So let’s get elephant in the room out there at the top:
This all could have easily been avoided.
Honestly, I sat down to enjoy my healthy pre-game meal with a pretty good idea I was going to enjoy those two Fairbury’s way more and longer than any softball that would be played Thursday night. The forecasts pretty much called for the weather we received, and anyone bothering to look at the radar knew no one needed to warm up too hard.
And at 8:23pm with one down in the bottom of the first, the first lightning
was spotted ahead of the impending downpour, the first 30-minute clock was started, and the game was suspended – and remains so until approximately 4pm today. And the downpour did come.
Rain it did, pretty much until close to midnight although just mostly light rain proceeded the initial drenching. Around 9:20 or so, they decided to set a 10:10 resumption time. About a half hour or so before, the teams retook the field.
Both groups warmed up, but as the new first pitch drew closer, there didn’t seem to anyone getting set or exchanging line-up cards. And the rain just kept on coming. It was then we noticed a big group involving reps from both teams talking in front of the visitor’s dugout.
And a smaller group 0f umpires and an apparent NCAA rep with her cell phone glued to her ear.
After a bit of this, the umpires left the field only to return about 10 minutes later. This time Troy Dannen joined the group as the players decided it was dance-off time.
But shortly thereafter, the tarp rolled out and the evening was done.
Check that, it was done for the evening about 40 minutes later after the parking lot cleared out. I didn’t really feel like sitting in the car and fogging it out till midnight.
But why in the name of ESPN, did they not just move the start time up to 4pm or so? Did the NCAA and ESPN truly believe their presence could change the weather? It’s springtime, not the driest of seasons. Or did ESPN, not being financially invested in the Big 12 and Big 10, just kinda say “to hell with it, whatever happens, happens” and make a small softball power move directed at conferences who are their business rivals?
Don’t like it, ESPN? Well, when you make those types of investments, you should probably get used to other conferences speaking their minds when they see appearance of a powerful network putting their thumbs on the scale and exerting influence to further their financial goals.
Sure, it’s just softball, some might say. But it’s just not happening here.
This all could have been avoided. Why wasn’t it?
