[CHAPTER XXIII]
WHAT HAPPENED “BLUE MONDAY”
“What we need,” said Payson, “is a forward pass that will work.”
It was shortly after eight o’clock and the scene was the coach’s sitting-room in the village. About the room were seated Colton, Loring, Capes, Dickenson, Hill and Dan of the First Team and Ridge of the Second. The Nordham game was three hours old, but Loring still looked as though he expected someone to play a trick on him any moment.
“The trouble with the passes we have,” said Colton, “is that, once started, they’re too evident, don’t you think so, sir?”
“Yes, I do. Or, anyhow, that’s so of the ‘one man’ pass. By the time left half has made his fake to the right and then turned back to the left again the other team is dead on to what’s up and, if they’re any good, can spoil it. Nordham proved that to-day.”
“From what I can make out, though,” said Loring, “Broadwood hasn’t nearly as brainy a team as Nordham, nor anywhere near as quick.”
“Probably not,” answered Payson, “but we can’t trust to her mistakes to win next Saturday. What I’d like to do is to get hold of a variation of the forward pass that could be counted on to fool the opponent and occasionally make good. I wish the fool play had never been invented, but it’s here and we’ve got to make the best of it. Now let’s talk the thing over. Wait a minute.”
He went to his board and laid out the blue and green disks.
“There now, there’s our [regular kick formation]. What do you fellows know about a forward pass that won’t advertise itself from the first?”