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The Times had a nice rundown of the Giants and Jets' bid for the 2014 Super Bowl that was just unveiled in a signing ceremony at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
It's apparently gone through every contingency, from traffic to snowstorms, in an effort to convince the other owners that a cold-weather Super Bowl would not, contrary to common opinion, summon the apocalypse. In fact, Jets owner Woody Johnson even said today that he Super Bowl would be "lucky" if it snowed.
I'm not sure I'd go quite that far. But I am, as you know, in favor of a cold-weather Super Bowl. It would pump a lot of money into the New York-New Jersey coffers. And some of the greatest games in NFL history have been played in bad weather. As for braving the elements, that's for the corporate-bigwig Super Bowl seat-buyers to worry about. The few real fans from the area who get seats already know how to deal.
The others? They'll learn. Or they'll freeze.
Who really cares?
You guys with me?
EP
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Of Course Ern, Football is a cold weather game and to always have it in a warm weather city is lame. The tuck game is the third best game I have ever seen (Last 2 Giants Super Bowl wins being 1 and 2). Maybe if they get the Super Bowl some goofy company like Spongetech can buy the naming rights and make the stadium a total mockery, not like it wasn't when they decided to charge PSL's. Who ever heard of such a thing, or more appropriately who would pay for such a thing? Maybe if there were a few more suckers like Dan there wouldn't be empty seats, what a shame.
ReplyDeleteI'm not with you on this Ern. The Super Bowl is so important that I don't like the idea of any factors (the elements) being involved in the outcome other than roster, talent, scheme, chemistry, coaching, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf the NFL decides to play cold weather Superbowls, I honestly think they should just give home field advantage to the team with the best record. So if the SB is in Green Bay, that's great, the Packers earned it. If it is in Miami, then they earned it. I just think it would be dumb for everyone to freeze their asses off - if that is not a part of home field advantage.
For those who say football is a cold-weather game... you're missing a lot. It is an all-weather game. It can be played in 95 degrees as well as 0 degrees.
But my real point is that if weather is a factor, it should be part of some sort of homefield advantage.
If there is no homefield, then I support warm weather/dome Superbowls.
But the fact that both teams will have to endure the cold will make the weather a constant variable. In other words, it is going to affect both. Say the Cardinals play the Dolphins (just a stretch guys, want to throw an example out) in a cold weather Super Bowl. Both are typically warm weather teams and therefore both will have to adapt. Then again, say the Giants play the Dolphins for the Super Bowl in winter weather. Weather should still not be a factor, if the Dolphins played in Foxboro in the latter part of the season.
ReplyDeleteI just don't see how it is that big of deal. Playing in super hot or super cold weather sucks. I kind of liked the Indy vs. Chicago Super Bowl. All of that rain made it more difficult. The true talent can overcome weather.
Bill - You completely lost me with your logic. Of course, it's a cold weather game! It's played from September until February. Unless we are all moving to Australia, that's the fall and the winter here in the US. 95 degrees? Sure, in September. What NFL stadium has 95 weather in February? Bottom line, as long as there are hotels to support it, the Super Bowl should be played in every stadium. The warm weather and/or dome nonsense gives an advantage to southern teams they neither earned nor deserve. It is merely to appease the corporate big wigs. Give the game back to the fans! Every stadium gets the game unless, like Green Bay, they simply don't have the facilities to accommodate all the out of towners. Meadowlands, Chicago, New England, Denver - all cities with passionate fans that deserve the chance to see the Super Bowl played at home. Let's not forget cold weather teams MADE the NFL. Their fans, their legacy, their contributions to the game deserve the recognition that comes with playing host to the Super Bowl. Some fat banker or ad exec doesn't want to face the winds in the Meadowlands, I'll take his ticket, thanks. If a warm weather team loses because of the weather, you can be sure they will draft appropriately in the future. It's a man's game, let them play in man's weather.
ReplyDeleteGreatest Game Ever Played - Giants vs Colts in NY December 28, 1958. Football as it was meant to be played.
It takes the supposed neutral warm site (that commish Pete Rozelle imagined) that allows both teams good weather to produce at a high level...and throwing it back to the ice bowl, or sneakers game if you will, conditions.
ReplyDeleteI normally side with the history of bad weather, love a good snow/sleet/rain game as much as anyone named Jim Cantore, but I just can't get out of my head the previous 47 were mostly ideal conditions...then #48 being delayed due to blizzard...or the outcome being tainted due to below freezing/ice bowl, conditions.
Its a tough call Ernie. I say, keep em in florida/south/west. nice vacation spots in feb!!!!!!! smile everyone, camp is just around the corner
dweez.... my logic is that weather should only be an advantage if it is part of homefield advantage.
ReplyDeleteLet's say San Diego makes the super bowl against Green Bay... and it snows and is 20 degrees in the Meadowlands... I am sorry but GB will have a big time advantage. I don't think that is good for the game.
I am saying football is an ALL-weather sport.... I don't know where this "cold-weather sport" idea comes from, it is played all over the country and when it's freezing in NY it is really nice down in Tampa.
As for wall street execs freezing at a game... well I am a passionate Giants fan and I wouldn't go either. I have no interest in sitting in subzero temperatures just "to be there" when I can enjoy my team play from the comfort of my own home.
Seriously, if there is a blizzard, do you really think it is good for the game if the top QB goes 6/10 with 95 yards passing in the Superbowl?
I think it would be a disaster.
Bill - looks like we are in agreement with this.
ReplyDeleteErnie & crew...I would suggest these champ games as reasons Mr Rozelle chose warm weather site for the Ultimate championship of pro football starting in 1967:
1934 sneakers game polo grounds Giants vs Bears. ice covered field and below freezing wind chills.
1935 Lions vs Giants @ Detroit..... Played in freezing rain/snow/sleet mix, negated Giants strong passing attack for the day. Lions win
1948 Cardinals vs Eagles...20+ inch blizzard make conditions unplayable.
1961 Giants vs Packers @ GB ....sub zero readings account for Giants WR Kyle Rote dropping 2 sure td's
1962 Giants vs Packers @ Yankee....Giants deal with 45mph winds that negate YA's passing arm
1963 Giants vs Bears...bitter bitter cold (gametime is 11 degrees in the sun!)
1964 Colts vs Browns @ Cleveland....rainstorm makes field a muddy mess
1965 Packers vs Browns @ GB....snowstorm throughout game make conditions terrible for Jim Brown and Browns.
1967 Packers vs Cowboys @ GB...ice bowl. -15 degrees at KO...-39 degrees by games end. wind chills estimated at -45 to -60 degrees.
see folks, mr rozelle moved the game south for many reasons/games that preceeded the warm weather site.
To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the idea of playing football outdoors in the Northeast in February. I don't think the game was meant to be played in arctic weather. The season used to be wrapped up before January. Now it's extended for another 6 weeks into the most brutal cold of the winter months. Okay for Nordic Combined, but I don't prefer football in that stuff. Home field advantage or not.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong--I'll watch it no matter where it's played. It's really not that huge of a deal with me, but if I had my preference, I would keep the format we have now and play the game in a temperate region, even if it's outdoors in the muck and rain. Just not in death-defying sub-zero temps.
I don't care where the Super Bowl is being held, so long as the Giants are playing in it.
ReplyDelete