From the Anchor Desk Tuesday, October 2, 2012 By Brian Bailey

A memorable night at Dowdy-Ficklen

By Brian Bailey
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

Probably the best part about getting old is that others look to you for history.

Sometimes I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.

During Saturday night’s weather delay at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, many in the press box turned to yours truly to see if there had ever before been such an occurrence during an East Carolina football game.

After ECU Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations Tom McClellan said he had no record of a delay, folks turned to another on the ECU staff, Lee Workman, and me. Both of us arrived in Greenville in 1984. Neither of us remembered anything close to what we saw on Saturday night.

On the sideline word began circulating that there was definitely bad weather on the way.

The delay came at a bad time for the home team. The Pirates were driving and were all set to set up shop deep inside Texas-El Paso territory when the word came from PA announcer Morgan Ahlers.

The storm was coming. The stadium was evacuated. A very nice Saturday night crowd was reduced to an empty stadium in a surprisingly short time frame.

ECU officials should be commended for getting the crowd out and safe before the weather hit.

The media took refuge in the press box. Granted, that old clunker isn’t exactly the best “safe place” around, but it served its purpose.

Pirate coach Ruffin McNeill had not previously been involved in a weather delay in his long coaching career.

“Never,” said McNeill after the game. “Not in 32 years of coaching.”

By Monday, McNeill was ready to go into more detail regarding his feelings about the stadium evacuation and how it affected his team.

“With the delay and the unorthodox way the game played out, I was very proud of our team for staying focused throughout the game and even during the delay,” he said. “I also was very proud of our staff for maintaining the team’s focus during the delay and also making adjustments during both the delay and the abbreviated halftime.

"The third group that I was proud of was our fans that were able to stay around and come back after the delay.”

When play resumed, ECU quarterback Shane Carden was picked off in the end zone on the first play. Carden shook off that pick and led the Pirates to their third victory.

Most of the second half was played in a driving rain storm. It really came down hard at times as the night wore on.

The key to the victory was the ground game. East Carolina may have found the team’s every down back in Vintavious Cooper. Cooper rushed for 153 yards in the rain, including the clinching touchdown on a bruising 24-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“Give credit to my line,” said Cooper. “They did a great job and I just ran hard.”

Carden agrees with those of us who say the Pirates are at their best when they can run the football.

“It certainly opens things up,” said Carden.

Carden was also effective on the ground in the Saturday night win. He had a pair of rushing touchdowns and adds a new dimension to the Pirates on offense.

“They are just basic plays,” Carden explained. “I get a good read and just pull it in and run when I can.”

After a long night, the Pirates now face a short week. East Carolina is an early 14-point underdog to the Knights of Central Florida.

McNeill says his club will treat this game like a playoff game. UCF has appealed its postseason ban and is therefore eligible to capture the conference title at this time. That, of course, could change.

“It really is such strong competition in our conference within the two divisions for the chance to play in the championship game,” said McNeill. “Every game is one where you need to be at your best and are mentally focused.”

You never know what you’re going to get in a football game. This past Saturday night added a new and very different chapter.

Thankfully, everyone got out safely before the weather hit.

A special congrats to all of the ECU fans that returned after the delay and sat through the rain to enjoy the victory.

Ruffin McNeill and his Pirates were singing in the rain after this one, as the team continued with its tradition of singing the fight song with the students after a home game win.

Pirate fans will barely be dry when the team is back in action Thursday night in Orlando!

BB

E-mail Brian Bailey.

PAGE UPDATED 10/02/12 01:51 AM.