Crimson Must Put Best Foot Forward

In Game 6 of the World Series on Tuesday night, the New York Yankees held a 7-3 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the eighth inning with one out and no one on base. Lefty reliever Damaso Marte had been pitching masterfully, dealing consecutive strikeouts to the Phillies’ fearsome slugging duo of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

The game seemed well in hand, and even the most conservative of approaches would have likely led the Yankees to victory and their 27th World Championship. Instead, New York manager Joe Girardi signaled to the bullpen for Mariano Rivera.

Why, some wondered, would you stretch out the Greatest Closer of All-Time for a five-out save when you’re up by four and your opponent looks helpless against even your secondary relievers?

I’ll tell you why: Because when that ultimate victory—in the case of professional baseball, a World Series title—is within your sights, you don’t saunter towards it on cruise control. You crank up the intensity, step on your opponent’s throat, and finish the job.

It took Rivera a career-high 41 pitches to end the game, and he labored at times. But with a championship at stake, the Yankees weren’t going to play around and unleash their full arsenal only if they really needed it. They brought in their top gun, and they took the title on their own terms.

This is the approach that Harvard football needs to employ against Columbia tomorrow.

Once an Ivy League sleeper pick, the Lions have regressed after early success and are now fighting to stay out of the Ancient Eight basement. But it would be a mistake for the Crimson to take its trip to New York lightly. With its game against Penn, the Crimson’s dangerous companion atop the Ivy standings, looming in Week 9, Harvard needs to keep the momentum going and trounce Columbia the same way it plowed through Princeton and Dartmouth in its last two contests. The Crimson can beat the Lions without putting forth its best effort tomorrow, but the Quakers won’t be as forgiving.

Harvard has the ultimate victory—the Ivy League title—within its sights. It can try to get there on cruise control and hope fate decides in its favor. Or, like the Yankees, the Crimson can carve out its own path to glory, Mo-ing down its opponents along the way.

CORNELL (2-5, 1-3 IVY) AT DARTMOUTH (1-6, 1-3 IVY)

Despite the records of the teams involved, this game could be fun to watch. Both Cornell and Dartmouth bring an exciting mix to the equation: both offenses occasionally mask their general ineptitude with outstanding individual performances while both defenses could charitably be described as terrible.

The possibilities are endless.

Could the Big Green’s Nick Schweiger run for 300 yards? Could the Big Red’s Stephen Liuzza pick up a rushing, receiving, and passing touchdown all in the same game?

It’s almost impossible to talk yourself into getting pumped for either a Dartmouth or Cornell game. But a Dartmouth versus Cornell game? It’s almost impossible not to.

Prediction: Cornell 35, Dartmouth 28

BROWN (4-3, 2-2 IVY) AT YALE (4-3, 2-2 IVY)

Brown receiver Buddy Farnham’s reign of terror over the Ivy League finally came to an end last week against Penn. The valiant Quakers shed the mantle of pacifism and vanquished the tyrant Farnham—who in Weeks 5 and 6 oppressed Princeton and Cornell to the tune of a combined 19 catches for 406 yards. Penn held the Bears’ wideout to six receptions for 52 yards.

Yale also boasts a formidable pass defense—the league’s best, in fact—and could pose yet another challenge for Farnham and Brown, which relies heavily on its aerial attack.

The Bears would seem to be the favorite in this one despite the identical records of the two teams, but I like the stingy Bulldogs D and expect some timely throws from the resurgent Patrick Witt, who orchestrated Yale’s comeback win against Columbia last week after a stretch of limited and mediocre play.

Prediction: Yale 21, Brown 17

PRINCETON (2-5, 1-3 IVY) AT PENN (5-2, 3-0 IVY)

The current state of each of these teams nicely illustrates the idea that not all momentum is created equally. While Princeton snapped a four-game losing streak with a 17-13 victory over Cornell last week, Penn has won five in a row.

The Quakers should easily come away with the victory here, but might also benefit from heeding the advice I gave to Harvard by keeping their collective foot on the gas. The last thing Penn needs is a letdown against the Tigers before what will likely be the de facto Ivy League championship game in Week 9.

Prediction: Penn 28, Princeton 10

HARVARD (5-2, 3-0 IVY) AT COLUMBIA (2-5, 1-3 IVY)

If you read The Crimson’s sports page yesterday, you know that Harvard senior running back Cheng Ho has suffered what will most likely be a career-ending lisfranc (mid-foot) sprain. So while I have this space, I’d like to congratulate Ho on a fine tenure with the Crimson, one in which he performed whatever duty his team required of him and performed it well.

Prediction: Harvard 31, Columbia 17

Last Week: 2-2

Record to Date: 25-15

—Staff writer Loren Amor can be reached at lamor@fas.harvard.edu.