Cold Feet at the Super Bowl

This year’s Super Bowl will be played in New Jersey on February 2 between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. Not only will it be the first time it will be played in this area, it is the first time that the Super Bowl is being played outdoors in a cold climate.  As everybody knows, this has been a very cold and snowy winter already with single digit temperatures not seen in a number of years in these parts. 

The NFL Super Bowl Committee has made plenty of preparations in anticipation of all sorts of weather conditions.  Contingencies for rain, snow, cold and who-knows-what-else have been in the works for years.  Fans attending the game will be treated to hand warmers and heated seat cushions--that is, for those not fortunate enough to have found their way into a heated private luxury box. I’m also sure that the first aid folks have prepared for possible cold-related injuries to fans in the stadium. 

But there is one thing that I believe they may have overlooked to some extent, COLD FEET!  It is something to keep in mind the next time you go to an outdoor sporting event in November, December or January—be it a football game or one of those outdoor hockey games the New York Rangers will play against the New Jersey Devils or (*cough*) New York Islanders in Yankee Stadium during Super Bowl week.  You can wear the best in thermal gear—hats, gloves, socks, boots, multiple layers of thermal clothing—but it is always a challenge to keep the feet warm. 

The reason for that has less to do with the socks, multiple layers of socks or thermal boots that people pile on.  The problem lies in the stadium itself—the cement grandstands.  It gets very, very cold and literally sucks the heat out of the soles of your feet.  I was at the last Rutgers home football game in December when it was in the 30s. I dressed well and ate well at the tailgate.  My body was warm, but as the game progress, I could feel the chill in the soles of my feet. 

What’s the answer?  Do whatever you can do to keep something substantial and insulating between your feet and the cement.  Somebody once told me they use to bring the Sunday New York Times to Giants’ games, not to read, but to put under their feet to stay warm.  

Keep that in mind if you have lucked into tickets for the Super Bowl or are venturing out to see hockey played in Yankee Stadium for the first time.  Warm feet make for a warm body and a much more pleasant time at the game. 

As for me, I’ll be watching from my usual place at home, as my wife and I host an annual Super Bowl party for friends and family.  It’ll be MUCH warmer, we won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for tickets, and we won’t have to worry about freezing our feet! Besides, as you can see from the picture, I've already gotten my nands on the Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the winner of the game.  Who do you like to win?  

Can the Seattle defense get to Peyton Manning, or will he be able to pick apart and silence their great (and trash-talking) secondary?  I've always been told that defense wins championships.  We'll see on February 2.