New Playing Surface: Grass or Turf?
During the Cincinnati broadcast, Brock Huard mentioned the poor quality of the field turf at the stadium and that it would be replaced after the season. My question is, what are the chances that the program transitions back to grass for the first time since 2002? Harbaugh's teams at San Diego, Stanford, and San Francisco all used natural grass, and while it's certainly more difficult to maintain such a surface in Ann Arbor, I think it is pretty clear that there are some injury benefits to playing on a natural surface. Personally, I'd love to see a well maintained natural grass surface, but I don't see it happening given the increase in outside events being held at the stadium.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:03 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:34 AM ^
as balls before I go on a bike ride or after I go on a bike ride?
September 18th, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^
Hot as balls after you left your bike leaning against a stop sign for about 30 minutes, with a black vinyl padded seat and you're wearing a Speedo getting ready to head to the local pool. You hop on the bike, start to pedal, and think "oh shit".
That moment. That hot.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:48 AM ^
That is really hot.
Well, not "really hot," like that.
The exact opposite of that "really hot."
I mean just regular hot.
September 18th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
That's the main reason why most of the SEC schools like Alabams, Georgia, Floriida, SC, etc. play on real grass. Way too hot for the plastic stuff.
September 18th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
Well that and it is probably easier to maintain a real turf field in south. Kinda hard to do that when grass enters the dormant phase in October and you have a month left of football.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
I used to work with the maintenance guys in 01 and 02. They described how it was just grass on top of the silty clay. Without drainage you get those massive divots.
Virginia Tech installed a grass field a few years back with sod trays above asphalt. The underdrains and a vacuum pump works so well they turn the sprinklers on even after a heavy rain.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:04 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 11:27 AM ^
Here's an article from VT.
https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2011/11/110911-unirel-calsopenhouse.html
And one from the manufacturer:
September 18th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
The hottest debate at agricultural colleges. Warde should call Hollis on this one.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:16 AM ^
It will be turf.
And I hope it looks like Iowa's turf. Their turf is beautiful man. It looks like a field of fresh deep green grass.
Meanwhile, our turf looks like washed out laundry. And the Block M painted on the field looks worn away, even at the start of the very first game of the year.
Get the same turf Iowa has, and paint properly it like they do.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
Iowa is farmland and has much better soil. We are sitting on clay in most of A2.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
I always thought it was funny that all the big schools from the ag states choose to play on plastic.
At least that is one thing that State got right.
September 18th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
Michigan Stadium and Kinnock Stadium use the exact same Field Turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^
Turf. Michigan is going to be the faster/more athletic team against every team it plays at home save for Ohio State. Why install grass that neutralizes this advantage, especially during inclement weather? The only reason I see is to appease the meatheads/Brady Hokes.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^
Grass is better in every measurable way. Everyone plays faster on turf - therefore no advantage to the faster team. Play is "faster" on turf because the tractions (a.k.a friction) is better. Better traction means more injuries. Injuries are bad. End of discussion.
The "meathead/Brady Hoke" nonsequitor is... not useful.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:37 AM ^
A good grass field might be better, but we seem unable to produce one at the Big House given the water-table issue.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:04 PM ^
I'm guessing you have never played sports in your life.
September 18th, 2017 at 6:25 PM ^
The grass there is cut as short as a putting green and is every bit as fast as fake turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^
I have. The RB is in Southern California. Michigan Stadium is in the Midwest. Two different climates. In November, a grass field would turn to utter shit with Michigan's weather and negate Michigan's speed advantage. On the other hand, the weather in LA is perfect year round.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^
If grass can be done properly so that the field remains in good condition all season, then go for it. But not if it's going to look like the Gettysburg battlefield again.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^
its a better game on Field Turf.
When they lowered the field the grass was great in Sept and sucked in November....as viewed from FAR away.. AS I recall and it could be flawed, we got the special turf blend that would hold up to the foot traffic and not go dormant in November from....MSU Ag sciences. Too bad those trays weren't available long ago, we could have had an entire Big House field growing in Nielsen's greenhauses and replaced every Friday night before a home game.
