Quick cleanup: Green Bay knows snow

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Sunday's NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field will feature both snow-free skies and a snow-free stadium, thanks to fans who answered the call to help dig out the bleachers Friday morning.

A line of fans began forming before dawn at the stadium and wrapped partially around the building before the Packers let the first 450 fans in at 10 a.m. Each was paid $10 an hour, and it generally takes about four hours to clear the stadium, according to the team.

"It's not about the money," said Jay Snyder, who drove 30 miles north from Appleton with some friends to help out. "I would have done it for free."

About four inches of snow fell on the Green Bay area Thursday. Additional flurries were expected Saturday, though nothing was expected to stick. The forecast for Sunday is partly sunny with a high of 29 degrees and a low of 25, according to the National Weather Service. Winds are expected to be between 5 and 11 mph.

As far as most of the Packers' players are concerned, the colder the better. The team practiced inside Friday but was able to bring the temperature in the building down to 20 degrees. Coach Mike McCarthy said he likes to practice in cold weather because it sharpens his team's focus on handing the football in similar temperatures.

"The ball takes on a different texture,'' he said, "and I think it's important that the quarterbacks, in particular, know how to handle it."

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said this past week that he is an obsessive weather-follower and has an ap on his I-Phone that lets him frequently check conditions. He knows exactly what kind of weather he would like to see.

Said Rodgers: "I don't know what everyone else is feeling, but I'm kind of hoping for 10 to 15 degrees."