DMN Blog: Drawing the curtain *Merge*

[WoodysGirl]

9:17 AM Mon, Oct 26, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

We talked about this a little last week because Sunday was the first day game at Cowboys Stadium but with the overcast skies to start the game, I didn't think the sun would be a factor.

It was.

According to Troy Aikman on the Fox broadcast, Atrlanta coach Mike Smith called a timeout after the first play of the third quarter to complain about the sun coming in through the glass windows. It was shining in his players eyes and Smith apparently wanted a curtain to be lowered.

It's just another quirk of the new stadium and one that will have to be talked about as the year goes on. Sun spots were on the field from about one 30 yard line to the other for a large part of the second half. Some players even shaded their eyes to see the Falcons' formations at one point.

I asked Patrick Crayton about it after the game and he didn't think it was a factor. I asked an Atlanta reporter about Smith's alleged complaints and he didn't hear anybody talk about it after the game.

The Cowboys do have a curtain they can drop down from the roof to prevent the sun from coming through. They've used it for concerts, including the U2 concert a few weeks ago. Like the digital board, this might be something the league takes a look at before too long.


Comments (11) Leave comment | E-mail entry

 

[zekecee]

The old stadium had afternoon sun issues as well...both teams played on the same field with the same sun...get over it.

 

[speedkilz88]

It's a team decision that has to be made at halftime. end of story.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Like the digital board, this might be something the league takes a look at before too long.

Take a look at for what? This is getting ridiculous. It's jealously, plain and simple. I can't think of anything else that would make grown men whine about the marvelous videoboard and the friggin' sun.

 

[xWraithx]

freakin IDIOTIC to even bother having glass windows if you're just going to cover them up with a curtain on sunny days...

can't stand that our roof remains closed most of the time and I can't believe they'd actually consider lowering a curtain to cover up the sun

save playing football indoors for the Arena League

I hate that about our stadium.

 

[utrunner07]

freakin IDIOTIC to even bother having glass windows if you're just going to cover them up with a curtain on sunny days...

can't stand that our roof remains closed most of the time and I can't believe they'd actually consider lowering a curtain to cover up the sun

save playing football indoors for the Arena League

I hate that about our stadium.

Could not agree more.

 

[dallascowboysfan31]

What's with this baby crying about the sunlight? What's next.... is he gonna whine about temperature and humidity, or it being too cloudy?

 

[Zman5]

What next? We have too many chandeliers in the stadium bars that can reflect light into players eyes?

 

[tecolote]

Just curious, what is the mechanism they use to cover up the sun in Lambeau Field?

 

[jswalker1981]

Just curious, what is the mechanism they use to cover up the sun in Lambeau Field?

Favre's shadow.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

The old stadium had afternoon sun issues as well...both teams played on the same field with the same sun...get over it.

Those shadows where horrible, never liked them but these at the new stadium i like. They are cool looking.

 

[cwbyfn1957]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tecolote
Just curious, what is the mechanism they use to cover up the sun in Lambeau Field?

Favre's shadow.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Poor Widdle Falcons Don’t Wike Too Much Sun

There are a lot of reasons the Atlanta Falcons could point to for losing to the Cowboys yesterday. They could point to the fact that they gave up over 400 yards of total offense. They could point to the fact that they failed to stop the now smoking-red-hot Miles Austin. They could point to the fact that their supposed franchise QB, Matty Ryan, got outplayed at every turn by the besieged Tony Romo. They could point to all that and more.

Instead, the Falcons have decided to point their ire squarely in one place: Right at our precious sun. Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk explains:

Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith is complaining during today's game at Dallas that the sun is shining through the end zone windows and directly into his players' eyes, affecting their play.​

GASP! OH NO! Poor Atlanta Falcons. Who knew that, in addition to playing the Cowboys, they’d also be competing against a GIGANTIC AND VERY BRIGHT BALL OF CELESTIAL FIRE? It’s not fair! THERE’S NO SUN IN THE GEORGIA DOME! Who could possibly play sports in such inhospitably sunny conditions? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! THAT SUN COULD GIVE THEM SKIN CANCER! PETER KING SAYS WE SHOULD RESPECT THE SUN!

To be fair to the Falcons, that sun DID look pretty damn bright on TV. There was enough glare coming from those windows that I thought I was looking at a digital stadium banner for Kay Jewelers. You know Jerry is capable of such things. But that’s about the limits of my sympathy, given that the teams switched sides each quarter, and that eye black was freely available to both teams at all times.

