Evening star., 1960-12-22
WIN, LOSE or
.HNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Two Years Ago, Two Doormots

FRANK CLIFFORD the erudtte photogenic halfback Of
the football Giants claims that the best team in the Ma
onal League won't be playing for the championship Mon
day in Philadelphia tive played against the Eagles and
Packers this year and neither up the Browns
in ability soundness poise and exposiveness"
Clifford, who also is a newspaper author writes.
Well that may be, but the Browns charged too late
and at Franklin Field it win be Green Bays ground attack
versus Phiadelphias aerial onense Individually it viii be
Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor versus Norm Van Brockn
and his two avorite pass receivers Pete Rezlaf and
Tommy Mcdonald.
When Mike Nixon bowed out as coach Of the Redskins
last Sunday he was in mood to talk Of his dismissal But
he spoke Of the II have to like Bay"
Mike said II don't think the Eagles line can stop Hornung
and Taylor Phiadelphias only hope to with
long passes"
THESE ARE TWO teams that went into the season
classified as dark horses Cinderella clubs almost Two
years the Packers then coached by Scooter Mclean
were the doormats of the NFLs Western Division with
record and the Eagles weren't much better in 1858
Vince lombard 47-year-old who used to be an as
stant with the Giants and Buck Shaw bowng out after
long career in both college and pro ranks undispuaby
are the TWO fahared coaches of the year In the NFL
Shaw ready retire couple of seasons ago but un
willing to quit loser lombard who spent five years as
offensive coach at West Point under Red Blak and
with the Giants has done the sort Of revamping Job
the smallest of all pro cities that should happen to the
.Redskins
Shaw built his ofense around Van Brockin, the "a
yearod quarterback who intends to wrap up his 2year
sharper Lombardis main foundation was Hornung the
ex-Notre Dame quarterback who moved to halfback
and posted an record for scoring with 176
points.
THERE'S BEEN LOT Of running help for the versa
tile Hornung who carries the ball. catches passes throws
ON occasions, kicks OF and handles the field goal and
extrapoint kicking too Most Of the aid has from
Taylor the thrdyear fuback from Louisiana State who
next to Jim Brown of Cleveland, the NILS leading
ground gamer with o1 yards for an average gain Of 4S
per carry.
No Philadelphia ball carrier comes close to Taylors
total nor to Hornungs 67 yards the ground BY the
same token Bart Starr IS not precisely Van Brockn at
passing Starr is good one but the Dutchman is some
thing special in his old age Nor have the Packers pass
receiver In class with Retzaf who latched on to 46
throws for S26 yards and five touchdowns
Shaw, who never has won pro title, admits that his
Eagles aren't good his San Francisco Forty Miners
team that finished half game from the top Of the West
ern Division in 1883 Green Bay has better and
better blocking admits the 61yearold ex-Notre Dame
tackle We've got to hope for dry field The better it is
the better we can operate Our passing far overshadows
our running"
-
s+ VAN BRoCKLIN like Taylor Of the Packers in run
ng DIDN'T quite lead the league in passing which is de-
ermned by percentage of compilations That distinction
went to Mt Plum Of the Browns who the most Inn
proved quarterback in the business possibly the best
mechanically.
But Van Brocklin had quite year for an old pappy
guy who no longer When the Dutchman has the
ball the enemy knows he's got to pass but Van Brockn
does this well that his 153 competitions in 24 attempts
rolled up 24 yards and "a touchdowns The only quarter
back to pass for yarage Johnny Unas Of the
Colts who had SO99 yards but who also threw "a more
times
No matter how the Eagles fare Monday they already
nave made poor prophet Of George Preston Marshall
who was quoted in part during address last August in
Glendale, Calf:
I'VE have better personnel than the Eagles We have
much better running backs than Philadelphia and think
our recevers better than Retza and Mcdonald
We have better offensive and defensive lines"
Too bad all that material didn't report to the Redskins