[French Rage]

Yeah I mean they could cancel, it would just be a stupid idea when, as others have mentioned, it's sooo obvious and fun and easy to hold it on 12/1.

If this were our 2016 Rice game, OK maybe.  But The Big Game?

[French Rage]

Yeah I mean they could cancel, it would just be a stupid idea when, as others have mentioned, it's sooo obvious and fun and easy to hold it on 12/1.

If this were our 2016 Rice game, OK maybe.  But The Big Game?

[Treebound]

There's too much money and tradition on the line to cancel Big Game.  I think it's a 12/1 game unless the wind picks up in a favorable direction and as you all know...Die Luft der Freiheit weht!

Here's to beating the weenies yet again and extending our streak either tomorrow or on 12/1.   I would prefer to give Bryce some time to heal so that he goes out with a Big, Big Game!

[Treebound]

There's too much money and tradition on the line to cancel Big Game.  I think it's a 12/1 game unless the wind picks up in a favorable direction and as you all know...Die Luft der Freiheit weht!

Here's to beating the weenies yet again and extending our streak either tomorrow or on 12/1.   I would prefer to give Bryce some time to heal so that he goes out with a Big, Big Game!

[qwerty49]

Stanford just canceled classes for Friday - email went out at 10:00 pm.  Other work continues with maximum latitude for employees who have health or family (kids with no school) issues. The sporting events remain unchanged ... for now.

kal has also cancelled classes today..  In re the game, the Chancellor's statement says, 

"Insofar as Saturday afternoon’s Big Game is concerned, we are relying on the same standards, practices, data and expert guidance that have supported our decisions to date. At this point, the forecast indicates there could be an improvement in air quality on Saturday due to changes in wind patterns. So, while we realize there is potential for inconvenience we will defer any decisions about the status of the game until closer to the game, a time when the decision can be made based on actual conditions in our area."

That's my conference!   Football TV broadcast commitments over public safety or public image.

Solution is right there - I so wish the conference would take the sensible move.

1) Postpone game until 12/1.
2) Divert fire and police resources that would be standing around the stadium to do almost anything closer to the Camp Fire
3) For 12/1 invite all of the families of Paradise HS to the game.
4) If fire is out or 100% contained, make sure to bring the fire fighters out at halftime.
 
But instead my conference will...
Show the region that holding a football game at 4:30PM on Pac-12 Nets is simply more important than anything else.
Prove once and for all that the health and safety of studet-athletes is only important when TV revenue is not on the line.

Ugh...
I still maintain that a 12/1 game would be better for the Pac-12 as some will seek an alternative to the 30+ point blowout in the ACC.
Clemson vs Pitt will be at 5PM - Counter programming to that should be viable.

Though if there is a reschedule, I would prefer a nice (traditional) 1PM type kick-off even if that is opposite the might SEC CG game.

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

[qwerty49]

Stanford just canceled classes for Friday - email went out at 10:00 pm.  Other work continues with maximum latitude for employees who have health or family (kids with no school) issues. The sporting events remain unchanged ... for now.

kal has also cancelled classes today..  In re the game, the Chancellor's statement says, 

"Insofar as Saturday afternoon’s Big Game is concerned, we are relying on the same standards, practices, data and expert guidance that have supported our decisions to date. At this point, the forecast indicates there could be an improvement in air quality on Saturday due to changes in wind patterns. So, while we realize there is potential for inconvenience we will defer any decisions about the status of the game until closer to the game, a time when the decision can be made based on actual conditions in our area."

That's my conference!   Football TV broadcast commitments over public safety or public image.

Solution is right there - I so wish the conference would take the sensible move.

1) Postpone game until 12/1.
2) Divert fire and police resources that would be standing around the stadium to do almost anything closer to the Camp Fire
3) For 12/1 invite all of the families of Paradise HS to the game.
4) If fire is out or 100% contained, make sure to bring the fire fighters out at halftime.
 
But instead my conference will...
Show the region that holding a football game at 4:30PM on Pac-12 Nets is simply more important than anything else.
Prove once and for all that the health and safety of studet-athletes is only important when TV revenue is not on the line.

