Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
Vols, Pressed to Go 'Bigtime,'
| Consider Evil of Grid Tail
Wogging Schools Dog
into the big time with banners flying

KNOXVILLE people IKE major league
football. 1t brings droves Of people
into the city on week ends to jam
the hotels and restaurants, free
spending throng that leaves behind
thousands of dollars.
Maj. Neyland is the ringmaster of
these week end circuses. and on his
shoulders rests the burden of salts
flying the public without letting the
university become an annex to the
stadium.
President James D. Hoskins and
Maj. Neyland have defended the So
called powder puff" schedules as
entirely adequate in providing en-
tertainment for the public and for
the physical welfare of the players.
But that has not satisfied the
critics, who vision Tennessee teams
on intersectional junkets, wing an
nually for the national champion
ship.
Much Is up to Neyland.
Much of the responsibility for
maintaining an even balance rests
on Mai. Neyland, who Is athletic
director as well as head football
coach.
Taking over a mediocre squad 10
years ago, when transferred here
from West Point for r. o. T. c. duty,
Neyland Immediately clicked as a
coach. In seven straight years his
teams lost only two games, while the
other five seasons were marred only
by tie games.
Last year he produced an unbeat-
en- and united team, to win the
Southeastern Conference champion
ship. and experts believe this years
outfit is even stronger.
He became so engrossed in coach
ing after the 1885 season he resigned
from the Army and signed a five
year contract with the university
at reported salary of $4,000.
After his great season last year
the university extended his contract
five years. with his salary report
eddy upped to $4,000.
Despite the growing popularity of
Neyland teams the university and
the Athletic Association did not
jump overheard to build huge bowl
to accommodate clamoring fans
With w. P. A aid the stadium was
enlarged to seat $4,000 people, a
modest arrangement compared to
"bigtime" Stadiums.
However, many Tennessee fans are
impatient at being unable to see
their favorite team play when q
major game jams the stands, leav-
ing thousands of applicants for
tickets disgruntled.
Neyland said after the Alabama
game, which Tennessee won, 21-O
that he believed $4,000 tickets could
have been sold had there been room
That means thousands of dollars
lost and jolt to the university
-too-fat Golfers.
Thus to large degree the public
has placed Neyland in the pre-
carious position of making his owr
job harder, situation that is no,
without precedent in modern foot
ball with its TREMENDOUS gate receipts
Should highlands team get the
Rose Bowl bid this year Tennessee
will be placed squarely in the center
of the national spotlight and it fol.
lows logically that fans will insist
that this prestige be upheld ir
future years-a bugaboo for thu
coach. For prestige can be main.
tanned only with winning teams.
A good many observers who have
watched the cautious major during
the last 10 years believe he car
step into the bigtirne with his vol.
unteers and still maintain an ever
balance.
Neyland Escapes Jealousy.
A tactful tactician, Neyland ha.
succeeded in getting full co-opera.
ton from university officials with
no outward trace of jealousy ovel
his growing prestige-or the fact
that his salary is considerably larger
than those of faculty members.
Some believe, also, that football
may act as a lever to shove thu
school into better financial posi-.
ton, since the State of Tennessee,
stands in the lower bracket of State!
in the amount of money expended
on education.
At any rate, Tennessee is in po
sition to cash in" on football i
policy of expansion is adopted.
So don't be surprised If Tennessee
Volunteers begin playing to hug
crowds in the East and North. tn
signs are pointing that way.