Monitoring Tropical Storm Fred
August 11th, 2021
What Joe feared might happen — and still could — for the season-opening game against the Cowboys could happen Saturday night to open the awful preseason.
But it’s way too early to guess.
Tropical Storm Fred, some four days out, is expected to be off the coast of Port Charlotte right about kickoff Saturday night. By Sunday morning, current projections have the center of the storm off Pinellas County.
Might be an awfully tight window to get in a game with a tropical storm (or worse) coming this way. And those of us who live along the west coast of Florida know those damn things have minds of their own once they get into the Gulf.
So at practice this morning, Joe spoke with a very high-ranking Bucs official. What’s going to happen to the game with Fred expected just hours after the game is expected to end?
In short, it’s premature to guess. Joe was assured the proper team officials are monitoring the storm. As of right now, any decision would be jumping the gun big time.
No one has told Joe this, but moving the game to Friday night wouldn’t be a bad idea.
August 11th, 2021 at 1:42 pm
“moving the game to Friday night wouldn’t be a bad idea”
Concur… and if I’m not mistaken there is precedence for moving preseason games due to incoming weather situations.
August 11th, 2021 at 1:44 pm
“Hi, Fred…..”
Sincerely, Crazy Alice
August 11th, 2021 at 2:21 pm
Friday night would be great. That will increase my chances of being able to watch it live.
August 11th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
I heard the NFL plans to make up the game on our bye week.
August 11th, 2021 at 5:16 pm
The computer models show this has a tropical storm, at best, and only getting here by Sunday night, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
Obviously it’s too far out to totally write off, and if it misses some land it could be turn into something, but so far the impact is expected to be minimal, at most.
Also, as a general rule of thumb — if you’re at the center of the line, 5-days out, you can pretty much always assume you’re not going to get hit. 3-days out, they’ve got much better, but 5-days out, they’re normally off by hundreds of miles.
August 11th, 2021 at 5:18 pm
Also, just checking the intensity models, none of them have this even getting to hurricane status. Sounds like another nothing burger. Again, too early to completely write off, but it seems really unlike it’s more than just rain and some light wind.
August 11th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
The forcasters had the last storm making a sharp right turn taking that storm to the Jacksonville area. They blew it and it never happened.. Never trust them. Just like the hurricane that was going to slice across Tampa only did not. Better safe then sorry.
August 11th, 2021 at 6:02 pm
NOAA graphic (see above) suggests the center of the storm will be off Pinellas County Sunday 8 a.m.
August 11th, 2021 at 6:05 pm
: I never trust
August 11th, 2021 at 6:44 pm
Welcome to Florida. Way too early to reschedule a whole bunch of peoples plans. See ya at the game
August 11th, 2021 at 8:16 pm
Why don’t you just put Fred in moderation?
August 11th, 2021 at 8:17 pm
Why don’t you just put Fred in “Moderation”?
August 11th, 2021 at 8:36 pm
I guess anonymous isn’t an actual handle🤪🤯
August 11th, 2021 at 10:15 pm
Don’t think they can move the game up to Friday. The logistics involved in suddenly moving a game up is far harder than pushing it back. The Bengals have to travel. Various vendors at the stadium may not be available or may not be able to get ready in time.
They may push it back to Sunday or Monday. That would be easier than moving it up.
August 12th, 2021 at 1:18 pm
Joe – Don’t worry about it. We’re keeping “Phred” here in Ft. Myers for Sat. night and sending it on up to you guys on Sunday. Offshore.
August 12th, 2021 at 6:03 pm
right, Joe, get them to move this game to Friday, whats the big deal. The Bengals can fly in a day early, its friggin preseason, wtf.