Readers Forum: Heinz Field playing surface

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Should the Steelers replace the Heinz Field sod with artifical turf? Or should the team find another type of natural grass?

Should the team not allow other teams to use the field during the NFL season? Or should those teams be required to pay a portion of the costs to replace the sod?

We asked readers what they thought. Thanks to all who participated. Here are the comments:

As I watch the players on the MNF, I told my kids, this is football at its best, remembering the times played in the Hill District, Schenley High and around Pittsburgh were all the dirt/mud and rocks were natural and the weather was wet/ cold this time of year. Playing in bad conditions this past Monday was good for both teams, I'm sure it took some of them back to the days of Pop Warner/City Recreation football and High School were we all played for the love of the game, keep the field natural the way football is to played.

#55 Joey Porter, your right, we still love you brother, when you go into HOF, it will be as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

-- Richard Campbell, U.S. Navy Base, Kings Bay, Ga.

Greetings from Georgia. Steelers fan from the 70's and forever ...

Please consider the Spinturf surface we are using here in Georgia. I coach a high boys varsity lacrosse and 10 teams use it year round.. rain, heat cold, and 4 soccer and 4 lacrosse and 2 football teams. It 's the field with all the rubber balls everywhere and it is soft and giving, and nice to make cuts and run.

Good Luck and GO STEELERS !!!

-- Henry Franceschini, Duluth, Ga.

Keep natural grass at the stadium. The feel of old time football exists with natural grass. The high school football championships should be held at the larger high school facilities such as Mount Lebanon High School. Let's face it, it's all about the atmosphere of what game (high school, college or NFL) is played and where it is played.

-- Jim, Charlotte, N.C. (originally from Pittsburgh)

It amazes me to sit here and read countless citizens and former citizens of Pittsburgh say that they were embarrassed and ashamed because of the condition of the grass at Heinz Field during the recent MNF football game. If only as many citizens were concerned about the condition of Pittsburgh's public schools, the disintegrating neighborhoods all around us, and the city's financial troubles; Pittsburgh might have a chance at turning things around. Should we allow the high schools to play their championships on this field? Most definitely, we should be proud of the fact that these students haven't given up and dropped out of school.

For people to be ashamed of the condition of grass on a football field; that is what is embarrassing.

-- Jake, Green Tree

Leave the field alone! Artificial turf should NOT be used in professional football. Ever since I was a little kid, I hated watching NFL games that were played at indoor stadiums on artificial surfaces.

Go watch Arena Football for Pete's sake.

There is nothing wrong with the original surface at Heinz Field. The problem was laying new sod over the old sod. Would anyone in their right mind do that at their home? -- I didn't think so.

The other problem was the excessive amount of rain that poured down Monday afternoon/evening. Obviously, there's nothing you can do about the weather, but the drainage system on Heinz Field probably has room for improvement.

And don't ask highschools or PITT to find another field.

-- Eric Andersen, San Diego (GO STEELERS!!!)

I'm from Crafton, I now live in Winchester, Virginia now. I think Pitt and High Schools should NOT be allowed to play on Heinz Field, I mean come on it's the NFL. They need to find somewhere else to play!

-- Jessica Carver

They could tear up the grass and lay down a Boise State-Like turf ... but yellow.

Nah... leave the grass alone and make Pitt and the high school games go somewhere else.

-- Chris, Williamsport

Artificial turf MUST be installed!! When Heinz Field was being built it was painfully obvious that an artificial surface was needed. The Pitt Panthers, countless high school football games, the Steelers games... it was written in stone what was going to occur. I know it was managements intention to provide a nice playing surface but, how smart (or dumb) was it installing new sod on TOP of the old field? Didn't anyone think of looking at the long-range weather forecast? Why didn't someone think of that? Why didn't they just rip the of middle of the field between the hash marks and re-sod that? How can the Steelers compete with anyone on a field like that? I was embarrassed watching that game Monday night. A first class organization like the Steelers should provide a first class field. The money they wasted on that field this past weekend could have been saved to install Field Turf or whatever other artificial surface they like.

A suggestion: Steelers management needs to do what the Patriots did a year or two ago: after the Bengals game next Sunday night, have crews working 24/7 for the next 13 days before the big game against the Jaguars, and install Field Turf or that new surface that the University of West Virginia has. It must be done!!! It appears we will be playing football in January, the field issue must be rectified.

