by Xavier Davis

Created on: December 29, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The question of cold weather teams dominating the Super Bowl has focused on training. However, with a little research, it is plain to see that cold weather teams are not necessarily more successful because of rougher training conditions.

The most common argument for cold weather team domination has been the New England Patriots. Oddly enough, the Patriots don't train in cold weather as most would assume. From http://www.gillettestadium.com/stadium_information/i ndex.cfm?ac=quick_facts:

"The Patriots opened a new 80,000 square foot indoor practice facility in 2003 and now utilize four practice fields in addition to the Gillette Stadium game field for their year-round training. The Patriots' year-round training facility is over 40,000 square feet and includes a state-of-the-art weight room, locker room, team auditorium and training room, complete with full rehabilitation facilities."

Yes folks, that's right. The new bandwagon team in America doesn't practice in the 20 mile per hour winds and sub zero temperatures that they play in. In fact, many NFL teams have indoor practice facilities. So warm weather teams can very likely be training in room temperature to avoid heat concerns just as cold weather teams are avoiding freezing concerns.

With that said, are there any advantages based on weather for NFL Teams? In the case of the Patriots, I think their cold weather advantage comes more in the form of the frequency with which they are playing in bad weather games. ALong with eight home games in the New England area, they also have division foes in Buffalo and New York. That makes 10 of 16 games every year that have the potential to be cold weather games. In addition, with their recent success they are playing their playoff games at home (and coincidentally - or maybe not - at night).

In conclusion, I don't feel cold weather teams are at any more of an advantage than warm weather teams. A case could be made for that if players were assigned to teams for a lifetime but players change teams pretty frequently in the modern era. And given the plush indoor facilities of which many teams take advantage, it is completely coincidence that cold weather teams have recently been so successful in the Super Bowl. Want more proof: dominance can't be defined by three point victories-the margin of victory for the Patriots in each of their Super Bowl victories.

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