Looks like the decision had been made!!!!!!!!!

[hammb]

I'm a tradiionalist, I like Grass fields. I think that's the way the sport was meant to be played, and I don't think man can ever invent anything that is better.

Hammb, I like the grass field as well, but... I think it is time to move on. I mean the game was played without helments when it was invented. Then we got leather helmets. Then plastic (or whatever it is). Then facemasks. etc. Point is, the game involves as technology evolves. The game was originally played on grass because it was the best option. Sand? Concrete? Water? Nope, grass was the answer. Now technology has invented a better "grass". I think it is time to embrace change and be happy with the Fieldturf. Unless you want to go back and keep score with an abacus.

Helmets didn't change the way the game was played. They made it safer for those playing it. I have yet to see any evidence that FieldTurf is BETTER than a well maintained natural grass surface in terms of injuries. It seems that the best they can do is try to come close to how Grass plays. I still think the game plays different on turf, and I prefer it the old fashioned way. While the Miami game was over the top I LIKE that weather can add a new element to the game.

If this stuff is truly better than real grass, when we will start seeing golf courses use it? I mean think how much cheaper it would be to maintain and no divots to replace! If it was truly better and played the same it would be used everywhere.

It is NOT better. It IS cheaper to maintain than natural grass. It IS Safer and better than old school AstroTurf. It is still NOT as good as well maintained natural grass. Personally, I'd much rather spend the money to hire somebody that knows how to maintain a grass field than try to "improve" on what mother nature invented.

[1987alum]

If this stuff is truly better than real grass, when we will start seeing golf courses use it? I mean think how much cheaper it would be to maintain and no divots to replace! If it was truly better and played the same it would be used everywhere.

hammb - this is a great point. I wonder if any golf courses have ever considered this. The upfront cost would be massive for an 18-hole course, but the maintenance savings would be enormous.

[Flipper]

Golfers are bigger whiners than football fans....you'd probably have the enviromental people raising all kinds of a fuss if you tried to put down acres of plastic grass over a natural surface.

There's a subtle difference in the nature of the games. Golf essentially pits you against the conditions and the course. In football you're competiting against a team. Taking steps to eliminate variables like imperfect condidtions has some value in a competitive contest because you want to find which is "truly" the better team. Taking steps to eliminate those variables from golf doesn't make sense because it defeats the purpose of the game...the logical end is no doglegs, no rolling greens, no sand traps... Making conditions as perfect as humanly possible enhances the talent in football while it destroys the very foundation of golf.


I don't mean to seem too nasty (being a little nasty is ok as far as I'm concerned) but the purirists picking fake grass as the hill to die on after seeing night games and middle of the week games become the norm seems a tad silly.

[hammb]

I don't mean to seem too nasty (being a little nasty is ok as far as I'm concerned) but the purirists picking fake grass as the hill to die on after seeing night games and middle of the week games become the norm seems a tad silly.

I like the middle of the week games even less than I like fake grass. Unfortunately I realize there is nothing we can do about those...we still have real grass, for the time being.

[Flipper]

From the looks of the Sebo cam...we don't have real grass, we have dirt..plain brown dirt.

[Warthog]

From the looks of the Sebo cam...we don't have real grass, we have dirt..plain brown dirt.

flipper, that's snow, not dirt or grass.

[jpfalcon09]

I'm all for the field turf. Playing high school football on grass was fun, but the first time we got to play at the Glass Bowl it was a 10-fold improvement in terms of the playing surface. I understand that people like the grass because it maintains a throwback style of play, but the reality is that 90% of the schools in the NCAA has switched to turf. It's economical, requires minimal maintenance and will open the Doyt to possible high school playoff games and other events. Whatever will help bring the school more money is a good thing.

[hammb]

... and will open the Doyt to possible high school playoff games and other events. Whatever will help bring the school more money is a good thing.

This is the one potential redeeming quality. If it saves enough money and bring in some new revenue that we can improve the rest of the Doyt, I'd be a lot less vocal against it. I just hate seeing everyone say that it's so much better than grass. I still think the game will always be better when played on grass, and I'd still rather go through the work to get nice grass than just replace it.

[Falcon30]

Helmets didn't change the way the game was played. They made it safer for those playing it. I have yet to see any evidence that FieldTurf is BETTER than a well maintained natural grass surface in terms of injuries. It seems that the best they can do is try to come close to how Grass plays. I still think the game plays different on turf, and I prefer it the old fashioned way. While the Miami game was over the top I LIKE that weather can add a new element to the game.

If this stuff is truly better than real grass, when we will start seeing golf courses use it? I mean think how much cheaper it would be to maintain and no divots to replace! If it was truly better and played the same it would be used everywhere.

It is NOT better. It IS cheaper to maintain than natural grass. It IS Safer and better than old school AstroTurf. It is still NOT as good as well maintained natural grass. Personally, I'd much rather spend the money to hire somebody that knows how to maintain a grass field than try to "improve" on what mother nature invented.

Not that I am an expert, but I imagine helmets had a huge impact on how the game was played. I sure play different with or without one. And don't even bring up golf in a conversation and dismiss equipment improvements...that's a little off-base.

