The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-03
TALKING IT OVER

BECAUSE the temper of the
ID times generally pointed in the
direction of experimentation ano
what some one has called new
deal, it was believed that Yale would
forsake its poetic fetish for graduate
coaches and remodel its staff along
lines more modern than misty.
This belief was strengthened by
the fact that two of Yales ancient
enemies, Dartmouth and Princeton
had jettisoned the graduate policy
for head coaches of demonstrated
ability, and apparently with nc
great loss of social prestige or
spiritual strength.
But the spirit of change finds no
welcome in the clustered silences
of New Haven. What was good
enough for Yale in the COS is still
good enough for Yale, where the
old guards neither die nor sur
render. To say nothing Of the old
tackles and the old backs.
The 1884 team, facing one of the
strongest schedules in the east, will
take the field under the guidance OF
very extraordinary coaching staff
extraordinary by reason of its di-
versity of thought, training and
background.
VOU may have read that Mr.
l. Ducky Pond is to be the head
coach. Mr.. Pond is a Yale man
stepped in Yale tradition and tech
nique. Mr.. Pond will be assisted
by Greasy Neale of West Virginia
Denny Myers of Iowa and Ivan Will
hanson of Michigan.
If the thought was to assemble
a cross-section of coaching systems
there can be little question that it
has been achieved. Such combin-
alton employing individual tactics
should be productive Of interesting
results. Theoretically, of course, the
individuals are to be merged into a
single unit. And perhaps that is
not impossible.
So far as any one can predict to
the contrary, Mr.. Pond and his
strange assistants may prove to be
just what Yale football needs, but
the odds are not high in their
favor. Yale football has become
so badly disorganized and chaotic
that the situation seemed to call
for a complete turnover in policy.
Now that the die has been cast,
as President Angel, in a gay mood
might put it, there is nothing to do
but shake Mr.. Pond and his CO.
workers by the hand and wish them
luck. There is every indication that
they will need it, as well as the
young men who go out to take the
punishment.
IRON the beginning my interest
Il in a new Yale set-up has beer
based mainly on the proper prepar-
alton of the players 1t has seemed
to me that this should always be the
chief consideration. Football is E
strenuous game and it can not be
played either with safety or pleasure
unless the players are we'll coached
The safety and pleasure Of the
players ought to be much more i'm
portant than traditions of dubious
value, and academic fears that any
move to modernize and strengthen
the staff might create a feeling that
the university has suddenly gone
immoral and commercial.
Any player will tell you there is
very little fun in taking pounding
and losing games week after week
And since the player makes the
spectacle and is the chief medium
through which the gate receipts are
gathered, repeat he should be en-
titled to every consideration.
Still, who knows? Mr.. Pond ano
his hired hands may work out al
right. a great deal will depend, ]
believe, on how much leeway is
given Neale, oldest of the staff and
a previously demonstrated success as
a coach. If the regime is to be
forced to function in the same con-
fused channels that marked the
work of Nal Stevens and Reggie
Root it will be just too bad.