Interesting op-ed piece on WSJ's OpinionJournal website. Drop the wussy "50 degree rule" for Super Bowls and let outdoor stadiums in northern states (home of the most rabid fans) have a shot at hosting The Big Game.

Both New York and Washington made formal proposals at the recent owners' meeting to win the 2008 Super Bowl. The rule will be revisited next spring. So far, only one NFL owner has been bold enough to challenge publicly the notion of cold-weather Super Bowls. "I think the Super Bowl should be played in championship conditions," said Ralph Wilson, owner of the Buffalo Bills.



And what, exactly, are "championship conditions?" Astro-turf? Sunshine? A domed stadium? Wilson didn't specify, saying only, "I'm a little uneasy about playing it in an area where there might be a lot of bad weather."

That excludes Buffalo, home to some of the NFL's greatest fans. But it's not just Buffalo. The teams with the most enthusiastic fans are all in the north, and they all play their games outdoors. New York, Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver and, of course, Green Bay. No one thinks of New Orleans or Miami or Arizona. (The Arizona Cardinals filled just 29,000 of their 73,000 seats for a recent game against Seattle. The Green Bay Packers, by contrast, have a season-ticket waiting list that spans decades.)

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says the league isn't considering lifting the cold-weather ban entirely, just making exceptions for New York and Washington.

Why not? New York, 2008. Washington, 2009. Green Bay, 2010.