perfect day to do it. new year's isn't all about college football anymore and besides, the Winter Classic is in competition with 2 full games and the ending of 1 earlier one.

it's a chance the NHL needed to take and it's working

Of course you are, AA. It helps take that Wizards pain away.

I know right. It's not like bowl game viewership is down and except for one or two marquee (blowout) games the excitement of New Year's bowls is gone and last year's Classic drew the highest ratings for a regular season game in more than a decade. Let's go with a nondescript day. Say the 3rd Sunday following the 1st Friday of the first month of the year.

The Rose Bowl doesn't start till 4:30. The Winter Classic will be over by then. None of the other bowl games are that great during the time the Winter Classic will be on. I will definitely watching it.

There was some though to having All Star Game outdoors this year in Montreal, but the only stadium there is domed.

I think Jan. 1 is a good day for the Winter Classic because there's so many people watching TV, it's great exposure.

For example, last year's Citrus Bowl between Michigan & Florida did a ridiculous 9.1 rating. Many people, like me, flipped on the hockey game out of curiousity and got hooked.

We'll see if the NHL has the God-like powers to make it snow again.

The NHL will throw college football on its duff and thus force them to implement a playoff as fans become continually bored with meaningless matchups.

It's a real good match up as well. This will be the coming out party for the Chicago Blackhawks. Hopefully this help bettmann take his head out of his ass and allow the Blackhawks to put some local WGN games on WGN America!!!!!