the_idle_threat
03-18-2007, 05:40 AM
Team breaks new ground with surface (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=578860)
Lambeau Field getting makeover
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 17, 2007
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers are installing a hybrid surface at Lambeau Field that has met with decidedly mixed reviews in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and might not be a panacea in the National Football League's most historic stadium.
By early May, the laborious task of weaving DD GrassMaster into Lambeau Field will have been completed at a cost of between $2.5 million and $3 million, according to chairman of the board Bob Harlan.
But it won't be until late in the season before the Packers know for sure if the Dutch-developed system blending a 100% natural grass field with 3% synthetic reinforcement will perform better than the Kentucky bluegrass surfaces in Lambeau did for the last 40 years.
"We've done a lot of research on it," general manager Ted Thompson said. "All the people that I've talked to said it was absolutely the best option for us."
Pittsburgh switched from natural grass to DD GrassMaster at Heinz Field in 2003, then had to resurface again with DD GrassMaster in '05.
Last month, the NFL Players Association released a survey conducted from September to November in which 1,511 players participated. Heinz Field was rated the worst of the 18 grass fields in the league.
Philadelphia, which also has had problems with DD GrassMaster at Lincoln Financial Field, ranked as sixth worst.
Although unaware of the results, both Harlan and Thompson said the Packers should fare better because they will use the field just 11 times (10 games, one intra-squad scrimmage) each year, barring playoffs.
In 2006, Heinz Field also was used for seven University of Pittsburgh games, five high school championship games and an occasional concert. The "Linc" in Philly hosted four Temple University games, a few concerts and one soccer exhibition game.
In Europe, such teams as Real Madrid in Spain and Dunfermline in Scotland either resurfaced existing DD GrassMaster or went back to natural grass.
"At Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and certainly overseas, they played two or three times as many games as we're going to play," Thompson said. "But we're a lot farther north than those guys, too. It will be interesting."
The Packers found themselves during recent regular seasons having to re-sod between the hash marks once if not twice. Generally, they spent about $100,000 on a complete re-sodding in the spring and then another $40,000 to $50,000 for the in-season re-soddings.
In the survey, Lambeau Field was rated as the fifth-worst grass field. According to Harlan, the Packers always could go back to natural grass if DD GrassMaster doesn't pass muster.
The key to the Packers' decision to install DD GrassMaster was how the surface held up on their Clarke Hinkle practice field in the summers of 2005 and '06. Although by mid- to late August the field started to wear out from the pounding, some players raved about the surface and hoped it would be put down in Lambeau Field.
"It's way better," defensive end Aaron Kampman said in August 2005. "Love it. It doesn't rip up. It doesn't slip."
The grass fields in Green Bay had a high concentration of clay. In rainy weather, that clay stymied rapid drainage.
"One of the things that convinced Ted is after a heavy, heavy rainstorm the people from the grounds crew stood on Hinkle and then stood on Lambeau," Harlan said. "He said their feet were sinking in Lambeau and Hinkle was dry. Ted really based it on the fact we had it on Hinkle and everybody loved it."
Even though 52.1% of the Steelers rated their own Heinz Field surface as poor, Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney was undaunted.
"You're looking for beauty rather than practicality," Rooney told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last month. "We have the best field as far as traction that you can have. You didn't see anybody slip, or very few slips during the year."
Beset by natural grass woes at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots installed FieldTurf over the span of two weeks in November. It's an option that the Steelers, and presumably the Packers, aren't interested in pursuing.
"We could do that but we'd lose something," Rooney said. "We would lose the basic thing of playing on regular grass, having a good, safe field."
The Packers have FieldTurf on their Ray Nitschke practice field. A problem that has arisen is that FieldTurf becomes almost unbearable for players on hot days.
Just the fact the Packers won't be playing on an entirely grass field in Lambeau Field for the first time will be enough of a break from tradition.
***********************************
http://www.shalomhairextensions.com/products/weave2.jpghttp://www.shalomhairextensions.com/products/Weave1.jpg
Lambeau Field's natural grass will be reinforced
by synthetic fibers to help prevent wear and tear.
