Dome over Lambeau?

[El Guapo]

A roof over Lambeau?!? Sheeeit, I might as well become a Jaquars fan...

Most of the memorable games that I've been at were adverse weather conditions. I remember one (against Carolina I think) maybe 7-8 years ago. The Panthers were driving, Christian McCaffrey was probably going to score and win the game with no time left. Out of nowhere, the snowflakes began to fall. Then they began to swirl. The crowd erupted into a frenzy under the snowy lights of Lambeau and our not-so-great defense suddenly found the inspiration to make a goal line stand to win the game. I guarantee that wouldn't have happened without the snow.

One of the many terrible things about going to a Vikings game in Minneapolis is having to be all bundled up for tailgating and then having to take it all off when you get into the stadium. Let me stay bundled up. Hot chocolate is much better with schnaaps. No roof over Lambeau.

 

[gopkrs]

The offense may have been #1 that year, but fell apart against the Giants D that only rushed 3 (quite effectively though) and dropped the rest of the team into coverage. Rodgers and McCarthy couldn't figure that out in the week of prep or the 3hrs that it took to lose the game. Sad.

And Favre looked like he just did not want to be out there in the cold.

 

[Thirteen Below]

And Favre looked like he just did not want to be out there in the cold.

He wasn't - Rodgers was under center in the January, 2012 game. Favre was finally retired by then (for good). I think you're remembering the 2008 game.

But you're right - even the TV announcers noticed it. Shortly before he threw the interception (his last pass as a Packer), the camera tightened in on him, and he looked like he had absolutely had enough. One of the announcers even said, "Brett Favre looks like a man who just doesn't want to be out there anymore".

And a few minutes later, he got his wish.

 

[Thirteen Below]

The offense may have been #1 that year, but fell apart against the Giants D that only rushed 3 (quite effectively though) and dropped the rest of the team into coverage. Rodgers and McCarthy couldn't figure that out in the week of prep or the 3hrs that it took to lose the game. Sad.

The irony is that even though we had the worst D in the league that year, the Giants were not much better - they had the 25th-ranked defense. And they shut down that offensive juggernaut like they were the 85 Bears.

 

[rmontro]

The irony is that even though we had the worst D in the league that year, the Giants were not much better - they had the 25th-ranked defense. And they shut down that offensive juggernaut like they were the 85 Bears.

Yeah, somehow their defense managed to come together at just the right time. That was one of two debacles at Lambeau where Eli and the Giants beat us on the way to Super Bowl wins. Two rings for Eli Manning, one for Favre, one for Rodgers. SMH. Still irritates me.

 

[Poppa San]

My feeling is that if become a dome team, you are surrendering a part of your home-field advantage. The Packers players may not enjoy the cold weather, but warm weather/dome teams coming in here like it even less. If you're on, say, the Dolphins, and the game is going against you, you just might check out mentally and start thinking about a warm shower and the plane ride home.

Have you looked at the Dolphins schedule over the years? Except for division and playoff games they very rarely play outdoor cold weather games after the calendar turns to November. Granted there aren't many options outside their division without domes. Packers, Steelers, Eagles, Giants, Chiefs, Broncos. Still they only do it maybe once or twice a decade.

 

[lambeaulambo]

A roof over Lambeau?!? Sheeeit, I might as well become a Jaquars fan...

Most of the memorable games that I've been at were adverse weather conditions. I remember one (against Carolina I think) maybe 7-8 years ago. The Panthers were driving, Christian McCaffrey was probably going to score and win the game with no time left. Out of nowhere, the snowflakes began to fall. Then they began to swirl. The crowd erupted into a frenzy under the snowy lights of Lambeau and our not-so-great defense suddenly found the inspiration to make a goal line stand to win the game. I guarantee that wouldn't have happened without the snow.

