If Plato was right and there really is a form in the heavens that embodies the essence of every earthly object, Roger Caron must be pretty damn close to the Platonic Football Coach. Let’s face it, the man is the paradigm of a football player. One day I was walking along, minding my own business, only to look up and see this behemoth of a man jogging toward me. I swear I almost soiled my pants. I honestly can not think of a single human being who could take Coach Caron down in a bar fight. Maybe Pat Morita, but that’s just not fair.

Unfortunately, the Pomona-Pitzer football squad does not share their coach’s impressive physical stature. It seems as though every time they take the field they go up against a bigger team with impenetrable offensive lines and intimidating defensive linemen. Take Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for example. Anyone who has eaten at Collins has noticed the unnatural number of hefty guys in Stags garb. On a side note, last time I was at Collins, a group of said hefties combined several tables to form a "Stag Train" for the team to sit at. Once they were all there, they proceeded to whisper into each other’s ears, playing a couple rounds of Telephone around the train, complete with giggles and high fives. Not that that’s weird or anything. CMS has a team of big guys, bigger guys than Pomona-Pitzer. Yet year after year, the Sagehens’ superior athleticism and coaching staff lead them to victory.

Think about it. Our starting running back is listed as 5’6". Now, I’m not the biggest cat on the block, but something tells me a good linebacker shouldn’t have too tough of a time taking Ryan Hattersley ’01 down. Obviously, this has not been the case. Ryan is averaging over 100 yards a game, despite taking crushing hits every time he gets the ball. The tough little bastard just pops right up and gets ready to do it all again. Against Occidental last Saturday, coach Greg Baker’s offensive line did a great job clearing the way and opening holes for Hattersley. Facing the Tigers’ formidable defensive line, the Sagehens pounded out a ground offensive that culminated in 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The O-line also did a damn fine job giving returning quarterback Brian Ferrette ’01 enough time to chalk up 190 passing yards.

Defensively, the Sagehens put the bigger Tigers to shame. Along only 92 total yards and forcing eleven punts, Paul Svagdis and Dan Boswell’s defense had the Occidental offense wishing they had stayed on the bus. The Sagehen defense didn’t seem to mind that Oxy’s squad was bigger.

Now, I’m not trying to say that Pomona-Pitzer doesn’t have any big guys on the team. I know Dan Wire ’01. Dan Wire is a friend of mine. And when I’m drunk and talking trash at a party there’s no one I’d rather have right by my side than Dan Wire. That aside, it seems the Sagehens have realized that they’re going to face bigger teams, and it doesn’t really seem to scare them. Pomona-Pitzer does a hell of a job capitalizing on what size and athleticism they do have. Head Coach Roger Caron, along with his staff of assistants, has once again done a tremendous job of working the Pomona-Pitzer football squad into winning shape. And I’m not just saying that because they could all beat my ass.