If you enjoyed yesterday's Winter Classic at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, you're no doubt wondering when the Flyers will get to host some outdoor hockey, and you'll be glad to hear that the team is working hard to get involved.
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IMG_4189.JPG, originally uploaded by bronder.
A lot of us would love to see the Flyers play the Penguins at either Citizens Bank Park or the Linc. But hosting the game in Philly isn't nearly as likely as would be a Winter Classic in Happy Valley, for a variety of reasons. One, it would be a rare opportunity for an ideal neutral site. As our Penn State commenting community can attest, the battle between eastern and western PA is waged every day at Penn State, which is almost equidistant between Philly and Pittsburgh. When they're not rooting for the Nittany Lions, they can't agree on anything. It's beautiful.
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However, I think another reason why the Classic might not be held in Philly next year is our
unpredictable weather in early winter. The conditions should be nearly ideal not just
for the game, but for the few days leading up to it as well. The
daytime temps here in late December can simply be too warm, as we saw right before the current
horrid cold/wind snap started. With 60º days a possibility, and State College a more than acceptable compromise, I think it's the more likely venue.
It'd be fun and convenient to have it at home, but seeing half of that
glorious stadium being clad in orange and black, while the other half
wears gold or that pansy blue, would be awesome too.
There is no protocol for deciding which teams will play in next year's outdoor game, or future such events. Fortunately, the Gov. and Peter Luukko of the Flyers will be lobbying hard, and the NHL is listening. Bettman may elect to reward one (or more) Original Six team though, and Pittsburgh has already participated in one of the two "Classics." Boston has a good shot to host one, as does New York, in Fenway and new Yankee Stadium, respectively. If it weren't in Philly, I certainly wouldn't mind watching an outdoor game between the Green Monster and Pesky Pole next season.