Field conditions at Ohio Stadium

[jimotis4heisman]

the new stuff will be the plastic looking grass.

the old stuff was plastic and grass mixed.

iti didnt hold up due to a thatch building up under the polymer layer. the type of turf (which was invented at theosu) had a minimal shelf life and has to be redone every few years (3to5). the ad decided to try and stretch it one more year. plan failed. resulted in throwing some rolls down late in the fall which neither one of the two new grasses took.

 

[gost8]

So the new turf is what? Plastic and grass? Plastic? Green beer and sand? I guess thay keep the same drainage system. I thought Purdue's pro turf was suppossed to solve these problems. Why didn't the stuff ever hold up in Ohio Stadium?

The problem was not the turf, it was the base. Anyway when they put down the field turf most people won't know it isn't grass unless you tell them.

 

[Zurp]

The problem was not the turf, it was the base. Anyway when the put down the field turf most people won't know it isn't grass unless you tell them.

By "most people" do you mean the fans watching on TV, the fans watching at the game, or the players on the field? (Or all of the above.) The reason I'm curious is that there's a difference between all of us not seeing a difference in the grass, and the players not seeing a difference. Maybe the fake stuff may be harder or softer, more or less slippery, etc. I know that many stadiums/fields use the fake stuff, and it's not an issue.

 

[Jeffcat]

the new stuff will be the plastic looking grass.

the old stuff was plastic and grass mixed.

iti didnt hold up due to a thatch building up under the polymer layer. the type of turf (which was invented at theosu) had a minimal shelf life and has to be redone every few years (3to5). the ad decided to try and stretch it one more year. plan failed. resulted in throwing some rolls down late in the fall which neither one of the two new grasses took.

just curious but what about the old turf was plastic and grass mixed? just curious and not being rude at all. i was just asking because i tore a piece out of the field after the michigan game and it seemed like a sandy packed base with just real natural grass. i actually am still growing it downstairs in my basement.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

just curious but what about the old turf was plastic and grass mixed? just curious and not being rude at all. i was just asking because i tore a piece out of the field after the michigan game and it seemed like a sandy packed base with just real natural grass. i actually am still growing it downstairs in my basement.

that wasnt the original turf. that was the third turf played on during the season. the original astro/grass blend, the one that looked like a demolition derby occured on for the psu game and then the um turf that didnt take either

 

[gost8]

Actually the grass was grown through a "plastic" mesh that was supposed to give it more stability. The thatch got under that mesh and seperated it from the base soil.

 

[gost8]

By "most people" do you mean the fans watching on TV, the fans watching at the game, or the players on the field? (Or all of the above.) The reason I'm curious is that there's a difference between all of us not seeing a difference in the grass, and the players not seeing a difference. Maybe the fake stuff may be harder or softer, more or less slippery, etc. I know that many stadiums/fields use the fake stuff, and it's not an issue.

I meant fans not "in the know" so to speak. Of course the players can tell the difference. The stuff just looks like real grass and I think that most fans that are not crazy diehards or people that know turf wouldn't be able to tell the difference by looking at it. There is a sample of it over at the OTF center at Ohio State. It looks very real.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Actually the grass was grown through a "plastic" mesh that was supposed to give it more stability. The thatch got under that mesh and seperated it from the base soil.

if you want to get technical, not exactly. it was a polymer and attacthed to something almost like astroturf. with the astroturf you actually wouldnt even need grass to play on the surface.

one of the inventors actually posts here (maybe hes done it once or twice..)

 

[gost8]

if you want to get technical, not exactly. it was a polymer and attacthed to something almost like astroturf. with the astroturf you actually wouldnt even need grass to play on the surface.

one of the inventors actually posts here (maybe hes done it once or twice..)

Your right :! I had to help tear it up. I know what it was.

 

[Jeffcat]

if you want to get technical, not exactly. it was a polymer and attacthed to something almost like astroturf. with the astroturf you actually wouldnt even need grass to play on the surface.

one of the inventors actually posts here (maybe hes done it once or twice..)

if you want to get technicaller........the grass was actually green

 

[gost8]

if you want to get technicaller........the grass was actually green

To get the techliest... It was actually painted green.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I do miss the snow...seriously.

 

[cincibuck]

Seems like we have some knowledgeable folks writing about this sooo... Why, if the draining system was excellent, was it so damn hard to grow a decent batch of grass? Ever since they pulled out the rug it seemed like they had problems with the turf. They always had a batch of guys with trowels running on the field between quarters to replace divots. It seemed like the stuff never developed a solid base...

As for differences, I would guess that an all plastic grass field is going to be hotter than a grass surface and more likely to cause "mat burn" and hold possible infectious bacteria. Zat so?

 

[gost8]

Seems like we have some knowledgeable folks writing about this sooo... Why, if the draining system was excellent, was it so damn hard to grow a decent batch of grass? Ever since they pulled out the rug it seemed like they had problems with the turf. They always had a batch of guys with trowels running on the field between quarters to replace divots. It seemed like the stuff never developed a solid base...

As for differences, I would guess that an all plastic grass field is going to be hotter than a grass surface and more likely to cause "mat burn" and hold possible infectious bacteria. Zat so?

The field always looked nice before the season starts. It is just hard to keep up with the wear that 22 pairs of cleats inflict on it. Just when its starting to recover... its game time again. Last summer was really bad because of various weather conditions. Then in the fall we had a ton of rain in October.
As for the new field I would say there will be a rise in canopy temp., mainly because of the black rubber filler that goes down after the turf is laid out. It is sprayed with a disinfectant periodically to kill any bacteria that gets in it.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

It is sprayed with a disinfectant periodically to kill any bacteria that gets in it.

Bet they'll double the concentration after The Game...