Posted on 09/04/2025 8:27:37 PM PDT by Morgana
The NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys was suspended in the third quarter due to lightning strikes in the area.
In remarkable scenes, the players were quickly taken off the field and the PA announcer urged fans to 'seek shelter' from the elements.
There was 4:44 remaining in the third quarter when the decision was made by officials at 10:26pm, with the Eagles leading 24-20.
A few minutes later, it was revealed by reporters that the game was suspended due to lightning within eight miles of the stadium, starting a 30-minute clock.
If, after 30 minutes, no more lightning has occurred, the game can continue. Any new lightning strike, though, resets the clock - threatening a long night for football fans.
Many jumped straight on social media to share their fury at the decision, with one noting: 'Soft league, just let them play.'
Another added, 'It's 10:30pm, some of us got jobs', while a third said: 'This would’ve never happened in the 90s or early 2000s.'
In a further twist, the National Weather Service was forced to correct the Eagles' warning to their fans of a 'severe thunderstorm' approaching.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The coverage that a lighting rod provides is usually modeled as an inverted cone with a pitch of 1:2. Every two feet from the pole the height of the protection decreases by one foot. If you had a 100 foot lightning rod, a six foot tall man would have protection as far as (100-6) x 2 = 192 feet away.
I know the public beach nearby orders swimmers out for 30 minutes after there is audible thunder. Lightning is easy to detect (duh!) and locate. AM radio is a great lightning detector. Time of arrival and correlation with spatially diverse detection stations can accurately locate strikes.
If you went to bed when they called the recess like I did, you saw all the scoring. I even made a few bucks as the Cowboys covered the spread (-7).
Regarding the Eagles players spitting, foul-mouthing, etc remember these players reflect the attitude of their fans - those fans once booed and threw batteries at Santa Claus.
Philly is a very ‘chocolate’ place ...
Makes you wonder how some people get through life.
Living. Carelessly.
Damn. I turned the station when they started with the Negro Football League National Anthem. I really missed the fun I guess.
Apparently that “Lift Every Voice And Sing” blakkk national anthem crap pissed EVERYONE off, from GOD on down!
Good point.
As a former electrician, I gained some experience with lightning rods connected to ground rods and lightning arrestors on the electrical panels. The rods and grounding are technology as old as Ben Franklin. I would think that the stadium could be built with appropriate lightning protection.
Anyway, the people most likely to be affected are in the cheap seats at the top, so management is OK with that. /s
Nice post by the way!
Right! This rule is in place for other sports. I was in Atlanta a few years ago to run the Peachtree 10K on July 4th. Standing at the start area, I saw a bolt of lightning in the distance. The race directors told us to go stand in a nearby parking garage. After a certain amount of time had passed without more lightning, the race was restarted. I am grateful for the caution.
Also running events.
Right!
Yes!
I was at a Colts-Jets game about 20 years ago and the same exact thing happened- game was stopped for about 35 minutes due to lightning.
Its easy for people to be tough guys behind their computer screens....college games are often delayed due to weather- specifically lighting strikes. I was at a Jets game 20 years ago where the game was delayed 40 minutes due to lightning.
Can’t blame the league or the Eagles for taking precautions...if there was a lighting strike in the stadium and people were killed, internet tough guys like sicon would be the first to scream “Why didn’t they have the foresight to stop the game!!!”
‘This would’ve never happened in the 90s or early 2000s.’
9/9/1996
Colts Weather Storm, Jets for 21-7 Victory
Indianapolis led, 21-7, with 11:10 to go when a severe thunderstorm caused the suspension. With lightning flashing and rain pelting the stadium, referee Bob McElwee halted action. He announced that for the safety of everyone in the stadium, the game was being delayed.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-09-sp-42149-story.html
Pro golfers have been.
“If a fan was hit by lightning, they would be entitled to a major, major cash award.”
If the fan decided on his own to go to the game and decided on his own to stay as a storm approached who would be liable for his decision to stay and not leave?
Yes but a strike in the huddle would take out 11
The choir at my church was hurt sorely when a lightning strike on the golf course took out three including the choir director and injured two more.
There are a couple of YouTube videos showing soccer players apparently affected by close lighting strikes.
Also, I recall Lee Trevino, a pro golfer surviving being struck by lightning.
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