Will this week's game be postponed or moved due to Ike? [Yes]
 

Just wondering if you guys down in the Houston area have heard anything.

Stay safe, guys!

The Texans have not really said much yet officially, and it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't discuss plans more openly until late this afternoon or tomorrow.

Given the evacuations ordered, I am having a harder time seeing this game played as scheduled on Sunday afternoon, even though the storm itself will have moved on by then. If I had to guess right now, I'd say this game will be moved back to Monday night and played at Reliant Stadium, assuming no significant damage to the stadium.

All speculation still at this point.

eta - here is the latest email from the team:

One thing I heard and this could have changed by now, but that if the Ravens palne could land then they thought they would be able to play the game Sunday. If not they will move to Monday. I think they are planning on the storm having passed by Sunday to play the game.

my guess is they will move it to monday. many of the people will be returning from evacuating on Sunday, which could cut attendance.

Their problem is as I understand it is their only shot at the game is this
weekend & Monday ? And if they make up their minds to play it here and the storm turns out to be too intense, too destructive (lets hope not!), for a game in this window they are out of luck and won't play it.
Therefor I'm gonna be surprised if the Texans don't elect to go with an alternative location while they've still got the time for that option.

Attendance won't matter. The Texans already have their money.

A move to Monday night might be judicious (and mayyyyybe ESPN will show it as a doubleheader) but that's as far as any changes.

Saw on the ESPNews bottom line that it was moved to Monday Night at 7:30CDT?

I wonder if I'll still get this game on Sunday Ticket....

I saw the same crawl.

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/St...?story_id=4630

Any good news for us folks not in the Houston or Baltimore areas?

Yes, we'll have a gameday thread here on ItB.com so local fans watching the game can offer their insight into what they're seeing on TV.

:D

Actually, I think the game should still be available on DirecTV's Sunday NFL ticket, and ESPN2 is supposedly airing the game too.

eta - This was in the email just sent by the Texans:

Good Lord.

Now we have an extra day of preparation to take away any excuses. Hopefully, we make a statement to the rest of the league that you shouldn't give the Texans an extra day of prep as opposed to it just doesn't matter how much time you give that bunch cause they're just gonna blow it.

Alright, good news on the telecast. I figure DTV would still have it anyway since it pulls Sunday Ticket feeds off the local stations. If not, hopefully ESPN2 broadcasts the game in hi-def.

Well, according to a quote from Aiello on PFT.com, the game will not be on DirecTV. And frankly, I'm questioning the accuracy of the Texans' email saying it will also be on ESPN2. Hmmm...

From PFT:
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/...sunday-ticket/

Man, this is sad... I'm debating whether to start Flacco this week in my FFL because of the crappy showing the Texans D' put on us last week. :mad:

That is ****************ed up.

FYI, for the Sunday Ticket folks.

It doesn't indicate that Austin is getting the game on KEYE. I still don't understand where ESPN is factoring into this unless they are picking up the telecast but if they are, why should DTV and other satellite options be necessary?

Chron.com article on game being televised on DirecTV for Sunday Ticket subscribers.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5998295.html

From McClain's blog:

So that's where ESPN comes in. They had to consent for another game to butt into their protected time slot (obviously any competition, no matter how minor, pulls a percentage of viewers from the game they're showing thus diminishing the value of the ads they are selling).

So I guess that means you'll get the Texans if you have Sunday Ticket or if you are in the local markets for Houston and Baltimore.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5999358.html

Reliant Stadium has been damaged. There will be no game on Monday. More to come once teams discuss with the league.

It would be really cool to see the game moved next door to the Astrodome but I'm guessing that the Dome is not in playable shape anymore.

So, what's Kyle Field doing this week?

Is there any reason why this game isn't being moved to another stadium?

The bye week idea is AWFUL.

I have no idea why they can't play the game Monday in San Antonio. Or New Orleans. Or who cares where. You're right, the Texans having their bye at week two is horrible.

Texans-Ravens Rescheduled to Nov. 9th.
 

Per McClain:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5999358.html

Texans have moved their game with the Bengals for that week to their scheduled bye week (Oct. 26th) so both teams will have Nov. 9th free to play the game.

I hate it.

We have to sacrifice our bye week? Damn.

You'd think that for $350 million a collection of monkeys could figure out how to build a stadium that would withstand a stiff breeze. What a bunch of idiots. I've never liked that stadium. It's ugly, the open roof gives no sense of being outside, and it's broken. I bet you anything that the stadium isn't repaired in time for the Colts game. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the team didn't play a single game in Reliant Stadium this year. Reliant my ass.

