And this is where I disagree with the idea that people who haven't lived in both extremes can't comment intelligently on it.
I grew up in Massillon, Ohio, and played football there. Then I moved to Eufaula, Alabama my junior year and played football there. I've experienced both sides firsthand. It's not nearly as extreme as you're making it sound. Yes, there is an adjustment going from Ohio weather to Alabama heat, just like there would be going from Miami to Minnesota. I'm not saying weather doesn't matter.
But football players aren't helpless when the temperature changes. They practice in different conditions, prepare for road games and adapt. The difference between playing in 90-degree Miami and 50-degree Minnesota is real, but it isn't some automatic competitive advantage that determines the outcome.
The NFL does this every year. Teams from Miami, Tampa, Los Angeles, Arizona and other warm-weather cities routinely travel to places like Green Bay, Buffalo, Chicago, Minnesota and New England in November, December and January. They don't get months to acclimate to the weather. They prepare for it and play.
The same applies to the Nashville example. I live in Clarksville now, and November snow around here is hardly a normal occurrence. When it does snow that early, it often doesn't even stick.
So we're taking the most extreme weather scenarios from each region and treating them like they're the expected conditions every time a team plays there.
That's a pretty big difference.
If the argument is that Miami needs to pay attention to when and where its Big Ten road games are scheduled, I'm completely with you. But saying Miami can't adapt to November football up north, or that every November road game is going to be some frozen hellscape, is overstating the actual climate issue.
You are someone that understands it though.
Like you, I grew up in SFLA and Brookpark, Ohio. Played sports in both. There are probably kids on our roster right now, who’ve never seen snow or 10* temps in their life, let alone played in it.
Loved playing football in the snow, but it’s something you learn. You don’t run, cut the same in the snow as a dry field or even a wet field.
Look at the Dolphins upset of the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, years ago. The quick receivers and RB’s were falling on their asses. The only RB who played well was Keith Byars, as he had huge feet and a plodding running style.
I’m not saying the weather will make us lose to a Rutgers or a Minnesota, I’m saying it may be consequential in a game where we are evenly matched or having an off day. As well, the Big 10 will neuter one of our advantages.
The last time we had this discussion over a year or so ago, I did the research on the Dolphins and Hurricanes historical records at away games, up north in open fields vs home games. The contrast in records was night and day.
Right now, playing a NC or BC game away in November is a couple times a decade affair. And NC and Boston are mild, compared to the upper Midwest.
It will guaranteed, be an every year, perhaps multiple times a year, issue in the Big10.
As bad as the SEC refs suck, the Big10 cheats in all aspects, for their charter members.
I’ve been a Canes fan since 1981, I’m seen every championship run and expect them. A decent percentage of our posters have seen us win maybe 1 championship, some not old enough to even remember 2001.
I don’t want us to go to the Big 10 because of academics or because we’re a better fit. We’re not, we have nothing in common with the Big 10 schools. It’s a conference full of pedophile & cheating programs.
I’d rather we play UFaG and FSU every year and smack UGA and Bama in the mouth. The SEC cares about $$$, the Big10 cares about pedigree.
