Fansided

Penn State-UCF jet flyover takes the city of Dublin by surprise

By Dan Zinski

Aug 30, 2014; Dublin, IRL; Penn State Nittany Lions fans outside the stadium before the game between the Central Florida Knights and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 30, 2014; Dublin, IRL; Penn State Nittany Lions fans outside the stadium before the game between the Central Florida Knights and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports /
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We here in America are used to jets flying over our sporting events – it’s just part of the pageantry of sports for us – but in other countries this merging of military might and sporting fun is completely unknown.

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In Ireland, they don’t know from jet flyovers. So the people of Dublin were a little taken aback when an F-15 buzzed their city as part of the pre-game festivities ahead of Saturday’s UCF-Penn State game.

A video was posted of Dubliners gazing around in mild surprise at the sound of a jet fighter streaking overhead.

Even more nervousness was expressed on Reddit in an r/Ireland thread entitled “Did anyone hear that noise in Dublin city center!? What the hell was it??.

Helpful Americans popped on to the board to explain to the freaked-out Irish all about these things called jet aircraft.

One American football fan redditor offered an explanation with an apology from the entire nation:

"Yeah, sorry about that, fellers. It’s loud as s–t and kind of scary if you don’t know it’s coming.USUALLY when they fly over big U.S. cities, there’s public notification in the media ahead of time – the Air Force flew over New York City for a film shoot earlier this week and they put up notice in the papers, on TV, etc.So yeah, a bit of rudeness to not let people who live around the stadium know it was coming. Sorry?"

This response by a Dubliner probably sums up the feelings of most of those who were terrified by the noise:

"F–kin yanks… I knew it was fighter jets just didn’t know it was for a f–kin game!!Thought the russians had kicked off, was hidin under me stairs for a while"

Again, on behalf of the USA, sorry. We like our military stuff here, and we like mixing it with football. I really don’t understand why, it’s just the way we do.

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