Snow Job

This week has seen plummeting temperatures and record snowfall in Italy. With football played outdoors, it has, of course, severely impacted Serie A. With stadia personnel hustling to protect pitches and provide safety for fans and players alike as well as games being postponed, it all seemed rather annoying. But it was our very own Galliani that put pen to paper asking the league to postpone our Napoli match dud to forecasts of more heavy snow and temperatures of -8° to -10°C (about 17°F.) Following the very public letter, a conversation has started that will hopefully bring about some changes. Either that, or it’s all one very big snow job.

A view of the San Siro Thursday morning

The conversation is this: The schedule is far too congested at this time of year. When snow or unrealistic temperatures cause a match to be postponed, the schedule becomes that much more congested for the rest of the season. Damiano Tommasi, President of the Italian Footballers Association, which represents the players, has also been quick to point out that cold weather is when most injuries happen. Of course, without the snow and cold weather, we wouldn’t be treated to such gems like “How to make an Obi Snowman:”

While some entertainment value is inevitable, it is true that it makes clubs start scrambling to meet the more demanding schedule, and that can also impact injuries. (We AC Milan fans can relate all too well to injuries.) So there is talk of changing the Serie A schedule. Perhaps starting in August and extending the winter break or at least scheduling lighter during the coldest time of the year. A few fixtures in the heat of the summer bring fewer risks than so many fixtures during cold and snow. For now, it is just talk, but talk that is picking up steam, thanks to Galliani writing a simple letter to bring it to everyone’s attention. I mean, Zamparini is going out of his mind that Galliani is getting the credit for getting the conversation started, but wasn’t he already out of his mind anyway?

Some are saying that Serie A needs to just suck it up and play anyway. And they might be right. The video below was from a Serie B match played the other day under pretty fun conditions. It’s called “Spot the Goal,” and I would further challenge you to spot the ball! (It seems they don’t have any of those fancy bright colored balls in Serie B?)

In the end, Galliani’s letter did not achieve its desired effect, of postponing Sunday’s match with Napoli. No, instead, it’s costing me sleep. The match has been moved forward to 3:00 pm in Italy, which is an ungodly 6 am here in California. Thanks a lot, Galliani. But if the conversation it started actually ends up making changes, then I will forgive the few hours of sleep, because I think some changes to the calendar would be good. But what do you think? Please take our poll, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, too.

Our next game is Milan-Napoli

Sunday, February 5th • 15:00 CET (9:00 EST)

PLEASE NOTE: GAME TIME HAS CHANGED

This post inspired by the music of Snow Patrol