OT- If Gillete Stadium had a poor field..

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Then did anyone see Pittsburgh's Ketchup field .. That field was a disaster.. And I think from what I saw from Tenn Field a few weeks back, there field is not much better.. So bottom line,and grass fields do not hold well in cold weather.

 

[Seymour93]

Then did anyone see Pittsburgh's Ketchup field .. That field was a disaster.. And I think from what I saw from Tenn Field a few weeks back, there field is not much better.. So bottom line,and grass fields do not hold well in cold weather.

I don't understand why seeing grass fields in poor condition is such a common sight these days. In our case, it was generally accepted that Kraft had too many things other than football going on. Maybe Pittsburgh and Tennessee have similar problems with busy schedules?

 

[Seymour93]

Just saw the highlights of the Music City Bowl between Clemson and Kentucky and I can confirm, the Titans' field is a mess. Not as bad as our old field against the Jets, but it's close. I don't see how it's going to help VY at all. Bud Adams needs to smart up.

 

[Digger44]

Look at the positive side. It will slow Young down as well.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Like I said in our turf threads ... they are sacrificing loam so they can put all kinds of sand and crushed stone under the grass. A normal yard (house) needs a minimum of 4 inches and preferably 6 inches. A heavily trafficed lawn needs 8 inches ... I would assume a sports field should have 10-12 inches at least.

Grass is a plant ... you don't get a piece of grass from 1 seed. Grass is a plant. Initially you get 1 piece ..but then a root system grows and you get many pieces from that 1 seed.

So .. not to bore anyone ... the more loam you have= more roots. New grass grows from roots exposed to sunlight. This is why a bare patch in a yard will grow quickly or slowly .. it's a product of loam, water & sunlight.

Years ago ... before these high-tech fields you never saw this problem. Watch some old time NFL film and you'll see players cleats digging up huge clumps of sod on a wet cold field ... you don't see those huge clumps anymore ... the high tech field is not high tech at all ... natures way is still the best way and they have not figured it out yet.

NOTE: If you have a part of your yard ... not under a tree that does not grow grass well ... do yourself a favor. Forget the quick fixes and over fertilizing. Dig up the spot .. save the good loam and discard the clay/sand/lightly colored dirt to somewhere else where grass won't grow anyways due to lack of sun. Get yourself some real loam .. not the Home Depot kind ... and make sure you have at least 6 inches of it.

After a few years of good care that grass will be so thick in the spring it will bog your lawn mower down ... when that happens ... have a cold beer and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

The absolute most important time to fertilize is in the fall ... like October or November. Your grass growth has slowed but the roots are like Rodney Harrison on game day. All those newly grown roots will send grass shooting through the soil in the spring.

 

[zippo59]

Then did anyone see Pittsburgh's Ketchup field .. That field was a disaster.. And I think from what I saw from Tenn Field a few weeks back, there field is not much better.. So bottom line,and grass fields do not hold well in cold weather.

I remember the field at Heinz was ridiculous. Two years ago Ty Law was slowly jogging and yet he skidded about two feet and got his bad foot injury. And I think the longest FG ever kicked by a visiting kicker there is something like 49 yards.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I remember when Astroturf came out ... it was a great look but seemed too sissy to me. The teams that had the turf IMO were looked upon as very untough and all technique teams.

Heck ... kind of can back that up looking at the pansy Rams we beat in the 2001 SB.

Anyways ... players are so much bigger and faster as a team I think turf is the only way to go now. Todays linebackers and DE's that can cut like old school WR's....they are tearing up fields at an alarming pace.