Let’s not pretend Justin Fields isn’t the most exciting thing to hit Chicago since Donny Osmond took up residence in the northern suburbs for his stint in Joseph. It’s really hard to believe that the NFL season isn’t over yet. And after this weekend’s games, we’ve got two more weeks to endure.
Professional sports leagues don’t take holidays so it’s no surprise there are 11 games today. I can’t imagine attending any football game in weather like we’re having, or rather in any outdoor venue.
Is anyone surprised that an NFL coach got busted for gambling? Right now, the story is he hasn’t bet on any NFL games. I think if anyone does investigate, they’ll find he’s not the only one connected with professional sports breaking the rules.
Thinking about braving the elements to watch (and pay) today’s game at Soldier Field (and in Cleveland and Pittsburgh), I’m reminded of a 3-day weekend in Des Moines a few years back.
To say I was getting paid to be there would be hyperbole. I was working on a feature for OnMilwaukee.com and did everything I could to get some interviews and game shots for the article.
Nobody from the Weather Channel was on hand for the weekend although it coincided with the Drake Relays. It was miserably cold and perpetually wet that weekend. Saturday and Sunday’s games were both called off an hour before first pitch each day.
And unlike my previous visit to see the Iowa Cubs play, I was better prepared for the lousy weather. Maybe in a nod to Sr.- I no longer like sitting in inclement weather at a sporting event. Unfortunately, in a past life, I had to endure some God-awful weather, co-coaching junior high baseball. When given the choice, I opt for leaving early or finding warmer digs within the confines of the venue.
Despite assurances from the media liaison that I could watch the game from the press box, I spent most of the game, wading in the photographers well or in the first row along the first base line. I was wearing my leather coat and somewhat water-resilient rain gear. It was a truly miserable experience-one that I’m glad no friends or relatives witnessed.
I’d love to say the feature earned me the Pulitzer instead of the sniffles and aches. Compared to what sideline reporters, on-field staff and aides de camp has to endure on days like today, my experience was a walk in the ballpark.
I’ll be happy when this season comes to a merciful end and we can prepare for pitchers and catchers reporting.
Enjoy the rest of the day!
I'd rather be sitting in a ballpark. 
One response to “Forgetting the current weather and date..”
Dude, it always rains on the weekend of Drake Relays! I can’t speak about every NFL team but Mark Grote (sp?) said that the Bears have heated benches and that the sideline heaters are adequate. Not that I would want that job in this weather. And can we get the idiot talking heads on local TV and radio news to stop saying “Bears weather”? That myth was dispelled many years ago and continues to be through 3 PM today. As if Buffalo has never played in these conditions.
To your first point, what is significant to me is that the anniversary of Franco Harris’ catch IN THE PLAYOFFS is being celebrated now with two weeks to go in the REGULAR SEASON! How soon until they go to an 18-game schedule? I know; you did allude to that but I didn’t hear any broadcaster reference that. I imagine that sone younger people are wondering how can the anniversary of a pmayoff game fall on the same weekend as the third to last weekend of the regular season. Man, I would love to see them go back to a 12-game season. 1000 yards rushing actually wasn’t meaningless back then.
Finally, I may have told you that when my friends and I had 20 and then 27 game White Sox weeknight packages we went to Opening Day and then not again until after Memorial Day. I tried to sell the April and May games and even if we took a loss on the tickets it was better than freezing out butts off. This was 1991 thru 1995 and upper deck tickets were still pretty cheap, as they should have been. Call me a fair weather fan when it comes to early season night games and the wind is coming off of the lake.
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