Cold Weather Super Bowl?

[Boone]

With the NFL seriously considering giving New York the Super Bowl in 2014 (in their new Meadowlands stadium), lot of buzz on sports radio today regarding the pro's/cons.

Personally, I think I like the idea. Biggest argument I've heard against it is that it might 'give an advantage' to teams from cold weather cities, and spoil the inherent 'fairness' of playing in a warm climate or a domed stadium. While there might be some validity in that argument, in other ways, playing the championship game in warm weather only doesn't add up.

First of all, we're apparently only worried about 'fairness' and 'not giving an advantage' in the big championship. In the NFC and AFC championships, doesn't seem to be a concern (although technically I guess, someone has won 'home field' and maybe they deserve such an advantage). I could care less about the 'experience' argument. Fans of Super Bowl teams aren't going to care what the temp is. And the truth is, it's mostly corporate America attending the game itself, so those folks inability to lounge by the pool, or play golf all week before the game doesn't cause me to lose sleep.

Bottom line for me? Real football is played outside, in whatever nature throws at us. Tell me there's not something inherently exciting about watching an ice bowl, players slogging through the snow, or even sloshing in a torrential downpour. Beyond a purist's preference, I also think playing Super Bowl's all over the country, weather and comfort be damned, would result in better games. There's nothing like some god-awful weather to serve as the 'great equalizer'. I don't always want to see the more talented team win. I just want to see a great game.

What say you?

 

[EatSleepRedskin]

Boone, biggest argument I've heard against cold weather cities is the possibility of a blizzard screwing up the Super Bowl.

It's a legitimate concern. But I think, in this era, it's time to move on past our concerns over weather (lightning aside).

 

[kirbster]

To be honest, I never thought about a blizzard happening, and I guess that could be a concern, but I like the concept of dealing with whatever Mother Nature throws at the teams. They should be prepared for whatever happens.

Also, from a selfish perspective, this would open up the possibility of DC hosting a SB someday. Once the precedent is set, the old arguments go out the window.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I agree, football should be played in the elements like baby jesus intended.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

No matter how good the game will be, the media will be bitching about the weather.

They did a lot of that in the last SB in Detroit.

I like snow games. I like games where the weather is a factor. I hated the Greatest Show on Turf b/c it was like watching Arena League (I respect Warner, Faulk, Holt et. al but it's not my cup of tea).

Football is made to be played in bad weather. Why not outside?
Of course I'm a Redskin fan and that's what we've done run the ball and pound guys in the trenches.........

 

[Miles Monroe]

Bottom line for me? Real football is played outside, in whatever nature throws at us.

What say you?

I'm right there with ya brudda. I've been saying it for years now. I would dig that adversity added to a bowl game in the snow, or sub zero temps. Even the rain in Miami was a welcome change.

 

[servumtuum]

I'd love to see it in Lambeau Field.

The idea takes me back-there was nothing quite like the old Soldier Field in January back in the 1970s, if you could play there-or in Green Bay you were a bunch of tough s.o.b.'s

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Green Bay would never play New Orleans in the superbowl, Mike. They are both NFC. However its quite possible NO would have to travel to GB in January for a playoff game.

Also, "ideal conditions" is very subjective when you're talking football.

 

[Elephant]

Well, as a player, where would you rather play? I remember the Skins Players of our last Super Bowl complaining that they had to travel to bitter cold to play in the dome and how little fun it was leading up to the game because it was so cold.

I am a huge proponent of outdoor football (the way it was meant to be played)!!! But if these guys make it to the Super Bowl, they deserve the fanfare involved in great or potentially great weather. I'm with Mike on this one, but it wouldn't be that big of a deal if it were played in New York.

 

[riggins44]

I am on the fence with this one. Like many, I feel the game is meant to be played out doors and a snowy Super Bowl intrigues me. I would not want a bad weather Super Bowl if Redskins were playing and hurt us. Then again in perfect weather we've had a number of blowouts in the Super Bowl.

All boils down to I really don't care. So long as it's a good competitive game.

 

[fansince62]

can you imagine paying $1000+ to sit in sub-freezing wx? car accidents? traffic jams? late to the game? cold wind blowing up your arse?

not for me!

