Rainy Weather Questions

[apaladin]

For former players and others.
1. What was your and the teams attitude when facing a game in the rain. Was it “oh crap” or “lets go!”
2. I always heard rain is an equalizer for the underdog. Is that true?
3. Are the same unis used for rain games?
4. If the same are used are they water repellent, or do they weigh you down when the get wet?
5. Are the same game balls used? The leather ones would absorb the water and get really heavy. Is there such a thing as “rain” game balls.
6. In wet weather you would think the OL gets the advantage, true?
7. In wet weather the receivers have a huge advantage because they know where they are go7ng. True?
8. I am sure Clempson has a state of the art field that can absorb the water so do you think it will be close to playing on an artificial turf?
9. For players what is the worst weather you ever played in?
Thanks

[DungeonRealm]

My least favorite part about football, have to sit through crap weather sometimes

Won't do it anymore, just not worth it

[FUBeAR]

For former players and others.
1. What was your and the teams attitude when facing a game in the rain. Was it “oh crap” or “lets go!” - USUALLY, “LET’S GO”…UNLESS THE (GRASS) SUCKED. THEN, BECAUSE, YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A QUAGMIRE WITH NO TRACTION, YOU MIGHT LET A LITTLE “OH CRAP” SNEAK IN. FUBeAR IS CERTAIN CLEMSON’S GRASS FIELD DOESN’T SUCK ON 9/10.

2. I always heard rain is an equalizer for the underdog. Is that true? IT HELPS. ANY OF THE ELEMENTS CAN SERVE THIS PURPOSE. IN THE HEAT, A BETTER CONDITIONED AND/OR DEEPER TEAM CAN GAIN AN ADVANTAGE ON A MORE TALENTED TEAM THAT IS NOT AS WELL-CONDITIONED OR DEEP. HIGH WIND CAN HELP A LESSER TEAM THAT RUNS THE BALL MORE EVEN UP A GAME AGAINST A BETTER TEAM THAT THROWS IT ALL AROUND THE YARD. ALWAYS FELT RAIN (LACK OF TRACTION REALLY) GAVE THE OFFENSE AN EDGE CUZ THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING ALMOST ALL THE TIME AND CAN MANAGE THEIR FOOTSTEPS TO GET THERE MORE TIGHTLY WHEREAS DEFENDERS ARE DOING MORE REACTION/REACTIVE STEPS. BUT THIS IS REVERSED FOR THE OL IN PASS PRO… SO, DETERMINING IF RAIN IS AN EQUALIZER REQUIRES REALLY GETTING INTO THE VARIOUS STYLES OF EACH TEAM AND HOW RAIN/TRACTION WILL EFFECT THAT. BASED ON WHAT FUBeAR HAS SEEN OF CLEMSON & FURMAN, HE DOESN’T SEE MUCH OF AN EDGE FOR EITHER. MAYBE, A LITTLE BIT FOR FURMAN BECAUSE OF THE EQUALIZING EFFECT IT COULD HAVE ON OVERALL TEAM SPEED.

3. Are the same unis used for rain games? - GENERALLY, YES, BUT INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS WILL DO A LOT OF ADAPTATIONS FOR RAIN - TOWELS, GLOVES, DIFFERENT CLEATS, VISORS, ETC.

4. If the same are used are they water repellent, or do they weigh you down when the get wet? - MODERN UNIFORM MATERIALS SHED WATER. MOST PLAYERS UNIFORMS ARE JUST AS WET FROM SWEAT AFTER THE 1st SERIES AS THEY WOULD BE FROM STANDING IN THE SHOWER WITH THEM ON. NOT REALLY A FACTOR.

5. Are the same game balls used? The leather ones would absorb the water and get really heavy. Is there such a thing as “rain” game balls. - FUBeAR HAS SEEN TEAMS USE RUBBER BALLS IN WEATHER IN THE PAST. NOT SURE IF THAT IS STILL LEGAL, BUT DON’T THINK HE’S SEEN IN IT IN A WHILE. SO, FUBeAR THINKS THE SAME BALLS ARE USED TODAY…EXCEPT FOR MAYBE KICKERS’ BALLS. THOSE CATS ARE ALWAYS PLAYING GAMES WITH THEIR BALLS, SO WHO KNOWS. IN RAIN GAMES, BALL PEEPS (FUBeAR is so inclusive!) AND THEM WORKING WITH OFFICIALS TO KEEP DRY BALLS IN THE GAME IS CRITICAL. THEY WILL BE DRYING, SWAPPING, WIPING, COVERING BALLS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

