Broyles blows whistle on heat

SCOTT CAIN
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Mother Nature and Arkansas fans put the heat on Athletic Director Frank Broyles and he listened.
Broyles said Thursday he has changed the kickoff time for Saturday's season-opening football game against Southwest Missouri State from 6 to 8 p.m.
By delaying the kickoff two hours, Broyles said fans and players should be less at risk for heat-related health problems and should enjoy the game more.
Little Rock's high temperature Wednesday was a record 111 degrees and the forecast for Saturday is for temperatures between 100 and 105.
Changing the time of kickoff occurred to Broyles early this week but phone calls Wednesday and Thursday from "people, doctors, fans" convinced him to act, he said.
"We thought about it but we didn't think it was possible," Broyles said. "But the momentum built. When it hit 111, we thought we should make the change.
"It might be more inconvenient for our fans, but it should make the game more enjoyable for them."
Arkansas' players will be able to sleep in a little longer and the game-day schedule for meals and meetings will be moved back. But Coach Houston Nutt said he didn't mind.
"It's good," Nutt said. "It will be a little cooler. We're in shape to go either way, though."
Broyles asked for Southwest Missouri State Athletic Director Bill Rowe's approval before making the change. Arkansas will pay SMS "a few thousand dollars" more than the $150,000 contract guarantee to cover added expenses caused by the later kickoff, Broyles said.
SMS will need hotel rooms two hours longer and will have to add a meal for the team, Rowe said.
"But at the same time this is unusual kind of weather," Rowe said. "You've got to make the adjustment."
The later start means a later return for the team and some Bears fans on curvy Arkansas highways. It's about a four-hour drive between Springfield, Mo., and Little Rock.
"We're going to have family going down there, and you worry about them driving," SMS Coach Randy Ball said.
Fans have been asked not to cook on grills unless they have a fire extinguisher and grill cover. Dry conditions have made the grassy areas more susceptible to fire.
"We want Razorback fans to have fun, and we're certainly not asking fans not to tailgate," said Bryan Day of the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, which owns many of the tailgating areas. "However, we'd like to suggest that instead of grilling that tailgaters take food, like sandwiches, that doesn't have to be grilled on site."

This article was published on Friday, September 1, 2000

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