Soaking up the Bennies

There's a corner of the visitors' locker room at Brown which John Yovicsin will never forget. After the Brown game two years ago, he sat there and stared at the floor while trying to comprehend a 24-17 loss to Brown. And Saturday morning Joe Kironski will mop down the same corner for Joe Restic.

Of course, Restic may not need that corner. After all, Harvard may win. But Harvard alumni in Providence just aren't laying their money down the way they used to. They remember that Brown was winless in the Ivy League when it dumped the Crimson two years ago, and the fact that the consistent Bruins are 0-5 again this year offers little encouragement.

The question is, How will Harvard give the game to Brown this weekend? Another question is; After Harvard gives Brown the game, will the Bruins give it back? Last year in Cambridge the Bruins were marching towards the tying touchdown with a minute left courtesy of Crimson fumbles when Brown fumbled it back, 20 yards from the goal line.

This fall Harvard's theory of philanthropy is based on the timely interception. Through the first four games, the Crimson tossed away an average of only two interceptions, but since then interceptions have been more frequent and more catastrophic. Eric Crone made his way into the Princeton game and fired his only two completions to Princeton defenders.

This strategy may backfire Saturday, though. Whoever plays quarterback is likely to throw the ball into the hands of Brown defensive backs only to have them drop the ball. That's the way they play football down there. Brown athletes have always been much better with their feet.

It just may be this traditional Brown ineptness that saves the Crimson from further humiliation this year. And pride, P-R-I-D-E. We can never forget pride. If the Crimson drops this game to Brown, there will be no winning season for Harvard, and it will give the Crimson a mathematical shot at last place.

Or will the Crimson win it for Joe? Joe, who spent three years coaching in Brown Stadium. Joe, who has a wife and three kids and friends in Providence. Or, on this Homecoming Weekend, will Joe Restic seek out that quiet corner in the locker room after it's all over and ask, "Why?"

If Restic finds himself staking out that same block of concrete, he will wonder about Frank Ryan, Babe Parilli, Willie Davis, and Ralph Jelic and why they couldn't be coaching Harvard and looking at the floor. He will wonder why Yovicsin couldn't be coaching another year while he (Restic) handled physical education. How much easier it is to worry about bowling shoes that don't fit and badminton rackets with broken strings.