Hurricane Michael hits close to home for FSU athletics program
By Jason Parker
Hurricane Michael was not just one of the biggest storms to hit the United States, but one that affected FSU athletics and the players who take part in them.
Less than a week ago, a system in the area south of Mexico and Cuba was just a bunch of wind and rain with no direction – but less than seven days later, it would have a name – Hurricane Michael – and end up being the third most intense storm to strike the United States as its 155 mile per hour winds barreled into the Florida panhandle.
All of a sudden, in a matter of hours, the areas known to anyone who has lived in Tallahassee or attended FSU like Mexico Beach, Apalachicola and Panama City saw mass destruction from the storm that will take months and maybe even years to rebuild – if some things are even able to be rebuilt at all.
A look at what houses in #Mexico Beach, #Florida look like right now. This is a follow up from the previous clip posted. They are now submerged and were no match for #HurricaneMichael (via Tessa Talarico) #Hurricane #Michael #HurricaneMichael2018 pic.twitter.com/GJENrhFJha
— Josh Benson (@WFLAJosh) October 10, 2018
Trees of all sizes are coming down around #Tallahassee. Things can be replaced. You cannot. Continue to shelter in place. #MichaelTLH pic.twitter.com/2GFJE2fEz1
— City of Tallahassee (@CityofTLH) October 10, 2018
In Tallahassee, FSU and Florida A&M – along with Tallahassee Community College – cancelled classes and activities on campus starting Tuesday through the end of the week so students could get out of town before Hurricane Michael made landfall. Even with that, not everyone was able to make it out in time and had to hunker down in shelters like one made at the Tucker Center.
Praying now for all in harms way of the Hurricane today. Everyone please heed the warnings and be smart. Several FSU players had to stay in Tally because it was too difficult to get out after practice yesterday including Josh. As of now everyone is safe. Trusting God.
— Frederick Brown (@frederickbrn) October 10, 2018
Josh Brown’s dad later tweeted out the FSU football’s Janarius Robinson, a Panama city native, had lost his home in the storm.
The Big Bend region, including Tallahassee and places that were destroyed by the most recent storm, have been dealing with their share of storms in recent years – including both Hermine in 2016 and Irma’s outskirts affecting the area last September.
However, Hurricane Michael is going to town in history as the most powerful storm in the panhandle area – and the second most intense storm to hit the Sunshine State after the 1935 Labor Day system and ahead of Hurricane Andrew, which leveled parts of South Florida in 1992.
In the coming days, FSU will make announcements on both classes and activities on campus next week – including the homecoming events leading up to October 20th’s game against Wake Forest. But just like last year with Irma and years before with storms like Andrew, you can’t blame people if their focus isn’t on sports at this moment.