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It was 30 years ago today when the AFC Championship game between the Bengals and Chargers became known as "The Freezer Bowl." I remember this well standing in the End-zone section for the Blue Seats wrapped with so much clothing I could hardly move, only to see crazed and extremely inebriated fans. This was my Senior year of High School and I got into every game at Riverfront for free from 1980 until Riverfront was closed. If anyone out there remembers the garage entrance to the stadium, I would go with my best friend and his family who had 8 season tickets dating back to the 70's and they had come to know the ticket taker quite well. All I did was walk in the middle of the pack of them and would stand in the back row of the Blue section. I'm sure there are others who remember the way it was back then.

[Stardust]

The game was 30 years ago today – Jan. 10, 1982 – and played here, next to the icy, windswept Ohio River in that concrete ashtray called Riverfront Stadium.

You may say, "But wait, didn't the Bengals play in two Super Bowls?" Aren't those finer moments? Fine they are, but why celebrate two lost Super Bowls? Losses are losses. Cris Collinsworth will always fumble after a long pass play in the first one. Joe Montana will always throw that late touchdown pass in the second one.

But the Freezer Bowl... ahhh! Tasty! Who Dey Think Gonna Beat Them Bengals? Noooo-body!

The AFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl were on the line that day. The air temperature was minus 9. The wind chill was 59 degrees below zero, the coldest wind chill in NFL history.

Beer froze in cups. Ice formed on the beard of Dan Fouts, star quarterback of the hapless opponents, the San Diego Chargers. Cords to television cameras snapped with regularity.

Even before the game began, a San Diego fan in a short skirt and flimsy coat was overheard on a pay phone outside the stadium begging a taxi dispatcher to send a cab to rescue her. "I'm gonna die here!" she pleaded.

Chargers players wandered about in warm-ups in a daze, numb after playing an epic overtime playoff game a week before in 88-degree weather in balmy Miami. Riverfront Stadium was rockin' with Bengals linemen in short sleeves and more than a few lunatic fans in the crowd of 46,220 sporting bare chests.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120.../301100067

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Always keep your head covered, your body lets out the most heat from the top of your head.....

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It was so cold ...
Many readers reported they had battery-powered warmers for their feet, but they were no good because the batteries failed.

Most people did not realize that the concrete floor tended to suck heat out of their feet. Many readers reported they had no problems except keeping their feet warm, despite multiple layers of socks, etc. Some people did know this and brought layers of newspapers or Styrofoam, which protected against this problem.

Several people said you could not touch metal rails with any exposed skin because it was like touching something that was very hot.

Beer turned to slush very quickly and a lot of people stopped trying to drink it.

All the condiments froze. Food had to be eaten quickly or it started to ice up.

Several people actually brought little heaters, mostly kerosene, that were allowed in. All said they were pretty much useless.

Lined Thermos bottles did not keep anything warm. Some of them with glass liners broke when opened.

Scalpers did not have a field day. The place was not full. A couple people said they got tickets for as low as $10 from scalpers after the game started ($25 before the game began).

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120.../301100067

[RunItUpTheGut]

I can honestly say that no matter who played or if it was even the superbowl, i just could go to a game where the winchill was -59 degrees.
That had to of been harsh.