-- Will Fernandez, Freehold, N.J.

I prefer a natural playing surface and appreciate Mr. Rooney's efforts in playing the game on a surface that it was meant to be played on. The evolution of man is to seek shelter from the elements. However, football is to be played in the elements, not in some climate controlled dome with a arm-flailing QB spaz.

Legends are made of men who weather the storm and defeat his opponent in battle despite the weather conditions. Look at the great games in the past, the Fog bowl, the frozen tundra, Brown and Steelers in the ice bowl, the Cincinnati game in -50. These games are held up as men being men.

This is where heroes come from, how will little Johnny grow up to be a man if he does not have examples of what a man, a real man is?

Having said that, the improvements in artificial surfaces provide a good alternative, given the amount of traffic on the field late in fall and early winter. Keep the game outside and the field open to the public.

Taxes are paying for the field, so it should have community access. The Rooney family once again leads by example and NFL owners should follow.

By the way, it was a great game Monday night.

-- Frank Daugherty, Columbus, Ohio

After living my entire life in Pittsburgh I relocated to North Carolina and watched the Steelers play the Carolina Panthers last December in Charlotte. The temperature was in the 70's and the field was in great shape but something was missing. Football is supposed to be played in the elements -- snow, rain, and mud so thick you cant read the players numbers. No one ever said that the Ice Bowl was an embarrassment because of the field conditions, in fact it is considered to be the greatest game ever played. I watched the game Monday night with friends that grew up down here, and they all agreed that football is about seeing the breath coming out of the players facemasks as they line up and jerseys covered in dirt and mud.

And those who say "Send the kids to some high school field" will be the first ones to complain when Junior makes it to the WPIAL finals and has to play at "some high school field" instead of the stadium where their idols play at. This is the greatest feeling a high school player in Western Pa. can experience, running out of the same tunnel that Bettis, Hines, Ben, and all the players they look up to ran out of. If you want to talk about an embarrassment to the city look no further than 2000 ft up the Allegheny. The Pirates are a national joke and have the best stadium in baseball, but rarely let the WPIAL play any games there.

Mr. Rooney do whatever it takes to keep the field the way it should be -- real football played on real grass.

-- Mike, Raleigh, N.C.

The field was terrible....the weather was worse....imagine what it would have been like if the new sod wasn't laid down....talk about muddy....I'm not sure it would have made a difference in the outcome of the game one way or the other....but safety is definitely the key issue here....who cares how many teams play on the field....it's a great resource for the city of Pittsburgh and should be used as much as possible...why dump all that money into a stadium that only gets used 8-10 times per year....so unless we move Pitt into the parking lot for their games, I think the only answer is to replace the natural grass with the closest synthetic turf....I am a HUGE fan of the natural turf, and I loved the game Monday night, but I don't want to see one of our key guys getting hurt because of poor field conditions.

-- Dave Walters, Lansdale

It would seem the Steelers have no choice but to go with Field Turf. You cannot have all those games and events at this time of year and expect a field to hold up to the level required for the NFL. The Rooneys have a $600M investment out there, it would seem they would want to insure their players' safety. I hear all the purists' arguments, but it's time to move on if you want to keep Heinz Field a community asset. Cavemen used to use stones for wheels but eventually evolved and we now use rubber. You can't base every argument on the tradition of football being played on natural grass. It's time to move on. Get the Field Turf.

-- Lee Acquista, Erie

Football is, for the most part, a cold weather sport that should be played outdoors. For that reason, Heinz Field with its natural grass, seems to embody the essence of the game. The Steelers are undefeated at home this year, so the grass cannot be all that bad. What do the Steelers players think? If most of them are okay with grass, then keep the grass. If most would prefer an artificial surface, then the Steelers should strongly consider it. I don't think the opinions of other teams should be a factor.

If Pitt helps to pay for the grass/sod and its maintenance, it has every right to the field. Regarding the high school teams, the teams are probably thrilled to play at Heinz Field, and it would be a shame for that tradition not to continue. I am not sure if those schools should help contribute financially, but, at the very least, is there any way to schedule the high school games on a different weekend from a Steelers home game? Had five teams not played on the field this past weekend, there would probably not be much of a debate on this topic.

