“Similes,” replied Ted, “are like practical jokes. They can be carried too far. It’s this way about individual stunts on the football field. Every fellow deserves a certain amount of credit for what the one member of the team perfects, just how much depending on how close to the play he was. That’s understood. But they don’t all take off their head guards and bow when the stand cheers the hero.”
“But why don’t they? They have a right to.”
“Because—well, I suppose it’s because they recognize the fact that, no matter how much they helped, individually and collectively, it was Mr. Hero who brought home the bacon. No fellow, Bert, can pull off a big stunt in a football game unaided, but, oh, boy, he can sure do himself proud if he makes good use of what help he gets and knows what to do when the interference peters out! Some backs don’t know how to use their interference, Bert. You’ll see everything set for a big act, and then the runner takes it into his head to break away from interference, or he gets ahead of it or drops too far behind it, and, bingo, some one slips in and nabs him! And there are lots of good backs who can deliver the goods just as long as they can keep their heads down and butt and push and fight. Let them get free, though, with a safety man ahead and a few fellows coming along behind and they don’t know where they’re at. And only one back in ten ever turns out to be a good broken-field runner, Bert. When he does he’s usually a wonder. Either a fellow is poor at it or he’s mighty good. So, after you give every fellow on the team his rightful share of credit, the fellow who pulls off the fine long run deserves all the cheering he gets. And that’s why you can rest easy about the other chaps laughing in their sleeves at you, Bert. They just aren’t doing it!”
“Well,” muttered Bert doubtfully. “Anyhow what I did yesterday wasn’t worth all the fuss that was made. Why, hang it, a baby could have made that goal line! There wasn’t a soul in the way!”
“Well, why wasn’t there? If you hadn’t slipped around Tyron and then cut over the end you’d have been stopped for sure. I saw you do that, old chap, and do it yourself with no help from any one else. And how about that Mt. Millard quarter? You had to get by him, didn’t you?”
“Sure, but he didn’t bother me any.”
“Of course he didn’t,” laughed Ted, “because instead of heading for the goal you swung to the right first and made him think you were making for the other side and then swung back to the left and beat him to the corner.”
“Did I?” asked Bert. “I don’t remember doing that!”
“Maybe so, but that’s what you did. You held that safety man just long enough on the wrong slant to queer his act. Of course it was the fact that you were faster than he was that won for you, but you fooled him besides. I tried to work over to get him but I couldn’t make it. Anyway, you didn’t need me.”
“I wish I had more weight, Ted,” said Bert thoughtfully.