U-Minnesota to host Bears-Vikings outside
Workers clear snow from TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. (Dec. 15, 2010) Credit: AP
The University of Minnesota put out a call yesterday for fans and volunteers willing to shovel snow at TCF Bank Stadium to get it ready to host the Bears-Vikings game in place of the snow-damaged Metrodome.
The Vikings decided to hold Monday night's game at the outdoor stadium after inspectors said there wasn't enough time to repair the dome's tattered, deflated roof. It fell early Sunday under the weight of about 17 inches of freshly fallen snow, forcing the Vikings to play the Giants at Ford Field in Detroit the next night.
The Vikings said NFL officials toured the stadium Wednesday to make sure it was safe for fans. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league supports playing the game there.
The roofless stadium has its own snow issues - there are tons of it in drifts and piles. School officials promised 16-hour days of plowing and shoveling to have it ready even in the likely event of more snow.
School officials, the Vikings and the NFL were negotiating many logistical questions, from whether beer would be sold at the usually dry stadium to how a 50,000-seat facility could accommodate 54,000 season-ticket holders.
The game will be a test for Minnesotans no longer accustomed to braving the frigid December air to watch pro football. The last outdoor Vikings home game, at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, was held on Dec. 20, 1981.
No practice for Rodgers
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't returned to practice, and he may sit out the rest of the week while recovering from his second concussion of the season.
As of Wednesday, Rodgers hadn't even been cleared to attend meetings or watch tape. For concussion patients, exposure to electronic screens and lights can worsen symptoms and delay recovery.
If Rodgers can't play at New England, Matt Flynn will start. - AP
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