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Should Fedex Field upgrade and get Synthetic Turf


DubMoney

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The only problem I've ever had playing on the newer field turf rubber pellet fields are the increased skin burns when you fall or are tackled. There is plenty of cushion and no footwork/give issues I've ever experienced.

I'd prefer Desso or natural grass but the upkeep for either seems beyond our capacity. Just put the field turf in, quick and painless for the most part and can take advantage of our speed.

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  • 5 months later...

Bump.  The media is saying RG3 got his foot stuck in the turf, causing the injury - so the turf debate can start up again :P  -.  Should the Skins have a better grass field like the Packers?  Or should they go synthetic?

The thing is the problem at FedEx has never been getting stuck in the turf.  It's been the base being lose sand and you can't keep your footing. 

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I've been an advocate of going to a rubber field for several years now. That being said, the field has never looked better than yesterday. It's unfortunate that RG3's legs are made of eggshells, but the field condition is not to blame this time. I fully expect the field to be rough and injury inducing by the end of the year, but not this week.

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Bump.  The media is saying RG3 got his foot stuck in the turf, causing the injury - so the turf debate can start up again :P  -.  Should the Skins have a better grass field like the Packers?  Or should they go synthetic?

 

Has anyone blamed the officials for the injury yet?  I mean, if they rule that pass complete, there's no telling if he's injured or not.

To stick to the topic, though, I'm a traditionalist, but I love the idea of field turf.  Though it does wreck your hips if you're a big boy like myself.

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The thing about the field is that people are just looking at it visually, but unless you're down on the field, you have no idea what condition the field is in.  You can't really just look for obvious divots and such.  Watching the Texans field on TV, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with it, but apparently, it's one of the worst fields in the league.  And it's also grass.  

 

All that said, i haven't heard anybody, player or media that was down on the field, say the field at FedEx on Sunday was anything but in tip top shape.  Or that the field had any long standing issues in terms of quality not related to being torn up late in the season.

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The thing about the field is that people are just looking at it visually, but unless you're down on the field, you have no idea what condition the field is in.  You can't really just look for obvious divots and such.  Watching the Texans field on TV, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with it, but apparently, it's one of the worst fields in the league.  And it's also grass.  

 

All that said, i haven't heard anybody, player or media that was down on the field, say the field at FedEx on Sunday was anything but in tip top shape.  Or that the field had any long standing issues in terms of quality not related to being torn up late in the season.

Manchester United was raving about the field, for what that's worth.

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I was able to be on the field yesterday. Me and a friend were part of the fan tunnel that the players run through when they run out on the field. We spent about 15 minutes out on the field surface and the first thing I said to him was how awful the field appeared. The grass was obviously brown but painted green, inconsistently. That I sort of expected. What shocked me was how many divots there were and how bumpy the ground felt under my feet. I can't believe that's a professional playing surface. The only redeeming thing was that it was soft. It didn't surprise me at all to see the replay of Griffin's ankle when I got home. After being down there I have to vocally endorse a switch to field turf or some sort of artificial turf. The crew wasn't able to have the field ready for the FIRST game of the year. How could they possibly maintain it over the course of a season that includes a vigorous bowl schedule? Bitterly disappointed.

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I was able to be on the field yesterday. Me and a friend were part of the fan tunnel that the players run through when they run out on the field. We spent about 15 minutes out on the field surface and the first thing I said to him was how awful the field appeared. The grass was obviously brown but painted green, inconsistently. That I sort of expected. What shocked me was how many divots there were and how bumpy the ground felt under my feet. I can't believe that's a professional playing surface. The only redeeming thing was that it was soft. It didn't surprise me at all to see the replay of Griffin's ankle when I got home. After being down there I have to vocally endorse a switch to field turf or some sort of artificial turf. The crew wasn't able to have the field ready for the FIRST game of the year. How could they possibly maintain it over the course of a season that includes a vigorous bowl schedule? Bitterly disappointed.

 

That's very disappointing to hear because the field looked good to me on TV, sorry to see it was artificially created.

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Another thing was how matted the grass felt. It seemed to make the grass very "clingy". Like they rolled over it with a heavy roller to flatten out the bumps, but instead just made the grass unmanageable. I now recognize how important this cause is to both the improvement of our team and the maintenance of the talent we have on the roster.

 

 

 

FYI- The nicest field I've ever been on was at Woodberry Forest school in Va. 

