Metro Winnipeg: How not to turn blue at the Bombers home game Sunday

Toques, no ball caps.

A piece of hard Styrofoam to keep your butt warm.

And for goodness sake, Bombers fans…mitts. No gloves.

“You’re going to the game to watch football, not play guitar,” said University of Manitoba’s guru of all things under zero degrees, Gordon Giesbrecht, when advising how to gear up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers semi-final against the Edmonton Eskimos at Investors Group Field on Sunday.

Giesbrecht, otherwise known as “Professor Popsicle” due to his international reputation as an expert in the effects of cold on the human body, said it’s all about layering and not letting Mother Nature fool you.

“Prepare for the worst,” said Giesbrecht, after demonstrating to Metro what he would wear for the big game. “Long underwear, warm pants and shirts, thick socks inside really good boots and the thickest parka you’ve got in addition to the toque and mitts.”

“And if the temperature when you leave the house seems pretty decent and it’s sunny and all of that, realize in a few hours (game time is 3:30 pm CST) it’s going to get dark and much colder.”

Remember the square of Styrofoam mentioned above?

“Seriously,” Giesbrecht said. “That, or even if you have a lifejacket, use that to sit on or put under your feet instead of a blanket. It’s insulation and I guarantee it will help keep you warm.”

When asked if having a few wobbly-pops is a recommended way of staying toasty during the first play-off game the Bombers have seen in six years, the professor is quick to say “yeah…no.”

“Obviously, people will be having some fun and drinks will be flowing, but too much alcohol will make you more stupid than warm,” Giesbrecht said.

Some other things to keep fans comfy in the elements will be free Tim Hortons coffee and hot chocolate in the Tailgate at the Plaza, where Bomber greats will be signing autographs and Winnipeg’s own Petric will provide half-time entertainment.