Patriots switching to Field Turf

[IceCap]

Why is he a jerk? For winning? Damn him. I don't personally know him, and I'm sure you do not either, so I wont attack his personality based on his on-field accomplishments.

Please. Homerism is a virtue, but willful blindness is not.

It has nothing to do with his on-field accomplishments. Zero. It has everything to with his behavior.

What behaviour? Using a hoodie on the sideline of a frigging football game?

Hey guys, if you wear hoodies you automatically become jerks. Brilliant judgment!

The blind hero worship he gets from Pats fans amuses me.

Tom Brady won them those three Super Bowls. Period.

[Guest]

I'd say defense and Vinatieri over Brady.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I'd say defense and Vinatieri over Brady.

And I've always held New England won that first Super Bowl because of a jingoistic conspiracy theory. I'm still not entirely convinced that wasn't the case.

[Guest]

But wouldn't it have made more sense to rig a Super Bowl for New York or Washington than Boston, nickname notwithstanding? I don't even remember if the Giants, Jets, or Redskins made the postseason that year. Maybe they just worked with what was available.

EDIT: Just the Jets. So yeah, they had to rig it without being TOO obvious.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Of COURSE they rigged it. They changed the logo to red, white and blue, and even convinced Irish nationalist Bono to sew the American flag into his jacket.

Kurt Warner tanking his career in the years that followed was just to make it look nice and tidy. Seems to have worked thus far.

[Guest]

Shoeless Marshall Faulk.

[shiznit1083]

Let's give it up for some jealousy!

[WSU151]

He told Tom Jackson to screw himself.

Great example. You have me sold that Belichick's a jerk.

Tom Jackson got what he deserved.

[Cuse2000]

Here are some pictures of the new turf (click for bigger images)

[The Swamp Yankee]

The Pats owners and coaches did not want to switch to fieldturf (They did resod the field earlier this year) but the constant wear and the New England made it impossible to stay.

And just to weigh in with my two cents:

1. The Tuck Rule, albeit a stupid rule, was interpreted correctly by the refs and the Raiders had two chances in that game to stop New England and failed.

2. Forget about the three rings, after his first year, the Patriots have been competitive in every year in which Belichick coached. That can't be said for many teams. He has made brilliant personnel decisions in a period in which Free Agency guts most teams.

3. What do you base calling Belichick a jerk on? In press conferences and to the media he tries not to say much and to not show much emotion in order to throw off opposing teams. Outside of football he is actually quite humorous and a very personable guy by all accounts. Read "Patriot Nation" by Michael Holley and tell me if he's a jerk.

I know this a "Sports Logos" forum but I couldn't let all these people bash my team and coach.

[Gothamite]

3. What do you base calling Belichick a jerk on? In press conferences and to the media he tries not to say much and to not show much emotion in order to throw off opposing teams. Outside of football he is actually quite humorous and a very personable guy by all accounts.

By all accounts? Hardly. Read the thread again.

Again, supporting your team is a virtue, but blind homerism is not.

[Guest]

I know it's technically no worse than any other use of we, but that guy referring to Bill Belichick as his coach made me smile, as if Bill takes time out of his day to coach people on the side, not unlike the way he bangs women on the side. Does he help you plan PowerPoint presentations or something?

[Burning River]

My first thought when I see the above pics is "Hey, get off of the blue paint, he JUST painted that!!" It just funny that to them, it's no big deal and I would be doing everything in my power to NOT step on the art-work.

[wman]

I think eventually all teams will switch to field turf, with maybe the loan exception of Green Bay, because of tradition. Field turf, sadly is the future.

The mud will be missed....

[TheOldRoman]

2 Questions:

They are using some kind of spray paint on the field, but won't that paint the rubber pellets also, which will get swished around the field and "blur" the image?

How is the paint removed? I am assuming they use some sort of chemical to get it off, but would the chemical just sit in the turf afterwards and build up over time? Is it actually washed somehow?

[lilgump]

The turf does have a drainage system just like grass dirt, so the chems/water/whatever would get washed down into the earth below the turf.

[Old School Fool]

1. The Tuck Rule, albeit a stupid rule, was interpreted correctly by the refs and the Raiders had two chances in that game to stop New England and failed.

Fumble.

[NYCdog]

Here's a question of importance:

When the Pats installed the original natural grass turf at Gillette Stadium, heating coils were included in the process to melt snow quicker on the field so the players wouldnt have to play on dangerously slick snow covered football field's like the "Tuck Game" from the 2001 playoffs.

Im under the assumption now that that "heated-field" system had to be removed due the Field Turf's silica sand and cryogenic rubber base, which probably should not be heated.

The only thing mentioned about this in the PR by the Pats is in regards to weather conditions for installing Field Turf.

Gilman said the FieldTurf can be installed in the rain, since the spreaders used for the artificial dirt are fitted with umbrellas. However, he said heavy snow could throw a real wrench in the operation.

So in essence, if the Heated coils are indeed removed, that means we will see more games on white football fields like 2001's "Tuck game." Now that, I like!

[Ben Zing]

Pat's new turf sure looked fluffier and more grass like than most other synthetics.

I wonder if teams can custom order length of the blades in order to create a surface they find more favorable.

[Guest]

I think eventually all teams will switch to field turf, with maybe the loan exception of Green Bay, because of tradition. Field turf, sadly is the future.

The mud will be missed....

Yep. Do you think the NFL will try to make a deal with FieldTurf so that everybody has to be on it? I hope not.

The next to fall:

Dolphin Stadium, once the Marlins are evicted

LP Field

FedExField if Dan Snyder wakes up one day and decides he wants new turf

Soldier Field, for the same reasons as up there by Boston and believe me it will not go over well with the locals

And yeah, Lambeau can never ever switch.