Nobody can tell how good George
town is going to be nor how good
West Virginia is. Results of foot ball
games so far this season have proved
how utterly impossible it is for any,
body unfamiliar with the inside con.
dltlonS in institutions to give any,
thing other than the most random
conjecture as to possible outcomes. A
team that one week seems remarkably
strong may be weak the next because OF
some slip of a cog of which nobody
PUT the coach, and possibly not even
ne, knows. and the opposite may be
true IN that team that appears weak
..one saturday may be exceptionally
strong the following week because of
some definite action that only the
coach knows and which he does not
tell. -Ao'
anyway, whatever the make-un.
whatever the personnel of the teams.
the Georgetown-W West Virginia game
saturday ought to be we'll worth
seeing. Both elevens have in their
I1ine-ups experienced material and
both as units unquestionably are
strong. and whichever wins by a
touchdown or two, or even by three
touchdowns, the game itself will not
be made less interesting thereby, ex-
cept to the supporters of the eleven
on the short end of the count.
Coach Little has not yet announced
MS starting lineup for Georgetown
and it may be that the recalcttra nj
players who have been disciplined
Will find lenient coach If they show
the right spirit. This is not to be
construed as indicative Of any weak
kneed policy on the part OF Little, but
rather a reminder to the players
OF the possibility Of redeeming them
selves by a complete turnabout
in their attitude and a definite DEM
onstration of their willingness to
give TO the coach and to the team
and to Georgetown the best they have
to give.
1t really should be regretted that
George Washington is to play what
should be it's best home game at a