Ugh...
I still maintain that a 12/1 game would be better for the Pac-12 as some will seek an alternative to the 30+ point blowout in the ACC.
Clemson vs Pitt will be at 5PM - Counter programming to that should be viable.

Though if there is a reschedule, I would prefer a nice (traditional) 1PM type kick-off even if that is opposite the might SEC CG game.

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

[Farm93]

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

I would take 12/1 at 9AM
I would take 12/1 at 9AM Levi's Stadium

Levi's BTW would solve many problems. It would allow UCB and Stanford to get better even/odd rotations AND would provide space to do the proper charity thing by inviting Northern California Firefighters to the game.  The field might be a little torn up after Pac-12 CG, but the Rams play after SC on back to back days so it should be OK.

Instead of any of those things we are all going to be watching the AQI websites for ~30 hours.

[Farm93]

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

I would take 12/1 at 9AM
I would take 12/1 at 9AM Levi's Stadium

Levi's BTW would solve many problems. It would allow UCB and Stanford to get better even/odd rotations AND would provide space to do the proper charity thing by inviting Northern California Firefighters to the game.  The field might be a little torn up after Pac-12 CG, but the Rams play after SC on back to back days so it should be OK.

Instead of any of those things we are all going to be watching the AQI websites for ~30 hours.

[82lsju]

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

or maybe be on a real network since the other power-5 games of note that weekend are

the Power 5 championships that day

Big 12 - 9am PT - ABC
SEC - 1pm PT - CBS
ACC - 5pm PT - ABC
Big 10 - 5pm PT - FOX

looks like FOX could use an early game or ABC could use a 1pm game......

[82lsju]

Seems to me that if we postpone until 12/1 that Pac-12 Network could use any broadcast slot it wants. So maybe a good old fashioned 1pm kickoff could actually happen. 

Or not. Maybe the minor bowls need to decide earlier in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott scheduled a 9am kickoff.

or maybe be on a real network since the other power-5 games of note that weekend are

the Power 5 championships that day

Big 12 - 9am PT - ABC
SEC - 1pm PT - CBS
ACC - 5pm PT - ABC
Big 10 - 5pm PT - FOX

looks like FOX could use an early game or ABC could use a 1pm game......

[yvonne]

Levi's is not going to happen. It was nixed under their previous AD. Besides, why should they lose home field advantage over this? It would be fair to move the game to some distant location tomorrow, but if Levi's air is clear on 12/1, so would Memorial Stadium's.

[yvonne]

Levi's is not going to happen. It was nixed under their previous AD. Besides, why should they lose home field advantage over this? It would be fair to move the game to some distant location tomorrow, but if Levi's air is clear on 12/1, so would Memorial Stadium's.

[BobK]

Sac state vs UC Davis moved to Reno just now

[BobK]

Sac state vs UC Davis moved to Reno just now

[Farm93]

Levi's is not going to happen. It was nixed under their previous AD. Besides, why should they lose home field advantage over this? It would be fair to move the game to some distant location tomorrow, but if Levi's air is clear on 12/1, so would Memorial Stadium's.

Memorial Stadium would be best as there would be no need to issue new seat assignments.

If UCB had any concerns about hosting on 12/1 then Levi's could turn into a win-win type deal.  It won't happen, but even that Levi's option could be better than the game on 11/17 at this point.

[Farm93]

Levi's is not going to happen. It was nixed under their previous AD. Besides, why should they lose home field advantage over this? It would be fair to move the game to some distant location tomorrow, but if Levi's air is clear on 12/1, so would Memorial Stadium's.

Memorial Stadium would be best as there would be no need to issue new seat assignments.

If UCB had any concerns about hosting on 12/1 then Levi's could turn into a win-win type deal.  It won't happen, but even that Levi's option could be better than the game on 11/17 at this point.

[yvonne]

I agree. I interpreted your earlier post as suggesting Levi's as an alternative.

[yvonne]

I agree. I interpreted your earlier post as suggesting Levi's as an alternative.

[82lsju]

view from the Lawrence Hall of Science at UCB, I'm sure that will all blow out soon.....

[82lsju]

view from the Lawrence Hall of Science at UCB, I'm sure that will all blow out soon.....

