Time to replace LOS turf [Merge]

[cmgww]

Let me preface this by saying....yes I know Luck gets hit a lot. I know he's the most sacked QB this season. I get all that. With that being said....

 

IRSAY! Pony up the money and replace the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium! It is regarded around the league as one of the worst artificial surfaces in the NFL. I'm pretty sure it's nearly 10 years old, I think it's the stuff they installed at the RCA dome and moved it over....They have come out with newer, better versions of Field Turf.

 

The play that Luck suffered the concussion occurred when he was sacked in the 4th quarter and his head bounced off that hard turf. I'm not saying that it was the only reason, or that newer turf means no concussion. But there have been a lot of players hurt and that old turf is one of the culprits, IMO.....just venting....

[YourNextGM]

http://www.espn.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/21144/lucas-oil-stadium-rated-nfls-best-turf

[LockeDown]

 Nothing is better than good ole terra firma.  

[ColtJ82]

9 hours ago, YourNextGM said:

http://www.espn.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/21144/lucas-oil-stadium-rated-nfls-best-turf

Blew this thread up quickly, lol

[gnet550]

28 minutes ago, ColtJ82 said:

Blew this thread up quickly, lol

that article is from 2011...I haven't heard it rated lately, but I have heard a lot of complaining about it on here and from other places.  I am not so sure it is still so highly regarded.

[B~Town]

11 hours ago, cmgww said:

11 hours ago, YourNextGM said:

http://www.espn.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/21144/lucas-oil-stadium-rated-nfls-best-turf

 

Turf has came a long way in 5 years how it was rated then has little to no baring on how good it is compared to the modern hybrids out now . The turf is still the same that was designed for Manning and company hard fast and crisp not a good combo for a team that has a vision on being a power running hard nosed defensive team .

[YourNextGM]

http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/10/01/nfl-stadium-turf-grass-rankings

 

Unless you're going to install grass,  you probably aren't getting a better field.  

[Luck2Hilton4TD]

I think there could be some truth to it. A number of players have been concussed on it: http://horseshoeheroes.com/2016/11/22/is-lucas-oil-turf-partially-to-blame-for-andrew-lucks-concussion/

[jet1968]

Not real sure any playing surface other then a pile of mattresses is going to make the playing surface that much softer

[braveheartcolt]

Or build a decent o-line.....

 

[Fisticuffs111]

6 hours ago, gnet550 said:

that article is from 2011...I haven't heard it rated lately, but I have heard a lot of complaining about it on here and from other places.  I am not so sure it is still so highly regarded.

 

Apparently multiple Chiefs players complained too, said it was like playing on concrete.

[Luck2Hilton4TD]

There's something to be said for a 300 man throwing his entire weight into you, but it seems like the Lucas Oil field has been conducive to speed instead of padding--likely because we were playing to Peyton Manning's prolific passing attack and our speedy pass rushers Mathis and Freeney. 

 

The fact that it was rated the best surface 5 years ago doesn't necessarily do it for me either because I'm sure since then, there are improved surfaces that have been developed. That seems like a long time ago technology wise. 

 

There's a good chance Luck would've been concussed regardless, but I don't think the Lucas Oil turf did him any favors either...sort of like when you miss a shot, but there's also a tight rim. 

[Kyle]

34 minutes ago, Luck2Hilton4TD said:

There's a good chance Luck would've been concussed regardless, but I don't think the Lucas Oil turf did him any favors either...sort of like when you miss a shot, but there's also a tight rim. 

 

It is more like padding not being allowed on the bottom of any teams backboard.  Indy rounds the edges of their backboard and the rest of the league regards it very highly due to safety.  Then the league allows padding on the bottom of the backboards.  Indy chooses to stick with their rounded edges and no padding.  The rest of the league then hates playing there due to the added injury risk.  Then Indy builds a team based on a small pg driving to the basket and their C and forwards being small 3 point shooters who play on the outside.  Then when their PG drives to the hoop the opposing team's 7'2 C plows his head into the rounded edge of the backboard as the PG makes the basket.  He then is forced to miss at least 1 game and the back up PG is Scott Tolzien

[cmgww]

Anyone catch the commercial during the game last night, where Tennessee University is developing a pad to go under field turf to help reduce impact injuries? That's what we need, if it catches on....

[ReMeDy]

1 hour ago, cmgww said:

Anyone catch the commercial during the game last night, where Tennessee University is developing a pad to go under field turf to help reduce impact injuries? That's what we need, if it catches on....

 

At the rate concussion awareness is spreading, by 2040 we'll be playing on trampolines or water beds.

