Evening star., 1939-12-27

Press Box
Jealous Trojan Bockers
Frighten Vol Fan y,
BY JOHN LARDNER.
Special Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, Dec 27 (N.A.N.A).-
Every once in a while a tWinge OF
doubt strikes your operative around
the base of the left ear. in con-
temptation of the forthcoming Rose
Bowl football game between Tennes-
see and Southern California.
These Californians seem very GER
tain that they have something there.
It gives me pause. When I plunk a
United States Treasury certificate
good for 81 upon the table. you
should see the fury with which the
California wolves fight to cover it.
I distrust their speed on the draw.
Their relish intimidates me. Their
zeal for betting against Tennessee
fills me with apprehension. ex-
perience a what-do-you-call-it-a
qualm.
On the face of it. Tennessee has
q mortal lock on this ball game.
She will pit good, strong, deep.
tough, alert and spirited squad
against herd which undoubtedly is
the most powerful physically in the
country. but which has shown an
occasional tendency to stall in mo-
ton. to employ the wrong strategy
and to get ratified
Dangerous to Trifle
With Tennessee
If the last two football seasons
has proved anything it's the fact
that to make mistake against
Tennesse is suicidal.
This is not a case of the good big
fellow and the good little fellow, IN
which, traditionally, all else being
even, the good big fellow is supposed
to win. Tennessee is good and big,
too. Her backs are on the pony
side, but Lansdell SCHNEIDER and
Nave OF U. S. c. are no Titans either.
Up front, where the real ball game
is played, Tennessee's lines yield to
none in speed and power.
1t was line play, defensive line
play-plus fine pass defense in
the secondary zone-that accounted
for the brilliance of the Tennessee
record in 1899. Admittedly the VOL
unteer offense is not one of those
machines that march up and down
the field eating up yards. Maj. Ney-
lands team lays for break or two
In enemy territory-a tumble, a
blocked punt, kicking margin.
perhaps with the wind. which will
put the ball down there.
Once it's down there. 80 or 40
yards from home. the Vols lose no
time in scoring. Then they protect
that score, but not by sitting on it.
They go on forcing the action, and
If they can get another break they
score again.
keyIond's Team PIoys
Like Pro Outfit
These breaks" are made, not
born. The savagery of the tackling
brings fumbles from the enemy ball
carriers. No team in the country
is better drilled in tackling-mass
tackling. Three or four men bring
the ball carrier down on nearly
every play.
The Tennessee blocking, down.
field and in the line, is hard and
accurate. The ends can smother
the best of passers. the guard play
Is matchless and the backs can
move the ball More than anything
else, the team has a businesslike
attitude which precludes overconfi-
dence or carelessness Neyland's
club plays ball like professional
club.
With all these thoughts in mind,
your agent has been going around
wagering on the Southerners with
an easy bonhomie which now begins
to strike me as touch on the reck-
less side. The Southern California
hackers scoop 1t right up. And they
ask for more. Suspicious is how it
looks to me.
Another Test PIonned
To Check on U. S. {.
Do they figure the climate is
going to hurt Tennessee? It never
bothered Alabama.
Do they figure the Vols are over
confident? They amt.
Do they anticipate an epidemic
of cattle disease or a scourge of
bolts which will strike down War
rem. Foxx, Butler, Suffridge and
Molinski where they stand? Do
they think Tennessee can't get along
without George bad Knee" Cafego?
1t is all most perplexing.
I will make one final test. I will
take one more dollar out of my
teeming wallet and lay it quietly
upon one more mahogany bar within
smiling distance of one more Cali
fornian. If the fellow gives gal
vanic twitch and leaps forward with
degraded alacrity to fade the bet I
will cancel all further operations in
this direction.
In fact. I may even hedge bit.
But I still can't figure what these
Trojan supporters have in their
hand. It looks like fours and deuces
to me.
Pointer-Cooch Zuppke