Glauber: Forget the weather; it's time for NY to host a Super Bowl
John Mara knows better than to listen to those who suggest it's a foregone conclusion that the Giants-Jets' bid for the 2014 Super Bowl will bring the game to the New York metropolitan area for the first time in NFL history.
"I've counted these votes before, and believe me, it doesn't always come out the way you expect, or the way owners will tell you they're voting,'' the Giants' president and co-owner said. "My father used to count the votes, too, and it was the same thing. Trust me, I'm not taking anything for granted."
About the only proclamation Mara will admit to in advance of Tuesday's vote among owners in Dallas is a case of cautious optimism. Other than that, he knows his stomach will be churning in anticipation of the outcome, which should be known by about 4 p.m.
"We've put a lot of work into this, and we think we have a good plan, but I know there are no guarantees," he said. "I'm just hopeful that the owners will see the merits to it. We think we have a lot of things going for us in terms of bringing a Super Bowl to the New York area."
If the Giants-Jets' bid wins, it will mark the first time in NFL history that a Super Bowl is played in an outdoor stadium in the North. A league rule adopted in 1966 requires outdoor Super Bowls to be played in a city where the mean temperature at game time is above 50 degrees.
But in this one-time-only bid format, the two New York teams believe the lure of the media capital of the world and a new, state-of-the-art, $1.6-billion stadium should be good enough to beat out competing bids from Tampa and South Florida.
"We think we've got a good shot," Jets owner Woody Johnson said. "We've got a great stadium, we've got the greatest city in the world, and we've got a great plan. We think we can get this thing done."
The hope here is that they do get this thing done.
In a league that is continually on the cutting edge of innovation, both on and off the field, it's time to give the New York Super Bowl experience a shot. Great city. Great stadium. Great atmosphere. Great opportunity for a unique experience that could open the door to future outdoor Super Bowls in northern locations such as New England, Pittsburgh, Denver and Washington.
"I'm a big supporter of having the Super Bowl in New York," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "It doesn't matter what the weather is. It's a great place. It's a great boost for the city. It's a reward to the people and fans in New York."
So what that you can't guarantee the weather? It won't be a factor. Hey, it's football, a game that is meant for the elements. Who doesn't like steam-through-the-facemask football, the kind of atmosphere this game was meant for? Some of the sport's most memorable moments have been produced in some of the harshest conditions.
The Ice Bowl NFC Championship Game in 1967 between the Packers and Cowboys. The Giants-Colts NFL title game in 1958 at frigid Yankee Stadium, commonly referred to as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Patriots-Raiders in the snow in the 2001 AFC divisional playoffs, known for the Tuck Rule and the most incredible field goal I've ever witnessed.
Of course, there will be skeptics, some of them right here. Jets receiver Santonio Holmes prefers a game in which the elements don't play a factor. Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis thinks it's a stretch that the owners will approve a New York-New Jersey Super Bowl.
But in a league whose forward-thinking gambles always seem to pay off, this one makes too much sense. Time for the owners to take the plunge and give this one a thumbs up. And no worries about the cold: hand warmers and heated seat cushions for everyone.
Time for the greatest single game in sports to be played on the greatest stage in the world.
