flgreen Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 New Giants, Jets stadium big favorite for 2014 Super Bowl Giants Blog By BART HUBBUCH Last Updated: 6:10 AM, May 23, 2010 Posted: 3:18 AM, May 23, 2010 Comments: 0 | More Print DALLAS -- What was inconceivable just a few short months ago is on the verge of becoming reality. Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to stand in an Omni Hotel Las Colinas ballroom here and announce the 2014 Super Bowl is coming to New York. Yes, a Super Bowl at open-air New Meadowlands Stadium in mid-February, when the elements in the Northeast -- hurricane-force winds, sleet, blizzards -- can be at their most frightening. The idea sounded ludicrous to many around the league and still seems that way to some, but there is no denying the momentum that built in recent months to put New York on the brink of this historical moment. Jeff Zelevansky WINTER BREAK: The New Meadowlands Stadium is the likely choice to be selected this week as the host for Super Bowl XLVIII. The Giants and Jets -- co-sponsors of a bid so unlikely that even they have officially dubbed it "Make Some History" -- are the overwhelming favorites to land Super Bowl XLVIII thanks to a confluence of events that began five years ago before really picking up steam just three months ago. The hugely influential backing of Goodell and the misfortune of competing bids in Arizona, Miami and South Florida can't be denied, but much of the credit for the New York bid's strong standing goes to the owners of the Giants and Jets themselves. The two market rivals have a long history of bickering, most of it over the uneasy sharing of Giants Stadium, the nuts and bolts of constructing their new $1.6 billion, 82,500-seat facility and the Jets' perception of second-class status in league circles. But by all accounts, the Mara and Tisch families and Woody Johnson put that disdain aside and worked smoothly together to bring one of the world's most popular sporting events -- and its estimated $550 million impact on the local economy -- to a place where few in the NFL ever dreamed possible. "On the field, it's combat with the Giants," said Johnson, the Jets' increasingly prominent owner. "But when we're trying to put this together, each team brought their own talents and liabilities to the table. With these three families you're talking about right here, you had a lot of people concentrating on trying to make this a great, great event." This from the same person who just two months ago was lodging a surprisingly pointed protest that all but accused Goodell of favoring the Giants by awarding Big Blue the first regular-season game at the new stadium via a secretive coin flip. But the Giants' John Mara agreed with Johnson that the Giants and Jets had little problem getting on the same page when it came to potentially landing the Super Bowl. That cooperation will be on display Tuesday in that hotel ballroom here, when Mara and Johnson will make New York's presentation to the other owners in advance of that day's vote. Some owners have expressed opposition to a "Snow Bowl," most notably the Bengals' Mike Brown, but the vote could end up a landslide for New York, largely because of Goodell. Goodell quickly has established himself as the most powerful commissioner in sports with his hard-line on discipline, and the owners -- mindful of the 2011 labor showdown -- remain eager to show their solidarity to the union by vigorously backing whatever Goodell favors. That was obvious from the decision in March to implement new overtime rules. There was thought to be little support, but a late push from Goodell resulted in a shockingly lopsided 28-4 final vote. Goodell has been just as vocal about backing New York's improbable Super Bowl bid, justifying it with constant references to some of the NFL's memorable cold-weather games, and everyone in the league knows just how much weight Goodell's words will carry Tuesday. bhubbuch@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/giants_jets_super_teamwork_M0tTAsGMVGLSZOXdC9q0CL?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=#ixzz0okt0xem1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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