The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-19
TALKING
IT OVER
BIZ JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Oct. l9.-Like the
IN l5-cent business mems lunch,
the field goal has come back. May
be not all the way, but far enough
to stand out fairly prominently in
the early season statistics.
Major John McEwan rushed out
drop kick specialist to score a
field goal for the winning points
in the last quarter Of the game
against Detroit university Saturday.
The Kick saved Holy Cross from a
rs defeat.
With held goal in It's second game Of the
season, Juniata college beat Gettysburg
IN similar fashion~and by the most unique
score OF the season, AZ. II must have
battle
Captain Bin Jones. who left West Point
70 coach Louisiana State has seen more
held goals since the season started than
any other coach in the country. To begin
with. Texas Christian tied him 3-3. That
meant field goal apiece. And then Rice
university came along and knocked him
on ly.s held goal being the margin OF
They seem to look with high favor upon
the field goal IN the south. The only
points Sewanee scored against South Caro-
Ina came through kick from the field.
Similarity Alabama would have been
BANKED by Tennessee. but for the three
points It picked up on kick.
Sun, even with the increased activity in
the kicking department, the records show
the usual NUMBER OF tie games and the
usual number Of games lost because one
team failed TO make the point after touch
down. This reVives the annual soap box
debate; What good is the point after
1 have worn out three toupees banging
my skull against stone wall arguing the
affirmative lin odd-years) and the mega
live lin even years. on this subject and
do not plan to be lured into any further
controversies until the country gives us
back beer. We could use a good rs cent
golfhall. too.
NXTHAT mystifies me (and I am
Is w told secretary of state Slim
son also Is puzzled about it, is why
coaches will spend hour after hour
on touchdown plays and give only
scant attention to the perfection of
a point scoring kick, whether it be
for the extra point or for the field
goal total of three.
AS long as the rule is in the book, and
apparently 1t is going to be there a great
number OF years, it seems to me that the
coaches err in not placing higher pre-
score touchdowns and still lose because
you can't score the extra point what,
ask, do you gain, besides pain in the
st. Marys and California each scored
I Two tt9puchdowns and yet neither could
score even one extra point. Tulane and
Vanderbilt met in the big game of the
south over the weekend. Each scored a
point Result 6-6 stand off.
There are some who hold that a stand off
In such circumstances where the two
wi NJ hall -.
fair conclusion. Possibly so. There is one
OF the age-old contentious the anti-extra
pointers always make. But the teams
nourishment for either team in a tie,
except where the tie is undeseryed, and
defeat is thus averted.
am pretty sure the customers don't
want ties, either. They don't in any other
sport and football probably is no excep-
part the try for point is pretty dull stuff,
divorced as ii is from the general sweep
and movement OF the game But there
are times when 1t can be highly dramatic.
u n
THERE was, for example, the
a drop kick that Chuck Broshous
made to put the Army out in front
13 to IL in the third quarter of the
game with Pittsburgh Saturday.
That was drama because a fighting
Army team had come from behind
in game in which it was not be-
lieved to have chance to win, and
at that particular moment the fate
of the whole game, of both teams,
seemed to repose in the sturdy toes
Of this young cadet.
1t was a quiet. contemplative quality Of
drama distinguished from the flaming
fevers of the long run and the long pass
But by any standard. 1t was excitement of
the sort that left the nerves frayed and
1umpy.
The realists may be disposed to ask:
: rWhy should the result of a whole game
be permitted to hinge upon a. single plaay?,
play is accepted as an integral part of
the game don't you think that the
coaches are neglgent. in not devoting much
more attention to 1t?
Particularly in view of the fact that It
can very easily cost their squads ball
( game as it already has done this season
manv times.