Stillers to Re-Sod Heinz Cow Pasture
As
reported by the PG, the Stillers will re-sod Heinz Mud Bog this weekend.��
Per the
article:�
�Heinz
Field will have a new look to it when the Steelers play the Dolphins Monday
night.� It will have a whole new field.
�The Steelers this weekend will cover their entire field with new sod, placing it over the DD GrassMaster field that is mostly composed of grass. As usual, that grass has deteriorated in November, and it won't be any better after the four WPIAL high school championship games are played at Heinz Field tomorrow, followed by Pitt vs. South Florida Saturday afternoon.
�The existing turf will not be replaced, but
will be covered by the new sod, which is heavy enough that it won't have to be
tied down. The work will begin after Pitt's game ends.� It is the first time sod will cover the DD
GrassMaster that was installed four years ago.
"Our
goal is to do everything in our power to provide the best possible conditions
for both teams," Jimmie Sacco, director of Heinz Stadium management said
in a statement released by the Steelers yesterday afternoon.
"After
considering the number of high school, college and pro football games being
played at Heinz Field in November, combined with the possibility of inclement
weather, we believe this will be the best way to go.
"We
will continue to use our regular playing surface in the future, but feel this
option will provide for the most enjoyable game-day experience for both the
players and the fans in the final games of the season."
The sod,
which is being paid for by the Steelers, will stay in place through the rest of
the 2007 NFL season.���
Numerous
thoughts arise from this, as follows:
1.�� It�s time for my annual rant about the
idiocy of 4 high school football games played in one day on a GRASS field in
November, in the midst of a PRO football season where the pro team is comprised
of a roughly $60 MILLION payroll.���
����� I�m all for high school football.� I myself played ball at the QUAD-A level in
the WPIAL.� These WPIAL championship
games used to be played at Pitt Stadium, and then at 3 Rivers Stadium, both of
which had ASTROTURF and could withstand 20 games a day for 360 days a
year.�� The natural grass surface at
Heinz Cow Pasture simply cannot sustain this kind of over-use, especially in
November when rain and snow are so prevalent.�
Furthermore, this isn�t circa 1972, a time when high school fields had a
few ramshackle bleachers and mud fields.��
There are numerous high school football facilities in the Pittsburgh
area that have absolutely superb facilities, accommodations, and playing
surfaces.� And, there are also several
colleges in the area with quality football fields, to include Robert Morris and
Duquesne, as well as South Stadium on the Sauth Side.����
����� Ergo, there is absolutely no reason, aside from idiocy and stupidity, to play 4 high school games on Heinz Mud Bog during November.�
2.� I have no problem with Pitt using The Cow Pasture.�� College teams only play 5 or 6 home games
all season, and they are spaced out enough to avoid massive wear n� tear.�� And, the college season ends in late
November.� Pitt entered into a contract
with the Steelers, which in turn allowed Pitt to raze antiquated Pitt Stadium
to make room for The Pete, which is now the premier basketball venue in the
city.� This was a win-win for both
parties and a very astute initiative on both parties.���
3.� I admittedly didn�t study agronomy in college, but I�m having a
very difficult time believing that this �re-sodding� is actually gonna
work.� Read this sentence again from the
article:� �The existing turf will not be
replaced, but will be covered by the new sod, which is heavy enough that it
won't have to be tied down.��
���� Say what?�� I�ve laid
sod before.� Newly laid sod is so
genteel and fragile that, for the first week, you don�t even want a pair of toddlers
playing pattycakes on the sod, lest the sod get torn, pulled away, trampled,
and so on.�� Less than 48 hours after
this sod is laid -- and �not tied down� -- 22 pro football players, most
of whom weigh 250 or 300 pounds -- will be diving, planting, cutting, lunging,
pushing, tackling, falling, and blocking on this newly laid sod.�� It�s difficult to imagine that this sod
will actually �take� -- in cold weather no less -- in such a miniscule time
period.� I can�t help but envision huge
CHUNKS of sod flying everywhere on Monday nite.�� I can�t believe the NFL -- which aggressively monitors such
things as the height of socks that players wear -- hasn�t weighed in on this
upcoming fiasco and put a halt to it.��
I do hope I�m wrong.�� Playing on prime time, national TV, it�d be
a shame to have an embarrassment for the entire country to view and laugh
at.�� The real solution to all of this,
of course, is to install FIELD TURF, which nearly every major college and NFL
team in a cold weather city has installed with massive success.�� 7 seasons of banging their heads against
the wall, and the Rooneys still can�t figure this out.��
(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when
it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close�.)