Crimson Psyched for Bruin Contest

Newspaper clippings of Brown's football exploits cover the bulletin board in the football locker room in Dillon Field House. Head shots of each of the Bruin players are mounted on a large white cardboard sheet with their names. Especially large letters are reserved for "BOB BATEMAN, QUARTERBACK." And less the Crimson forget, there are pictures of last week's loss to Princeton.

But there are no big, black words like "kill" inscribed on this board. That isn't necessary. It would only be "tacky."

The mood of the team at practice has been different from past weeks.

The usual horseing around has been conspicuously absent the last few days. Clearly the importance of today's battle with Brown has made its impression on each Harvard player.

Yes, Harvard is "up" for Brown.

"We've put more time into practice this week and taken it more seriously than any other week this year," senior safety Jon Judge said. "We know that this is the championship game," he said.

But how much does winning an Ivy title mean?

"When you put as much time into something as we have into football, linebacker Eric Kurzweil said, "you don't want to come out second best."

Judge added, "Winning the title may mean more to some than others, but everyone knows that it means a lot to the team, and for that reason they'll make that extra sacrifice again against Brown."

Brown Overrated

That Brown in particular is providing the opposition for the crown makes the game all the more significant to Harvard. Lately the Bruins have received more favorable publicity than any other team around, and the Crimson would like nothing better than to knock the Bruins off their pedestal.

"From the press they've gotten," said an irate Judge, "you'd think they had the best kickers, backfield, line--heck, the best 22 players in the league. Well, we think we have some good players too."

A confident Kurzweil rejoined, "We don't think they're all they're cracked up to be."

In addition, Brown football teams, like their hockey team counterparts, have a reputation for being the cheap-shot artists of the Ivy League.

"When you look at their films," said Kurzweil, "you notice that they hit a lot, hold, and are unnecessarily rough. They're a dirty team."

"Of course," Judge said. "that could work in our favor. We're an emotional team, and once they start coming on with that cheap stuff, it will only rile us and psyche us all the more to beat them."

An additional factor that should heighten the winning desire is that the game is being shown on regional television. Football players aren't above a little glorymongering.

"Yeah," laughed Kurzweil, "the television means something. You do want to look good in front of the cameras for all those people who've never seen you before."

For a Crimson football fan, the spectre of Brown as the main obstacle to a Harvard Ivy championship runs counter to long-held instincts.

The Brown game always represented nothing more than a tune-up for Yale. In the past it was a game for the stars to fatten up their stats and for the bench warmers to get their big chance.

Prior to last year, Harvard had lost to Brown only once in 14 seasons, and holds a 55-17-2 series edge overall. The Brown game used to be the one to let your little brothers use the season tickets for.

Sellout in Providence

But the days of Brown as a patsy are now only memories. Harvard will be in for the fight of its life today in Providence. Brown's stadium has been sold out for a week, the first time in 30 years. The word from Providence is that the Brown campus is in a carnival atmosphere in anticipation of the battle.

A whole season comes down to today's game. A year that started with such promise will all go for naught if Harvard fails.

Reiterated Judge, "This is the championship game."