Evening star., 1961-01-19
WIN, LOSE OR
DKAW By FRANCIS s1AAN
Gloom on G Street

Gloom on q Street
ONE OF MANY rate George Washington alumni
asks: What good is contract between college and
football coach? What do they do with those pieces of
paper wrap small sandwiches in them?"
He and his brethren bleeding from the heart
because Bill Elias left to his character building
at the University Of Virginia Makes feel like farm
club" they complain. I'VE gave the guy his chance
watched him make good, and now he's flown the COOP"
GNU officials taking the loss with dignity and
graciousnesS Wen just have to find another coach"
Athletic Director Bob Faris says Maybe we'll be lucky
again. But, says here, they don't have to like it,
One report is that Elias contract at GWU only called
for one year. with option Of coaching for two
seasons. Vice Admiral Oswald Colcough USN (retred
acting president of GWU faty states Mr. Elias appoint
ment was for three years No option was involved"
VRGINIAS president DR.. Edgar F. Shannon, jr.
requested and received permission from Admiral Cocough
to talk with Elias whose 5-3-1 record won him acclaim
as the Southern Conferences coach of the This
the least college president owed another in matter
Of this kind.
"When we took Elias under consideration" Faris says
I'VE called Purdue and asked for permission to make him
offer OF it's little different in the Of
assistant coach Most schools cooperative when
| an assistant has a chance to move up"
"why do colleges bother with contracts?" Faris
was asked.
That's the $4,000 question" he replied after
tous pause II guess most coaches feel they need
ract-only here at CIV call it appointment
Of pressures At schools alumni pressure pretty
severe But on the whole contract with football coach
ds pretty one sided"
THE JURY is OUT on Elias, obscure player at
Maryland who defensive backfield coach at Purdue
when he picked by George Washington to be head
man. Some feel that Bill father OF three, was entirely
justified in seeking job that meant salary plus
stadium in which to play and practice plus faster league
in which to display his creations
His critics. however feel that Elias owed the downtown
school debt and that he should have finished his three
appointment especially since he specifically asked for
term of that length
Normally don't give long-term appointments" I"
Fars says Bo Sherman for example appointed from
year to year. We wouldn't have given Elias longer
appointment but did give what he asked fora three
year agreement
However suppose Bill had to look at it from the
standpoint of promotion Well, the world won't to
end because he's gone although I'll admit should
have stayed in bed all day Tuesday First we lost our
coach and that night lost basketball game to vN1
GEORGE WASHINGTON will continue to field varsity
football teams and Faris says the CoonalS looking
forward to moving into the D. c. Stadium.
There's in taking negative attitude" GW's
top athletic insists. We'll get another coach. No.
we've given thought to abandoning football At
least never have Football very much part OF under
graduate life"
What's likely to hurt George Washington much as
anything is the loss of full year of recruiting. The
scramble for talent is and Elias who had pointed
out that he had quite pack of bird dogs" directed
GWs program.
Not Bills severest critics think he will point any
of his new material toward Charlottesville but they don't
rule out the possibility of Of the boys following Elias
their own.
: MANY HEART also has bled for Virginia these last
eight years. when the Cavaliers toaled only IL wins against
IS losses and tie The last three years have been par
ticulary brutal on Virginia loser of % straight and
non-wnner since Art Guepe moved to Vanderbilt after
the 1852 season.
Since Guepe, the Cavaliers have been coached witt
no distinction aside from the obviously dubious, by Nee
Mcdonald Ben Martin and Dick Vos the latter paid Of
for this after allegedy admitting that his owr
recruiting program had aground Washington full
of pro-Vrginians, who include even alumni of GWU.
II sympathize with Virginia" mourner puts 1t
"but why take man? We developed him. What have
those people been doing for themselves all this time?