Nicholls stranded in Illinois airport following 35-0 first-round loss in FCS playoffs

[McCowboys]

https://www.wwltv.com/article/sports/college/nicholls-stranded-in-illinois-airport-following-35-0-first-round-loss-in-fcs-playoffs/289-795f5f15-9106-4c74-bf2d-c3554089a084

Players, staff and school administration took to social media to show displeasure in being stranded for nearly an entire day with no food and eventually no water.

[Bisonator]

At least they didn't have to use tents for their locker room during the game..........xsmiley_wix

[CHIP72]

Clearly they should have scraped together a lot more nicholls to pay to get themselves out of southern Illinois.

[McCowboys]

At least they didn't have to use tents for their locker room during the game..........xsmiley_wix

Oh, my! Did those players who had to dress in tents have to stay there 17 hours after the game with no food and no water?

[McCowboys]

I see the comedians (or wannabe comedians) are out this morning. I can only hope this (or something similar) never happens to your team.

[Houndawg]

At least they didn't have to use tents for their locker room during the game..........xsmiley_wix

a little respect please, those tents were here to keep the beer off the players.

[Houndawg]

https://www.wwltv.com/article/sports/college/nicholls-stranded-in-illinois-airport-following-35-0-first-round-loss-in-fcs-playoffs/289-795f5f15-9106-4c74-bf2d-c3554089a084

Players, staff and school administration took to social media to show displeasure in being stranded for nearly an entire day with no food and eventually no water.

Check out Paducah, Ky. Its an hour away but they have more than vending machines - last week our flight to Charlotte was delayed and they fed us pizza

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[Yote 53]

Well, it was Thanksgiving weekend. Should have just hitched a ride home with Del Griffith.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M0FfQzSngM

[taper]

I get the frustration, but what do they expect the NCAA to do about it? They chartered a flight that I can all but guarantee is FAA certified. Mechanical problems happen. Trust me, waiting in the airport for the plane to fixed is better than yeeting into the air. I don't understand how they were without water though. Not even drinking fountains in the concourse? Refill your bottle in the bathroom sink?

The return leg of my very first flight had me spend an overnight in LAX with ~100 of my high school friends due to mechanical problems so I sympathize, but it's not like this is unique to them.

[Libertine]

I get the frustration, but what do they expect the NCAA to do about it?

Ordinarily, I would agree with you BUT the NCAA absorbs some of the team travel costs for the FCS playoffs and, therefore, heavily regulates it. They put strict limits on what forms of transportation you can use, what vendors you can use, and how many resources (or what brand of resources) can be provided to the travel party. In this case, it would not surprise me if Nicholls had wanted to use a different air charter vendor with a better reputation for mechanical reliability but were limited to using someone cheaper by NCAA FCS travel regs. Also, Powerade is an NCAA sponsor so the only hydration resources allowed to the team are those provided by the NCAA as part of its sponsorship agreement. This is a set allotment and it is rarely sufficient, even without factoring in a 20-hour flight delay.

I seriously doubt that the Marion, IL airport actually ran dry at the water main but, having been to that particular airport, calling it an airport in the first place is generous . Having 60+ players -- not to mention 10+ coaches and 20+ support personnel -- try to line up at a water fountain that may or may not be functional and may or may not taste like tarmac runoff is ludicrous.

To your point, this situation certainly isn't unique to the Colonels but it's also very likely that the NCAA's FCS playoff travel rules and regs exacerbated it.

[dbackjon]

Ordinarily, I would agree with you BUT the NCAA absorbs some of the team travel costs for the FCS playoffs and, therefore, heavily regulates it. They put strict limits on what forms of transportation you can use, what vendors you can use, and how many resources (or what brand of resources) can be provided to the travel party. In this case, it would not surprise me if Nicholls had wanted to use a different air charter vendor with a better reputation for mechanical reliability but were limited to using someone cheaper by NCAA FCS travel regs. Also, Powerade is an NCAA sponsor so the only hydration resources allowed to the team are those provided by the NCAA as part of its sponsorship agreement. This is a set allotment and it is rarely sufficient, even without factoring in a 20-hour flight delay.

I seriously doubt that the Marion, IL airport actually ran dry at the water main but, having been to that particular airport, calling it an airport in the first place is generous . Having 60+ players -- not to mention 10+ coaches and 20+ support personnel -- try to line up at a water fountain that may or may not be functional and may or may not taste like tarmac runoff is ludicrous.

To your point, this situation certainly isn't unique to the Colonels but it's also very likely that the NCAA's FCS playoff travel rules and regs exacerbated it.

