Florida Football Season Opener "Terminated"

Earlier this past week, Melissa and I discussed whether going to see the University of Florida's 2014 season opening game against Idaho was something we wanted to do.  After mulling over it for a little while and considering the length of the game, the transportation hassles involved in getting there, parking, and getting back, and the possibly uncomfortable seating there, we opted out...at least for this time around.  After all, as we reasoned it out, the weather will most likely be more pleasantly cooler later in the fall...even though this game WAS scheduled for the evening.  Yet, even with that we both noted the tendency for late afternoon and evening thunderstorms in our area.  As it turned out, we were both very thankful that we had stayed home...

Late Saturday afternoon, an almost continuous string of rain and lightning strikes descended on Gainesville, lasting for several hours.  The game's start kept being delayed and delayed, until finally at close to 10 pm, they finally allowed the kickoff.  The Gators pulled off a spectacular 60-yard return, but as the returner (appropriately named Showers) was tackled and was sliding about 10 yards further on the rain soaked field, lightning struck again and the field was quickly evacuated.  Not much later, the game was "terminated" and may or may not be rescheduled for later in the season.

One of the ESPN channels (on my local Cox channel 251) was going to broadcast the game, and it was here that I saw the frustration of the fans enduring the conditions out in the stands for so many hours.  Then Melissa brought up a pertinent point: if lightning was a threat for the players on the field, then why did they let people stay in the stands?  Or maybe I just happened to see on TV when they had just let people return to their seats...I deeply hope that was the case!  Anyway, it was almost heartbreaking at one point to see the Florida players, three hours after they were supposed to begin play, all bunched up together and enthusiastically jumping up and down as they began to finally pour out onto the field.  And the excitement after that long-awaited first play...only to be so suddenly and dismally squashed.  Oh well, those are the breaks.

If this game is simply cancelled and not rescheduled, then that's one almost certain victory that Florida won't be able to claim for itself this year.  It might make a difference as to whether they end up being bowl eligible, supposing they unexpectedly "stink up" this year and go 5-6...when they might have gone 6-6 and gotten invited to some insignificant postseason bowl.  But the way I see it, this washout may carry a couple of advantages for them.  For one, it reduces the chances for season-ending injuries for their players.  For another, this is an entire game for which Alabama coach Nick Saban will NOT have film available to study in preparation for his team's upcoming game against Florida later this month. And the Gators will still have a small college opponent next Saturday to help "ease" into the season, as they are accustomed to...