Some thoughts from our first-ever NFL outdoor experience in Minnesota:

*It wasn't a logistical nightmare. We're not sure if it was because A) We arrived at about 6 p.m. and went in via the media entrance with our pass (yeah, that was probably part of it, though we heard from several other people that getting in wasn't all that bad) or B) The crowd was 10,000 less than the stadium's capacity (in your FACE, Stensaas). But yeah, the gloom and doom we predicted didn't really come to fruition.

*People were legitimately excited about outdoor football. There was a great buzz in the air for the 30 minutes before kickoff and during the Vikings' great opening drive. When people in the upper deck -- which was very snowy compared to the lower deck, and far colder with nothing to protect someone from the elements -- flung snow into the air in waves after Percy Harvin's TD -- creating a Kevin Garnett/Studio 54-like effect -- that was one of the best local sports moments we can remember.

*People were hammered. Like, drunker than drunk. Falling down drunk. People were smoking controlled substances. One vendor was selling his Coca-Cola products by yelling, "Who needs a mixer! Anybody need a mixer?" Now, we've been to plenty of Vikings games at the Metrodome and we know it's a hard-drinking crowd regardless. But we're starting to think that when you try to keep alcohol from a crowd, it only makes them drink more. All you're losing out on is the revenue.

*We're conflicted in regards to what to think about Brett Favre. Part of us is impressed that he gave it a go. Part of us is a little nauseated about the way he insisted himself upon that game and the national stage -- that it was more about him than it was anything else (which would hardly be shocking). He still has the same gunslinger mentality, and he still believes that he is best when the odds are stacked against him. But he's past the point of delivering in a meaningful way. He might have given the Vikings a better chance to win than Joe Webb -- and we really think that game would have gone in an entirely different direction had Ben Leber made that INT on Chicago's first drive, setting the Vikings up with a short field already up 7-0 -- but Favre did Webb no favors at all by starting and then having to come out with an injury. Webb was absolutely amped up and ready to go at the start. By the time he got in, a flow had been established and he was not a part of it. We're not making excuses for Webb -- he has raw ability, but we can see he is nowhere near ready to be an NFL QB -- but Favre surely didn't help him.

*If the Vikings get a new stadium, we're starting to think it should have a roof. This is completely opposite of our feeling on baseball. A retractable roof would be ideal. But maybe there should be an element of climate control. By halftime, the novelty of being outside had worn off. It was cold. Chris Kluwe had to be cold because he couldn't kick the ball very far (but he could wave sarcastically to the booing crowd). Maybe we would all get used to it. And it wouldn't always be that cold. But still. Something tells us a roof would be a good idea.

*The Bears are the NFC North champs. The Packers can do no better than the No. 5 seed (if they make the playoffs at all), which virtually assures Green Bay will have to play three road games to make the Super Bowl. That is very unlikely. That is a good thing.

*We met Clarence Swamptown -- even had a post-game beverage with him. He expressed a desire to never know what Stu looks like because it would ruin it. We won't tell you anything else he said, but he's definitely a good guy.

Clarence's report will hopefully follow.