Evening star., 1939-08-30
The
SPORTLIGHT
Greatest Season Ever
For Football Looms
BY GRANTLAND RICE,

BY GRANTLAND RICE.
NEW YORK, Aug. 80 N.A.N.A).
Mo one has to be aged and de-
crepit to recall the time when foot
ball opened its campaign in october
and closed out the show around
Thanksgiving day.
It's all different now. Football
opens one of its main branches
in Chicago tonight before more than
10000 spectators when the National
All-Stars and the New York Giants
meet at Soldier Field and the final
gun won't be fired until next New
Years day in various bowls from
Los Angeles to Miami. Seven weeks
have been extended to four months,
which is quite a stretch.
After the Chicago affair the
Giants return to New York for a
shot at the All-Eastern stars in one
Of the most interesting football ex-
periments yet offered.
For the first time 10 members
from one university team, reinforced
by only one outsider, will face a
pro team to help settle an old argu-
ment involving the collegian and the
pro. The idea is to toss in 10
Panthers from Jock Sutherland's s
famous Pittsburgh team, aided and
abetted by Sid Luckman, for some
part of the evenings play.
Burning Orotary Big Part
Of Football Dish
The result will open up a flood
Of burning oratory, whatever it
might or might not prove. And
burning oratory is a big part Of
the football dish.
What will happen to footballs
new show for 1899?
My guess is that both the colleges
and the pro face their top year. as
far as nationwide interest, admis-
sions and team strength are con-
cerned.
Also, my guess is that six of the
best college teams will include Ten
nessee, Northwestern, Michigan,
Southern California, Fordham and
Carnegie Tech.
These won't be the only head
liners. All six may be beaten be-
fore December. But don't bet that
way. I doubt that Tennessee or
Fordham will fan before hostile
bayonets.
1T will be the same old story in
the Southwest around Texas"
Dutch Meyer of T. C. U. reports
Il mean by that that a dogight
from start to finish among j group
of strong teams, and no one now can
slip you the answer.
Hot Bottling Promised
In Southwest Circuit
We've lost Davey O'Brien, AID
rich and Hale, three of the best
football players I ever saw anywhere.
But we'll still be close to the front
when the last play is over. That
Texas circuit is hard one to lead.
T. c. u, S. M. U. and Rice all are
strong, but they will have plenty
to handle from Texas, Texas A. and
NJ, Baylor and the others. And
don't overlook Oklahoma, one of
the best teams that 1888 sent into
action"
Offering another guess, I'd say the
best material this season belongs
to Southern California and North
western-meaning quality and guam
tity-with Tennessee, Fordham and
Michigan close.
Howard Jones can inspect a squad
that runs at least three deep, which
is deep enough. Northwestern is in
about the same happy fix.
They only can play II at one
time" Yost used to say, but with
modern schedules you need a flock
OF reserves. Pittsburgh, with great
coach in Jock Sutherland and IL
stars, proved that last fall. Yale,
Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and
other ivy colleges have no such man
power. They could use members of
the third squad representing other
universities-andb be quite thankful
for the chance.
Cornell and Pennsylvania will be
two of the strongest members from
this group and you'll also hear more
about Brown, on her way up again.
High Gloss ToIent Pocks
Grid Coaching Ranks
There is no other sport that car
ries the high-class talent that foot
ball shows in her leading coaches.
Look over the list-Harlow at
Harvard, Pond and Neale at Yale,
Neyland at Tennessee, Wallace
Wade at Duke, Thomas at Alabama,
Morrison at Vanderbilt, Lou Little
at Columbia. Snavely at Cornell,
Blaik and Ellinger at Dartmouth,
Crowley at F'ordham, Layden at
Notre Dame, Meyer, Kerr, Dawson,
Stidham, Wieman, these and so
others who belong in the same
group.
There's a reason for this. A foot
ball coach loves his game and his
job. He eats, sleeps and lives foot
ball. To him through a football
season there is nothing else that
matters in any way. Nothing at all.
On a general average he gives out
more from whatever he has than
any profession in the world.
Picard, Nelson Among