Las Vegas_JC Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 http://usatodayhss.com/2017/miami-central-football-team-making-the-most-of-being-stuck-in-las-vegas Miami Central football team making the most of being stuck in Las Vegas By Jim Halley, USA TODAY High School Sports September 11, 2017 The threat of Hurricane Irma led Miami Central’s football team to leave town early, two days before Friday’s game at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). Five days later and three days after the No. 7-ranked Rockets defeated the No. 12 Gaels 24-20 on ESPNU, Miami Central’s traveling party of 69 players, parents and coaches are still in Las Vegas, waiting to see when they’ll be able to fly home and making phone calls home to check on relatives who stayed behind. “During the game, I was focused on that, but as soon as the game was over, I started worrying about my family,” said Tatum Bethune, a junior outside linebacker and tight end for Miami Central. “I’ve been able to get through to my mom, and she’s OK, though they don’t have any electricity. I’m just praying for her right now.” In the interim, a local hotel has agreed to comp their rooms and Las Vegas restaurants have given Miami Central free food. On Sunday, the players ate out for free at Evel Pie Pizza. On Monday, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association served lunch to the players using a taco truck. “Despite the hurricane, they wanted to honor their commitment to the game,” Bishop Gorman athletic director Grant Rice said. “When the hurricane kept increasing in intensity, we contacted their hotel to get them to extend their stay and we helped with some meals, along with some people in the Gorman community. The game didn’t go as we hoped, but now our goal is to be family to them and do everything we can to let them be comfortable.” The Rockets’ next game is scheduled for Thursday with Edison (Miami), though there’s a good chance it will be called off. Regardless, the Rockets spent time practicing Monday in the Springhill Suites’ Miami Central H.S. is stuck in Vegas because of hurricane Irma. Budget is running low. The @LVPPA is feeding them lunch. So proud of them. “We have our concerns back home with our families and we’re waiting it out until we’re able to get back home,” Central coach Roland Smith said. “It’s been quite an experience for our kids that they will remember the rest of their lives. Even though we played here for ourselves, we realized what our community was going through and this wasn’t about us as it was our state, our community and all the people in South Florida. I was so proud of our team to get the job done.” Smith, who said his team is still trying to get a flight to anywhere in Florida on Tuesday, said Gorman and the Las Vegas community have been generous in their support of his team. “Bishop Gorman and the community have been very gracious to us,” Smith said. “I couldn’t ask to be in a better place. Just to see people come together for other people and show humanity is awesome. We talk about it as coaches all the time but to see it come to fruition is great. … We are a high school program, we don’t have a budget like a college. They have been gracious is doing whatever they can to help out.” Bethune, who said his great aunt was Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder of Bethune-Cookman University, said his favorite meal in Vegas was the pizza from Evel Pies. “This town has showed us a lot of love,” Bethune said. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I AM IRONMAN Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 That right there is what it is all about...hats off to BG and MC 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYHSFAN33 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Excellent gesture from the Gorman / Vegas community 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilDog Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 My feelings about the Bishop Gorman Community just registered on the Richter scale here in Collin County, TX. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolebull813 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Anyone who said Gorman doesn't have class is just butt hurt they whooped their team. Maybe Tate Martell was an asshole, but what shouldn't reflect on the entire program. This is an experience Miami Central will never forget. I hope they are making the most of it. Great story during a trying time 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntn31 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Thanks for sharing. Love stuff like this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
954gator Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 As classy as it gets! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1DayPGA Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Not a fan of the Bishop, but I am a fan of their kind gesture, trying to make this trip more bearable for Miami Central players and staff. For some of these kids the younger ones on the team this may be their first plane ride and time away from home. They probably packed for 2 or 3 days and here they are going into their 6th or 7th day of being away from home where a hurricane just hit. Thumbs up to BG and the Vegas community for stepping up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/hurricane-irma-strands-miami-hs-football-players-in-las-vegas/809459191 A video story about the MC team in Vegas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Roll call How are all of you guys who live in Florida doing? My dad lives just north of Tampa and is ok. Shaken but in good condition. Thankfully Irma had petered down to a category 1 hurricane when it passed his area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 8 hours ago, 1DayPGA said: Not a fan of the Bishop, ..... Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolebull813 Posted September 12, 2017 Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 Just now, Las Vegas_JC said: Roll call How are all of you guys who live in Florida doing? My dad lives just north of Tampa and is ok. Shaken but in good condition. Thankfully Irma had petered down to a category 1 hurricane when it passed his area. I live just North of Tampa now. He's probably my neighbor. Lol. We are all good here. Could have been a lot worse. Just some branches in the backyard and the electricity out from 2am-8am Monday morning. Everything is back to normal and stores are open and the mail is being delivered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 17 minutes ago, Nolebull813 said: I live just North of Tampa now. He's probably my neighbor. Lol. We are all good here. Could have been a lot worse. Just some branches in the backyard and the electricity out from 2am-8am Monday morning. Everything is back to normal and stores are open and the mail is being delivered! Thank god! It was scary when Irma was churning westward as a category 5 hurricane. And people where calling it the biggest hurricane ever recorded in that region. Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic got the worst of it. And now Jose is trailing behind Irma. It's just crazy man. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolebull813 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 7 minutes ago, Las Vegas_JC said: Thank god! It was scary when Irma was churning westward as a category 5 hurricane. And people where calling it the biggest hurricane ever recorded in that region. Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic got the worst of it. And now Jose is trailing behind Irma. It's just crazy man. Yeah the ironic part was people were evacuating out of Tampa to places that got hit harder! Like Orlando and Jacksonville. We were blessed with minimum damage. I seen videos where it was a lot worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 16 minutes ago, Nolebull813 said: Yeah the ironic part was people were evacuating out of Tampa to places that got hit harder! Like Orlando and Jacksonville. We were blessed with minimum damage. I seen videos where it was a lot worse. The keys got it bad too. And some parts of downtown Miami looked like a river on Sunday. I hope that all of the other board members are ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
954gator Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 3 hours ago, Las Vegas_JC said: Roll call How are all of you guys who live in Florida doing? My dad lives just north of Tampa and is ok. Shaken but in good condition. Thankfully Irma had petered down to a category 1 hurricane when it passed his area. Not too bad, no damage to the house. Lost power for a day or two but nothing crazy. Winds got intense where I was (West Broward), but mainly just trees/foliage all over the place. Yeah Nole I know a bunch of people from Miami that evacuated to Orlando/Tampa too. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Las Vegas_JC Posted September 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 2 hours ago, 954gator said: Not too bad, no damage to the house. Lost power for a day or two but nothing crazy. Winds got intense where I was (West Broward), but mainly just trees/foliage all over the place. Yeah Nole I know a bunch of people from Miami that evacuated to Orlando/Tampa too. Good to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiberalDonaldTrump Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Front page on espn http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20703600/miami-dolphins-players-help-stranded-miami-central-high-school-team 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolebull813 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 That's great news. It's awesome to see communities come together and make sure everyone is taken care of. How cool would it have been for Central to play another game out there? Also, I don't think Central is having a bad time. You have to think they are making the most of their trip. All is well that ends well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderRam Posted September 16, 2017 Report Share Posted September 16, 2017 Quote Wide receiver Kenny Stills, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, safety Reshad Jones, receiver Jarvis Landry, linebacker Lawrence Timmons, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver DeVante Parker were among the players to give money to help cover the remainder of Miami Central's travel costs. The Dolphins organization contributed as well and also arranged for the team to be transported from the airport to the school. Love seeing my team do something positive. Hopefully they have another successful season like they did last year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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