Just how hot is it?

A few days ago, in the comment thread to this post, “teamyzerman” had this to say about summer weather conditions in Columbus, Ohio versus those in Gainesville, Florida:

August in Columbus is pretty much on par with September in Florida. I have spent a summer in Tampa and it is not much different in Columbus..maybe a few degrees warmer on average. The humidity is still terrible in C-Bus and Florida throughout the summer. The team gets ready in SEC-like weather conditions…

Somehow I doubt the good folks at OSU are making these kind of preparations for their summertime games:

… As for the early kickoff on Aug. 30, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said last week that UF would have a plan to cope with heat, similar to the one the school had for last year’s 12:30 p.m. opener.

“We’ll announce those plans as we get closer to the game,” Foley said. “We’re very sensitive to the heat. We’ll do some of the things we did last year, with the water, ice and cooling zones. Last year we had a very good experience and I’m confident we’ll have one again.”

Among the initiatives employed during last season’s opener:

* Cool misting tents in the concourses of the north, south and west sides of the stadium

* Additional fans on east side concourse

* Plastic cups with ice for free at concessions stands

* 12-ounce waters on sale at concessions stands for $1

* More than 100 water fountains operational in stadium

* Cooling buses on the east and west side to supplement aid stations

* Officers at gates looking out for fans in heat distress and directing to aid stations

And that’s just for the fans. I’ve got to figure it’s much tougher for the players. If anyone knows differently, I’d like to hear about it.

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Smile, Georgia fans: it’s another Mandel Mailbag!

Montana alert:

Georgia this season plays at Arizona State, marking the first time since 1967 that the Bulldogs have played a regular season game outside of the Southeast. Since 1992, the SEC as a whole has played less than half as many out-of-region games than any BCS conference besides the Big East.

So my question is, what incentive do teams really have to go out there and play legitimately tough non-conference games every year? Any respectable BCS school will demand a home-and-home series, and if the odds of actually winning that game are so terrible, why not be like Georgia or Florida or LSU, and never schedule a game outside of the southeastern U.S.?
— Ryan, Columbus, Ohio

First of all, that Georgia nugget, which has been circulating frequently in recent months, is truly astounding, and has surely contributed to the notion I asserted last summer about that program’s lack of national cachet. Fortunately, current AD Damon Evans realizes this and has taken numerous, progressive steps to enhance the Bulldogs’ image, including scheduling home-and-homes like this one…

Once again, distance traveled is somehow made to equate with degree of difficulty. Would Georgia’s 2003 schedule have been tougher if the Dawgs had traveled to play Stanford instead of Clemson?

The thing of it is that Mandel himself goes on to give an example that undercuts this argument.

… Florida may not be leaving its region but, in addition to its annual date with Florida State, is renewing its series with Miami.

That’s national power Florida to you, bub. That’s the same Florida program which hasn’t traveled outside the South to play a regular season football game since 1991 (that will become the longest gap for any SEC school after Georgia plays in Tempe). So exactly why does travel outside the region matter?

Virtual football on the Flats

Yessiree Bob, Georgia Tech football is kicking the Paul Johnson era off with a bang. You want to see the opener against Ryan Perrilloux and Jacksonville State? Well, either buy a ticket, or make sure your Internet connection is fired up.

Football fans wanting to be the first to see Georgia Tech run Paul Johnson’s offense have two options: Be at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Aug. 28, or be at a computer with Internet access.

ESPN 360 will carry Internet-only coverage of the game against Jacksonville State. Kickoff time is 7:30 p.m.

It’s rumored that the Jackets will be wearing a special uniform to honor this unique showcase.

Getting into the business

Trying to break into a new field of business isn’t as easy as it might seem.  Take a look at these two examples:

• UNC Charlotte ponders the high cost of D-1 football.
• The SEC might want to consider that managing conference athletic programs is one thing; starting a TV network is another.

Which Matt has Matt been watching?

Matt Hayes continues to mystify me with regard to this perception he has about Matt Stafford.

Here’s his latest insight:

… What in the world makes anyone think this Arizona State team, with a revamped offensive line, can bang heads with Georgia, which has one of the best defensive lines in the nation? Here’s one reason: Ubertalented Dawgs quarterback Matthew Stafford struggles in true road games and still must embrace the concept of incompletions instead of interceptions.

Stafford played in six games away from Athens last year.  He threw six interceptions in those six games.  As for struggling, his two worst games last season were home games against South Carolina and Kentucky.

Hayes keeps revisiting this notion he has about Stafford’s weaknesses, so it’s not accidental.  I just don’t understand where he gets it from, unless he only watched Stafford’s play in his freshman year.