Add this to our list of curiosities related to TCF Bank Stadium and the Vikings' situation: What kind of response should we expect for the call for volunteer shovelers starting Thursday?

Here is the press release, for starters, from the U of M:

Volunteers will be accepted at 8 a.m., Noon and 4 p.m. beginning Thursday. Volunteer help will be accepted at those times on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No volunteer help is being requested or accepted for Wednesday. Volunteers should gather outside the Lincoln County entrance to TCF Bank Stadium at the times listed above.

Volunteers must be 18 years of age and are encouraged to wear proper outdoor attire. Shovels will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own shovel if they wish.

Seriously, we will be fascinated to see how many people show up at 8 a.m. tomorrow, shovels in hand. After three hours of moving snow around Sunday, we can't say we have an overwhelming urge to help out.

We do enjoy the notion, though, that if someone has a special shovel and they don't want to use a handout shovel, they can bring their own.

So: Assuming you have some free time in the next four days -- would you be interested in lending a hand? And if you are planning on heading down there, would you be interested in putting together a guest post on the experience?

(File art of the shovel obtained from the Big Ten graphics department. OK, not really).

UPDATE: Newbie notes the Vikings web site says the shovelers will be paid. There appears to be some discrepancy here. Regardless: Are you willing to shovel?