[French Rage]

The Cal students can finally do something useful with their big cards and use them to fan the air away.

[French Rage]

The Cal students can finally do something useful with their big cards and use them to fan the air away.

[82 Card]

view from the Lawrence Hall of Science at UCB, I'm sure that will all blow out soon.....

AQI 2.5 was about 258 when that picture was taken (according to sensor at complex next to Lawrence Hall).

[82 Card]

view from the Lawrence Hall of Science at UCB, I'm sure that will all blow out soon.....

AQI 2.5 was about 258 when that picture was taken (according to sensor at complex next to Lawrence Hall).

[DenverCard]

I've been following this issue with dismay, as I know from exposure to even relatively low levels of smoke in the air, as we have been getting in Denver during the summer from local and far-flung fires, is very unpleasant and life-disruptive.  I can only imagine the misery it is causing to those of you in California in the midst of bad air.  (And yet, how fortunate one is to not have one's home and community destroyed, if not even a yet worse outcome.)

On a vastly less important level, and yet something about which I've wondered, how are teams training. The focus has been on Big Game, and yet there are the cross country teams, soccer teams, and men's water polo all set to begin, or having already started, the postseason.  Those sports require a very high level of fitness, not to mention refinement of strategy/tactics for upcoming matches.  Are there indoor facilities?  (Although I must say, I've never understood the advantages of being indoors.  If filters were protective, would they not need to be changed almost daily to remove the gunk they collect?)  Are there masks that can be worn that are effective?  What a downer for teams that have focused all season on this time of year.  

BobK, perhaps you have knowledge of what teams are doing in response to the bad air.

Also, I note that the soccer field in Salinas -- where the women play tonight -- is turf, which really changes the character of soccer, as the ball moves so much faster and bounces so much more on turf.  Presumably it's high quality, but that could be a real disadvantage to Stanford if Mississippi has had more experience playing on turf.  Same for the men if their game is played in Salinas on Sunday.

[DenverCard]

I've been following this issue with dismay, as I know from exposure to even relatively low levels of smoke in the air, as we have been getting in Denver during the summer from local and far-flung fires, is very unpleasant and life-disruptive.  I can only imagine the misery it is causing to those of you in California in the midst of bad air.  (And yet, how fortunate one is to not have one's home and community destroyed, if not even a yet worse outcome.)

On a vastly less important level, and yet something about which I've wondered, how are teams training. The focus has been on Big Game, and yet there are the cross country teams, soccer teams, and men's water polo all set to begin, or having already started, the postseason.  Those sports require a very high level of fitness, not to mention refinement of strategy/tactics for upcoming matches.  Are there indoor facilities?  (Although I must say, I've never understood the advantages of being indoors.  If filters were protective, would they not need to be changed almost daily to remove the gunk they collect?)  Are there masks that can be worn that are effective?  What a downer for teams that have focused all season on this time of year.  

BobK, perhaps you have knowledge of what teams are doing in response to the bad air.

Also, I note that the soccer field in Salinas -- where the women play tonight -- is turf, which really changes the character of soccer, as the ball moves so much faster and bounces so much more on turf.  Presumably it's high quality, but that could be a real disadvantage to Stanford if Mississippi has had more experience playing on turf.  Same for the men if their game is played in Salinas on Sunday.

[BostonCard]

I guess it could be worse... we could be in Bangladesh.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/1063514828143247361?s=21[/tweet]

Second worst air in the world right now.

BC

[BostonCard]

I guess it could be worse... we could be in Bangladesh.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/1063514828143247361?s=21[/tweet]

Second worst air in the world right now.

BC

[Hurlburt88]

Digressing from Stanford Athletics related topics here . . . the Bangladesh AQI number is heartbreaking when we think about the daily impact on that population.

[Hurlburt88]

Digressing from Stanford Athletics related topics here . . . the Bangladesh AQI number is heartbreaking when we think about the daily impact on that population.

