Yes, the weather seemed a better fit for the Jamaican bobsledding team than its national soccer squad, but in a way that also made what transpired at Finley Stadium between the United States men's national team and the Reggae Boyz (as they're also known) all the more remarkable.
Or as Chattanooga Football Club Academy coach Aaron Shipley noted as he stepped out of a Finley elevator into 38-degree air (31 degrees wind chill) more than 45 minutes before the start of this friendly: "I'm just so happy this is in Chattanooga and that we're being recognized as a soccer city."
We were quite rightly similarly praised in August of 2015 when the U.S. women's team, fresh off its World Cup crown, dropped by Finley to honor our Fallen Five servicemen and play their own friendly against Costa Rica in front of 20,535 rain-soaked, lightning-dodging fans.
But that event was a perfect storm of hype and healing, a chance to cheer these gifted women's wonderful success and add another salute to those five servicemen whose lives were coldly cut short by a terrorist's mad mind.
This was different. This was about the love of futbol only on the weekend even a good portion of the rest of the world salutes football, American style with the arrival of the Super Bowl.
And you couldn't help but believe, at least partly because of that timing, that the love for soccer in this country is growing at a rate that is both fast and furious when a frigid Friday night in February can bring 17,903 to Finley to watch a U.S. men's program that hasn't advanced past the World Cup quarterfinals since 1930. And that team finished third.
"Great environment, terrific environment," said U.S. coach Bruce Arena, who guided the national team to the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002. "To have this kind of turnout is tremendous."
Like so many soccer matches, this friendly was more tremendous for its energy and effort than its altering of the scoreboard. The U.S. won 1-0 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 58th minute that was assisted by Benny Feilhaber.
Otherwise - as could be said of so many soccer skirmishes that have ended with a similar dearth of scoring - this match called to mind the prose of William Shakespeare, whose Macbeth once said of an idiot's tale: "(It is) full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Yet adult soccer - be it the U.S. women's team, our U.S. men's squad or our own amateur Chattanooga Football Club - continues to signify passion and popularity each time those teams take the Finley Stadium pitch.
And it doesn't encompass just local fans. Chris Gascoigne drove up from Atlanta with friends to watch his native Jamaica team play the U.S. Now 51, he once played soccer for the College of Aeronautics in Queens, N.Y.
"I've come to Chattanooga before to visit Ruby Falls, Rock City, the Aquarium," he said. "But I've never been to Finley Stadium before. I want to watch Jamaica, but I also support the (U.S.) national team. I think it will be a great soccer match."
Alex and Rebecca Quispe also drove up from Atlanta with their young son Alex to watch the match. Having bought tickets two months ago, they'd planned for everything but the sharp dip in temperatures.
Stopping at one of the many merchandising stations throughout the stadium, they bought a $30 scarf for their son.
"We need to warm you up," Rebecca said.
Her husband, who still plays club soccer around the Atlanta area, said the cold wasn't as bothersome to him.
"We used to live in Ohio," he said. "This isn't my first experience with the cold."
Nevertheless, scarves and $45 blankets were apparently the hottest sellers. Said one happy vendor: "We sold out of blankets in 15 minutes."
Nor should anyone believe the weather impacted play. No less than Jamaican player Romario Williams said it's always special to play in front of U.S. crowds, regardless of the temperature.
"The crowd was fantastic," he said. "There's always a great atmosphere in the U.S. And I've played in Montreal, so this weather wasn't bad at all."
So we have once more proven to be a pretty fair little soccer city.
Nor does Arena believe this will be the last time the Red, White and Blue visits our town.
"U.S. Soccer," he said, "will continue to look at this venue."
And with a little luck, maybe we won't need scarves and blankets next time to comfortably enjoy the show.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com