The Game is also the last collegiate game forthe many seniors on the squads today, probably thelast organized football game of any sort thatthese men will play in.

It's not only a matter of pride; it's also amatter of posterity.

"We don't play the game [just] to 'beat Yale,'"Landau says. "We want to win it for Harvard andfor the seniors. Especially given the season now,it would be very nice to go out with a win."

"I remember sitting on the bench in thelockerroom before The Game," Giella says, "andputting my helmet on my head and saying to myself'this is my last game ever.'"

Some things won't be different this year.Thousands of current Harvard and Yale studentsstill will stagger to the Stadium from theirpre-Game parties. The numerous alumni still willflood the Stadium parking lot with tailgates andreminiscences. The old players will gather torenew friendships, to renew friendly rivalries.

"I will never miss the Yale game for as long asI live," Giella says, "unless I'm out of thecountry or in prison or something."

And yet, something will be slightly off today.It won't be two, highlytuned, precisely-executingfootball squads battling on the Stadium grass.

It won't be two winning football squadscompeting for the Ivy title. It won't even be twowinning football squads competing.

This year will be different....

"We weren't mentally up for The Game the lasttwo years," Landau says. "It wasn't a matter ofwhether we would win, but by how much. This year,it's a different story....We've got a heck of alot to show ourselves what we can do."

This year, they will be playing for pride.

The Post-War Lean YearsYear  Harvard record  Yale record  TheGame Result1958  3-5  2-6  Harvard, 28-01951  3-5  2-5-1  Tie, 21-211949  1-7  3-4  Yale, 29-6

(records are entering The Game