What is your opinion?

That's a tough call. My thinking is if it becomes as critical as you say, that they will pick the game up from where it left off or whatever the college rules call for.

As for where the grounds crew was at... if the players aren't going to tarp the field then the tarp isn't going on. I don't think there's any way that 3 people are going to be able to put the tarp on. And if the players aren't required to, then sounds like something that should be addressed..

The whole problem is caused by the "minimum 30 minute rule" .... instead of letting people at the field make the decision, apparently the NCAA, feeling only their wisdom is appropriate; has mandated a 30 minute lightning rule. If there was truly lightning in the area; you've got to get info and make an informed decision that game officials should easily be able to do in this day.
I can see how Clemson thinks they got jobbed... it does sound pretty slinky.

I thought that, once the game starts, the UMPIRES are the ones in charge of the game, not the school's gameday manager.
(and yes...that sounds VERY VERY shady)

Wow, sound pretty bogus to me.

My gripe regarding lightning is that games are usually not delayed or stopped, even when lightning is CLEARLY flying around, when the skies ARE BLACK with a greenish cast....and they are STILL playing because the umpire doesn't "see" it. Lightning detectors can be annoying, as they pick up lightning strikes within 12 miles....But some years ago, at least two high school athletes in two different Chicago suburbs were killed by lightning---when their local weather was clear and sunny.....Lightning occurred miles away from them.

Why wouldn't a major university have lightning detectors near the athletic fields?

I find it highly suspect that a school "official" received a text message alerting lightning....Was thunder heard? You can hear it from strikes farther away than when it is visible. Unless the text message was from the National Weather Service, I would discount it....

After reading each account, I guess you can't believe everything you read.

Sounds fishy.

hahaha...I have absolutely no respect for the Duke staff after that.

That is one thing I can say about my college coach, Pat MacMahon. He would play you anywhere and anytime. He would do whatever he could to play a game. I would bet we would finish that game in the parking lot if necessary, regardless of winning or losing.

We once finished a game with Va Tech in extra innings with puddles on the ground in a pouring rain. Va Tech scored on a botched ground ball that splattered into a puddle. After the half inning, the umpire crew said the game would be called a tie because the field was unplayable (and revert back to the score of the previous inning). Coach Mac replied "Like hell...get back out there and let us have our AB's."

He taught us a lot about competing and doing things the right way unlike Duke's staff.

It looks like home field advantage gamesmanship. Why wouldn't the umpires order the tarp to be put on the field? Is using the tarp up to the home team? If the field crew is gone the team can do the job. I'm surprised the Clemson players didn't attempt to put the tarp on the field and ask for an explaination when stopped. Did Leggett blow his top? I think most coaches would.

I'm pretty sure that the Duke official could have gone online to WRAL or another weather website and looked at the radar. You can determine just how much time you have before a storm hits....

I think it is interesting that there was a 30 minute delay before the rain and hail began to fall. Would almost seem like they, oh no they wouldn't do that!

edited for clarity after reading Both versions.