Hurricane Irma affected UW, Miami
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Long before the Orange Bowl match-up between Wisconsin and Miami was set, the programs were jointly affected by a force beyond their control: Hurricane Irma.
Miami officials decided to cancel the team’s Sept. 9 game against Arkansas State. Head coach Mark Richt, his staff and the players eventually traveled north to Orlando, where they spent more than a week riding out the storm.
“There’s good people everywhere in America,” Richt said Friday during the Orange Bowl head coaches’ news conference. “And everybody knows when there’s an issue and some type of catastrophic storm coming or whatever it may be, everybody (says): ‘What can we do to help?’
“We went to Orlando to Wide World of Sports (and) they just opened their doors to us. I don’t think they charged us a penny.
“They were just like: ‘You guys have a need and we have the facilities to help you, and we’re going to help you.’ ”
UW hosted Florida Atlantic, which is located in Boca Raton, Fla., on Sept. 9. The Florida Atlantic players and coaches remained in Madison for six days after the 31-14 loss because they could not travel back to Florida.
UW officials gave Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin and his team access to UW’s facilities and meeting rooms for as long as they needed.
“I think the way it came about was pretty neat,” UW coach Paul Chryst said Friday. “I know Coach (Barry) Alvarez (athletic director) and I had talked and what’s the right thing to do and how can you make it as good as you can for them.”
UW’s roster at the time included nine players from Florida, so Chryst understood the anxiety players were feeling. He could only imagine the emotions members of the Florida Atlantic program were experiencing.
“I think any time you’re around other people and you get a chance to learn,” Chryst said, “you’re appreciative of what you’ve got. It was just college kids being good to other college kids. It was pretty cool.”
Florida Atlantic officials took out a full-page ad in the Wisconsin State Journal to thank UW for its hospitality. The ad included a note from Kiffin: “Thank you! You have opened your hearts to our football program for the past six days in our time of need. Every single person on the campus and in the community was kind and courteous.
“The Badger Football Team even shared their home with us and made our stay as comfortable as possible. We are forever indebted to the Wisconsin Athletic Department, Athletic Director Barry Alvarez and Head Coach Paul Chryst for their collective generosity.”
Richt was aware of the treatment Florida Atlantic’s team received in Madison because Kiffin raved about the experience after the Owls eventually returned home.
“Obviously, opening all their facilities to Florida Atlantic was awesome,” Richt said, “and I’m sure they were prepared to house them as long as they had to before they could get back in town.”
Big catch, big misunderstanding: UW officials earlier this week posted on Twitter a picture of several players with a 450-pound hammerhead shark caught off the coast Tuesday night.
Several people labeled the players’ behavior as shameful and/or embarrassing and noted that catching hammerhead sharks, an endangered species, in Florida waters is illegal.
According to a UW official, the charter captain took the boat outside Florida waters, into federal waters. That meant the act of catching the shark was not illegal. A UW official also noted the players had no idea what they caught until it was in the boat. Because it was dark, the captain didn’t know immediately, either.
The shark was tagged and released. Dixon honored: UW redshirt junior safety D’Cota Dixon on Friday was named the winner of the Football Writers Association of America’s 2017 Courage Award.
The award is given annually to a player, coach or support person in college football who displays courage, on or off the field.
The award was created by ESPN The Magazine senior writer Gene Wojciechowski, a member of the FWAA. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year.
The requirements for nomination include displaying some sort of courageous act, on or off the field including, overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster and living through a lifetime of hardships.
UW fans should be familiar with Dixon’s touching story.
The 2016 winner was Pittsburgh tailback James Conner, who overcame Hodgkin lymphoma.