Eblen Center under "blizzard" advisory for February 23 game vs. UMKC
Whether or not the outside weather cooperates won't matter -- there is a "blizzard" advisory being posted for Eblen Center for next weekend. Tech fans can expect more than flurries when UMKC visits on Saturday, Feb. 23, for a game against Steve Payne's Golden Eagles.
Saturday, Feb. 23 men's game vs. UM Kansas
City
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- While there has been almost no snowfall
across Tennessee this winter, the Upper Cumberland region is facing
a bona fide "blizzard" next weekend...a blizzard inside Eblen
Center, that is.
A "blizzard" advisory has been posted for Tennessee Tech's
upcoming basketball game against UM Kansas City. Tech officials are
expecting the advisory to be upgraded to a fill "blizzard' warning
for the game on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Whether or not the outside weather cooperates won't matter -- the
legendary "blizzard" is brewing inside Eblen Center for the Ramada
Worldwide BracketBuster game against the Kangaroos. Tennessee Tech
Athletics in bringing back The Blizzard, and fan participation is
the key.
"Blizzards" in Eblen Center became legendary in the late 1980s and
early 1990s, one event going so far as to be selected by ESPN as
the Play of the Day. That's not a play from the game, but the
actual "blizzard" of Tech squares. The network used footage of
Tech's blizzard as a key video element during it's lead-in to
national telecasts for the remainder of that season.
Tech fans use "Tech squares" for this blizzard -- small, square
sheets of toilet paper -- and Athletics will provide the paper to
fans in the stands prior to the games. No outside paper of any
form will be allowed into Eblen Center. No objects should
be thrown into the air except the "official" Tech squares.
Tech has held "blizzards" each of the past two years at home
games, the first experience of the event for many younger fans who
weren't attending Tech games 15 to 20 years ago, including the
current TTU student body. For many, they had no experience of the
huge blizzards of those decades that actually caused the floor to
get darkened by the heavy amount of paper "snow" in the air.
Fans are asked to act in a responsible manner for the safety of
the players, and to follow the OVC Sportsmanship guidelines by not
throwing the paper onto the playing floor to hinder the game's
progress. Throwing paper onto the floor could lead to ejection from
Eblen Center.
"We're excited about bringing back another blizzard, and we're
trying to manage it within the OVC Sportsmanship guidelines," said
Mark Wilson, TTU Director of Athletics. "It's an event from the
past that our fans and students always get excited about. We're
asking fans to contain the blizzard within the stands so we don't
interfere with the game."
Fans wait in anticipation for Tech's first basket of the game
(field goal, not free throw). As soon as the Golden Eagles score
their first basket, the air is filled with Tech squares, sometimes
so thick that the "blizzard" blocks out the arena lights and
shadows engulf the floor.
"It's important that we have one blizzard at our first points,
that it stays in the seats, and that nobody throws any items after
that," Wilson said. "That's the main message we need to impress
upon our fans."
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. No boots required.
Visit or call the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center
(931-372-3940) for additional information, or to order ticket for
the game.
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