Evening star., 1938-12-20
Good in Grid Sport
Hit by Rich Offers
To 5thoo|boys
Schedules Deliberately
Made as Coinmukers
Also Deemed Evils
BY GRANTLAND RICE,
Special Correspondent of The Star,

Special Correspondent Of The Star.
LOS ANGELES. Dec. 2O.-"1
would like to ask you a serious and
also an important question about
football" writes one of the many
sideliners. Il happened to be in
New York when young Dave O,Brien
of T. c. U. got reception that
would have startled the President.
Don't you think this is carrying
college sport too far? Don't you
think it is bad for the boy, in the
long run? Maybe not for Dave
OBrien, but for most of them?
II never before have seen so much
adulation heaped on football stars
as this season has shown. News
paper headlines-radio-motion pic
tures-Nation-wid publicity thrown
out to millions and millions. I love
football. But I can't see that just
because a strong young fellow can
run, pass, block or kick makes him
more important than a better stu
dent or some other young fellow who
is-planning career apart from any
thing connected with big time sport
ing competition"
This is an old discussion, brought
through the big year of 1898 up to
the boiling point. It is something
you can't answer by a straight yes
or no. There are too many angles.
Evil, Good in Game Today.
Speaking in terms of the player
only, college football has two sides
to consider. What are its bad sides?
l. Thousands of high school boys
proselyted, offered financial induce
ments, secuted like potential major
league stars in baseball-knowing
all this is against any amateur
rule.
2. Too many schedules arranged
for money-making purposes. These
schedules too often are more than
many squads with limited material
can hope to face. AS a result many
coaches are forced to play tired, even
injured players, against fresh waves.
This can't be any too good for the
normal human system.
3. Undoubtedly may young foot
ball players get an exaggerated
idea of their place in the world,
especially so far as making living
is concerned. Professional football
now has taken the place of the
old bond business. which hasn't
been any too sultry the last few
years. But there are even a greater
number who are not affected along
these lines.
What are its better sides?
l. Discipline. one of the most
important of all factors where youth
is concerned.
2. First-class physical training,
when not overdone.
3. It should teach keener spirit
and greater self-reliance.
Goes Back to Player.
The final answer goes back to the
player. Take the case Of pro foot
ball. From the hundreds who move
from the college game into the
pro game many use the cash they
collect to finish some professional
study or prepare for some future
trade or business Others are only
looking for the cash and the thrill
OF the game. These are the ones
who suddenly come to the end of
their playing days with no business
or professional training along any
line.
I've seen too many around % or
80 looking for jobs, minus any form
Of business experience. Pro foot
ball can help the former group
not the latter. Their inheritance
largely is a bad shoulder or an
injured knee.
Not every football star jumps into
the pro game. I could name you
long list that went to work at some
job with a healthier and saner
future-Pug Lund Of Minnesota,
Frank Souchak of Pittsburgh, Keith
Topping of Stanford, Clint Frank
of Yale, a long list to number them
all.
Football has been a big help to
men OF THIS type, VINO WILL nave q
big jump on many others, so far as
the future is concerned.
Competition Too Keen.
One factor that college football
must watch is the tremendous
amount of scouting and proselyting
now going on in the dizzy search for
new talent.
To be approached on all sides with
offers and inducements is not so
healthy for high school and prep
stars between the ages of 16 and 49,.
Many of these have inflated ideas of
their ranking in the world before
they are even freshmen.
Yet those colleges and universities
which make no attempts along these
lines today have little chance to get
anywhere in the big autumn scram-
BILE.
Most of this scout work is handled
by alumni groups who know how hot
the competition IS today. One we'll
known college president told me that
he was against giving out any foot
ball scholarships, but he was forced
to do so in order to have anything
even resembling q team.