Real grass vs turf

[JBond]

Just for something different. Many stadiums have gone with the fake over concrete (Cowboys included). A few still have real turf. Head injuries and others injuries are something I am considering. Is there something to my thought? Doubtful many will reply. Not a Dak Zeke thread. Fake is better on knees and ankles and better from my understanding for fast players. How about when player's heads bounce off the fake turf. Just curious about opinions from the smart posters.

 

[Cowpolk]

I would like a bunch of bubble wrap under both turfs so there is a bunch of popping sounds while players are running around

 

[jrumann59]

Just for something different. Many stadiums have gone with the fake over concrete (Cowboys included). A few still have real turf. Head injuries and others injuries is something I am considering. Is there something to my thought? Doubtful many will reply. Not a Dak Zeke thread. Fake is better on knees and ankles and better from my understanding for fast players. How about when player's heads bounce off the fake turf. Just curious about opinions from the smart posters.

From the local HS around me the fake turf fields feel softer a little springy underfoot than grass with hard ground underneath

 

[big dog cowboy]

Just for something different. Many stadiums have gone with the fake over concrete (Cowboys included). A few still have real turf. Head injuries and others injuries are something I am considering. Is there something to my thought? Doubtful many will reply. Not a Dak Zeke thread. Fake is better on knees and ankles and better from my understanding for fast players. How about when player's heads bounce off the fake turf. Just curious about opinions from the smart posters.

Better designed helmets. Helps with the fake turf.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Just for something different. Many stadiums have gone with the fake over concrete (Cowboys included). A few still have real turf. Head injuries and others injuries are something I am considering. Is there something to my thought? Doubtful many will reply. Not a Dak Zeke thread. Fake is better on knees and ankles and better from my understanding for fast players. How about when player's heads bounce off the fake turf. Just curious about opinions from the smart posters.

Chap, there is nothing to your thought.
You are not the first to make the injury connection. But you get a certificate of being present.
If me fellow forumites reply then they can seek help in the future from service groups.
Right you are, govnor, right you are. When players' heads bounce off the fake turf, no es bueno.
I am not a smart poster so that is why i offer me opinion.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I would like a bunch of bubble wrap under both turfs so there is a bunch of popping sounds while players are running around

Ultimate cool would be to fill the bubble with fake fart spray.
Such mirth!

Man this Honey Bananas is something, Evelle ...

 

[Whiskey Cowboy]

We used field turf (rubber pellets/sand mix) back in high school and I can confirm it's much easier to fall on. Cleets had a tendency to get hung up occasionally, but this was nearly 20 years ago. I'm sure it's come a long way since then, and even then it was only a minor inconvenience, for the most part.

Well kept grass is great, but far too inconsistent, even at the pro level. I always preferred playing on grass, but only because it added different elements and senses to the game. The grit of dirt and mud on your hands and face. The smell of grass as you're pulling it out of your helmet. The stains on your uniform, adding a sort of primal element to the game. Even playing through mud on those extra rainy days, heightening the sense of that grind and adding to the feeling of victory after a hard fight. Pure bliss, imho.

That said, modern NFL is a massive cash cow and it makes sense for the owners to want to protect their investments. A few have held out and stuck with the fundamental spirit of the game, but it's hard to blame those that have made the switch.

 

[jrumann59]

Chap, there is nothing to your thought.
You are not the first to make the injury connection. But you get a certificate of being present.
If me fellow forumites reply then they can seek help in the future from service groups.
Right you are, govnor, right you are. When players' heads bounce off the fake turf, no es bueno.
I am not a smart poster so that is why i offer me opinion.

Head bouncing of the dirt under the grass is not good as well. Dirt fields are slightly softer than the old turf, the new turf is like plush carpet, there is actually more give than dirt, grass provides less cushion than the plastic "grass" on new turf.

 

[GINeric]

Just for something different. Many stadiums have gone with the fake over concrete (Cowboys included). A few still have real turf. Head injuries and others injuries are something I am considering. Is there something to my thought? Doubtful many will reply. Not a Dak Zeke thread. Fake is better on knees and ankles and better from my understanding for fast players. How about when player's heads bounce off the fake turf. Just curious about opinions from the smart posters.

Didn't Tua get his first concussion on natural grass in the Dolphins stadium???

 

[Dallasfann]

What I wonder more then turf and grass is the last second lateral play. Why don't coaches put out there all wide receivers and running backs? 11 athletic players would help quite a bit over huge lineman looking like they've never played a sport before.

 

[lostar2009]

Depends turf is soft, grass can be too but also hard at times.

 

[Runwildboys]

From the local HS around me the fake turf fields feel softer a little springy underfoot than grass with hard ground underneath

Especially in winter.

 

[DogFace]

Ultimate cool would be to fill the bubble with fake fart spray.
Such mirth!

Man this Honey Bananas is something, Evelle ...

Thanks for helping learn the word mirth.

 

[TWOK11]

Modern field turf is much softer and more comfortable. You also don’t get the wide variably that you do with grass fields.

Playing a cold weather game on a field whose grass is going dormant is not fun. It doesn’t feel much better than being tackled on astroturf.

 

[Hadenough]

I thought more knee injuries occur on Turf vs grass. Personally I think all these NFL games should be played on grass and NO indoor stadiums. It's dealing with the elements that make the matches fun to watch.

 

[fairviewfarmer]

A good friend's brother was the Turf (real grass) Director at Iowa State for 15 years. He made sure that the ground under the grass never froze. Not an easy job in November in Iowa. Sure, they had some heaters under the ground, but he also covered the field for 20 hours/ day if needed. It took a lot of management, but that was his job. A few years ago, I walked across that field after a game in December, when the outside air temp was 10 degrees. The field was perfect, it felt like you were walking across a golf course in May. Just saying, keeping a grass field soft and growing in December, is possible.

 

[MWH1967]

Especially in winter.

yep, temp makes a difference.

If it was warm , I'll take the real stuff. It's kinder to Knees.

 

[Pola_pe_a]

Fake is never better. It grabs and doesn’t release as well as grass which leads to more non-contact injuries. The burns you get are an added bonus to turf. Turf is better then it used to be but grass is still the best. Grass is more upkeep and with the amount of stadiums being used for concerts etc turf is more economical.

 

[USArmyVet]

Fake is never better. It grabs and doesn’t release as well as grass which leads to more non-contact injuries. The burns you get are an added bonus to turf. Turf is better then it used to be but grass is still the best. Grass is more upkeep and with the amount of stadiums being used for concerts etc turf is more economical.

...and right there is why, in part,many owners went with turf and replaced grass: monetary savings in upkeep.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Turf, grass, better helmets, neck collars...nothing's going to stop a players brain from bouncing around in their skulls if the impact is great enough. So concussions will happen every now and then regardless.

Turf fields have a cushion underneath and cleats tend to get hung up when making a hard cut. . So players blow out their knees more on turf than on real grass. They've put rubber pellets on top of the turf to try and stop cleats from hanging up, but it still happens.

It's a physical sport and injuries will always occur, but at least they're trying to make it safer. Any effort regarding the safety of the players is better than no effort. I've heard that the NFL has even hired a sports science guy that keeps his ears open for newer and safer technology.