The way I see it is the sloppy muddy slow field was GREAT in the heyday of the SEC when games were won 7 to 6. Battles in the trenches and pounding the hell out of the defense was the way to go. Now it seems with the field we have we are taken away our greatest weapon and thats the speed that has replaced the punch em in the mouth style of football. They should but that tire stuff that they use in the Superdome and take advantage of the best weapon we have.
Kyle Field switched to real grass last I checked. It happened in the mid 90s. So unless they went back and put the new artificial turf in, the only reason they're field looks good is because they don't ever go up and down it on long drives. :hihi: The field was replaced after the 2005 season and they put in a new drainage system. If you were there for the 06 Fresno Game and the 07 South Carolina game, you would know that the field held up just fine before, during and well after the game and for games after it. I was at both and spoke with friends who were in the band as well and they said it was fine. You rarely ever see large patches of grass come up during games. The grounds crew does an amazing job. The only part of the field that has almost zero grass left at the end of the season is the eye because the repaint it every week and it is trampled so much being in the middle of the field. There is no need for the turf. Miles asked for it when he got here and they said no.
Mud, dirt, and grass stains are all a part of football. A little blood on your jersey means you played well. It's an outside game meant to be played outside on grass. The Saints can do well all year then, come playoff time, they have to go outside and they lose. Keep the grass and just play football.
There have been some good discussions and you can find them with the Search function. Bottom line--Tiger Stadium will be the last stadium on earth to go to turf. We'll go to single pole goalposts first. Actually Bob Broadhead put in single-pole goalposts for a few years, but LSU reverted as soon as he was gone. Tradition is big here.
From the purist camp ... Football should be played outdoors, in the rain, the snow, the wind, the mud, and on grass. Players should resemble warriors after the battle. Their uniforms covered in mud, spattered with blood, Their helmets smudged with the colors of their opponent. There should be bumps, bruises and cuts. Signs of a hard fought battle. Their faces should be wrought with exhaustion yet illuminated by the sense of victory pumping through their veins. Defenses should dominate. Offenses should control their line as the running backs pound out yard after yard wearing down the opponent. And the fans should exit the stadium knowing they just saw a war. But again ... I'm a purist.
