Teicher: Sunday's game may be moved due to weather
 

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/12946585.htm

Chiefs-Dolphins game may be moved because of weather
Decision by league on situation could be made today

By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star


The weather Wednesday in Miami wasn’t much for the local chamber of commerce to brag about: cloudy, muggy, off-and-on thunderstorms.

Still, that might be considered ideal compared with what they’re expecting in South Florida this weekend, when the Chiefs are scheduled to play the Dolphins. Hurricane Wilma, which forecasters are calling one of the season’s strongest storms, was predicted to be bound for Florida.

The situation is serious enough that Saturday’s college football game between Miami and Georgia Tech was postponed. It was uncertain whether the Chiefs-Dolphins game will be played at noon Sunday as scheduled — or even played in Miami.

The game could be moved to a neutral site or be played at Arrowhead Stadium.

A decision by the NFL could come today.

“We’re monitoring the hurricane and we continue to be in contact with both the Chiefs and Dolphins,” the NFL’s Steve Alic said.

There is precedent for moving the game. The league moved a 2003 game between the Dolphins and Chargers from San Diego to Tempe, Ariz., because Qualcomm Stadium was being used as an evacuation area for residents affected by wildfires.

Early this season, New Orleans played what was supposed to be a home game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium because of damage to the Superdome caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The league will look at several factors, including the possibility that Miami won’t have the necessary infrastructure to play host to the game.

The Chiefs made contingency plans to depart for Miami as soon as Friday, before the brunt of the storm is expected to arrive. They are scheduled to leave on Saturday.

The sentiment among players was best expressed by Miami quarterback Gus Frerotte, even though there’s a chance the Dolphins might lose a home game.

“Who wants to play in a hurricane?” Frerotte said. “We want to go and play where it’s safe and have a great game and give the fans a great game.

“If there’s a hurricane coming through Miami, the first thing I’m thinking about is taking care of my family and making sure they’re safe. If we have to go somewhere to play, that’s what we’ll do.”

In Kansas City, the Chiefs tried to go about their business but appeared distracted.

Players wandered about the locker room after practice in search of information about the storm.

“We’re preparing as if we’re playing Sunday afternoon,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. “That’s all we have the option to do. We’re not involved in the decision-making process.

"I checked my desk to see if (NFL commissioner Paul) Tagliabue had called me and he hasn’t called, so he doesn’t want my opinion.”

Even though he didn’t talk with Tagliabue, the NFL’s ultimate authority, Vermeil still lobbied to play the game in Kansas City.

“It just seems sort of funny to bring people to a storm,” he said.

“Bring it here. Then we’ll have a tornado. Whatever they say to do, we’ll do it.”

Chiefs defensive end Carlos Hall could offer teammates the best advice for visiting players heading into a hurricane. He did it last year while playing for Tennessee.

The Titans had their season-opener at Miami moved up to Saturday because of the threat posed by Hurricane Ivan.

“It can sidetrack you if you let it,” Hall said. “Some guys were kind of worried about it. Some guys were able to stay focused on the game.”

The game was played without incident.

“At first, it was kind of weird,” Hall said. “Every little drop of rain, we were like, ‘Uh, oh, here it comes. Let’s hurry up.’ It ended up raining pretty good in the second half.

"When the game was over, we were ready to get out of there. Everybody was in a hurry to get to the airport and get back home.”

The Dolphins should be used to the uncertainty posed by an impending hurricane. They also moved the starting time of a late September game last season from 1 p.m. to 8:30 because of Hurricane Jeanne. Most of that game was played in a torrential rain.

But Miami appears as distracted as the Chiefs.

“I don’t know if you can get ready for that,” Dolphins coach Nick Saban said. “We’re trying to stay focused a little bit on what we need to try to get ready to play a very good team and hope that thing goes someplace else.

"Not to wish anything bad on anybody but maybe it will just stay out there in the ocean someplace.

“This is like the fifth one we’ve had this year. This is not our first rodeo. We’ve had some experience with these things and we know how unpredictable they can be and we know how dangerous they can be. We certainly don’t want to put anyone — player, coach or any of our fans — in harm’s way.”

I was talking to a guy at work about this tonight. He was saying they should just move it back to Arrowhead. It would give the Chiefs and unfair extra home field advantage game, but that's not unprecidented, is it? Didn't San Diego have to move a game one year to the other team's stadium due to fires? And wasn't there an uproar by Dallas when the Giants got an extra home game?

Neutral site sounds like a nice solution. However, I'm wondering if its geting too late to put that together correctly.

And speaking of thunderstorms (Miami's weather today), I hear thunder rolling in here. Think I'm gonna get off here and go to bed a little early. I sleep really well during thunderstorms. 'Night all.

I think the best site for the game is a federal pound me in the ass prison.

we dont need to hear about your after hours parties

I think you left out the words "to watch" in that post.

Office Space was hilarious! I laughed my butt off.

It would be great to have it at Arrowhead, but I think it would be unfair. A neutral site would be best.

Anyone know if the Superdome is available?

If Wilma stalls at all according to this we should be able to play the game on schedule. Saturday there looks like a probability. How bout a Saturday Night Special?


PhilFree:arrow:

I think a neutral site is the worse of all the ideas, would take entirely to long to coordinate the logistics, secure the site, sell the tickets, (the whole 5000 they MAY sell since they will be out of market for both teams). I say move the game to Arrowhead.

I think the game should be moved to Arrowhead and the NFL pass out free Ricky Williams jerseys at the parking gate.

Arrowhead would be a sell out. Financially that would make good sense but the Phish would have to refund alot of money. Those who wanna trek to Arrowhead would would just have to present their tickets. It's not like some won't be evacuating anways. Why not spend a few days in KC? IMO saturday is the fairest.

PhilFree:arrow:

If it can't be played in Miami, it should be moved to a neutral location like the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. I live 30 minutes from there.

It may not be fair to have it at Arrowhead, but it may be most viable on such short notice. One thing's for sure, it's the best way to get the owners their ticket sales money. No other place would sell out as easily as Arrowhead.