The Heels started out strong, quickly scoring 14 points. Shortly after, officials suspended the game due to lightning, after which a heavy storm kept the game on hold for an hour and 48 minutes.
Although the announcer repeatedly asked fans to seek shelter, most of us in the covered areas stayed put. We had a pretty good wave going on for about 15 minutes, too! He later practically begged us to leave saying, "For those of you seated in the covered areas - and you're just sitting there - those are METAL seats you're sitting on! Please, for your own safety, return to your vehicles or seek shelter in the parking decks." But we did not move.
In this day and age of iphones and tiny digital am/fm radios, we were able to keep somewhat apprised of the situation. Of course in one truly hilarious instance, our neighbor told us that her sister (who lives near campus) called to tell her the severe thunderstorm warning had been cancelled. Moments later, the loudest boom of thunder resonated through the stadium. So much for the accuracy of weather forecasters.
The game resumed around 8:40 p.m. and after a few minutes I began to think the Heels had been drinking in the locker room for that hour and 48 minutes. Plays were bad. Players were punching each other. The shouts from fans were NOT Abby friendly.
But thank God for Brandon Tate. Without him we would've lost, and deservedly so. Tate finished with a school record 397 all-purpose yards for the Heels - the second most all-purpose yards in ACC history. Indeed, thank you Brandon Tate. Let's hope the Heels (the rest of them) have a better game next time!
In closing, I'd like to mention how impressed I was with Abby's stamina! Kept up way past her bedtime, she was perfectly behaved and a stellar cheerleader right up to the end. She is a true Tar Heel for sure! Photo below is of the two of us at the game. She tends to have a crazy-looking smile these days...
2 comments:
Absent from your description was the conflict of alter-egos: Fiercely loyal Tar Heel fan determined to weather any storm to support the team vs. safety conscious father with family in peril. As the bolts of lightning and pleas to flee for cover resonated through the air, the fan remained. But the father did at least manage to investigate the threat by Googling on his Blackberry: “lightning and aluminum seating.”
I DID almost include that, but the post was getting a little long so I cut it out. Glad you got it on the record because I did find that quite hilarious :)
Post a Comment