Houston Chronicle Reports

**HoustonRaven** · 09-13-2008, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by Beerracuda

HoustonRaven - The NFL Gets ALL the blame here. People here in Baltimore, some with weather experience, some without, were mostly saying that they didn't think it was a good idea to schedule a game in Reliant so close to a major hurricane event. Too many things could go wrong. Despite what political figures might have said about Reliant, there's always the possibility of power outages and circumstances that aren't agreeable to an NFL game at that time. That's putting it mildly. The size and power of this storm should have thrown up red flags at NFL central, and they should've done anything they could to move this game away from the area. They didn't, and I have a feeling we're gonna get fucked on this one.

Point is, if virtual nobodies like me and others here in Baltimore can see the potential problems nearly 2000 miles away, why can't the NFL? Face it, it was a stupid decision on their part.

Monday Morning QBing doesnt make for a great argument. Believe me, I feel your frustration and hate the fact we dont have a legit bye weke now. But lets call a spade a spade.

Minua all the hype you get from the media, ALL the reports had Houston being in relatively decent shape. The stadium has a dedicated power supply and has power as we speak. The stadium IS ready to go, minus the roof issue. You mention the "size and power" of this storm. Hate to break it to you, but here in the city proper it was not that bad, minus power outages and the water issues. Dont confuse what you see on the news about Galveston and apply it to the city limits.

Folks here are blaming the county 100% on this. Reason being we know our officials and how their efforts to muck up our lives any chance they get.

People here are pissed the game was moved -- after the night of wind and seeing a beloved landmark burn to the ground, they need something to get their minds off things. And I bet that's what the league had in mind as well.

The league had to make a decision based on the best info available. What they got was VERY bad info.

In any event, this whole argument makes me feel petty after everything that has gone down. Just glad I have a team to root for and cant wait for the Browns game!

**Beerracuda** · 09-13-2008, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Beerracuda

HoustonRaven - The NFL Gets ALL the blame here. People here in Baltimore, some with weather experience, some without, were mostly saying that they didn't think it was a good idea to schedule a game in Reliant so close to a major hurricane event. Too many things could go wrong. Despite what political figures might have said about Reliant, there's always the possibility of power outages and circumstances that aren't agreeable to an NFL game at that time. That's putting it mildly. The size and power of this storm should have thrown up red flags at NFL central, and they should've done anything they could to move this game away from the area. They didn't, and I have a feeling we're gonna get fucked on this one.

Point is, if virtual nobodies like me and others here in Baltimore can see the potential problems nearly 2000 miles away, why can't the NFL? Face it, it was a stupid decision on their part.

Damn, I hate it when I'm right.... sheeessh!!!

**UKRavenStockers** · 09-13-2008, 06:41 PM

The stadium IS ready to go, minus the roof issue.

Funnily enough that's a rather big issue and it's one that could've been predicted. The magnitude was similar by most predictions to Rita which caused the same damage as Ike has, sitting and hoping that this wouldn't happen again is dumb. I don't care what the local authorities in Houston said, the NFL has a bunch of smart people in their organisation, if no-one there saw this coming when 90% of other people did then, well that doesn't say very much for them does it.

**HoustonRaven** · 09-13-2008, 06:49 PM

The roof is the same roof as Minute Maid and its fine and they are going to play baseball. Both were built by the same firm with the same tolerances for wind and rain.

So the county says to the league "Yep, we will be ready". Is the league then suppose to say no thanks? Thats nothing more then playing Monday Morning QB when the situation was so fluid leading up to decision time.

Im getting venom here and Im not sure why ....

I agree with everyone here -- its total BS! Yes, our boys are getting screwed up the ass without lube.

My two cents ...

**camdenyard** · 09-13-2008, 06:52 PM

i'll only defend the move in that it would've taken a monumental effort to either repair Reliant Satdium (and let's examine the irnoy here...RELIANT Stadium didn't hold up...) or get another venue ready for the matchup on Monday.

There is NOTHING to defend here. Reliant should NEVER have been in the equation, not a part of the discussion. Houston and the surrounding area was gonna get walloped...I knew it, you knew it, and you can damn well believe the NFL knew it. This was a clusterfuck, and it's on them. They had time to move the game, they have done it before under similar circumstances.

Minua all the hype you get from the media, ALL the reports had Houston being in relatively decent shape. The stadium has a dedicated power supply and has power as we speak. The stadium IS ready to go, minus the roof issue. You mention the "size and power" of this storm. Hate to break it to you, but here in the city proper it was not that bad, minus power outages and the water issues. Dont confuse what you see on the news about Galveston and apply it to the city limits.