Well said - NCAA has some explaining to do

[CHIP72]

On a more serious note than my humorous comment on page 1, getting stuck in one of those tiny commercial airports with very limited on-site amenities IS a real problem if/when it happens. When my brother attended graduate school at Mississippi State, I had to fly into/out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which serves the Columbus/Starkville/West Point, MS area, if I wanted to avoid a 2+ hour car ride to/from a much larger commercial airport (Jackson, Birmingham, or Memphis). GTR was a fine little airport, but it only had vending machines for food and drink (and water fountains for water). If I had gotten stuck there, I would have been in big trouble; not only did the airport not have an on-site restaurant, but there was only one convenience store/gas station within a mile of the airport. One time when there was a flight delay when I was heading home from a visit, the small number of Delta Airlines employees there gave everyone some free snacks. Obviously that would be insufficient if you are stranded for 17 hours.

I wonder if Nicholls State gave thought to altering/tried to alter their plans once they were stranded for 3+ hours to charter a bus to take them to St. Louis International Airport, the closest large airport, so they could fly from there to get home.

[walliver]

On a more serious note than my humorous comment on page 1, getting stuck in one of those tiny commercial airports with very limited on-site amenities IS a real problem if/when it happens. When my brother attended graduate school at Mississippi State, I had to fly into/out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which serves the Columbus/Starkville/West Point, MS area, if I wanted to avoid a 2+ hour car ride to/from a much larger commercial airport (Jackson, Birmingham, or Memphis). GTR was a fine little airport, but it only had vending machines for food and drink (and water fountains for water). If I had gotten stuck there, I would have been in big trouble; not only did the airport not have an on-site restaurant, but there was only one convenience store/gas station within a mile of the airport. One time when there was a flight delay when I was heading home from a visit, the small number of Delta Airlines employees there gave everyone some free snacks. Obviously that would be insufficient if you are stranded for 17 hours.

I wonder if Nicholls State gave thought to altering/tried to alter their plans once they were stranded for 3+ hours to charter a bus to take them to St. Louis International Airport, the closest large airport, so they could fly from there to get home.

Taking the bus to St. Louis would still require a charter flight. Finding 100 last minute seats on a commercial flight on Thanksgiving weekend would not be feasible..

It seems the real problem here is that the charter company didn’t have a spare plane to send in.

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On a more serious note than my humorous comment on page 1, getting stuck in one of those tiny commercial airports with very limited on-site amenities IS a real problem if/when it happens. When my brother attended graduate school at Mississippi State, I had to fly into/out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which serves the Columbus/Starkville/West Point, MS area, if I wanted to avoid a 2+ hour car ride to/from a much larger commercial airport (Jackson, Birmingham, or Memphis). GTR was a fine little airport, but it only had vending machines for food and drink (and water fountains for water). If I had gotten stuck there, I would have been in big trouble; not only did the airport not have an on-site restaurant, but there was only one convenience store/gas station within a mile of the airport. One time when there was a flight delay when I was heading home from a visit, the small number of Delta Airlines employees there gave everyone some free snacks. Obviously that would be insufficient if you are stranded for 17 hours.

I wonder if Nicholls State gave thought to altering/tried to alter their plans once they were stranded for 3+ hours to charter a bus to take them to St. Louis International Airport, the closest large airport, so they could fly from there to get home.

Taking the bus to St. Louis would still require a charter flight. Finding 100 last minute seats on a commercial flight on Thanksgiving weekend would not be feasible..

It seems the real problem here is that the charter company didn’t have a spare plane to send in.

[POD Knows]

Meh, I am kind of on the "karma is a bitch" deal for the dressing room tents at a playoff game. As a previously frequent traveler, I do feel for the team however, air travel sucks at all levels. Can't even count the number of hours I have been stuck at O'hare and then missed connecting flights and had to scramble to get a room someplace. The last actual flight I took ran 18 hours from Nashville, TN to Fargo during the masking days, it sucks. It has to be a real pain in the ass after a football game to get hung out to dry like that. Haven't flown since July of 2021 and don't really plan on it again unless it is an emergency or something.

[Houndawg]

On a more serious note than my humorous comment on page 1, getting stuck in one of those tiny commercial airports with very limited on-site amenities IS a real problem if/when it happens. When my brother attended graduate school at Mississippi State, I had to fly into/out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport, which serves the Columbus/Starkville/West Point, MS area, if I wanted to avoid a 2+ hour car ride to/from a much larger commercial airport (Jackson, Birmingham, or Memphis). GTR was a fine little airport, but it only had vending machines for food and drink (and water fountains for water). If I had gotten stuck there, I would have been in big trouble; not only did the airport not have an on-site restaurant, but there was only one convenience store/gas station within a mile of the airport. One time when there was a flight delay when I was heading home from a visit, the small number of Delta Airlines employees there gave everyone some free snacks. Obviously that would be insufficient if you are stranded for 17 hours.