One of the many terrible things about going to a Vikings game in Minneapolis is having to be all bundled up for tailgating and then having to take it all off when you get into the stadium. Let me stay bundled up. Hot chocolate is much better with schnaaps. No roof over Lambeau.

the last game I went to at Lambeau was...the game u r describing!!

 

[Mike Zak]

He wasn't - Rodgers was under center in the January, 2012 game. Favre was finally retired by then (for good). I think you're remembering the 2008 game.

But you're right - even the TV announcers noticed it. Shortly before he threw the interception (his last pass as a Packer), the camera tightened in on him, and he looked like he had absolutely had enough. One of the announcers even said, "Brett Favre looks like a man who just doesn't want to be out there anymore".

And a few minutes later, he got his wish.

 

[Mike Zak]

My concern is that it sure does seem that NOT having a roof or Dome discourages Free Agents from coming to Green Bay,…or makes the Packers overpay to at least have them consider coming…

 

[Heyjoe4]

Can't say as I like the direction the whole world is taking these days. I guess I won't really be around to see it. Although I do like the Buddhist way of looking at things so who knows?

Well said gopkrs. I don't like the direction the USA and the world are going either, and a dome over Lambeau (even though WI. Mike's question is certainly worth discussing), well that would just add to my woes.

I only say that because playing football outdoors just seems right. More so than baseball (Although who doesn't love a July night at AmFam field with a warm breeze, hot dog and a beer? Oh and a game!)

And I'm with you on Buddhism. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hard core about any religion, and Buddhism isn't a religion anyway. But Buddha, and Yoda for that matter would probably not like a domed Lambeau. I can hear Yoda at a shareholders meeting commenting on the dome topic to the BOD - "Stupid, you are."

 

[Heyjoe4]

I realize in the past all the cold weather games how we Packers fans showed how tough we are
attending and our team playing in near sub-zero games and snow.

With all the NFL teams getting domes on their stadiums, is the future of the game and attendance
changing and realizing those cold temps are getting old especially with the cost to attend a game.

No baseball teams would play in those conditions.

Just a Thought

This is a really good question Mike, and I'm guessing most commentators here have at least once contemplated indoor games in GB. I certainly have.

But being open and outside is one of the, pun intended, cold comforts of the Packers' mystique. And as TEXPAC noted, it would probably cost more to build a dome than a new stadium, and that's not happening.

It's still interesting to think about it. When I did, I quickly came to my own conclusion - no dome. And the weather for at least the last decade has been much warmer winters. And playing in a snowstorm is just great entertainment, especially sitting at home sipping a Royal Mug.

Thanks for bringing it up Mike. Thought provoking!

 

[Heyjoe4]

My concern is that it sure does seem that NOT having a roof or Dome discourages Free Agents from coming to Green Bay,…or makes the Packers overpay to at least have them consider coming…

That's interesting as well MZ. With all respect to Green Bay and its fine people, I thought the destination would discourage players from wanting to play in GB. Not much in the way of night life, not much national media exposure.

And then I thought that makes it the ideal place to play. The sole focus is on football. I don't want a QB like Johnny Manziel coming to practice everyday hungover (and my apologies to JM if he's gotten sober).

Reggie White broke both the color and superstar barriers when he came to GB. He basically said to all NFL players - "It's fine to play in GB, especially if you want a SB ring." And we also have Bob Harlan and Ron Wolf to thank for that. 30 plus years later, it's still true.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Ah yes, the "fart in the wind" team.

Brought me a lot of joy though.

I thought the 96 team won the SB played in 97, and the 97 team that lost to the Broncos in the SB that was played in 98. That was what Ron Wolf referred to as "the fart in the wind" team, I think.

I was of course devastated by that loss. Wolf's comment put some humor into an otherwise humorless situation.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Have you looked at the Dolphins schedule over the years? Except for division and playoff games they very rarely play outdoor cold weather games after the calendar turns to November. Granted there aren't many options outside their division without domes. Packers, Steelers, Eagles, Giants, Chiefs, Broncos. Still they only do it maybe once or twice a decade.

