The Sky Is Falling

Well, okay, maybe not literally, but as everyone knows by now, the sky did fall on the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis on Dec. 12 (video can be found HERE for those who somehow missed it).

Not only did the Dome collapse screw up two of the remaining four Minnesota Viking games, it is now effecting some 300 college baseball games this up coming winter and spring.  Mavblog spoke with Minnesota State head coach Matt Magers today and he had this to say about the Dome, "The biggest thing is you can't control the weather.  Even if it is not in the Dome, baseball in Minnesota, in the spring,  weather is something you have to deal with.  We are trying to decide if we go back to Colorado in February or down to Missouri or add a couple of games on our spring trip.  There are other teams in our situation so now it is the matter of getting together with them, finding a location and seeing if we can play."

Several newspapers around the NSIC have localized this story, including the Argus Leader, The St. Cloud Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune (part two of the Stibs Coverage) and the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The Mavericks were slated to play four series (eight games) in the MetroDome, including their season opener on Feb. 15, against Lincoln.  MSU was also to play Concordia in a nonconference twinbill (Feb. 18), as well as nonconference double-dips against the University of Mary (March 14) and Bemidji State (March 22).

Here is a breakdown of how the NSIC will be affected by the Dome's temporary closing (unofficially)

School Dome Games
Bemidji State 16
St. Cloud State 16
Concordia 10
Minnesota State 8
Winona State 8
Wayne State 8
Minnesota Duluth 6
Minnesota, Crookston 6
Southwest Minnesota State 6
Northern State 4
Augustana 4
U-Mary 3
Upper Iowa 0
Total 95

Providing the estimates of 300 games will be played in the Dome this winter are accurate, 31.6 percent of them were to include teams from the NSIC.

Finally a non-baseball related read.  Tuesday night, the University of Iowa defeated Missouri, 27-24, in the Insight.com Bowl.  One of Iowa's Co-MVPs for the season is senior defensive lineman Karl Klug, twin brother of former Maverick (and 2009 First-Team All-NSIC South Division Linebacker) Kevin Klug.  The Winona Daily News ran THIS story on the brothers, well worth the read.

In closing, we in the Athletic Communications Office wish everyone a Happy and Safe 2011!

Go Mavericks