You still don't get it, do you?

Houston has suffered extensive damage, and Galveston was nearly wiped off the map. The relative state of the stadium, or how much power it can generate for itself isn't the real issue. The issue is you have a community that has just gone through a 50-year event and it is battered, bruised and in a daze. I don't have to live there to figure that out. How many people were going to bail out ther basements, lift the tree limbs off their cars, and slosh through floods to watch a football game? It wasn't going to happen, and even if the game went on it would have been 1/3 full. It's bullshit.

And if the NFL wants to talk about fairness, how fair is it to both teams that they got their bye weeks ripped from them, and the Ravens now have to play 5 of 6 games on the road? The Ravens got bent over and rammed dry, and I am pissed.

**UKRavenStockers** · 09-13-2008, 06:54 PM

The roof panels might be the same, but the roof constructions are vastly different. Reliant stadium just has a horizontal retracting roof, Minute Maid Park is one of these stadia that peels back half of the side of the building. To expect the two to behave the same in a hurricane is, for my money, very short sighted.

**HoustonRaven** · 09-13-2008, 07:07 PM

No Mas!

Candenyard, yeah I dont understand. Im only living in it and hearing EVERY report that is being put out while you hear the broad strokes 1,200 miles away.

Im done.

I agree with everyone here that the situation is FUBAR but if you want to blame the wrong people, who am I to stop you.

**camdenyard** · 09-13-2008, 07:15 PM

Im only living in it and hearing EVERY report that is being put out while you hear the broad strokes 1,200 miles away.

Dude, I'm glad you are OK and I think the government is going to put forth a MASSIVE effort there to help folks out.

I'm not blaming you, but you put this wager out there when practically everyone who could comprehend a weather map could see otherwise. Maybe these reports you are hearing are as reliable as the ones you got on Thursday. You know, forest/trees etc.

Even today, you were focusing on the stadium having power while the surrounding communities were devastated. That's what I meant about you not getting it.

Anyway, good luck to you.

**ravenwoman** · 09-13-2008, 07:19 PM

The bottom line is "When in doubt, play it safe." The safest course of action would have been to move the game to a different state, such as California or Arizona or anywhere that is 1000 miles or more away from a hurricane. Then this discussion of whether a stadium would or would not hold up wouldn't be in question. Furthermore, people in a hurricane are worrying about their homes, their electric, their jobs, their schools, and everything else in their lives. Football is very low priority when a region suffers such devastation.

I don't care who gave who bad information, common sense should have prevailed here and the poor decision making here will impact the Ravens season. Our team has a lot of veterans who could use a mid-season bye week in November. Having a bye week now is a waste of time. Furthermore, the team prepared all week for a team that they are not going to play for another 6 or 7 weeks. Does that make any sense? The NFL needs to study this situation for future unforseen events and establish a fair policy that is voted upon by 32 teams. This decision to play in November was made because the Texans refused to play the game any place but Reliant Stadium. I am sorry but beggers can't be choosers. If you don't have a proper venue to host the game, the second place it should be held is either a neutral site or the visiting teams stadium. That is what would be fair to all.

**Beerracuda** · 09-13-2008, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

I agree with everyone here that the situation is FUBAR but if you want to blame the wrong people, who am I to stop you.

Houston, the right people to blame is the NFL. We're not in Texas, but at the same time, us here in Baltimore were very concerned about rescheduling the game for Monday night, and most of us truly believed that was a situation that was a problem waiting to happen. None of us have to live through a hurricane to know what happens in the aftermath. I'm 44 years old, and I've seen each time how a city is rendered virtually useless for weeks after a hurricane. Two days later, we all knew the city would never be ready for an NFL game.

I'm glad you and yours are ok. Speaking sincerely now. But the local politicians want nothing more than to host an NFL game, regardless of the condition of the playing field or stadium. That's a lot of money for the local economy. I'm sure they're not willing to just tell the NFL to hold the game somewhere else. The NFL knows this, and made their decision to reschedule the game for Monday night in a potential disaster area. Sorry, but the NFL is totally at fault here. And the result is that the Ravens, who had nothing to do with this situation, get royally fucked. Please tell me how this is fair from ANY standpoint.

**HoustonRaven** · 09-13-2008, 07:56 PM

How about this ....

I am reminded of Billick in the episode of America's Game ...

"Hey, fuck em. Another game on the road! Put that in NFL Films and bleep it anyway you want"

Fuck blame, lets just beat the piss out of the Clowns!

Who's with me?!