Reporters report on two-hour rain delay featuring no rain

At first, Atlanta Braves beat writer David O’Brien just thought it was silly the Washington Nationals put their 7 p.m. ET game in a rain delay because the radar showed no rain for another few hours.

As the rain delay grew old, the veteran MLB reporter of 23 years grew not only impatient but outraged. So did the rest of the fans and baseball players trying to get the game going.

We're still in a weather delay in Washington. We'll provide updates when we have them. Until then… pic.twitter.com/pF2wa6583b

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 7, 2017

But as a professional being paid to report on whatever was happening at the ballpark, O’Brien continued to do his job with gusto.

Featured below are select tweets from his very fun rant about the rain delay that did not include rain. Or lightning. Or a cancellation of the game between the Braves and the Nationals, which will apparently start three hours late.

Batten down the hatches, this is getting torrential. Stay in your homes. #NationalsRainDelay approaching 1 hour. No rain yet. Not a drop. pic.twitter.com/vG9Ru0Ivul

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 6, 2017

Don't worry, fans here at #NationalsPark, just keep consuming. It'll eventually rain. Maybe.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

Eventually, the Nationals officials who called the delay — apparently it’s not the umpires until the game actually begins — even grew so concerned about incoming wet weather that they thought putting the tarp on the field was a good idea.

Problem is, there was no need.

Hey, great work: Tarp goes on the field 1 hour and 15 minutes into the rain delay. Guess it might finally start raining. Drive safely.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

As he waited, former Diamondbacks outfielder and current Brave Ender Inciarte was busy tweeting fans in the clubhouse.

Do a slip-and-slide game with the boys on the tarp!

— José (40-43) (@BravesScorer) July 7, 2017

Can't. The tarp is dry. https://t.co/Nomy7ROZ7x

— Ender Inciarte (@enderinciartem) July 7, 2017

Meanwhile, O’Brien continued to report on the delay.

Tarp is dry. If #Braves delayed start every time it looked like this, there'd be about 10 home games played in ATL. https://t.co/feewX2fuzk

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

You don't understand. There has been NO RAIN. Not light rain. No rain. For 2 hours. Two. Hours. https://t.co/2cL6jA3EwU

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

Breaking: There was eventually rain!

If this rain picks up considerably it means there might've been actual cause for a rain delay … in eighth inning. That's if it increases.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

Good ol’ David kept tweetin’.

It got a little sarcastic.

On this date in 2017, #Nats officials staged a rain delay of more than 2 hours when there was no rain for the first 2 hours. https://t.co/h9MZ7AiLJx

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

There are about 300 people left in seats at #NatsPark. No truth to rumor that Nats front office is throwing them crumbly pieces of cake.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

The next time someone from north of Georgia busts on ATL for our gridlock in icestorms, let's show footage of this rain delay.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

They are pulling dry tarp off the field at 9:40 p.m. Seriously, this could not have been handled worse by #Nats officials. Total, epic fail.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) July 7, 2017

There will, apparently, be a game on Thursday starting at 10 p.m. local time.

By the time it started, the press corps were running on Skittles instead of coffee.

And the press box just ran outta coffee 😒😒

— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) July 7, 2017

They're giving out Skittles, but that's' not gonna cut it…at least not until they bring some up here.

— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 7, 2017

If anyone sees a Nats or Braves reporter, give them a hug.

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