Exactly. So when they do, the other team has an advantage.

 

[rmontro]

I thought the 96 team won the SB played in 97, and the 97 team that lost to the Broncos in the SB that was played in 98. That was what Ron Wolf referred to as "the fart in the wind" team, I think.

I was of course devastated by that loss. Wolf's comment put some humor into an otherwise humorless situation.

Yes, I was responding to a comment about the '96 team, that finished #1 in offense, defense, and special teams.
Honestly, I had never thought about that comment as humorous. I thought it was said more in bitterness. We Packer fans are spoiled, I guess, being upset about only winning one Super Bowl. Since the '60s, I've always wanted another dynasty.

 

[milani]

The offense may have been #1 that year, but fell apart against the Giants D that only rushed 3 (quite effectively though) and dropped the rest of the team into coverage. Rodgers and McCarthy couldn't figure that out in the week of prep or the 3hrs that it took to lose the game.

Coughlin learned from the regular season 38-35 defeat at home. The Packers were throwing all year round. We should have been able to use the running game more as part of the plan that day and keep the Manning and company off the field. But that was not our MO that season.

 

[rmontro]

Coughlin learned from the regular season 38-35 defeat at home. The Packers were throwing all year round. We should have been able to use the running game more as part of the plan that day and keep the Manning and company off the field. But that was not our MO that season.

And really, why change it? The offense was spectacular in a record setting way. No one else had been able to stop it, except maybe the Chiefs, and that game had been on the road and could have been considered a fluke. It was a tough loss though, after such a historically dominant season.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Yes, I was responding to a comment about the '96 team, that finished #1 in offense, defense, and special teams.
Honestly, I had never thought about that comment as humorous. I thought it was said more in bitterness. We Packer fans are spoiled, I guess, being upset about only winning one Super Bowl. Since the '60s, I've always wanted another dynasty.

You're absolutely right, Wolf was very bitter when he made that comment. In some ways it was good that it angered him. There is nothing funny about losing a SB, and Wolf was all about excellence. That's his greatest legacy to the franchise. He didn't settle and it started a 30 plus year run that we are still enjoying.

But yeah, at the time, long-suffering fans of the Packers were happy to be back in consecutive SBs. Even so, the loss to the Broncos was devastating. Wolf's "fart in the wind" comment is only humorous 27 years after the fact.

 

[milani]

And really, why change it? The offense was spectacular in a record setting way. No one else had been able to stop it, except maybe the Chiefs, and that game had been on the road and could have been considered a fluke. It was a tough loss though, after such a historically dominant season.

In the Chiefs game McCarthy only suited up Kuhn and Grant in the backfield. NO ONE else! The team was soft that day. Romeo Crennel had a gambling game plan on D and it worked. They kicked 4 FGs against our D and got the ball near midfield when Crosby missed a long one. But we were 13-0. Did not matter.
As it turned out the Patriots offense that year was off the charts. Even more creative than ours. But the Giants stopped them as well.

 

[Heyjoe4]

In the Chiefs game McCarthy only suited up Kuhn and Grant in the backfield. NO ONE else! The team was soft that day. Romeo Crennel had a gambling game plan on D and it worked. They kicked 4 FGs against our D and got the ball near midfield when Crosby missed a long one. But we were 13-0. Did not matter.
As it turned out the Patriots offense that year was off the charts. Even more creative than ours. But the Giants stopped them as well.

Hey milani, is that the year the Pats went into the SB 18-0, only to lose to the Giants? 2012 or 2013? I think it was 2 years after the 2011 Packers' SB win. Not sure.......

 

[El Guapo]

No. The Patriots almost undefeated season was 2007. The Giants (from memory) went on the road and beat Tampa Bay, went on the road and beat a very good Dallas team, came up to Lambeau and knocked off Favre in what should have been another MVP year, and then stopped New England's run to perfection. The Giants rattled off the greatest playoff run in history - in my opinion.