A lot of fast moves were in progress Thursday and Friday as it became apparent Hurricane Ike was going to impact the sports weekend at NSU.
Athletic director Greg Burke and I became connected with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, and the entire administrative staff listened attentively at 8 a.m. Friday to a massive conference call with governmental leaders, law enforcement personnel and other decision makers being advised by the NWS as to the outlook for Ike's impact.
Thursday night at 11 and Friday morning at 4, there were new projected paths for Ike released by the National Hurricane Center online, and Burke was eyeing the info as soon as it was posted. Or so he says he did; I have an e-mail or two to prove it.
I couldn't take it and dragged out of bed at 4:15 to get a look myself. I was encouraged by what I saw but daunted by what I heard four hours later on the NWS conference call.
I was impressed once again Friday to see NSU athletic staff securing their facilities and preparing for the worst, just in case. There was also work on adjusting schedules for the volleyball and cross country teams, who have lost competitions due to the weather; and contingency calls being made just in case the football team doesn't get to play this weekend and needs to play somebody on Oct. 4. Donnie Cox and coach Scott Stoker were consulting on that front.
Burke and President Dr. Randy Webb were discussing alternatives with their peers at Grambling or playing the big football game sometime this weekend. The Tigers' brass wanted to play as well and as soon as it was evident that the weather Sunday should be good enough, there was quick agreement Friday morning just before 10.
That also launched a massive and hurried effort to let the world know about the change, along with the small army of workers from all elements of the university and community who are part of the event staff for home games.
Something as simple as assuring the game officials could make a Sunday game had to be handled. There were many other hurdles to be cleared as soon as the decision was made. We got help from lots of "outside" associates such as the city of Natchitoches, the Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce, our broadcast partners at Baldridge-Dumas Communications, the Southland Conference office and the Southwestern Athletic Conference office.
I haven't had a chance to talk to anybody from the football team or head coach Scott Stoker today, but I know how disappointed they were Thursday evening at the prospect of not playing at all, which at the time seemed quite likely. I don't have to guess to know how excited they are about the chance to play Sunday.
Even now, with the clock at 7, SID administrative assistant Ronnette Pellegrin, her husband Charles and student worker Tracy Hall, along with her 2-year-old daughter. are polishing off copying the revised game notes and flip cards for use in the press box Sunday. We're going at it just as if we were supposed to be playing Sunday the whole time.
Meanwhile, assistant SID Matt Bonnette is in the office to do the story on the soccer win today by the Lady Demons at Grambling - hopefully the first of a sweep of Tiger teams this weekend!
Right now, Ruston High School and Natchitoches Central are taking the turf at Turpin for a district football game. Fans are enjoying seeing the new commemorative signage that went up underneath the west side (press box side) of the stadium in mid-week, and the wayfinder signage in the stands showing fans what section of seats they are near.
The Demons' great NFL lineage, and the rich 100-year tradition of NSU football, is celebrated with the signage, which adds vibrant color to the heretofore relatively bland undercarriage of Turpin Stadium. There are additional signs to be displayed in the near future, too.
It was fun to walk through the stadium with Athletic Association board members Joe Schellette and Tommy Chester, and Graduate N Club Hall of Fame member Emma Boozman, in the hour before the NCHS-Ruston game was to begin. They were enjoying the new signage, and you will, too.
We'll provide a little background on that project in another blog entry soon.
For now, it's time to duck and cover. Some are having hurricane parties ... I guess they're more prepared than I am at this stage.
The weather is overcast and damp and comfortable, after a band of heavy rain earlier this afternoon. There's not a lot of wind. Yet.
But around midnight, hunker down, according to the NWS.
Be safe and smart. Hopefully, we'll all see each other Sunday at Turpin!
Doug Ireland, SID
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