Last thing I expected from Notre Dame

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VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
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Brooklyn Park, MN
Notre Dame has commencement today. Immediately after they will be tearing the natural grass field out and replacing it with artificial turf. Is nothing sacred?

What do you think of this? Is this fine or is this sad to see from one of the most tradition rich programs in all of college football?
 

RubyClone

Active Member
Mar 21, 2014
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The couple times I watched ND fb last year - their field looked horrid. I agree - not sure why with all their cash that would be.

Good reminder to be appreciative of how great we have it. Top notch crew at ISU.

That season ('96?) when we pull the turf out and put the grass down - I damn near cried the first time in the stadium.
 

JHUNSY

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Aug 31, 2013
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Des Moines, IA
I haven't seen Notre Same in the light of their "tradition" for quite some time now. I kind of figured they were trying to keep up with the race to be modern and flashy for recruits once they brought out their new uniforms a few years ago.
 

abe2010

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Jan 14, 2009
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Story City, IA
Notre Dame has commencement today. Immediately after they will be tearing the natural grass field out and replacing it with artificial turf. Is nothing sacred?

What do you think of this? Is this fine or is this sad to see from one of the most tradition rich programs in all of college football?

how many of the major schools still use natural grass like us? I assume there is a cost savings for the turf vs. grass
 

Go2Guy

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Mar 18, 2006
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Houston, TX
The couple times I watched ND fb last year - their field looked horrid. I agree - not sure why with all their cash that would be.

Good reminder to be appreciative of how great we have it. Top notch crew at ISU.

That season ('96?) when we pull the turf out and put the grass down - I damn near cried the first time in the stadium.


Football should be played outside and on grass.

I attended the first game at Jack Trice way back in '75 and by the early 80's that fake turf was like playing on a cement driveway. Keep the Jack turf!
 

boone7247

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Aug 15, 2011
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Per my buddy at work who is a pretty big ND fan, this is for Chip. They are using the excuse that they have to many events on the grass to keep it in good shape. But supposedly Chip thinks his offense will be better on turf. I perfer a grass field, but have heard from several people that the new field turf is really nice to play on, except when you get one of those rub shrouds in the eye.
 

CyJack13

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2010
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Per my buddy at work who is a pretty big ND fan, this is for Chip. They are using the excuse that they have to many events on the grass to keep it in good shape. But supposedly Chip thinks his offense will be better on turf. I perfer a grass field, but have heard from several people that the new field turf is really nice to play on, except when you get one of those rub shrouds in the eye.

Does your big ND fan buddy really think Chip Kelly is the coach of ND?
 

weR138

Well-Known Member
Feb 20, 2008
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What do you think of this? Is this fine or is this sad to see from one of the most tradition rich programs in all of college football?

Doesn't make me sad. Notre Dame tradition is over and this is more evidence that their former tradition doesn't mean ***. Part of having tradition is performing to a level that reinforces/propagates it. Their phony NC appearance (and subsequent BEATDOWN) only diminishes ND. Notre Dame is just a defacto Big Ten team masquerading as an ACC team.

Yawn.
 

dswagclone

Member
Mar 30, 2010
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De Facto ND fan here. The decision was a long time coming. It's a combination of BRIAN Kelly wanting it for a speed advantage and also the fact they can't keep the field in even moderately decent playing shape. ND has more money than even Texas, yet they can't keep a grass field in playable shape. As noted above, it's a real testament to the ISU guys as we have essentially the exact same weather as them. ND has their commencement on the field, and ISU doesn't but even if ND didn't do that, the field would still be a joke. ND replaced the grass 3 separate times last year. It's pathetic that they couldn't do better. They were really left with no choice but to install the field turf.

ND is also in the process of adding video board(s) in the stadium. Another huge "tradition" change.
 

Cycsk

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Aug 17, 2009
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The couple times I watched ND fb last year - their field looked horrid. I agree - not sure why with all their cash that would be.

Good reminder to be appreciative of how great we have it. Top notch crew at ISU.

That season ('96?) when we pull the turf out and put the grass down - I damn near cried the first time in the stadium.


Have you ever seen the field during the off-season? It has all sorts of brown spots. I'm interested to see what it looks like for the movie on Saturday. As I recall, even with the movie much later in the summer last year, the field didn't seem to be in very good shape. However, during the season, it looks fantastic. They must have some sort of Miracle Grow product that does magic for the season.
 

BoxsterCy

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Staff member
Sep 14, 2009
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Minnesota
Notre Dame has commencement today. Immediately after they will be tearing the natural grass field out and replacing it with artificial turf. Is nothing sacred?

What do you think of this? Is this fine or is this sad to see from one of the most tradition rich programs in all of college football?

is+nothing+sacred.jpg
 

HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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South Bend gets some ridiculous snowfall from its position near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, not far from Chicago but they get dumped on compared to Chicago almost anytime I look at snow storms.

Not sure if that's an excuse for not having a nice field for Sept-Oct-Nov, temperatures are probably comparable to Ames but snow and ice is probably greater.
 

wartknight

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Mar 24, 2006
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Have you ever seen the field during the off-season? It has all sorts of brown spots. I'm interested to see what it looks like for the movie on Saturday. As I recall, even with the movie much later in the summer last year, the field didn't seem to be in very good shape. However, during the season, it looks fantastic. They must have some sort of Miracle Grow product that does magic for the season.
Lots of different kinds of grasses. Wondering if ISU has a breed that is supposed to be in best shape in the fall? I don't know if such a thing exists but it wouldn't surprise me if it did
 

CornFedIABoy

Member
Jan 8, 2014
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Would we have the quality of field we do if it weren't for our Horticulture Department and Turf Management Program? We have a major advantage there.