But could a bit of gamesmanship be afoot? Florio says:

According to Troy Aikman, who's calling today's Falcons-Cowboys game for Fox, a curtain is supposed to be drawn to prevent sunlight from affecting the players. For some reason, that curtain remained open.​

Oh, that little rascal Jerry Jones. Opening his megacurtain, presumably using some very expensive pulley, to blind those Falcons. Florio suggests that Curtaingate could be a lingering concern at Cowboys Stadium. I disagree. When your secondary gets its *** pasted as thoroughly as Atlanta’s did, you have no right to complain about the big orange marble in the sky.


BY Drew Magary // 4 hours ago

http://www.nbcdfw.com/blogs/blue-star/Poor-Widdle-Falcons-Dont-Wike-Too-Much-Sun-65954972.html

 

[bbgun]

 

[Chief]

:laugh2:

With those black eyebrows, the sun shouldn't bother him anyway.

I think they should put Fisher's face on the scoreboard occasionally with one of his whiny quotes, and put Smith's face on the curtains.

Austin caught his second TD looking right into the sun. Both teams deal with it.

 

[DallasEast]

Hopefully, everyone will live a long life, but I was wondering. For those who don't like the new stadium, are you going to ***** about it for the next 40 years? 30? 15? Next week? Just curious as to how long before enough will be enough.

About 15 years ago, I had this neighbor who allowed his dog to stay outside his fenced-in front yard. Every day was the same. Someone would walk by, his dog would bark his head off and tell him to shut up! Wash. Rinse. And repeat. All day long. Seven days a week.

One day, I happened to be the passerby. So I asked the guy, who was trying to feed the dog at the time, "Why does your dog bark so damn much?" He replied, "The HELL that I know!"

"Don't you get tired of that", I asked. He said, "Yeah, but I've tried a few things to get him to stop, but he just won't shut up. He was like that when I got him from my brother, but I thought he would eventually grow out of it."

I shook my head and told him good luck. Six or seven months past before the routine stopped when he loaded up a van and moved out of the neighborhood. Just by chance, I met him again about a year or so later and I asked him if his dog ever settled down.

"Nope," he said. "He kept barking to his last day".

"He didn't die of old age, did he?" I asked.

"Nope. Someone untied him one night. The next morning I woke up and found him dead in the middle of the street. Somebody ran over him. He was a good dog and I still miss him, but I don't miss his barking!"

"Amen," I said. "Amen".

He didn't seem to appreciate my smiling about it though.

 

[DCBoysfan]

The old stadium had afternoon sun issues as well...both teams played on the same field with the same sun...get over it.

Thats what I was thinking when they first said on the telecast, both teams have to deal with the same issues.

 

[Kaika]

We Lose , there's a controversy, We Win, there's a controversy . Lets face it ,we can't do anything right.:bang2::bang2::bang2:

 

[xWraithx]

Hopefully, everyone will live a long life, but I was wondering. For those who don't like the new stadium, are you going to ***** about it for the next 40 years? 30? 15? Next week? Just curious as to how long before enough will be enough.

About 15 years ago, I had this neighbor who allowed his dog to stay outside his fenced-in front yard. Every day was the same. Someone would walk by, his dog would bark his head off and tell him to shut up! Wash. Rinse. And repeat. All day long. Seven days a week.

One day, I happened to be the passerby. So I asked the guy, who was trying to feed the dog at the time, "Why does your dog bark so damn much?" He replied, "The HELL that I know!"

"Don't you get tired of that", I asked. He said, "Yeah, but I've tried a few things to get him to stop, but he just won't shut up. He was like that when I got him from my brother, but I thought he would eventually grow out of it."

I shook my head and told him good luck. Six or seven months past before the routine stopped when he loaded up a van and moved out of the neighborhood. Just by chance, I met him again about a year or so later and I asked him if his dog ever settled down.

"Nope," he said. "He kept barking to his last day".

"He didn't die of old age, did he?" I asked.

"Nope. Someone untied him one night. The next morning I woke up and found him dead in the middle of the street. Somebody ran over him. He was a good dog and I still miss him, but I don't miss his barking!"

"Amen," I said. "Amen".

He didn't seem to appreciate my smiling about it though.

Yes, I can see how people who are confused about having huge retractable windows only to have them curtained and a retractable roof only to have it closed on good weather days/nights relates to you smiling about a dead dog. Great analogy.

 

[xpistofer]

freakin IDIOTIC to even bother having glass windows if you're just going to cover them up with a curtain on sunny days...

can't stand that our roof remains closed most of the time and I can't believe they'd actually consider lowering a curtain to cover up the sun

save playing football indoors for the Arena League

I hate that about our stadium.