Super Bowl XLIV is upon us and for the 44th time it will be played in warm weather. Every year the game is played in a city with good weather in winter or inside if the game is held in a northern climate. But that may change since the NFL is considering putting the game in the new Meadowlands Stadium. NFL Commissioner Roger Gooddell said "Playing in the elements is central to the way the game of football is played. I think being able to do that and celebrate the game of football in the No. 1 market could have tremendous benefits.”
It’s risky to bet on February weather in New York. Yesterday’s storm didn’t much affect our area, but those just a little south got two feet of snow. A major storm is certainly a possibility and if conditions were bad enough the Super Bowl could be played in a near-empty stadium.
But, the history of football is full of famous games played outdoors in the cold. The “Sneakers Game” in 1934 and the “Greatest Game Ever Played” in 1958 were both played in New York in December and determined the NFL champion. “The Ice Bowl”, “The Tuck Rule Game” and “Ice Bowl 2” were all playoff games where teams had to compete in brutal conditions.
And that's what makes them memorable. Football fans remember Tom Coughlin’s red face on that cold night in Green Bay two years ago and Tom Brady scrambling through the snow against the Raiders. The majority of the NFL season and playoffs take place in the open air where the elements can be a factor. Why should the Super Bowl be any different? Bring the game to New York and stop the practice of confining the game to warm weather sites. Football players are tough; they can handle some cold and snow.
