When I saw that the Weather Channel were running a story on the worst training camp sites meteorologically I naturally skipped forward, went to number one, fully expecting to see my page emblazoned with images of Wofford University, the Spartanburg heat, and the lone poor tree photosynthesizing it's little heart out, thriving off the few beads of sweat falling on its parched roots for rabid, but dehydrated onlookers.
Nope... it was Houston.
Alright then, surely it's number two...nope, Miami. Okay, something funny is going on. I clicked through to finally find the Carolina Panthers were all the way at ninth. The Weather Channel's reasoning was fairly simple:
Although a hot and humid climate, Spartanburg's 807 foot elevation helps it escape the oppressively high heat and humidity along the coastal plains region of South Carolina.
I'm not sure what Sparanburg they've visited, but I sure don't recall this mystical 'escape from the heat' going on. Granted, I've only been a few times, but I never recall any sweet relief while attending training camp. Okay, so S-Burg may not have the highest average temperatures, or the most dripping of humidity ratings, but if you've been you know that Spartanburg in late-July is the kind of place Dante Alighieri would use as his muse.
So remember folks (and we can't stress this enough) don't walk out the door heading to Spartanburg saying "Pfft, I'm good... 9th doesn't scare me". Remember your sunscreen, bring a hat, and stay hydrated; because this is where dreams are made, and fans are broken.