6. In wet weather you would think the OL gets the advantage, true? SEE ABOVE - YES ON MOST RUNNING PLAYS WHERE THEY ARE RUNNING THEIR PATH AND REACTING LESS. NO IN PASS PRO BECAUSE THEY ARE REACTING TO THE PATH THE VARIOUS DEFENDERS ARE TAKING TO THE QB

7. In wet weather the receivers have a huge advantage because they know where they are go7ng. True? - DEPENDING ON THE TURF CONDITIONS YES, BUT THEY HAVE TO CATCH THE WET BALL TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE DEFENDER STILL ONLY HAS TO KNOCK IT DOWN TO GET HIS JOB DONE. SO IT KINDA EVENS OUT.

8. I am sure Clempson has a state of the art field that can absorb the water so do you think it will be close to playing on an artificial turf? FUBeAR HAS NO DOUBT THAT THE FIELD WILL BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AS IT WAS 40+ YEARS AGO WHEN FUBeAR PLAYED THERE (IN THE SUNSHINE) A FEW TIMES. IT WILL BE AS GOOD AS ANY WET GRASS FIELD IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND BETTER THAN 99.99% OF THEM

9. For players what is the worst weather you ever played in?
@ CHATTANOOGA - 1982 - 2 DAYS STRAIGHT OF RAIN & THUNDER-STORMING BUCKETS DURING THE NIGHT GAME. THE FIELD WAS A GIANT SWAMP WITH JUST MUD & PUDDLES SEVERAL INCHES DEEP. NEARLY DROWNED IN A PILE UP, FR.

@ MARSHALL - 1982 - HIGH SINGLE DIGIT TO LOW TEENS TEMPS, WIND HOWLING, SLEETING, FREEZING RAIN, AND SNOW ALL MIXED. FORTUNATELY WE WERE KILLING THE BLUNDERING TURD QUICKLY AND WHEN FUBeAR CHIPPED A BONE IN HIS ELBOW FALLING ON ONE OF THE MANY CONCRETE PATCHES SHOWING THRU THEIR AWFUL ANCIENT WORN-OUT CARPET LATE IN THE 1st QUARTER, HE REC’D A COUPLE OF PAIN PILLS AND THE REST OF THE DAY OFF. THE WARMING ADULT REFRESHMENTS A PALADIN PARENT WAS NICE ENOUGH TO SURREPTITIOUSLY PROVIDE FUBeAR WHILE STANDING ON THE SIDELINES, SOAKING WET FOR 3 HOURS WERE ALSO VERY HELPFUL!!

@ UNC - 1980 - NOT TYPICALLY KNOWN FOR ITS HEAT, KENAN STADIUM WAS SCORCHING IN THE SEASON OPENER. IT WAS CLOSE TO 110 ON THE FIELD. NOT ONLY WAS UNC’S D THAT DAY MADE UP OF LAWRENCE TAYLOR AND 8 OR 9 OTHER FUTURE NFL PLAYERS, THEY WENT 5 DEEP WITH NO DISCERNIBLE DROP OFF IN TALENT AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT CATS THEY KEPT LINING UP OVER FUBeAR. FUBeAR LOST 15 POUNDS THAT GAME AND WE GOT OUR BUTTS WHIPPED BY A TOP 5 TEAM…OUR ONLY LOSS THAT SEASON…DON’T LET WOFFY TIE US AT HOME IN THE NEXT TO LAST GAME OF THE SEASON (IN THE MUD…EVEN SIRRINE’S EXCELLENT TURF WAS MUDDY THAT DAY) AND FUBeAR COULD VERY WELL HAVE HAD A TANGERINE BOWL RING TO ADD TO HIS COLLECTION OF SOCON CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS…BUT FUBeAR DIGRESSES…AGAIN.

Thanks

FUBeAR will give it a shot, but some of his answers may be dated / antiquated… see above - BOLD ALL CAPS

EDITED … FORGOT TO INCLUDE THIS IMPORTANT OPINION ABOUT RAIN

[apaladin]

Thanks FUBear, you da msn! Very informative. Was there for most of the games you mentionef. That UTC game was awful as was the WC in 1980. I think the paper reported the the players voted to turn down the Tangerine bowl game in 1980. True? Was it a close vote?

[FUBeAR]

Thanks FUBear, you da msn! Very informative. Was there for most of the games you mentionef. That UTC game was awful as was the WC in 1980. I think the paper reported the the players voted to turn down the Tangerine bowl game in 1980. True? Was it a close vote?

