So like, what's up with the grass man?

[John]

pretty good hippy immitation, huh?

No seriously - WTF is up with the grass???? huge divots again today just like the Michigan game

 

[noeynox]

Yeah, at this point I'm all for artificial turf. Let en play soccer games elsewhere for all I care.

 

[John]

Yeah, at this point I'm all for artificial turf. Let en play soccer games elsewhere for all I care.

It's gotta be diseased or something - we've been going to the Rent since it opened and I don't remember the grass ever coming out in the chunks it is this year.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

The fact that they didn't just install Field Turf this season instead of investing who knows how much money in new natural grass turf is beyond me... I actually heard Joe D comment on it as well during the radio broadcast today.

 

[huskymedic]

The fact that they didn't just install Field Turf this season instead of investing who knows how much money in new natural grass turf is beyond me... I actually heard Joe D comment on it as well during the radio broadcast today.

Thought it was re-sodded in 2011 - not this year?

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Thought it was re-sodded in 2011 - not this year?

Pretty sure they did it this offseason as well? I could be wrong... Field Turf would be nice though. Honestly because of the 1 time every 3 years that The Rent management gets soccer to come to town? So lame... (can you tell I hate soccer)

 

[Fishy]

For the time being, let's put aside any and all plans to make the field play faster.

 

[FDNY99]

At one point there were 6 guys replacing divots during a tv timeout. It also looked like Christen slipped a bit with his plant foot on his fg miss. It is getting embarrassing to say the least. The question I have is since UCONN is now just a tenant who is responsible to either fix the issue with the turf or replace it with field turf?

 

[TRest]

The explanation after the Towson game IIRC was that they re-sodded in the spring this year, and the brutal July heat kept the roots from establishing well. I'm no expert, unlike most people found on the internet, but since they have a sprinkler system and are capable of watering it at will, I would think the heat shouldn't matter.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

It's almost to the point where it's dangerous. Guys couldn't make a cut up the field without falling.

 

[ruskin]

Very simple explanation. Usual state cluterf****ck. Every three years or so it happens (crazy Temple end zone play year, et.) Blaming the July heat is so weak don't know where to begin. As said before contract out the best golf superintendents around here, let them use THEIR people and this is never an issue again.

It's not a multi-use facility. No reason to switch to astroturf

 

[FDNY99]

The turf was fine until it was infected by that bout of fungus a few years back. Since then it has become a total nightmare.

 

[John]

The turf was fine until it was infected by that bout of fungus a few years back. Since then it has become a total nightmare.

but this year is surely a special nightmare. I don't ever remember an army of Carl Spacklers running out there stomping on divots during timeouts.

 

[Alum86]

We need field turf for the place. Christen has enough trouble w/o throwing in a slippery surface.

 

[FDNY99]

but this year is surely a special nightmare. I don't ever remember an army of Carl Spacklers running out there stomping on divots during timeouts.

I have never seen that there either..have had season tickets since the place opened.

 

[THC]

The turf was fine until it was infected by that bout of fungus a few years back. Since then it has become a total nightmare.

This fungus you speak of, was it the dreaded PPGDL fungus?

 

[Carl Spackler]

I honestly have no idea what the situation is regarding the turf, but it is something that the facility management needs to address somehow. There isnt anything that can be done now. It's almost as if the grass and sod, whatever you call it underneath the surface, is constantly wet. Looks like Heinz field.

I don't remember there being a problem with the field for the Gold Cup match in July. It's entirely possible that the problem isn't the grass, it's whoever is supposedly maintaining it.

 

[cheech63]

pretty good hippy immitation, huh?

No seriously - WTF is up with the grass???? huge divots again today just like the Michigan game

Evidently,the hot spell in early summer,killed the roots.There's not much to holding the grass in place.

 

[FDNY99]

So evidently here is what is wrong with the field according to a Professor of Soil Sciences at UCONN. The field has a bad root system and that is causing the turf to slide around. Fix will cost about $80,000.

 

[John]

So evidently here is what is wrong with the field according to a Professor of Soil Sciences at UCONN. The field has a bad root system and that is causing the turf to slide around. Fix will cost about $80,000.

kind of oxymoronic that an Ag school would be playing on such crappy turf.

 

[weyuo]

That bad root system is either caused by diseased turf that was installed, an ill prepared base that the turf was installed on or poor irrigation/pesticide/herbicide maintenance. Properly grown and maintained turf installed in the spring should be ready for athletic activities in August providing the base was correctly prepared which a lot of times is not. You can't just throw a few inches of top soil on a rock hard surface and then install grass over it. The land really should be plowed, harrowed a few times so that the soil can aerate sufficiently, then leveled, add your irrigation system then your top soil and then install the grass.

 

[huskymedic]

So evidently here is what is wrong with the field according to a Professor of Soil Sciences at UCONN. The field has a bad root system and that is causing the turf to slide around. Fix will cost about $80,000.

Considering the re-sodding in 2011 cost $150k - that's a decent chunk of change!

http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2011/04/26/connecticut-replacing-turf-at-rentschler-field/

 

[Dooley]

The turf is garbage but hopefully we can somehow use this to our advantage in our remaining home games. We'll definitely need the slopfest against UL to neutralize their speed. But yes, the turf seems especially bad this season and needs to be thoroughly addressed. Either put in field turf or do a complete tear down and rebuild project in the very early spring.

 

[Alum86]

Yes Dooley, absolutely correct. Like painting your house year after year then finally having it sided. They need to put field turf in, like most HS are doing.

 

[John]

The turf is garbage but hopefully we can somehow use this to our advantage in our remaining home games. We'll definitely need the slopfest against UL to neutralize their speed. But yes, the turf seems especially bad this season and needs to be thoroughly addressed. Either put in field turf or do a complete tear down and rebuild project in the very early spring.

agreed - I just hope a kid doesn't seriously hurt himself on it. That's my big fear now.