[life long]

Injuries/health in Indianapolis.....

 

http://www.wateronline.com/doc/ten-worse-states-for-water-pollution-0001#

 

Indiana is rated the worst btw, shocked... I'm not.... 

[oldunclemark]

On ‎11‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 9:04 AM, YourNextGM said:

http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/10/01/nfl-stadium-turf-grass-rankings

 

Unless you're going to install grass,  you probably aren't getting a better field.  

Case closed, GM!

[ReMeDy]

So we have one person saying it's awesome turf and another saying it's the worst. The Internet, at its finest!

[csmopar]

Not sure how much to put into this but I have a really good friend who is an offensive line coach for the local high school who played over the weekend for the state championship in LOS. I went to that game and both teams were struggling, a lot of untouched stumbles and trips. They also had this issue in the other 2 games I was there for on saturday.  So I was pointing that out to him after the game and he said that he and the rest of the coaches felt like the field was much harder than the artificial surface the school has here in town.  Not sure if that could be part of a potential problem or not. Just food for thought

[cmgww]

Interesting....also note the Colts think Hilton's back injury wasn't from the HUGE hit he took, but from landing on the turf. Regardless, it's time to replace the stuff. It's not like Irsay is hurting for money....

[RollerColt]

On 11/22/2016 at 9:55 AM, B~Town said:

The turf is still the same that was designed for Manning and company hard fast and crisp not a good combo for a team that has a vision on being a power running hard nosed defensive team .

This is a good insight to what we are seeing. 

 

Back in 2008 we had track running style receivers. They needed that hard surface to get that extra push from the starting step and to continue accelerating. The offensive line around Manning was also pretty good, so the risk of Peyton hitting the dirt multiple times in one game were unheard of. The turf did its job quite well for what it was intended for. See: 2009 Colts.

 

That was 8 years ago. The QB has changed, the system has changed, the personnel have changed, and technology has changed. 

[lollygagger8]

On 11/22/2016 at 1:57 PM, braveheartcolt said:

Or build a decent o-line.....

 

Grigs be like: 

[The Old Crow]

The Ravens went to a grass field this year from turf, and injuries have dropped. They were catastrophic the last two years. Not sure if you can go to grass with a retractible roof , but maybe Carl Spackler could come up with something. Maybe a cross of Kentucky Bluegrass and Northern California Sensemilia.  

[cmgww]

It has been thrown around on here that LOS has some of the worst turf of any stadium in the NFL....despite 5 year old surveys. It's old, hard, and needs to be replaced IMO. T.Y. hurt himself on it during the Steelers game....it wasn't the big hit he took, he said in his own words it was landing on the turf. 

 

That said, here is a link to more info on a big advancement in turf technology. 

 

https://www.playsmartplaysafe.com/newsroom/videos/rethinking-turf-ground/

 

Check it out and let's talk about it. Not only LOS but the practice fields at West 56th as well...

[NewColtsFan]

 

LOS is only about 10 years old.      That's not typically old by turf standards.    At least,   not that I'm aware of.

 

And I don't know if it's already been replaced once?      It might be.

 

You're never going to get a turf --- any turf --- where concussions or injuries are eliminated.     It's football,  bad stuff happens.

 

I'm all in favor of improving the quality of the turf.      I just don't want to make a change for the sake of making a change.

 

[coltsva]

Most local turf fields should be replaced after ten years, but generally those fields are being used at least 20 hours a week year round. 

[richard pallo]

I have also read about how bad our field is and players in the league have said it as well.  These fields should last about ten years but it all depends on use.  I don't know about LOS but I have to think it is being used by more organizations than the Colts.  If it's as hard as people and players say it is it's time.  Especially if technology has made strong advances in making them safer.  You don't make a change for the sake of change you make it to try to protect players.  This is the NFL.  The cost of replacing that field is a pee hole in the snow compared to the loss of players over a number of seasons. If I was a free agent I would think twice about coming to Indy knowing I would have to play on one of the more dangerous fields in the league.  I hope Jim is looking into this right now and makes an announcement before FA begins.  Can someone send him and the FO a link?  I am a big believer that our field is the major reason we have so many injuries.  We just played two games on the road.  hardly any injuries.  I hope we get through Sunday okay.  It would be a shame to have a major injury in the last game that one could point the finger at the field as being a major contributor. 

[cmgww]

I may be wrong...but I think the current turf came over from the RCA Dome. It was installed in 2005 if I recall. Even if new turf was installed when LOS was built....it's over 8 years old. And there have been big advancements in field turf since then. Different fills (pellets), "grasses", pads, etc.

