College Football Attracts Largest Crowds In U.S.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 13

College Football Attracts Largest Crowds In U.S.

ALTHOUGH basketball attracts " the largest total attendance of any sport in the United States, the biggest single gatherings are for college football The stadiums at the University of Michigan and Ohio Ste> University seat 101,000 and 82,6d0, respectively. Football is played in the pleasant autumn season from early

September to late November, and the general impression of a filled stadium is of' a mass of bright colours. Americans dress more colourfully at all seasons than New Zealanders, and because watching football is often a social occasion with flowers for the women and dining out' afterwards spectators often wear their very best clothes. The spectators are- much the same as Rugby enthusiasts in their behaviour, except that they seem less willing to applaud good moves by their visitors. Another difference is that few care to discuss the game afterwards—the result is the thing, and how the teams stand in the championship, and on the national ratings. Statistics Because of accuracy of the measurements made during each game and published later, many statistics are compiled—the best offensive teams, defensive teams, passing teams, average gains by kicking, best ball-carriers, and to on. The most careful analysts of

the play itself are four or more coaches of the team, whq spend much of Sunday studying complete films of Saturday’s game. On the basis of these, together with detailed reports by one of the staff who has "scouted” the next opponents in their last two games, the training programme for the week is planned. Success in the game depends more on each man doing well in his carefullydefined task, and less on sudden inspiration or keen backing-up, and it is therefore much more static and mechanical than Rugby,s In my view, Rugby could profit ~ aa a game by following American footbaß'in two important respects. The first is exercise before the game. Teams are dressed and out on the field one hour before the kick-off. (Incidentally the field is always well drained and is completely covered when rain threatens • to create mud before the game.) For about 20 minutes the. 30 or 40 players of each "squad” do physical exercises of various kinds, and then spend another 15 minutes practising different plays and getting thoroughly warm. They then disappear while the band and the cheerleaders Warm up the crowd. Few Injuries Considering the great amount of close physical contact which is an essential part of the game, and even allowing for the help of protective clothing worn, the injury rate in football games would be far below what it is in Rugby. f The strict control exercised in the game is the second important feature. “Pile-ups” are frequent, to be sure,-but a “pile-up” or a simple tackle in possession automatically. stops the game, and there are so many officials watching each with the authority to call the penalty, that there is almost no illegal play such as the punching that occurs-in Rugby. Further, the penalties for such personal fouls are so severe that the offending team virtually loses all chance of scoring unless the players defend desperately. In college football, enthusiasm is carefully organised, beginning with the “pep rally” on Friday night Here the players, all dressed in their best suits, are introduced to the crowd, the band

gets everyone singing “fight” songs, and the cheerleaders rehearse the organised cheers. Occasionally there is a bonfire into which is thrown an effigy representing the visitors —all with due ceremony. Before the game the four care-fully-selected cheerleaders and the 120-member band again work hard to arouse enthusiasm. “Old Glory” is ceremoniously raised to the accompaniment of the inspiring national anthem. There is more to be heard from the band later. The head referee introduces the captains out in the middle of the field. There are few vital decisions to be made on the field, arid so there are often two or even three “co-captains” for a team. Weather seldom influences the result, and it has been well said that the best captain is the one with good wide-angle vision so that he can see the coach’s signals. Spotters The coach really has the advantage of the captain during the game because he has two spotters who are seated in the press box high above the field, and who are equipped with binoculars and a direct telephone to the side-line. There are so many stops and starts during the game that one hour’s play takes two hours to complete. On the signal of the

head referee the electric clocks are switched on and off, recording minutes and seconds, 15 minutes for each quarter. There are stoppages for “time out,” huddles for the next play, incompleted forward passes, play going out of bounds, and measurements of prdgress when decisions are doubted. Score Board On the same board as the clock there is lighting to show which team has possession, which of the four “downs” is to be played next, how many yards there remain to be gained to retain possession, and at what point on the field the next play will begin. There are three such boards in most stadiums. A standing joke among football spectators is that even if the game is not very good, you can always depend on the band display at half-time. The bandsmen practice alinost as hard as the footballers, memorising the many intricate" designs they must form during their 10-minute appearance. Because the stadium is built up so high round the field, patterns are worked out which cannot be appreciated from lower than about 10 or 15 feet. For each game a new theme is chosen round which to organise a display. “Round the World in Eighty Days” was a godsend to college bend directors.

I This is the first of threearticles on American sport rpecially written for “The Press” by Dr. J. J. Smatl, Of Christchurch, who has just returned from the United States after spending two years at Ohio State sity as a Fulz bright scholar and. as a student teacher. Dr. .. Small was a member of the Canterbury team which won the Ramurly Shield from Wellington in 1953 and played in several other matches in defence of the shield before he left New Zealand.