-- Faith Milazzo Graham, Penn Hills

I think the Steelers need to go with the FieldTurf used at West Virginia and I believe Detroit. It's a surface that can stand up to the many games and weather conditions in Western Pa. It plays fast yet is very much like real grass turf. The Rooneys should consider this because it will eliminate having to replace the turf twice a year and keep costs of maintaining the fields lower. I also feel to have the game on National TV and showing how truly bad our field is should be the last straw when it comes to replacing the field we have now.

-- Eric Scot, Orlando Fla.

"Rooney said one of the last things his club wants to do is not hold the high school championships at Heinz Field "

I didn't realize that was his decision to make. The stadium belongs to us (the taxpayers). Shouldn't that be our decision?

-- Ed, Pittsburgh

The field conditions Monday night were rediculus . I understand that the steelers had good intentions when they laid the sod but come on didn't anyone take the time to look at projected weather forcast befor doing so ???? I for one feel they should go to artificial turf ! this to me is a no brainer ! After doing so then let who ever wants to play on the field ! Grass just doesn't have a chance in late November with as much traffic as Hienz Field gets .

-- Mark Erjavac, Coral Springs, Fla.

Football is supposed to be played in the cold, rain, snow, mud and whatever else comes out of normal weather happenings. This is Pittsburgh in November, this is when football gets to be fun. What we saw Monday night was football at its purist form. The only people that didn't enjoy that game were the TV executives and Fantasy Football followers.

The Rooneys gave a valiant effort in trying to get that field ready in a very short time. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.

Even if they had a turf surface, with that amount of rain would have made the field very slick and hard to run causing possible injuries in it's ownright

Keep the natural grass. And maybe the true problem isn't the grass, but the drainage system taking too much of the natural water away not allowing the grass the proper amount of water to grow.

-- Bob, Mount Lebanon

Like Harry Truman said "the buck stops here," Dan Rooney should take responsibility for his actions for once. I just pray that he doesn't fire the poor grounds crew members who had to did best job that they that could do with his cheap playing surface.

This just goes to show you how cheap the Rooneys are. I could tell from the first time I set foot in Heinz Field how many corners were cut in its design and construction. Don't believe me, walk into a stadium made after 1997 and compare. They are too busy blaming the problem on the high school and Pitt football. However, many NFL teams have fields that are used for high school championships, but you never see this kind of problem in the stadiums in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dallas, Philly, Baltimore, Tampa, Jacksonville or even Penn State. Some NFL teams even shared fields with their Major League Baseball counterparts and I never heard of playing conditions being this bad.

However they are unfairly treated like royalty in Pittsburgh. Don't buy into the poor 'mom and pop" image, real fans have known for years how cheap these Rooneys are. They have completely taken for granted how much this city loves the team and used it to their advantage. It only takes a trip to another city to see how badly Steelers fans have it. From training camps and stadium conditions to fan services, the Steelers are lagging. New ownership is needed, but will sadly not come anytime soon.

-- Bill P., Ocala, Fla.

I say artificial turf since other teams share the field. Otherwise the other teams should get there own stadium so the sod doesn't get torn up so bad.

-- Jessica Gomes, Chantilly, Va.

If I'm not mistaken, we're still undefeated at home this season. I don't care if the sod turns into soup, as long as we keep winning home games! Why should we change something that's working? We're not the Indianapolis Colts that need the speed of turf, we're a power team that will smack you in the mouth in the snow, sleet, rain, and mud. Keep the grass!

-- Timmy K., Pittsburgh

Convert/Retrofit the Mellon Arena into an indoor football stadium. Move Pitt and the high school games to it.

-- Shane, Butler

Steelers football, blue collar football, should be played on a natural surface. That's just part of the game as it should be. A game with sloppy conditions is a game we can stand to see. If you ask me the league is turning soft.

-- Tyler, Denver, Colo.

The Steelers should not have wasted the sod and slog strategy on the Miami Dolphins.

It would have been better utilized on the Indianapolis Colts or, better yet, the New England Patriots!

Wait till next year.

-- Jeff Werling, Woodbridge, Va.

I work in the profession and let me say that the Steelers Grounds Crew did the best job they could do given those circumstances. Putting a new field that is 2 inches thick on top of the old field causes a drainage nightmare. The water was not able to pass through the new sod to the old field to the drainage system. Also the DDS Grassmaster field at Heinz Field sounds great in theory. It does not work in practice. You can not resod or aerify do to the artificial fibers that are in the field. Instead of doing the whole field they could have done just the middle like most NFL teams do this time of year.

