The SEC Tournament always reminds me of that game against Alabama. Being in the dome, and knowing what was going on was pretty crazy. I was so mad Mykail Riley made that shot to send it to overtime. Little did I know he saved my life and possibly thousands of others with that shot. Pretty crazy to go back to that moment and remember what was going on. </p>
Was anybody else on here at the SEC Tournament in '08 when the tornado hit?
- Thread starter mstatefan88
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The SEC Tournament always reminds me of that game against Alabama. Being in the dome, and knowing what was going on was pretty crazy. I was so mad Mykail Riley made that shot to send it to overtime. Little did I know he saved my life and possibly thousands of others with that shot. Pretty crazy to go back to that moment and remember what was going on. </p>
I lived in Carrollton at the time and drove through the storm in Douglasville. I got home and turned on the game, and 5 minutes later, it hit. Every car in my parking garage that was there when it hit, had all of their windows blown out. They didn't get the glass cleaned up off of the streets until a month and a half later.
On nearly the top row of the temporary seats at about mid-court. Those million ton beams were swinging back and forth right over our heads. I just remember action stopping on the court and seeing people across from me run up the aisles. Then I finally saw the hole in the dome.
Snapped a few pics in the dark that night headed back to the car.
These road signs were snapped off at the ground.
Snapped a few pics in the dark that night headed back to the car.
These road signs were snapped off at the ground.
After the game was over I remember going outside and seeing part of the side of the dome just laying on the ground. It was about a 15 foot tall chunk just laying there in a big heap. It was pretty weird to see. Then as we went back to the hotel we saw the streets just littered with trash and windows busted out on some of the buildings. Very crazy experience. </p>
But it was worse than usual. Many of the trashcans were in the road, and it just looked terrible.I heard the train noise as the tornado passed over the dome,and I remember one of our drunk fans who snuck alcohol in screaming, "I didn't know they had trains on top of the Dome!" And the guy was dead serious. I facepalmed and just went about my business as I got evacuated into the lower entrance onto the court. I hope that wasn't one of you on here.
Those things were swaying a good 10 feet back and forth. And they were hanging right above the grandstands they set up on the side of the court. Once those people started to see that, they all startedleaving theirseats because it looked like those things were gonna fall.
was at a lakehouse at smith lake, i remember those same crazy storms passing through that area, they were weird. the whole game the broadcast team was talking about the storms. when it hit, the damn camera started shaking and they showed **** from the rafters swinging back and forth. pretty crazy watching some of it in real time on tv... can't imagine being in there at that time.
I was watching on TV as my wife went to bed. When the roof tore open and they suspended play I went to the Kitchen window to see what was going on in Downtown. EAV stands for East Atlanta Village, the area where I live. I watched as the power went out in Downtown, then the transformers in Cabbagetown blew and everything went black. I ran to the back to tell the Wife to grab the dogs and head to the basement. On the way down we could barely hear ourselves thinking, it sounded like a giant blow dryer was outside our house. After maybe a minute or two it was over and everything was all quiet. I headed to the backdoor to check out what happened but when I opended the door it was blocked by a huge Oak Tree. We then went out the front door to check on our neighbor and found a long 6'' diameter piece ofa limbprotruding from the side of her house. Shehad been sleeping when this limb came crashing in right next to her in bed. I later realized that it had broken offfrom the tree after it bounced offmy truck.
All in all it wasn't too bad. Wegot a whole new roof,100' of fence, lost 3 largeOak Trees, had some damage to our cars.All of our neighbors to our West got it pretty bad. One Mini Couper on the street was totally pancaked! One housetook on ahuge Oak Tree head on, thankfully old houses are much stronger than modern houses made of balsa wood. I had to call my parents to see what had happened with the game.
Then to add insult to injury we ended up losing to Georgia in the GT version ofthe Sad Pad.
All in all it wasn't too bad. Wegot a whole new roof,100' of fence, lost 3 largeOak Trees, had some damage to our cars.All of our neighbors to our West got it pretty bad. One Mini Couper on the street was totally pancaked! One housetook on ahuge Oak Tree head on, thankfully old houses are much stronger than modern houses made of balsa wood. I had to call my parents to see what had happened with the game.
Then to add insult to injury we ended up losing to Georgia in the GT version ofthe Sad Pad.
Kentucky was getting ready to play right after our game. Most of the big blue nation set up shop in the metal temporary seating they set up in the middle for basketball. I remember hearing the sound ans saying to my friend, "Why are all those hillbillies stomping their feet on those metal bleachers at the same time".....
I remember the hole in the side
I remember watching people run to the exits.
I remember seeing Hansborough run for his life
I also remember the insulation falling like snow from the top of the dome.
We ended up getting in to the Georgia Tech arena somehow. We sat towards the bottom because there were tons of empty seats. The players (along with fans) could hear every word my drunk friends were saying. I remember one buddy of mine saying to Pelphrey after Arkansas played "see you tomorrow in the championship". Pelphrey looked at him and said "you gotta make it there first". We got pounded by Georgia that day.
I remember the hole in the side
I remember watching people run to the exits.
I remember seeing Hansborough run for his life
I also remember the insulation falling like snow from the top of the dome.
We ended up getting in to the Georgia Tech arena somehow. We sat towards the bottom because there were tons of empty seats. The players (along with fans) could hear every word my drunk friends were saying. I remember one buddy of mine saying to Pelphrey after Arkansas played "see you tomorrow in the championship". Pelphrey looked at him and said "you gotta make it there first". We got pounded by Georgia that day.
I will never forget the guy that reminded me of the part in Animal House where Kevin Bacon was screaming "All is well". He was trying to tell everyone to remain calm while he was shoving folks out of the way trying to get up the steps.
I remember seeing one of the Georgia Dome workers laying on the ground bleeding because they had been hit by flying glass from some debris that shattered a window. In the old days when the Omni Arena was there, there were trains that ran right next to the building so that was my first instinct until I remembered I was in the Georgia Dome. It was some scary crap for sure.
The next day there was another tornadosiren while we were walking down the street and we had to huddle in a safe area with the kids in the Peachtree Hotel until it passed.
I remember seeing one of the Georgia Dome workers laying on the ground bleeding because they had been hit by flying glass from some debris that shattered a window. In the old days when the Omni Arena was there, there were trains that ran right next to the building so that was my first instinct until I remembered I was in the Georgia Dome. It was some scary crap for sure.
The next day there was another tornadosiren while we were walking down the street and we had to huddle in a safe area with the kids in the Peachtree Hotel until it passed.
We didn't even know what it was until after it hit. I was by the floor and I honestly thought it was the UK fans up on the temporary bleachers making noise, until I realized they were all running down. That's when I saw the speakers and scoreboard swaying.
Alexander is not much nicer than the Tad Pad. Just sayin'.
Alexander is not much nicer than the Tad Pad. Just sayin'.
My father was the first to notice the rippling of the roof and screamed at me to get the hell under the concrete concession stand area. Then the scoreboard swayed back and forth about ten feet. After going outside we seriously thought a bomb had gone off and it was an eerie feeling because it was near olympic park. There were CNN reporters about every hundred yards interviewing all the fans.
was pretty dangerous considering the stuff being said...crazy weekend for sure, it was def weird being in that dome in the middle of such an intense game. looking back you realize how dangerous it was and what a tragic situation it could have been but at the time i just remember thinking damn lets finish this thing.
remember johnny angel?
remember johnny angel?