Update: Midwest Blizzard Forces Giants-Vikings Game to Monday Night
- Posted on December 12, 2010 at 12:03am by
Scott Baker
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MINNEAPOLIS (The Blaze/AP) — Brett Favre has got to love a snowstorm. His ailing shoulder has been given another day to heal.
The Giants-Vikings game was moved to Monday night because Minnesota had at least 15 inches of snow and wind gusting over 30 mph and the New York team was waiting it out in Kansas City.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Saturday night that the new kickoff time and TV arrangements were still being determined. However early reports from ESPN indicate the game would be broadcast at least regionally on Monday night at 8 pm ET. No further details were provided.
The delay gives Favre, the Vikings’ 41-year-old bionic quarterback, another day to rest his sprained throwing shoulder. Favre is aiming to make his NFL-record 298th straight start, but he has barely practiced all week. He’s listed as questionable for the game, after getting hit hard and slammed to the turf on his first pass of last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Favre built his reputation in the cold and snow in Green Bay, winning a playoff game during his last season with the Packers in 2007 with flakes falling all over Lambeau Field.
As for the Giants? They must really be tired of these trips to Minnesota by now.
The Vikings and Giants are set to play for the ninth time in the last 10 regular seasons, a scheduling quirk that has slated seven of those meetings – this year would be three in a row – for Minnesota.
The Vikings (5-7) have beaten the Giants (8-4) four straight times.
With more than a foot of blowing snow falling in the Twin Cities area throughout Saturday, the Giants’ charter flight was diverted to Kansas City instead. After hanging out in the terminal for a bit, the team then settled in to spend the night there, with an initial plan in place to fly to Minnesota on Sunday morning and make it to the stadium in time for regularly scheduled noon kickoff.
But the NFL made the announcement later Saturday night that the game was being moved.
Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said on Twitter the team “monitored weather all week” and moved up the departure time by 3 1/2 hours Saturday. That didn’t prove to be enough of a head start to make it to Minneapolis before the airport shut down all runways.
Last season, an approaching snowstorm in Baltimore prompted a Sunday game between the Ravens and Chicago Bears to be bumped back three hours, but such a switch in this television-driven league is rare.
The Vikings weren’t exactly enjoying a hassle-free weekend, either, simply because they were at home. Most players live in the suburbs near the team’s offices and practice facility, about a 20 minute drive from the Metrodome without heavy traffic or tough conditions, and they still had to make it to the downtown hotel where they stay the night before games.
Left tackle Bryant McKinnie announced on Twitter shortly after 6 p.m. local time his plan to be cautious: “Heading 2 the hotel, giving myself a 2 hour window 2 make it n this weather.”
McKinnie checked in with an update a little later: “I made it 2 the hotel safely, it took us about 45 min, when its usually about 20 to 25! All good though.”
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heavyduty
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 11:58amBefore you know it they will have to have all the games up north played indoors. It’s just too cold and wet for the game to be played outdoors. What happened to getting out in the mud, blood, and beer type of mentality?
Report Post »AmerNDN10
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 11:52amGeeez, I have to wait until tomorrow Night to see my Giants play? ack! Well better than the MNF of Houston and Baltimore :o/
Report Post »NJ had 3 feet of snow right before Christmas last year and the Giants still played…they planned ahead ; planned the game to be at the Visitng team’s stadium even though the Giants were Home team.
Too bad Mn didn’t plan like that …… Im sure we could have done a double header Jets/Giants at Rutherford. :oD
mtnclimberjim
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 9:05amOh boy now the players union will need more money or some BS perk. I will never support union sports
Report Post »mcpbob
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 8:37amDamn that global warming. Damn it all.
Report Post »misteryuck
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 8:50amWhat are you saying man? Get a grip. If it were not for global warming (since the last ice age) it would be REALLY cold… ;-)
Report Post »mcpbob
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 10:00amhahahahaa….. funny….. brrrrrrrrrrrrrr,
Report Post »Alan
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 3:53amOh my God, pro football on Monday night?! Oh, the inhumanity of it all!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 1:09amLOL .. we have ARTIC air headed to Florida ..
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 12:42amThis is baloney. The NFL pushed the game back a day in a sad attempt to give Favre another day to recover so he can continue his pointless games started streak. There’s nothing wrong with the stadium roof. If there was actually roof damage then they wouldn’t have announced a new game date and time until they surveyed the damage and determined if and when the field would be ready for play.
Report Post »Hefsmaster
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 5:07amYou should come on over the first chance you get and move what amounts to two feet of cement on my driveway.
Report Post »WAR PIGS CRAWLING
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 6:42am@Hefsmaster. Remember to lift with your knees. Its 0538 hours local time, & I’m going to fire up the snow blower and work my way east…..be there about mid June.
Report Post »theVirginian
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 12:03pmyou might wanna rethink the “there’s nothing wrong with the stadium roof” comment. While you’re at it, the “pointless” stat of games started as well.
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 12:05amnot an issue. I am in KC and welcome the Giants.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on December 12, 2010 at 11:59amGee, football is turning into a pansies game. Can‘t believe they can’t play in a little snow.
Report Post »Diamond Girl
Posted on December 13, 2010 at 12:00amHeavyDuty…ain’t that the truth!
Let alone notice how much it’s snowing and snowed to have somebody shoveling this off in the first place…I live in snow country, have seen these kinds of things happen endless, we have a nation of idiotic victims too besides pansies.
Btw- Go Giants tomorrow night~
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