FOOTBALL REFLECTIONS.

In summing up the situation at the end of the football season we find an item which appears as regularly as we are defeated. We know that it offends all undergraduates who have though seriously on the football question--and that is a very inclusive category; we believe that it receives little sympathy from graduates. This item is the wholesale and unfriendly criticism of the Harvard coaches, appearing in newspapers the day after the game, and written as a rule by old players whose right to criticise history does not entirely justify. Doubtless only a deep interest in our team could spur industry into writing so many columns. But at best, comments to appear on Sunday morning must obviously be written under the stress of a defeat on Saturday. Ill-considered, destructive criticism in public prints, besides shocking our sense of loyalty due men who have done their best for us, has not brought us any nearer to victory.

Recent football seasons.--especially the one just past--have shown us that we do not lack men with enough sand and skill to deserve to be on winning teams. What we do lack each year is the benefit of the past year's experience. Football coaches are no different from other men in their failure to profit by the experience which others, have had. In order to gain a fund of practical coaching experience and football knowledge which can put our teams into the running again, we must have at the head of our football one man whose circumstances and interest allow him to be a permanent head or advisory coach.

With such a man each season can be the starting point for the next, the training of Freshman teams can be fitted into the University coaching system, individual coaching on technical matters can be co-ordinated. Without such a man we small go on trying to make a new system with each new team, and we shall go on being defeated through lack of knowledge of the game.