I wonder if Nicholls State gave thought to altering/tried to alter their plans once they were stranded for 3+ hours to charter a bus to take them to St. Louis International Airport, the closest large airport, so they could fly from there to get home.

they would have beat their flight home if they'd waited 3 hours and then taken the charter bus all the way home

If it happens to anyone else note that Amtrak's City of New Orleans stops in Carbondale. I think somebody from the University would have suggested it if the timing had been right

[taper]

Well said - NCAA has some explaining to do
Really? The NCAA is supposed to break a contract, conjure a private charter on Thanksgiving weekend, get it to a minor airport, and airlift a team on short notice? Is that even possible in less than 17 hours?

[Libertine]

Really? The NCAA is supposed to break a contract, conjure a private charter on Thanksgiving weekend, get it to a minor airport, and airlift a team on short notice? Is that even possible in less than 17 hours?

I don't think the issue is that the NCAA should have been expected to swoop and save the day but, rather, that the bureaucratic rigidity of the NCAA's playoff travel restrictions made an unfortunate situation virtually unsalvageable.

[Bisonoline]

https://www.wwltv.com/article/sports/college/nicholls-stranded-in-illinois-airport-following-35-0-first-round-loss-in-fcs-playoffs/289-795f5f15-9106-4c74-bf2d-c3554089a084

Players, staff and school administration took to social media to show displeasure in being stranded for nearly an entire day with no food and eventually no water.

So between all of those people they couldnt get a uber to deliver a couple of hundred burgers delivered?

[KPSUL]

Bottom line, even if finding another 100+ passenger aircraft at a county airport was impossible someone should have gotten the guys enough pizza, burgers and fries and and a dozen 32 bottle packs of water to keep them fed and hydrated while they waited for their plane to be be repaired.

[taper]

Bottom line, even if finding another 100+ passenger aircraft at a county airport was impossible someone should have gotten the guys enough pizza, burgers and fries and and a dozen 32 bottle packs of water to keep them fed and hydrated while they waited for their plane to be be repaired.
As someone in the business world with a corporate credit card, I would simply do that then submit an expense report. We're looking at what, $3k in food and drink for the night? That's nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nicholl's staff dropped the ball here, not the NCAA.

[BisonFan02]

As someone in the business world with a corporate credit card, I would simply do that then submit an expense report. We're looking at what, $3k in food and drink for the night? That's nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nicholl's staff dropped the ball here, not the NCAA.

This.

[Bisonoline]

As someone in the business world with a corporate credit card, I would simply do that then submit an expense report. We're looking at what, $3k in food and drink for the night? That's nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nicholl's staff dropped the ball here, not the NCAA.

That was my point exactly.

[caribbeanhen]

Cry harder wimps

try 3 weeks with no fresh food and very limited water 12,000 miles from nowhere on the back of a broken icebreaker with a 120 foot rip in the hull with 140 agitated knuckle draggers

[AmsterBison]

Cry harder wimps

try 3 weeks with no fresh food and very limited water 12,000 miles from nowhere on the back of a broken icebreaker with a 120 foot rip in the hull with 140 agitated knuckle draggers

Need a thread for travel horror stories because that one is pretty good. I've been lucky so far (knock on wood.)

[Libertine]

Bottom line, even if finding another 100+ passenger aircraft at a county airport was impossible someone should have gotten the guys enough pizza, burgers and fries and and a dozen 32 bottle packs of water to keep them fed and hydrated while they waited for their plane to be be repaired.


As someone in the business world with a corporate credit card, I would simply do that then submit an expense report. We're looking at what, $3k in food and drink for the night? That's nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nicholl's staff dropped the ball here, not the NCAA.

All of which, again -- due to the NCAA's overly strict travel regs for the FCS playoffs -- they are not allowed to do. Everything you're suggesting -- while completely fine in the corporate world or private sector -- would be an NCAA violation.

[taper]

All of which, again -- due to the NCAA's overly strict travel regs for the FCS playoffs -- they are not allowed to do. Everything you're suggesting -- while completely fine in the corporate world or private sector -- would be an NCAA violation.
What's the violation? From what I've seen the NCAA grants a per diem to each person in the official travel party. There's absolutely no chance anyone would object to feeding athletes after a game when their flight is delayed.