 

[Hog Fever]

I’d always thought playing the games in only warm weather or domed stadiums favored the “finesse” teams a little too much. I tried to back that thought up by looking at the last ten Super Bowl winners and the facts just didn’t back up my thoughts on that one. A majority of the winners play their home games outdoors and in cold weather.

In the end I understand the players and fans want an experience when they go to the Super Bowl and I can appreciate that Miami has more to offer in February than the Meadowlands. I just don’t think it has much bearing on the game one way or another. The better team will still win most of the time and there will be enough upsets sprinkled in to keep things interesting.

This is going to happen.

 

[the Omniscient]

I am all for the cold weather Super Bowls. Let weather play a factor, IMO it should be part of the game. In Miami this past year, it was raining right before the game. If it had actually rained during the game, would they limit the SuperBowls to domes? Would Manning and Brees run off the field sulking in their soaked socks (say that five times fast)?

Does a dome team playing in a domed SuperBowl against a grass/outdoor team have an advantage? I looked at the SuperBowl history as well and there is not really any evidence to back up this claim, except for the Rams/Titan SB. The greatest show on turf won that one by a yard in a dome. But how much of an advantage did they have for the whole game? It is hard to tell from a limited example. I would think that could play a factor though. Afterall, a dome team (for the most part) builds completely different than a grass and weather team.

In order to make everything perfectly fair field wise, they would have to redesign all stadiums to a certain specification. Only then would there be complete fairness, field wise.

Also, I do not see Lambeau getting a SuperBowl again. They are just too small. As for FedEx, it has the capacity, but they would really have to fix that place up. I went there for the first time last year, and the gameday experience was subpar.

 

[riggins44]

can you imagine paying $1000+ to sit in sub-freezing wx? car accidents? traffic jams? late to the game? cold wind blowing up your arse?

not for me!

Except for price, this sounds a lot like RFK. Gosh I miss that place.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

can you imagine paying $1000+ to sit in sub-freezing wx? car accidents? traffic jams? late to the game? cold wind blowing up your arse?

not for me!

If the Skins are there......I'll be there for that one. I've been to Skins games with god awful cold/wet weather and I went to M&T in 2008 with a 30 MPH wind gust and temp with wind chill in the teens.

If they can win a lombardi and I can put together the cash to pay for those tickets, I'll be there. A drive from MD to Jersey isn't that bad. The key is to plan ahead and expect heavy delays and multiple problems.

The people who are going to complain the most about this (not you fan this is addressed to others) is the media who want to smooze and want a free vacation and the corporate sponsors who also are there to wine and dine people and get a vacation and a big tax write off. Which makes me wonder why the NFL is going in this direction.

 

[fansince62]

hey...in the end...this is about welfare to NY & NYC (figuring that'll be another state/city in the bankrupt column by 2014). why doesn't anybody see this as Roger making hay with his buds in the City?

 

[CounterTrey]

Boone, biggest argument I've heard against cold weather cities is the possibility of a blizzard screwing up the Super Bowl.

It's a legitimate concern. But I think, in this era, it's time to move on past our concerns over weather (lightning aside).

Yea I've seen that too but my immediate response is...how many games of any kind have been canceled or postponed due to a blizzard in the past? That actually affecting the game is about as likely as a Tornado, or an earthquake, or some other type of storm ruining things (not as likely to happen as a blizzard but much more likely to affect a game than a snowstorm). Those things have had an effect in the past whereas I seriously can't think of a single game that's been canceled due to a blizzard. And cities hosting that game could easily anticipate any blizzard and be ready for it when that much dough is on the line. Plus if Philly can dig out of 2 feet of snow literally leading into the game and not miss a play then it can be done for a Super Bowl.

 

[fansince62]

maybe...may also make for a duller game. a shift to low 20s weather likely for these night games will create even more incentive to slog it out on the ground (compounded by strong winds common to NY). and we won't consider the susceptibility of players to frostbite - they don't matter in all of this!

 

[Elephant]

Heard a clever statement by a friend of mine rebarding this topic. She said, "Well, it looks like the Skins are gonna win Super Bowl 43 since it will a cold day in...New Jersey. Hahaha!
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

 

[fansince62]

Heard a clever statement by a friend of mine rebarding this topic. She said, "Well, it looks like the Skins are gonna win Super Bowl 43 since it will a cold day in...New Jersey. Hahaha!
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

clever!......