[Ferris Bueller]

..Also, I note that the soccer field in Salinas -- where the women play tonight -- is turf, which really changes the character of soccer, as the ball moves so much faster and bounces so much more on turf.  Presumably it's high quality, but that could be a real disadvantage to Stanford if Mississippi has had more experience playing on turf.  Same for the men if their game is played in Salinas on Sunday.

airnow reports salinas ~150ppm

https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airn...cityid=540

[Ferris Bueller]

..Also, I note that the soccer field in Salinas -- where the women play tonight -- is turf, which really changes the character of soccer, as the ball moves so much faster and bounces so much more on turf.  Presumably it's high quality, but that could be a real disadvantage to Stanford if Mississippi has had more experience playing on turf.  Same for the men if their game is played in Salinas on Sunday.

airnow reports salinas ~150ppm

https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airn...cityid=540

[81alum]

PurpleAir has the instruments around Palo Alto all dipping below 200 now--generally in the 170s and 180s.  Best it's looked for a couple of days.  Let's hope the trend continues.

[81alum]

PurpleAir has the instruments around Palo Alto all dipping below 200 now--generally in the 170s and 180s.  Best it's looked for a couple of days.  Let's hope the trend continues.

[stupac2]

I haven't been paying attention to the numbers in Berkeley, but here in Oakland it was pretty good today, at least relative to the past couple days. I still think cancellation was the right move, especially now that it looks like we'll get rain next week and finally clear the air, but it probably could've been played by the NCAA's standards.

[stupac2]

I haven't been paying attention to the numbers in Berkeley, but here in Oakland it was pretty good today, at least relative to the past couple days. I still think cancellation was the right move, especially now that it looks like we'll get rain next week and finally clear the air, but it probably could've been played by the NCAA's standards.

[82 Card]

It looks like the winds changed in Berkeley shortly after noon, dropping the AQI below the NCAA standard of 200. By that standard, the game could have been played. However, I think using a very unhealthy standard is ridiculous. The AQI is just now, well after the game would have been over, reaching 150, which is the beginning of "unhealthy".  Even in hind sight, the decision to reschedule the game was the right decision.

[82 Card]

It looks like the winds changed in Berkeley shortly after noon, dropping the AQI below the NCAA standard of 200. By that standard, the game could have been played. However, I think using a very unhealthy standard is ridiculous. The AQI is just now, well after the game would have been over, reaching 150, which is the beginning of "unhealthy".  Even in hind sight, the decision to reschedule the game was the right decision.

[Snorlax94]

At least in my experience, there is a strong cumulative effect.

Even though the air was pretty bad that first weekend of the Oregon State game, I felt fine. I was at a wedding that day and the air didn’t bother me and I felt comfortable walking out onto a deck at night, nearby.

But each day, I felt worse and by Wednesday I felt miserable — headaches, fatigue, coughing, susceptible to illness, and just that general unpleasant feeling of not being able to go out and get exercise for a week.

So I think postponing the game was the right decision by far. It’d be one thing if Berkelwy had an AQI of over 200 one morning, it cleared up, and was under 200 well before gametime. It’s another thing to live and train all week in that air, to be weakened in it, then to go play if the aqi hits 200. I bet the fans felt the same way — after a week of that air, I wouldn’t want to be outside for a game just because the aqi dipped to 199 for a few hours.

Man, I hope we can get this addressed somehow. This is two years in a row heavily impacted by smoke and I do not want this to become the new normal.

[Snorlax94]

At least in my experience, there is a strong cumulative effect.

Even though the air was pretty bad that first weekend of the Oregon State game, I felt fine. I was at a wedding that day and the air didn’t bother me and I felt comfortable walking out onto a deck at night, nearby.

But each day, I felt worse and by Wednesday I felt miserable — headaches, fatigue, coughing, susceptible to illness, and just that general unpleasant feeling of not being able to go out and get exercise for a week.

So I think postponing the game was the right decision by far. It’d be one thing if Berkelwy had an AQI of over 200 one morning, it cleared up, and was under 200 well before gametime. It’s another thing to live and train all week in that air, to be weakened in it, then to go play if the aqi hits 200. I bet the fans felt the same way — after a week of that air, I wouldn’t want to be outside for a game just because the aqi dipped to 199 for a few hours.

Man, I hope we can get this addressed somehow. This is two years in a row heavily impacted by smoke and I do not want this to become the new normal.