[Puddin Tane]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2023/11/27/nicholls-state-stuck-airport-fcs-playoffs/71722946007/

why dont ya try reading what actually happened instead of having a pissing contest? The ncaa ****ed up and let em sit. Sounds like Nicholls, with help from the SLC and SIU, handled it very well.

[taper]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2023/11/27/nicholls-state-stuck-airport-fcs-playoffs/71722946007/

why dont ya try reading what actually happened instead of having a pissing contest? The ncaa ****ed up and let em sit. Sounds like Nicholls, with help from the SLC and SIU, handled it very well.
It's good to see some actual reporting of the events. Looks like everything I said I would do was done. Do not agree at all that the NCAA f'd up though. They have absolutely no control of pilot's flight restrictions or operating hours of an airport.

Southern Illinois athletic officials sent out water, Gatorade and food. Chris Grant, commissioner of the Southland Conference that includes Nicholls State ordered barbecue sandwiches for lunch.The NCAA offered to reimburse the school's travel party for any food or beverage, then had food and beverages sent, and the football players were well fed by the time they boarded the plane that finally took off at 6:15 p.m.

[Bisonoline]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2023/11/27/nicholls-state-stuck-airport-fcs-playoffs/71722946007/

why dont ya try reading what actually happened instead of having a pissing contest? The ncaa ****ed up and let em sit. Sounds like Nicholls, with help from the SLC and SIU, handled it very well.

What pissing contest are you referring too?

[MR. CHICKEN]

WHILE....STATIONED IN MISAWA JAPAN........CHOW HALL DAMAGED BAH AN EARTHQUAKE.....THEY GAVE US THOSE.....WWII ARMY GREEN MESS KITS......CANNED
BEANS & LITTLE MEATBALLS....UH CAN UH DATENUT BREAD & 3 CIGARETTES....DIDN'T SMOKE......WENT TA BASE EXCHANGE.....LIVED ON POTATO CHIPS FO' 3 DAYS.......AH'D UH RATHER BEEN ON DUH BOAT......:p....AWK!

[Houndawg]

WHILE....STATIONED IN MISAWA JAPAN........CHOW HALL DAMAGED BAH AN EARTHQUAKE.....THEY GAVE US THOSE.....WWII ARMY GREEN MESS KITS......CANNED
BEANS & LITTLE MEATBALLS....UH CAN UH DATENUT BREAD & 3 CIGARETTES....DIDN'T SMOKE......WENT TA BASE EXCHANGE.....LIVED ON POTATO CHIPS FO' 3 DAYS.......AH'D UH RATHER BEEN ON DUH BOAT......:p....AWK!

Basic Training we had some C rations with cigarettes, the drills thought they were from the Korean conflict times

[MR. CHICKEN]

.......MAY NOTTAH BEEN WWII...BUT DEF...FOXHOLE DINNERS.......BRAWK!

[caribbeanhen]

WHILE....STATIONED IN MISAWA JAPAN........CHOW HALL DAMAGED BAH AN EARTHQUAKE.....THEY GAVE US THOSE.....WWII ARMY GREEN MESS KITS......CANNED
BEANS & LITTLE MEATBALLS....UH CAN UH DATENUT BREAD & 3 CIGARETTES....DIDN'T SMOKE......WENT TA BASE EXCHANGE.....LIVED ON POTATO CHIPS FO' 3 DAYS.......AH'D UH RATHER BEEN ON DUH BOAT......:p....AWK!

Thank you for your service Mr C!

[MR. CHICKEN]

Thank you for your service Mr C!

AND YOU ...ADMIRAL.....xsalutex.....BRAWK!

[fansincehighschool]

WHILE....STATIONED IN MISAWA JAPAN........CHOW HALL DAMAGED BAH AN EARTHQUAKE.....THEY GAVE US THOSE.....WWII ARMY GREEN MESS KITS......CANNED
BEANS & LITTLE MEATBALLS....UH CAN UH DATENUT BREAD & 3 CIGARETTES....DIDN'T SMOKE......WENT TA BASE EXCHANGE.....LIVED ON POTATO CHIPS FO' 3 DAYS.......AH'D UH RATHER BEEN ON DUH BOAT......:p....AWK!

Three years in the Army, I can count on one hand the times I was served up C-rations. Even those rations cost the Army money to pass out to the troops.

[Houndawg]

Three years in the Army, I can count on one hand the times I was served up C-rations. Even those rations cost the Army money to pass out to the troops.

Ours were old excess inventory, the new ones didn't have smokes. We'd heat them on the exhaust manifold of a deuce-and-a-half when out in the field or on guard duty

[Go Green]

Thank you for your service Mr C!

Ditto!

And that goes for everyone else here who served in our military!!!