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This is long overdue. Let's get out of the Stone Age, embrace modern technology and get a better field surface in here. I don't care about playing on grass, or grass/mud stains etc. I didn't watch Jim Brown or the 80s mud skins. It's irrelevant to me. I care about a quality playing surface for our team, whether that's Desso (that's actually well maintained) or field turf doesn't matter, either is fine.

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Has anyone considered that a natural grass surface is a Home Field Advantage?  After the end of Week 2 of the 2014 Season (this is Tuesday), the Cleveland Browns just beat the New Orleans Saints on their home turf - an outdoor, natural grass field.  Just like ours.  

 

My point is, when we play a high octane, razzle dazzle Offense, our advantage is that we play on natural grass.  How much of an advantage it is can be debated.  But I would point out that a natural grass field in a cold weather climate does indeed become an advantage late in the season.

 

And here is an interesting commentary on the issue.  This article by John Clayton is really informative (although it is not a new piece):

http://a.espncdn.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1461243.html

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Replacing the field with a synthetic turf or prescription turf is really not necessary and a total waste of money. A better agronomic plan and utilization of the innumerable resources at FedEx is what needs to happen. It is my understanding that Lat-36 (Bermudagrass) was installed last year prior to the beginning of the season and then ripped up over the bye week. WHY ?

 

I don't understand why we aren't scalping the Bermuda down and overseeding with Rye at 7-9 Lbs / M or 300-400 Lbs / A

 

Given that perennial rye really doesn't need a lot of soil to seed contact like other grasses do, you don't even need to scalp down the Bermuda. A slit seeder would fit the bill quite nicely especially if you split the seeding rate in half and seed in two directions.

 

This can be done with NO impact to the existing turf, in other words you could seed this afternoon and  play a game tomorrow.

 

We have been doing this in the golf turf industry for decades. What is the disconnect at FedEx ?

 

I am a season ticket holder (Section 221) and I just don't get it. Its a freakin embarrassment every year by about Thanksgiving.

 

Any first year turf student could make that place immaculate. Here is an idea.... UMD has an exceptional Turf Program, why not ask for a little help.

 

Additionally ,there are miles of pipe both drainage and irrigation that allow you to heat the rootzone underneath FedEx so cold temperatures really don't come into play as much as you think even in December. Couple that with the advent of solar blankets (greens covers) and there you go.... Instant microclimate.  

 

I Just don't get it ...

 

 

 

 

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Replacing the field with a synthetic turf or prescription turf is really not necessary and a total waste of money. A better agronomic plan and utilization of the innumerable resources at FedEx is what needs to happen. It is my understanding that Lat-36 (Bermudagrass) was installed last year prior to the beginning of the season and then ripped up over the bye week. WHY ?

I don't understand why we aren't scalping the Bermuda down and overseeding with Rye at 7-9 Lbs / M or 300-400 Lbs / A

Given that perennial rye really doesn't need a lot of soil to seed contact like other grasses do, you don't even need to scalp down the Bermuda. A slit seeder would fit the bill quite nicely especially if you split the seeding rate in half and seed in two directions.

This can be done with NO impact to the existing turf, in other words you could seed this afternoon and play a game tomorrow.

We have been doing this in the golf turf industry for decades. What is the disconnect at FedEx ?

I am a season ticket holder (Section 221) and I just don't get it. Its a freakin embarrassment every year by about Thanksgiving.

Any first year turf student could make that place immaculate. Here is an idea.... UMD has an exceptional Turf Program, why not ask for a little help.

Additionally ,there are miles of pipe both drainage and irrigation that allow you to heat the rootzone underneath FedEx so cold temperatures really don't come into play as much as you think even in December. Couple that with the advent of solar blankets (greens covers) and there you go.... Instant microclimate.

I Just don't get it ...

You should submit your resume.

I'm assuming you are talking about the other athletic fields at UMD, because Byrd went to field turf a few years ago.

Denver's turf looked pretty bad by week 2 standards, a lot worse than ours if it makes anyone here feel better. :unsure:

And they have Desso. Not sure what is going on there. Green Bay and Philly have Desso and theirs looked a whole lot better.

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If Snyder is set on doing more concerts and other events at the stadium that make $ sense then he should go with the highest quality synthetic turf IMO.  What we have is not so much grass but painted sand/dirt and perhaps the worst field in the league.  The fact that the field had a part in taking out the current face of the franchise twice (that he mortgaged the future in the way of draft picks) this is long overdue....

 

OR

 

Stop the ****ing concerts and other events on the field and install the same type field that Green Bay has.

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