WC in 1980? Oh…Woffy…well, the weather wasn’t horrible. It wasn’t great…drizzly…and the field was kinda muddy…but NOTHING like that night in Chatty.

No vote. We were not invited to the Tangerine Bowl, as far as FUBeAR knows. Now, it’s possible we could have been invited and Coach Sheridan may have met with the Sr’s only, who voted secretly to say “No,”….but FUBeAR SERIOUSLY DOUBTS that happened.

Rumor FUBeAR heard is the Tangerine Bowl Representatives were supposed to meet with AD Dutch Baughman and Coach Sheridan after they watched us (8-1) whoop up on NAIA Woffy (6-2-1 with a 35-3 loss to CIT 2 weeks prior). But, the mud and a few other things ‘equalized’ that game into a 14-14 tie instead. And, the meeting which was supposed to be an informal, conditional invitation (as long as we beat the bellhops the following week (which we did)) conversation to start looking at logistics, marketing, etc….turned into 2 minutes of, “We’re sorry. We have to go in a different direction.”

They invited Maryland, runner-up to UNC in the ACC, instead of Furman. Maryland lost to Florida 35-20. We’d a-kilt those Gators that year! Their loss!!

[The Jackal]

Just my two cents, but sometimes too much can be made of a rainy game. The better team is usually going to be the better team regardless.

Honestly, the bigger impact from the weather may be on the stadium. It's their home opener and they will want a big energetic crowd. Rainy weather may keep folks away and lower the intensity level to a point where players aren't feeding off the crowd energy, but having to create their own.

I'd say playing flat is way of a bigger risk to Clemson than whether the grass is wet.

[FurmAlum]

My cousin, Gregg Poole, played on that 1980 UNC team. He was a cornerback and ran back punts. Made the All-ACC team in 1981.

As far as the rain goes, I say advantage Furman! It's gonna be tough but I'm hopefull the Paladins can make a good showing.

[apaladin]

According to the weather channel from 11AM thru the game the rain chances go down into the 60% range. Rain totals are really low, so expect heavy downpours!

[Affirm]

Just my two cents, but sometimes too much can be made of a rainy game. The better team is usually going to be the better team regardless.

Honestly, the bigger impact from the weather may be on the stadium. It's their home opener and they will want a big energetic crowd. Rainy weather may keep folks away and lower the intensity level to a point where players aren't feeding off the crowd energy, but having to create their own.

I'd say playing flat is way of a bigger risk to Clemson than whether the grass is wet.

"Honestly, the bigger impact from the weather may be on the stadium. It's their home opener and they will want a big energetic crowd. Rainy weather may keep folks away and lower the intensity level to a point where players aren't feeding off the crowd energy, but having to create their own.

I'd say playing flat is way of a bigger risk to Clemson than whether the grass is wet."
Yes to all the above.
Add the impact that the crowd possibly may not be as big and possibly may not be as energetic due to the fact that they are playing a team they perceive as "lowly", than if they were playing an FBS team of any level.

[apaladin]

True but it’s still their first home game and first in 9-10 months. With that said I do expect there will be a significant drop in normal attendance. .

[Flagman]

My least favorite part about football, have to sit through crap weather sometimes

Won't do it anymore, just not worth it

I’ve sat through rain (heavy and light), extreme cold (Montana State), extreme heat (Clemson), snow ( in Paladin Stadium), sleet and cold (Villanova). Dress for it. It’s absolutely worth it.

[DungeonRealm]

My least favorite part about football, have to sit through crap weather sometimes

Won't do it anymore, just not worth it

I’ve sat through rain (heavy and light), extreme cold (Montana State), extreme heat (Clemson), snow ( in Paladin Stadium), sleet and cold (Villanova). Dress for it. It’s absolutely worth it.

I use to think so, but lately I just want to be comfortable, I still love football live when the weather is nice, but I've been miserable for the most part the past 10 years when its not nice out

[Roundball]

Knowing things can change quickly, the latest weather models are showing a drier slot coming in around noon and lasting until after dark. That means lighter rain during that period instead of the heavier rain that we will get early tomorrow morning. Let’s hope that forecast holds.

[apaladin]

Knowing things can change quickly, the latest weather models are showing a drier slot coming in around noon and lasting until after dark. That means lighter rain during that period instead of the heavier rain that we will get early tomorrow morning. Let’s hope that forecast holds.

Updated as of 10:15 AM. Rain early, then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. Rain chances are in 40’s during the game. Cross your fingers.

[MNORM]

We haven't played so well in the rain the past few years (Citadel & APSU losses stand out). Hope we turn that around this season...starting tomorrow.