So are we getting a grass field or what?

[SoCal_Corn]

Let’s be clear here as well, 2” to 8” isn’t much of a change. Lot of people would say it’s the same

 

[CornHub]

I've read all the studies, I also read all the ones back in the day that said we gotta switch from grass to field turf, which is why it's very humorous to me. The studies don't take into account a ton of variables with just coming to that conclusion. And I apologize about my rant here, but the reality is we have finger pointing going on and no one will win until how the sports train changes.

It's comical really. "Astro turf is causing all sorts of injuries, gotta move to grass." Move to grass and "grass is causing all sorts of injuries gotta move to field turf." Move to field turf "field turf is causing all sorts of injuries gotta move to grass." Wait, weren't we just there? Then the people just throw poop against the wall and say "well we can grow grass better now" which is an unbelievable talk-track. If you saw a study with astro-turf in the 90s compared to field turf nowadays it would say we need to move to astro-turf because there were less injuries.

Purdoodoo has had grass this entire time, and all of our players and coaches say it was the worst field in the B1G. We had guys blowing knees and breaking legs in warm-ups there. So now if you go to grass you have the variables of "are you growing grass good enough" or "is the sprinkler in the right spot" or "is the grounds crew good enough"? Further, can you have volleyball day, concerts, graduations, fan day, etc. on a grass Memorial Stadium? No matter how "good of grass you can grow" wouldn't that cause holes, bumps, imbalances in the surface? Trust me, in a decade we will be going back to "field turf just came out with a newer version that's much better than grass" as the injuries stay the same or heaven-forbid even get worse. A player from Lincoln Northeast was almost single-handedly responsible for getting field turf at Seacrest after destroying his leg late in the year there.

I'm on the side of Justin Verlander. The playing surface isn't causing all the pitcher arm injuries, the playing surface isn't causing all the injuries in football. We are in an era with technology where you can measure spin rate for pitchers, mph for the football players, and we train all year round to increase those to their maximum and go 100% at all times. Bodies are getting bigger, faster, and stronger, while we use the technology to maximize them and the strain is constant and almost never-ending. Years ago, players used to crosstrain a bit and it got us away from the overtraining. In the 90s the football team had multiple intramural teams, just one of the many examples of things that have changed.

I get what you're saying, but not all grass fields are created equal. Playing on grass before it was heated likely caused a lot of injuries back in the day. If you don't maintain your field properly grass can also cause more injuries. The studies we see now though tell us with everything done properly, grass is the safer playing surface.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

2025 per people that give lots of money

 

[Jim14510]

Let’s be clear here as well, 2” to 8” isn’t much of a change. Lot of people would say it’s the same

The thickness matters more than the length.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

The thickness matters more than the length.

How would you know??

 

[Herbie]

The thickness matters more than the length.

Agreed.
Make Nebraska girthy again

 

[RedSavage]

The thickness matters more than the length.

 

[ShortSideOption]

So when do we get rid of these fucking grass practice fields that took two of our boys down this week?!? 😉

 

[BradWesley]

Grass stains look cooler

So do cut off jerseys….

 

[Stan Raymond]

I've read all the studies, I also read all the ones back in the day that said we gotta switch from grass to field turf, which is why it's very humorous to me. The studies don't take into account a ton of variables with just coming to that conclusion. And I apologize about my rant here, but the reality is we have finger pointing going on and no one will win until how the sports train changes.

It's comical really. "Astro turf is causing all sorts of injuries, gotta move to grass." Move to grass and "grass is causing all sorts of injuries gotta move to field turf." Move to field turf "field turf is causing all sorts of injuries gotta move to grass." Wait, weren't we just there? Then the people just throw poop against the wall and say "well we can grow grass better now" which is an unbelievable talk-track. If you saw a study with astro-turf in the 90s compared to field turf nowadays it would say we need to move to astro-turf because there were less injuries.

Purdoodoo has had grass this entire time, and all of our players and coaches say it was the worst field in the B1G. We had guys blowing knees and breaking legs in warm-ups there. So now if you go to grass you have the variables of "are you growing grass good enough" or "is the sprinkler in the right spot" or "is the grounds crew good enough"? Further, can you have volleyball day, concerts, graduations, fan day, etc. on a grass Memorial Stadium? No matter how "good of grass you can grow" wouldn't that cause holes, bumps, imbalances in the surface? Trust me, in a decade we will be going back to "field turf just came out with a newer version that's much better than grass" as the injuries stay the same or heaven-forbid even get worse. A player from Lincoln Northeast was almost single-handedly responsible for getting field turf at Seacrest after destroying his leg late in the year there.

I'm on the side of Justin Verlander. The playing surface isn't causing all the pitcher arm injuries, the playing surface isn't causing all the injuries in football. We are in an era with technology where you can measure spin rate for pitchers, mph for the football players, and we train all year round to increase those to their maximum and go 100% at all times. Bodies are getting bigger, faster, and stronger, while we use the technology to maximize them and the strain is constant and almost never-ending. Years ago, players used to crosstrain a bit and it got us away from the overtraining. In the 90s the football team had multiple intramural teams, just one of the many examples of things that have changed.

Great post. I agree, in that I don't think either surface is significantly better at preventing injuries. Grass does have a lot more variables which can make it worse. Personally I don't care and I think way to big of a deal is being made of the whole thing.

 

[ShortSideOption]

For what it's worth, i'm absolutely not advocating that field turf is safer than grass and that's why i'm on this soap box. I just firmly believe it's not the surface that we play on causing injuries, it's how we are training athletes nowadays.