The Wimps Who Stole Christmas

Philadelphia Daily News ^ | 12/27/10 | By Will Bunch

[Track9]

In 1948, the Eagles won an NFL championship at Shibe Park in a raging blizzard, a game that was never forgotten by the 36,309 die-hards who didn't think twice about braving those conditions to watch history in the making. Then there was the "Snow-Plow" game in New England and the Pats' memorable playoff victory over Oakland in a snowstorm years later, and the frigid 1967 Ice Bowl in Green Bay. To paraphrase Frank Capra this Christmas season, for a true football fan it would not have been as wonderful a life had those remarkable games never been born.

That's why the decision by the NFL and the Eagles, with input from the city of Philadelphia, to postpone last night's game because of a snowstorm that isn't really all that (we might get 11 inches in the city - not exactly Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer territory, not even close) is more than downright disappointing.

This is the height of wimpiness, and the girly-men who made this sad decision should be ashamed of themselves. The NFL has been rightfully called the No Fun League for a number of years, but this takes that to a whole embarrassing new level. In fact, let's name names here: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Eagles' owner Jeff Lurie and president Joe Banner, and Mayor Nutter - you are the Wimps Who Stole Christmas from football fans in Philadelphia.

[Track9]

LOL

[UB355]

I actually was at and survived the Ice Bowl.

[RobbyS]

Hasn’t been a blue-collar—or frosty-nosed game for thirty years.

[LRS]

I blame the offensive line for 1981 AFC Champion Bengals for coming out in the so called “Freezer Bowl” with short sleeve shirts. They set a standard, and no one wants to be shown up by the Bengals, so postpone the games...

[Track9]

Lucky you! I got a good laugh out of this one..

They don't play American football in China, but I believe that if they did, not only would they have played this game, but 300,000 fans would have marched barefoot through the drifts for 15 miles to get to the stadium, drilling each other with advanced calculus problems as they walked.

[fatnotlazy]

Even if there were 11 inches in the city, the suburbs could have a lot more, and there are fans coming in from the suburbs. It’s just not safe for some people to go out in really bad weather.

The Steelers played in quite a few bad weather games. Once it was snowing so badly, you couldn’t see the players, let alone the football. The refs often couldn’t tell where the yard lines were.

[Defiant]

Was that the one they beat the Chargers in about 20 below? Coming out from San Diego, that would have been quite a shock to the system.

[NorthStarStateConservative]

Oh, come on, the snowstorm hit the stadium with unfortunate timing, they couldn’t plow the field fast enough before the game started. What do you think the players should do, play in snowshoes instead of cleats?

[upsdriver]

The reason the game was postponed was to keep fifty thousand morons off the highways during a snowstorm.

[LRS]

The wind chill was the real killer. They freaked out the Chargers that day. One of the few truly great moments for those sorry Bengals. (Of course they were still under Paul Brown!)

[Tribune7]

I might agree with Bunch on this one but he's still a Journolista

[New Jersey Realist]

The reason the game was postponed was to keep fifty thousand morons off the highways during a snowstorm.

---

You got that right! Eagles fans are the most disgusting fans in the NFL. The city has to keep a judge in the stadium during each game to handle the roughnecks. Take your children to an Eagles game? Forget it!

[Kid Shelleen]

they didn't want someone to get killed over a snow ball fight

[SamAdams76]

Even if there were 11 inches in the city, the suburbs could have a lot more, and there are fans coming in from the suburbs. It’s just not safe for some people to go out in really bad weather. The Steelers played in quite a few bad weather games. Once it was snowing so badly, you couldn’t see the players, let alone the football. The refs often couldn’t tell where the yard lines were.

I agree that it's not safe for SOME people to go out in really bad weather but so what? If you are one of those people, then you have no business buying a ticket for a football game in December in the first place.

One of my fondest football memories are when the New England Patriots beat the Oakland Raiders in the Snow Bowl (below). Nobody could tell where the yard lines were and even the players had trouble seeing each other. But it was one of the most classic games ever played.

Now we will never know how many fond memories could have been created by last night's "snow game" that never was. Instead, they will play on Tuesday night in the snowless cold and if the Eagles lose Tuesday night, they will forever wonder what the outcome would have been had they been able to grapple with those Vikings out in the snow instead.

[UB355]

I also suppose they didn’t want to ruin those pink shoes they have been wearing the last few years.

[Track9]

There’s always excuses. That’s the main point of the article.

[MAexile]

Wusses, every last one of them.

[Talisker]

Follow the money. The players are paid so much that the insurance companies made this call - injury probabilities skyrocketed with so much snow, and contracts lock the insurers into paying the players even if they're crippled.

Worrying about fan safety comes in somewhere down around concerns that the french fries will stay hot.

[NorthStarStateConservative]

It’s not an excuse, it’s simple physics. Football players who weigh anywhere from 180 lbs to 320 lbs cannot walk much less run, strafe and backpedal in 2 feet of snow without incuring career and maybe even life threatening injuries. They could either put on snowshoes or postpone the game.

The league made the right decision. And besides, the gametime temp on Teusday is going to be in the single digits, so they’re hardly wimping it out.

BTW, are you from the South or something? Just wondering since few people know what walking in 2 feet of snow actually feels like down south.

[Track9]

It seems some people have bought the idea that everything needs to be ‘managed’. I say, Hogwash.. bite the bullet and let it rip..! We’re not French.. we’re Americans for heaven sake.