Government shutdown means no cannon for Old Dominion U. football

NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- The cannon used to celebrate touchdowns at Virginia's Old Dominion University football games is a casualty of the federal shutdown, a school official said.

The cannon, a short-barreled howitzer, has been a staple at Old Dominion games since the school began its football program in 2009, but will be missing from Saturday's homecoming game in Norfolk against Liberty University.

Debbie White, senior associate athletic director, said the Army unit that was to provide the howitzer and fire it in unavailable.

The celebratory noisemaker was missing from the school first three home games this year due to the federal sequester, the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Thursday.

White said the school might purchase its own cannon for next year, one not dependent on federal funding.