Does anyone know if the concourse at Lambeau is heated? Being stuck in a stadium in sub zero temps for 3+ hours is insane. However, if fans can move in and out of a heated concourse during the game it seems like an alright idea.
I understand that the Ice Bowl is one of the most storied games in NFL history, but the world has changed since 1967. We’re a lot more risk-averse. We just are. It’s no use in debating whether this is good or bad; it has happened.
And, we have a lot more information (probably, too much information) about risk. By Sunday evening, every fan injury from cardiac arrest to a frostbitten pinkie will be selfied, blogged, tweeted, analyzed, and debated everywhere from Green Bay to the South Pole.
I am forced to agree with this comment . . .
I guess I’m surprised they couldn’t have swapped the times for the Sunday AFC and NFC games.
Back when there might have been time to move it up a day, how certain was it that Saturday’s weather would have been better? Are cold fronts that predictable several days in advance?
(I’m writing this from the Los Angeles area, where the high today was in the mid-70’s.)
Big whoop.
Lambeau Field has a better heated field today than it did in 1967.
I am actually looking forward to seeing these idiots.
As for the game, i am in agreement with everyone here that stated that the game should have been moved to Saturday. I know that the NFL wants maximum exposure this weekend, which means 2 games saturday, 2 on sunday. Swapping out a game with a Saturday game isn’t realistic due to the logistics of fans having hotel reservations and possibly plane or train tickets for Saturday that couldn’t be switched to Sunday. Swapping the Sunday games would be a better plan, and I’m not sure why they haven’t done so. There must be a reason, though.
Green Bay Packers have had bitterly cold games as part of their long and storied history, but this would be miserable to sit through as a fan, coach, or player. The ones playing will be sweating and freezing. The ones in reserve will just be standing and freezing. I expect a TON of pulled muscles in this one.
I think this will come close to beating the coldest game in NFL history, a playoff game between the Bengals and Chargers in Cincinnati. i believe the windchill was -54 F. That’s cold, folks.
I also heard that this game was not sold out until Friday (no surprise there) and corporations stepped in to buy up the remaining tickets. I’m guessing the no-shows will be in the thousands. It is just too nice to sit home and watch a football game on a big screen HDTV these days. I enjoy football much more at home than at the stadium now anyway, you don’t even have to throw in the weather.
ETA: field is heated from underneath, so it shouldn’t be frozen over. That’s the design, anyway.
With outdoor fields in cold areas being heated now, the turf shouldn’t be an issue. But that wind chill is going to be brutal for players and fans. There are going to be multiple incidents of cold weather exposure requiring hospitalization. I would move this game to Wednesday and the second round for the winner to next Monday.
Damn, you guys are so responsible. I’m just really looking forward to the game.
FWIW, the current forecast is that it might get to below zero by the end of the game, but it should not challenge the ice bowl or anything.
I will go on record and say there is no way this is going to happen. The weather will be no worse than the Giants/Packers game from 2008. Nothing much happened other than some comments by the announcers.
The forecast looks to be much the same, yes… now. All week it has looked as if the temperature and winds would be a worse combination, down to -30 or lower wind chill. If it gets that bad, I stand by my comment. If it doesn’t, you’re likely to be right.
Depends on what kind of heat the field puts off. If preparations are being made- for $100 admission, this time you get a hat, mittens and handwarmers!- maybe people can be ok. Maybe they can set up extra heating for fans and take other precautions.
Yeah. Sounds like a threat to life and limb all right.
The wind chill was -25 in 2008. No Congressional hearings and a nice win for my Giants.
Looking at the hourly WX table:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?w0=t&w1=td&w2=wc&w3=sfcwind&w3u=1&w4=sky&w5=pop&w6=rh&w7=thunder&w8=rain&w9=snow&w10=fzg&w11=sleet&w14u=1&pqpfhr=6&psnwhr=6&AheadHour=0&Submit=Submit&FcstType=digital&textField1=44.52160&textField2=-87.98980&site=all&unit=0&dd=0&bw=0
It won’t reach 0F until 7PM with a wind chill at that time of -18
So nowhere near ice bowl conditions
Brian
What a bunch of wimps we have turned into.
This game was made out to be Ice Bowl II, and it wasn’t even close.
Yes, it was cold, and no, I wouldn’t have wanted to play in it. But it wasn’t close to Ice Bowl weather. And the coldest game in NFL history, the -59 degree F wind chill game in Cincy (that temp was what I heard from Dan Fouts this weekend, so I was wrong at -54 degree F.) made this game look relatively warm.
This was just hyped up for news ratings, as most weather-related stories are these days.
If Kapernick could play the entire game without sleeves, it wasn’t THAT cold. He was throwing the ball very well, and he had a few long drives where he was on the field without his coat for long periods.
I think Kapernick is a T-1000
The Cincy game with 40 degree rain was probably more uncomfortable to play in.
So none of the concern and precautions were necessary because the forecasts were wrong?
Anybody know why this is?
I mean, I wouldn’t have a problem playing sports in near-zero weather, but I can’t imagine doing it bare-armed.
All I can think of is the extra material gives the other guy texture to grip. Otherwise, I got nuthin
IANANFLLM
Y’know, the Weather Service (and the private weather report companies) will forecast your worst-case-scenario because of the notion of protecting the general public welfare. If in the end it turns out not to be so bad, then hey, great news. Already within the 24 hour window the forecast had begun to be adjusted as closer observation was possible.
But yes, absolutely let me be properly prepared for what may come. It’s easy to cry out “wimps!” after it turns out to not be anywhere close to as bad as it could have been. Had there REALLY been a -40 windchill ice storm under way we would be getting different posts today.
Thats exactly it. They are sewn into their shirts so it is as tight as possible and no sleeves so the defender can’t grab on anything.