Lambeau Field getting makeover
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 17, 2007
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers are installing a hybrid surface at Lambeau Field that has met with decidedly mixed reviews in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and might not be a panacea in the National Football League's most historic stadium.
By early May, the laborious task of weaving DD GrassMaster into Lambeau Field will have been completed at a cost of between $2.5 million and $3 million, according to chairman of the board Bob Harlan.
But it won't be until late in the season before the Packers know for sure if the Dutch-developed system blending a 100% natural grass field with 3% synthetic reinforcement will perform better than the Kentucky bluegrass surfaces in Lambeau did for the last 40 years.
"We've done a lot of research on it," general manager Ted Thompson said. "All the people that I've talked to said it was absolutely the best option for us."
Pittsburgh switched from natural grass to DD GrassMaster at Heinz Field in 2003, then had to resurface again with DD GrassMaster in '05.
Last month, the NFL Players Association released a survey conducted from September to November in which 1,511 players participated. Heinz Field was rated the worst of the 18 grass fields in the league.
Philadelphia, which also has had problems with DD GrassMaster at Lincoln Financial Field, ranked as sixth worst.
Although unaware of the results, both Harlan and Thompson said the Packers should fare better because they will use the field just 11 times (10 games, one intra-squad scrimmage) each year, barring playoffs.
In 2006, Heinz Field also was used for seven University of Pittsburgh games, five high school championship games and an occasional concert. The "Linc" in Philly hosted four Temple University games, a few concerts and one soccer exhibition game.
In Europe, such teams as Real Madrid in Spain and Dunfermline in Scotland either resurfaced existing DD GrassMaster or went back to natural grass.
"At Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and certainly overseas, they played two or three times as many games as we're going to play," Thompson said. "But we're a lot farther north than those guys, too. It will be interesting."
The Packers found themselves during recent regular seasons having to re-sod between the hash marks once if not twice. Generally, they spent about $100,000 on a complete re-sodding in the spring and then another $40,000 to $50,000 for the in-season re-soddings.
In the survey, Lambeau Field was rated as the fifth-worst grass field. According to Harlan, the Packers always could go back to natural grass if DD GrassMaster doesn't pass muster.
The key to the Packers' decision to install DD GrassMaster was how the surface held up on their Clarke Hinkle practice field in the summers of 2005 and '06. Although by mid- to late August the field started to wear out from the pounding, some players raved about the surface and hoped it would be put down in Lambeau Field.
"It's way better," defensive end Aaron Kampman said in August 2005. "Love it. It doesn't rip up. It doesn't slip."
The grass fields in Green Bay had a high concentration of clay. In rainy weather, that clay stymied rapid drainage.
"One of the things that convinced Ted is after a heavy, heavy rainstorm the people from the grounds crew stood on Hinkle and then stood on Lambeau," Harlan said. "He said their feet were sinking in Lambeau and Hinkle was dry. Ted really based it on the fact we had it on Hinkle and everybody loved it."
Even though 52.1% of the Steelers rated their own Heinz Field surface as poor, Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney was undaunted.
"You're looking for beauty rather than practicality," Rooney told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last month. "We have the best field as far as traction that you can have. You didn't see anybody slip, or very few slips during the year."
Beset by natural grass woes at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots installed FieldTurf over the span of two weeks in November. It's an option that the Steelers, and presumably the Packers, aren't interested in pursuing.
"We could do that but we'd lose something," Rooney said. "We would lose the basic thing of playing on regular grass, having a good, safe field."
The Packers have FieldTurf on their Ray Nitschke practice field. A problem that has arisen is that FieldTurf becomes almost unbearable for players on hot days.
Just the fact the Packers won't be playing on an entirely grass field in Lambeau Field for the first time will be enough of a break from tradition.
***********************************
http://www.shalomhairextensions.com/products/weave2.jpghttp://www.shalomhairextensions.com/products/Weave1.jpg
Lambeau Field's natural grass will be reinforced
by synthetic fibers to help prevent wear and tear.