We won't agree on field turf, but I can't imagine pulling my falcon club membership (which I can't afford yet....damn job) because of field turf. It's more of that "complainy" tone we hear here so much about everything.

Field turf won't work for golf courses because it isn't appropriate. Golfers aren't tearing it up and getting tackled on it. (except for that guy in the Tiger Woods commercial who tried to take his bag). It isn't a playing surface like it is to football. Apples to Oranges.

Besides I imagine field turf won't be so forgiving when one cranks his 7 iron through it and tries to hit under his ball. Talk about wrist ligaments getting wrenched. Field turf isn't designed for it and honestly, it isn't needed. When golfers have to go play in the rain and wreck the course, then we can talk.

It isn't that big of a deal, it will look great, it will be safe for the players, and it will play pretty much like grass.

I apologize if I sounded pissy, it wasn't my intention.

[BGorDeath]

With all of the talk about field turf being better than grass, has anyone actually tried smoking field turf? I did and I can tell your that grass is much better than field turf. So, I only hope we can keep all of this grass and have a big ol' bong party at the Doyt.

[Falcon30]

I'm all for the field turf. Playing high school football on grass was fun, but the first time we got to play at the Glass Bowl it was a 10-fold improvement in terms of the playing surface. I understand that people like the grass because it maintains a throwback style of play, but the reality is that 90% of the schools in the NCAA has switched to turf. It's economical, requires minimal maintenance and will open the Doyt to possible high school playoff games and other events. Whatever will help bring the school more money is a good thing.

BG should immediately look into hosting events like DCI, BOA and OMEA marching band competitions. I know the glass bowel hosts a DCI event, but there is room for a lot more. The FMB should host a showcase.

I am sure that is in the cards soon.

[The Niz]

The only place it could be used on golf courses in on the greens and tees.Turf isn't very forgiving on those divit shots. Furthermore, a lot of what measures how good a golf course is, is their groundskeeping.

[Falconfreak90]

I'm with Warthog. I like grass better, but it has probably reached the end of
the line.

One note. As has been pointed out, we used to have a glorious grass field back in the day. While I think we had an exemplary groundskeeper in those days, it is also important to remember that he had an advantage. We rarely, if ever, played past the first Saturday in November. These late November games are a relatively recent development.

I agree with WH and O&B. I love the grass field but...

As far as the logo on the 50? Unless the AD is gonna open it up for a vote, I will have little say in that. I'm to the point where the new retail logo has grown on me. I still like the new traditional best.

[CapitalFalcon]

I'm a tradiionalist, I like Grass fields. I think that's the way the sport was meant to be played, and I don't think man can ever invent anything that is better.

Hammb, I like the grass field as well, but... I think it is time to move on. I mean the game was played without helments when it was invented. Then we got leather helmets. Then plastic (or whatever it is). Then facemasks. etc. Point is, the game involves as technology evolves. The game was originally played on grass because it was the best option. Sand? Concrete? Water? Nope, grass was the answer. Now technology has invented a better "grass". I think it is time to embrace change and be happy with the Fieldturf. Unless you want to go back and keep score with an abacus.

Helmets didn't change the way the game was played. They made it safer for those playing it. I have yet to see any evidence that FieldTurf is BETTER than a well maintained natural grass surface in terms of injuries. It seems that the best they can do is try to come close to how Grass plays. I still think the game plays different on turf, and I prefer it the old fashioned way. While the Miami game was over the top I LIKE that weather can add a new element to the game.

If this stuff is truly better than real grass, when we will start seeing golf courses use it? I mean think how much cheaper it would be to maintain and no divots to replace! If it was truly better and played the same it would be used everywhere.

It is NOT better. It IS cheaper to maintain than natural grass. It IS Safer and better than old school AstroTurf. It is still NOT as good as well maintained natural grass. Personally, I'd much rather spend the money to hire somebody that knows how to maintain a grass field than try to "improve" on what mother nature invented.

So I guess you and '87 are still holding a grudge against Notre Dame for inventing the forward pass?

[Bleeding Orange]

How in the hell did this conversation devolve into debating the merits of field turf on golf courses? Sometimes I worry about people around here. This is one of those times.

Something big that I think has been missing from this conversation is the environmental feasibility of maintaining a high-quality, natural playing surface throughout an entire football season - especially if it is to become an annual expectation that we have six home games. Now, it has been noted that most fields in northern climes are being converted to field turf because they are easy to maintain, but what I think everyone has failed to recognize is that there is a major difference between our fields and every other - ours is in the middle of a swamp! Reclaimed as it may be, there is never any way that we can escape the very shallow water table in the Bowling Green area. We can't escape the fact that a couple hours of rain is going to turn a field into a mudpit. We can't escape the fact that the field impacts the image of the University on national television.

Given all of these unavoidable realities, I don't see any logic in further resistance to field turf. I once was emotionally attached to the idea of keeping with tradition and maintaining a grass playing surface, but after seeing the debaucle that was the Miami game last year, it just doesn't seem like a practicle point of view to me anymore. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing a Doyt with a completed Sebo Center and field turf next year. Those two things will go a looooong way towards building a more positive image for DLP.