It does seem a bit ironic that the baseball stadium that was built on the cheap is ready to go with only minor damage while the football stadium that was built with a future Super Bowl in mind and declared "state of the art" has major problems. The Astrodome next door appears to have survived, just as it did with Alicia 25 years ago.

I can see them both from where I live - the Dome and Reliant. The Dome is sitting there looking the same as ever. Reliant has what look like massive rips in the roofing or at least significant sections missing - there are large dark strips contrasting with the white roof.

As you mention MMP has escaped unscathed. Of course the league wants the Astros to play their series against the Cubs elsewhere, but that's a horse of a different feather.

Reliant sucks. I've always thought so and said as much after my first visit. But, sensitive as always to the considerations of others, I muted my criticism once it became obvious that the overwhelming consensus was positive. Looking back I think that the consensus would have been positive if presented with Butler Stadium given the excitement over the new franchise.

I'm planning on visiting Lambeau this year. That's some sort of consolation I suppose.

Reliant is open to a large expanse of nothing, whereas MMP is shielded by a large city, freeway structure, and GRB. There's a big difference. Ike was hardly "a gust of wind" judging by the devastion in the area, which we are all experiencing to some degree or another.

Frankly, I couldn't give a rats ass about the Texans schedule, Reliant, or the impact of having the bye week in Wk2. My main worry is how to keep my wife and 3 young kids cool, fed and healthy in the next couple of weeks. It's going to get nasty around here if they can't get power going and the food, fresh water and gas supply going soon.

I disagree. Ever been in any downtown when it is windy? The tall buildings amplify the wind speed around them making it even windier at ground level. That's part of what happened to the Georgia Dome during the SEC basketball tournament last spring. These downtown venues are far more vulnerable to wind damage, not "shielded".

And yet you had time to come online to a football website and vent. I'm glad you and your family made it through okay. Once you get the electricity back, everything will return to normal and they will have crews from all over the country down there working to get you back on as fast as they can. If they have to replace a lot of lines where you are, you'll probably have to wait longer but I predict that 80-90% of the affected area will be back on by the end of the week. Only the hardest hit areas will need to wait longer.

I went through Alicia myself and I have had family scattered all throughout Florida and the Gulf Coast so I know how recovery goes. The media will always paint the worst possible picture for you. Pockets of devastation down by the coast will be really hard times but much of the rest of the region will be largely back to normal by the end of the week.

Then we agree to disagree.

Please forgive me for trying to have some sense of normalcy here. I went through Alicia was well and this is far worse.

There was no internet or cell phones back during Alicia so I'd say things are probably better. :)

Having moved here 10 years ago, I was a hurricane virgin. I must say that I was scared when it kicked up and got bad. My house is certified for windstorm of 140mph, but I swear I've never heard sounds like I heard the other night. Happy to say that I live near my towns water supply and apparenly we were some of the first to get back power. What an experience. My house only suffered minor shingle damage and my fence got tore down but I am lucky.

Hope you others in Ike's way get your electricity and life back to normal. You are in my prayers.

I'm with Popanot on this one. The buildings might swirl the wind and make it windier at ground level, but the more stuff there is the more friction there is to slow down the winds. That's why winds speeds are always higher up off the ground then they are at ground level.

The stadium should have been able to handle Ike though, and I'd be surprised if there isn't a lawsuit down the road...much like the one for the juice box's climate control and the problems they had with the roof. Wind is a weird thing. My fence is 20? years old. Half the wood is rotted, and it was already crooked and leaning over. It's fine, but the nice new one my neighbor put up a year or two ago is down.

i'm with you, PB. I'd be mighty surprised if there isn't a lawsuit filed. Aside from the fact that a 350 million dollar stadium should be able to handle a category 2 storm without large sections of the roof being completely torn off, just look at the lost revenue. I'd be shocked if we're able to play in reliant before november, if at all. Rice stadium? please. we'd be better off at the Rob.

Gee, there was a time when a football stadium didn't need a roof to play a game. If the rest of the structure is sound and no more pieces from the roof are apt to drop, they should just play the game.

I saw somewhere that the stadium was built to only withstand something like 115 mph winds....or basically pretty close to what it got. That's a little stupid IF it's correct.

They are considering playing with an open roof, but the problem is that since they planned on having a roof, the drainage system couldn't handle a big rain without it turning into a lake.

I have a question, it sounds incredibly in-sensitive, especially with everything going on around here, but I am going ask anyway......:confused:
With Rice having a capacity of about 50K, how will our season tickets be handled? How many season ticket holders are there?

Just curious.

yeah, i dont know what all damage there is, but if possible just open the roof and play like it is a regular stadium, rain or shine.