 

And if they're using the same turf at West 56th, that would make sense in terms of being so injury plagued as a team...

 

Who really knows? But I'd want the best surface for me team if I were an owner

[BOTT]

For what it's worth, Will Carroll has been complaining about the turf/field at LOS for a few years now. Claims it's the hardest field in the NFL and the turf is very sticky.

[YourTearinApartLisa!]

17 minutes ago, cmgww said:

I may be wrong...but I think the current turf came over from the RCA Dome. It was installed in 2005 if I recall. Even if new turf was installed when LOS was built....it's over 8 years old. And there have been big advancements in field turf since then. Different fills (pellets), "grasses", pads, etc.

 

And if they're using the same turf at West 56th, that would make sense in terms of being so injury plagued as a team...

 

Who really knows? But I'd want the best surface for me team if I were an owner

According to this http://www.fieldturf.com/en/artificial-turf/featured-installations/lucas-oil-stadium it was installed in 2008. But I would still imagine that better turf technology has been discovered in the last 8 years. Most of our injuries are knee and ankle injuries too. Usually to linemen or DBS who smack off it constantly. I'm not saying at all that this is the reason. But I would love it if they reseached new turf technology and replaced what we have in LOS. If nothing more it would give the Colts the best possible playing surface and ease the minds of fans who think it might be the culprit.

[superrep1967]

14 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

LOS is only about 10 years old.      That's not typically old by turf standards.    At least,   not that I'm aware of.

 

And I don't know if it's already been replaced once?      It might be.

 

You're never going to get a turf --- any turf --- where concussions or injuries are eliminated.     It's football,  bad stuff happens.

 

I'm all in favor of improving the quality of the turf.      I just don't want to make a change for the sake of making a change.

 

 

8 Years old

[superrep1967]

14 hours ago, cmgww said:

It has been thrown around on here that LOS has some of the worst turf of any stadium in the NFL....despite 5 year old surveys. It's old, hard, and needs to be replaced IMO. T.Y. hurt himself on it during the Steelers game....it wasn't the big hit he took, he said in his own words it was landing on the turf. 

 

That said, here is a link to more info on a big advancement in turf technology. 

 

https://www.playsmartplaysafe.com/newsroom/videos/rethinking-turf-ground/

 

Check it out and let's talk about it. Not only LOS but the practice fields at West 56th as well...

 

Yeah, This is great, and it helps with concussions, so I'm sure the NFL is all for this in a big way. 

[indyagent17]

It must be pricey

[LockeDown]

i understand wanting a fast surface, believing that favored our then smaller, faster defense, but times have changed and our players go down like a sack of rocks year in and out.  Something needs to be done.  I would also think the players union would speak out on this type of thing.  

[shakedownstreet]

we should get BoingoZoingo® turf 

[BProland85]

Irsay should install the field turf New England is using. They aren't using natural grass and I feel like they get by each year with few injuries. 

 

http://www.patriots.com/news/2014/03/24/gillette-stadium-upgrading-field-surface

 

This turf is specifically designed for player safety which is something the Colts desperately need with all the bad luck on injuries they've had these past few years. 

[BProland85]

Could it be so simple as to a much needed upgrade to the field turf like this to improve the injury debacle for the Colts these past few years? Players have seemed to be dropping like flies more often than before.

[throwing BBZ]

On 12/28/2016 at 7:42 PM, cmgww said:

It has been thrown around on here that LOS has some of the worst turf of any stadium in the NFL....despite 5 year old surveys. It's old, hard, and needs to be replaced IMO. T.Y. hurt himself on it during the Steelers game....it wasn't the big hit he took, he said in his own words it was landing on the turf. 

 

That said, here is a link to more info on a big advancement in turf technology. 

 

https://www.playsmartplaysafe.com/newsroom/videos/rethinking-turf-ground/

 

Check it out and let's talk about it. Not only LOS but the practice fields at West 56th as well...

 

 Thanks for the find a share. It makes Great sense to add a product like this that the NFL would Require on all fields.
 Lets hope they get there. someday.

[BProland85]

One way Irsay can improve the team without finding quality replacements for both HC and GM is to replace the surface playing field at LOS. Below is a report showing that Indy has one of the harder surfaces in the NFL, thus resulting in many injuries each year. The 2nd link I posted is the surface I hope they get to increase the health and longevity of the players. 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.stampedeblue.com/platform/amp/2016/10/31/13481414/chiefs-say-playing-surface-at-lucas-oil-stadium-one-of-worst-in-nfl

 

http://www.patriots.com/news/2014/03/24/gillette-stadium-upgrading-field-surface

[buccolts]

Deja Vu?