This may come across as sexist and if it does, then so be it, but football is a man’s sport. I have found myself repeating this statement time and time again over the last few weeks.

Football is supposed to be a painful sport played by only the toughest of the tough men. I can only assume football is where the term “blood, sweat and tears” came from.

I will admit that over the last few decades football has becomes less tough and more flash. Still football is a sport intended to appeal more to the blue collar man and less to the manicured one.

It is because of this that I fully support the decision by the NFL owners to award the 2014 Super Bowl to New Jersey’s newly built Meadowlands stadium. It’s about time they played the biggest game of the year in the cold.

As soon as the decision was announced (actually a week before it was announced) the debate began as to whether it was good for the fan or the game to have the Super Bowl played in an environment in which the elements and temperature might have an impact on the game.

What surprised me wasn’t the debate, but the almost exact equal division of opinions I heard. It seemed almost half were for it and half against it. It was then that I decided to change my listening and reading habits.

I realized that I had been listening to and reading the opinions of well paid men and women whose full-time job it is to cover such events as the Super Bowl. These incredibly lucky (maybe not lucky, but at least blessed) journalists will be forced to spend their Super Bowl week in the blistering cold of a January in New Jersey.

For an opportunity to see the Super Bowl this may seem like a deal well worth it to most fans, however, for the small group of professionals whose job it is to cover the hoopla surrounding the Super bowl this is less than appealing when compared to the annual trips to places such as Miami, Tampa and this year’s destination of Dallas.

When I began asking and getting the opinions of the common folk like you and me who always have and always will watch the big game on TV, I discovered that there was overwhelming support for the game to be played not only in cold weather, but preferably the snow if possible.

I for one would love to see a snowy Super Bowl. If there is a chance that snow may influence the outcome of the Divisional Championship game and decide who plays for a ring then shouldn’t the rules be the same for the biggest game of the year. As of now the rules favor fast teams that are accustomed to playing in warm dry weather.

How could that be more fair than a championship game that might be better suited for a team used to playing in the cold or wet weather. While some teams play their home games in a dome all teams play at least a few of their games out in the elements. Why should the Super Bowl be any different?

I say let the men be men. I for one will be hoping for snow blowing sideways in the Meadowlands. For those lucky enough to actually be able to go to the game who find themselves concerned about the rough weather, feel free to send me your ticket and your man-card. You deserve neither.

David Friedman is a long-time contributor to the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald. A Bertie High School graduate, he and his wife currently reside in Wilmington. David can be reached via e-mail at dave@gate811.net.