Crank the Fog Machine to 11, Boys!

I was telling someone the other day that my second favorite non-sunny day weather event – second to rain, of course – is fog. And you know what, I don't write often enough about fog. Perhaps that's because there aren't that many sporting events that take place in those low-lying stratus clouds. Trust me; I look for those stories all the time. There isn't much there.

So, I'll gladly take a story featuring fake fog, especially when there's hilarious video – and an ever cooler close-up photo – of college football players falling all over themselves after tripping over a fog machine. That's what happened Saturday when Mississippi State took the field for its season opener. Saturday Down South has the video.

By the way, the Bulldogs managed to pick themselves off the turf, clear their eyes and deliver a 56-9 beat down to Jackson State. 

Argh! Pirates Kick Astros at Rain-Soaked PNC

I've never been there, but PNC Park in Pittsburgh is one of the coolest-looking baseball parks in the Major Leagues. It looks even better, as you can see above, with a fresh coat of rain and gloomy skies. The Getty Image was taken Tuesday night sometime during a rain delay that held up the Pirates and dreadful Houston Astros for 75 minutes. The Pirates won 6-2. Nothing like playing the incompetent 'Stros to end a four-game slide.

Speechless in the Rain

Hey, I got a lot of real-world crap to do today, so I'll be brief. 

I know this is a sports weather blog, but you may want to know that President Barack Obama's primetime speech at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night has been moved indoors to the Time Warner Center in Charlotte. 

Obama campaign officials had been saying for weeks the speech would take place outdoors "rain or shine," but a strong threat of thunderstorms forced the move. (And, perhaps a lack of confidence by campaign officials to fill the 75,000-seat Bank of America Stadium.) 

Here's where'd I'd like to throw in a joke about the cluelessness of Mitt Romney, but I just can't make it fit. This is a not-quite-ready-for-primetime-blog, ya know.

Ok, moving forward to the sports stuff. It's been raining like hell at the U.S. Open in New York, and it appears the weather will be a menace again today. Only two  matches reached completion Tuesday. One being Victoria Azarenka's three-set win over Sam Stosur under glooming skies. I love Azarenak, but I really wish she stop with the post-match dances, unless she's dancing in a downpour. I'll make that exception.

Maria Sharapova, speaking of someone I'd like to see dancing in the rain, and Marion Bartoli pick up their suspended match today at 11 a.m.

Oh, and you may have heard, Andy Roddick will try to stave off career elimination tonight. His match was rained out Tuesday night. It's sort of a big deal to a bunch of tennis pundits. I love tennis, but I've never been a Roddick fan. 

I keep hearing how great he is, but it seems every time I look at tournaments results, Roddick has lost in the second round. The excuse I keep hearing is he played in a tough era. Big deal. If he really were great, the era wouldn't matter. To be truly great, you have to get the job done no matter the competition.

Wow, I really went off on a tangent there.

Didn't I say I was going to be brief? Oh, well.

One more thing: The NFL season kicks off tonight, and there's a strong chance of rain and thunderstorms for the Cowboys-Giants matchup at MetLife Stadium. Awesome!

I know I said more thing, but I got another "one more thing." Ok? Did you hear there was a rain delay in Toronto for the Blue Jays-Orioles game Tuesday night? That's right. A brief, unofficial rain delay at the indoor Rogers Centre. Apparently the retractable roof was moving a bit slowly… like Robinson Cano moving toward a ground ball.

Ok, that's it. Good night, everybody. I wish the real world would just stop hassling me. We're have I heard that before?