On the old Schembechler astro-turf there were burns and injuries from the unyielding traction (iow get cut blocked and your foot wouldn't slip out, rather it would just reverse bend your knee joint) So I was happy to see that go. But I think that version of turf is pretty much dinosaured.
Grass is also going to negate a lot of the speed advantage we currently have. Also synturf plays better in wet conditions. I don't really enjoy a mudbowl where nobody can run or pass...
That said, leaders and best, I feel certain there are better things out there.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:32 AM ^
Canham's carpet was just that - a green astroturf carpet sitting on a carpet pad sitting on a concrete pad. No bounce, no give, no protection... Man, that had to hurt when getting tackled!
September 18th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
Probably too late now, but missed a bet on having another hockey game on top of the old turf
and waxing Sparty again
That is when State set up the first outdoor match, The Cold War, in the last year of their turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
It needs to be grass. But to have grass, the money needs to be spent on a drainage system that actually works. I like the explanations abotu MSU and VT's fields - the trays that grass lives in. If that can actually work for the Big House, which is below the natural water level, go for it. But if there's any question about drainage and maintenance, then go with the second best option - modern field turf.
But I would strongly prefer natural grass.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
As a lifelong SE Michigan resident, I can speak personally to the battle with proper drainage in a metropolitan area that is still, in many respects, a marshy, wet nightmare in some spots.
It just seems like sticking with FieldTurf is far more economical even though some may complain about the aesthetic. As someone mentioned, the water table in Ann Arbor thanks to all the drains for the Huron River is something that looms large for both new and established structures alike.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
Your yard has a highly engineered computer controlled system of drainage, a full time maintenance staff closely monitoring it 24/7, and you still have a marshy wet nightmare in spots? You're right, turf it is!
September 18th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
As others have noted, drainage really shouldn't be an issue for grass fields anymore. When I was in grad school at Purdue in the 1980s, they had already installed a system with drainage under the grass. If my recollection is correct, they were trying to patent their system at that time. And after 30 years, it would seem these systems are quite successful.
Having said that, artificial turf is a lot better than it used to be as well.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:34 AM ^
I think it was Purdue's drainage system that UM installed back in the late 90's (or early '00s, forget the actual date). It didn't work out well at the Big House...
September 18th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
I think we did use Purdue's system. And it was a complete failure due to the environment of Michigan Stadium after they lowered the field.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
Michigan Stadium has water table and drainage issues most stadiums don't have to deal with. There's a freaking river flowing under that field. It's a problem across South Campus.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:32 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:35 AM ^
Always loved grass fields, but the important thing is to practice on the same surface you play on.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^
September 18th, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
about FieldTurf causing cancer? Or am I thinking of something else?
Personally, I prefer grass. Because I'm old and I think having an imperfect playing surface should be part of the game. I like the replaceable grass on trays idea. We should do that.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:48 AM ^
There is some evidence that certain carcinogens are present in the pelletized rubber crumbles. Field Turf (the company), unsurprisingly, downplays this risk. There's an article below.
I don't know the level of risk, but I know I make my son clean that shit out of his legs when he's stuck playing soccer on Field Turf.
#TeamNaturalGrass
September 18th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^
I think the FieldTurf people doth protest too much.
Now I'm positive it causes cancer.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^
I came here to say this. This stuff used to be classified as hazardous waste. Now we just throw it on turf and children's playgrounds.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^
Surely they could come up with some non-toxic infill? This one is not well thought-out.
September 18th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
Hard to chew on astro turf as well I suspect
September 18th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
How else can you explain the apparent loss of mental faculties? I'm sure it has something to do with toxins in the rubber.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^
When the field was lowered about 20 years ago, it actually put the playing surface below the local water table. Having lived in an area with a high water table, and having a full basement, I learned (the hard way) that three things become essential:
- A strong sump pump
- A backup powered by a marine battery
- A mop
Water ALWAYS wins.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:19 AM ^