THE game of foot-ball which was played be tween our college and Bucknell Saturday, November 7th, should go to teach a lesson to our home team of the poor policy of over con fidence. The series of victories which has re warded the good playing of our team has had a tendancy to make the players just slightly over c onfidant of their strength, and thus to cause them to be somewhat careless. However, we would not attribute the loss of the game to Bucknell, wholly, or in the greatest degree, to this cause. There were other elements that entered into the game that resulted so disastrously for our team, as to almost overshadow the first mentioned cause. In the first place, owing to the injury of Atherton, our regular full back, in an entirely too short a time previous to such an important game, a com plete change in the position of the men back of the line was found necessary. While the men filling these positions were strong, yet taking them from their old position, they had not sufficent time to become accustomed to their new ones or to work together as they should. Then again bad luck seemed to attend every effort on the part of the home team. Fumble after fumble was made. Men who had played perfectly in every other game of this season, and who had made records for especial ly fine playing were the ones, who for some unac countable reason made the most costly fumbles. It was acknowledged by every candid onlook er that our ' team was superior to their op ron en ts. This fact could be easily demonstrated if we would , follow out the details of the game. The first half was played most of the time in the op ponents territory and ended, in the score of 6 to o, in favor of our own team. The second half was play ed largely in the opponents territory. It was when the opposing team was forced to kick the ball on the third down that disaster fell upon our team. Then it was that our fumbles cost us so dearly. It was on these fumbles that the opponents got near our goal, And fumbles so dear as these for a few minutes seemed to demoralize our players and this THE FREE LANCE. was the time improved by the opposing team to make their touch downs. However, there is little good in moralizing over the game now, unless good may come from the suggestion given at the beginning. The game is lost, and with it goes many of the chances of winning the pennant. This should not dishearten us by any means. Buck nell has yet to meet some of the strongest teams in the League. If Franklin and Marshall plays the game she is capable of playing she will win over Bucknell. Dickinson also has a strong team this year, and in case Bucknell is defeated by either of these teams we will still have a fighting show for first place. Atroublesome amendment was that one which was made to the constitution of the Athletic Association a few years ago, which stated that "no more than two members of the foot-ball committee shall be players on the col lege team." At that time, before we had seen its workings, the amendment seemed advisable, since it prevented any persons who were foot-ball play ers, and on the committee, from placing themselves on the eleven. Many of the best mon in college for positions on that committee—men who have played the game for years, who understand its points perfectly, who know what man is playing his place well—are debarred from being put where their judgment would be of use, for the simple fact that they are on the First Team. This, however, is not the only objection to be raised. The commit tee is always selected some months previous to the opening of the season, at a time when no one knows for certain just who will fill places on the College Eleven. The season opens. In a few weeks it' is found that several members are needed as regular players and, as a result, they mustresign.. Resig nations of this sort, of men who have aided hith erto in the work of the committee, coming at a time when the game is in full blast, are bound to produce confusion. We have already in the past two years seen examples of , such an,
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