WEATHER OR NOT?

Week 3 NFL/select college football weather report

Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins will face the heat again. Miami Dolphins/Facebook

This weekend will see the country’s first good fall cool front move across the nation (but no, unfortunately it won’t make it all the way to Houston). As these fronts begin to become more frequent the weather will become volatile as they pass through. However this week impacts from the front look to be limited to just a couple of games. In addition to that there will also be the usual Florida trouble spots. Also, keep reading to the end for a College Football Special for a couple of games of local interest.  Lets jump to it:

Raiders @ Dolphins (12:00 PM Sunday) – The typical Miami issues look to be in play for this game.  The humidity will put the heat index in the mid to upper 90s. Some thunderstorms will be possible over the course of the game, with lightning being the main concern. Slight bump down to the defenses due to the heat but other than that no big position impacts.

DEF: ↓

Packers @ Redskins AND Broncos @ Ravens (12:00 PM Sunday) – Rain lingering behind the aforementioned cold front will be the primary issue at both of these games.  This will likely be a soggy afternoon with light rain being present for most of the game with pockets of some moderate rainfall moving through from time to time.  Overall winds shouldn’t be a huge issue, but there is the possibility that there could be a few gusts around 15 MPH which could cause a brief cross wind. Given the conditions I see the position impacts as follows:

RB: ↑

WR/TE: ↓↓

K: ↓

DEF: ↑

Steelers @ Buccaneers (7:15 PM Monday) – As of now it looks like the heat index will be around 90 degrees for this game and some rain may be possible. However it is still a bit too far out to make a good call on rain here yet.  If something looks concerning I will post an update.

College football special

TCU @ Texas (3:30 PM Saturday) – There is a good chance this will be a wet affair. Rain is very likely for at least the early portion of the game, but it could linger throughout the afternoon.  Overall rain will be light to moderate but there may be a few pockets of heavy rain that move through and a couple of lightning strikes that could possibly cause an issue.

Texas A&M @ Alabama (2:30 Saturday) – I don’t think that even a hurricane could change the likely outcome of this game. But if you plan to bet you may want to note that while no rain is forecast, it will be a sweltering afternoon with the heat index around 100 degrees throughout the game. While both teams should be relatively well acclimated to heat it can still take a toll over the course of the game. If I had to bet, I would say A&M would see the defensive drop off first though.

For more information on these or any other games, or if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @stephenuzick.


 

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A new hotel is in the works near Minute Maid. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Astros owner Jim Crane says the team is ready to break ground on a major construction project that will include a hotel and entertainment complex across the street from Minute Maid Park as soon as the 2023 baseball season wraps up – hopefully with another World Series parade in downtown Houston.

AstrosWorld!

But another hotel? Another entertainment complex? More construction downtown? My first reaction was, how much more does Houston need? I remember when the Super Bowl was held in Houston in 2004, clubs and restaurants sprung up downtown practically overnight, only to disappear virtually the morning after. When it came to downtown development, the expression “less is more” turned out true. At least that Super Bowl.

I asked my contacts in government and the Houston welcome wagon, is this a good idea, building a hotel and entertainment complex next door to Minute Maid Park? Do we need it? Can we sustain it?

The answer every time was a resounding yes! For a couple of reasons: first, downtown Houston, coming out of Covid, is booming, leadership is creative and budget-minded these days, and most important, if Jim Crane is behind the idea, you can trust it’ll work. The guy’s got a track record.

“In 2004, the idea was to turn downtown’s Main Street into Bourbon Street. Is that what we really want? It was a misguided plan, the wrong philosophy, and businesses opened and closed in short order,” a source told me.

It was a different story when the Super Bowl returned to Houston in 2017. This time Houston saw the Marriott Marquis, a 1,000-room hotel complete with an iconic Texas-shaped swimming pool, open in time for the tourist onslaught. Also, Avenida Houston greeted downtown visitors with new restaurants and entertainment venues. Both the Marriott and Avenida Houston have continued to thrive long after the Super Bowl left town.

“We want our downtown to attract visitors while providing services for the growing number of singles and families who are making their home downtown. As we continue to host major events and conventions, there will be a need for more hotel rooms,” the source said.

The Astros’ plan to build a sprawling hotel and entertainment complex originally was discussed in 2021 but was put on hold due to Covid. Now Crane and the Astros are ready to come out swinging. Similar complexes operate successfully next to the baseball stadium in St. Louis, Chicago and other cities.

An Astros-themed hotel adjacent to Minute Maid Park is particularly intriguing. The lobby could be home to an Astros museum and team Hall of Fame. Rooms and restaurants could be decorated in honor of Astros legends – the “Nolan Ryan honeymoon suite,” or “Strech Suba’s Bullpen Bar and Grille.” There could be meeting space for autograph and memorabilia shows. There could be a broadcast facility for post-game interviews and analysis. And maybe one day, fingers crossed, a betting parlor like the Cubs have at Wrigley Field.

The Astros have a contract to play at Minute Maid Park through 2050 – the only long-term contract that doesn’t make Crane cringe. Anything that enhances the fan experience and generates revenue is good for the team and the city. I might even consider going downtown on non-game nights.

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