-- Shaun, North Canton, Ohio

Keep grass on the field at Heinz Field! Artificial turf and football players do not go well together. For the safety of the players, stay with a grass playing surface.

-- Sara M. Sproul , Windsor, Va.

Keep everything the way it is. Just try to schedule the High School games when the Steelers don't have a home game on that weekend. This way it will give the ground crew enough time to re-sod the field. Nothing beats natural grass. Also, I thought the ground crew did a great job trying to stay on top of the situation. The elements just would not allow them to get ahead. Go Steelers.

-- Rick, Lexington Park

The condition of the turf at Heinz Field Monday night should be an embarrassment to the Steelers and the NFL as well. A natural grass surface should/can not be expected to hold up in late November especially with the field hosting seven games played in 11 days.

Having said that, it must have been like being kid playing on that field. Remember playing down on the corner lot from your house in the rain or snow on muddy field. Then when you went home your mom started yelling at you for coming into the house with all that mud on all over you. You were wet and cold to the bone, but you did again and again. This is football, it is a game that was made to play in mud, rain and snow. Watching that game on Monday night, brought back the memory of Terry Bradshaw sliding about 10 yard on a snowy and icy day in Pittsburgh during a play-off game against the Oiliers. So, is field turf really perfect?

-- Richard J. Murphy, Pittsburgh

I had a great time at Monday night's game enjoying a game that will be remembered forever in Steelers history. I was actually hoping for a field goal rather than a touchdown on our last drive because winning 3-0 is way cooler than winning 7-0. With that said, I hope that the Steelers install Field Turf so that Pitt, and especially the high school teams, can continue to play at Heinz. Having the high school championship games in the Steelers stadium is a Pittsburgh tradition and is a small part of what makes this a great and unique city. Also, with Field Turf, the stadium could be used for many other events to increase its functionality. By the way, for all of those "purists" who think that "Steelers football" must be played on real grass, do they forget that Three Rivers had probably the worst ARTIFICIAL turf in the league while we were winning four Super Bowls?

-- James McGovern, Franklin Park

You can't have it both ways. You can't keep a grass surface and let the high school and college games be played on the same surface. I love the grass but I'm tired of watching FWP slip and fall every time he makes a cut. I hate to say it...but bring on the turf. It won't be nearly as bad as the green cement at 3 Rivers; and we dealt with that for how long???

-- Derek, Hermosa Beach, Ca.

I have been a Steeler Fan since I was a baby 35 years ago. I was sitting at home and was not only embarrassed but ashamed of how our Steelers were represented! I have several thoughts that should clear this "mess" up.

First, If our high schools around the area our putting out for Field Turf, and colleges put out for Field Turf and many Northern NFL cities put out for Field Turf, and The Steelers own Practice facility at UPMC is Field Turf, what is the debate,put it down.

Second, The Steelers are the primary tenant at Heinz Field, why do they get the poorest conditions in which to compete at the highest level?

Thirdly, The money spent on resurfacing and/or resodding Heinz Field since 2001, I can only imagine would have more than paid for the new surface

Lastly, The Steelers have some of the best young talent in the whole NFL, for us to put them in harms way is ridiculous. Ask a mercedes owner to take his new car mudbogging and see what response you get.

Put the turf down, and for goodness sakes put Steeler colors on it for good

-- Len Findley, Windber, Pa.

Football is meant to be played on grass, or at the very least a hybrid surface. The Steelers don't have cheerleaders, and the Steelers don't have artificial turf. Its sad that we cannot maintain a grass field in reasonable condition.

-- Jeffrey, Lawrenceville

I wish people who have no formal knowledge about a subject would keep their mouths shut; and yes, I have a degree in Turf Management.

The groundscrew did an amazing job and made all the right decisions; had it not been for 2 inches of rain, you would all be complimenting them, rather than bashing them. Resodding the field at anytime of year is a perfectly justifiable practice and it is done all over this country and especially the north east, you just don't notice because 2 inches of rain the day of a game is a rare occurrence and does not make the sod a factor.

The fact of the matter is there are too many games played in a extremely short amount of time, and a natural playing surface cannot withstand that abuse. I don't care if the 10 best groundskeepers in the world were on the Steelers' payroll, you would have had the same result. All of you people must forget how bad the field looks after a college game and 4 high school games. The real disaster would have been 2 inches of rain on top of that surface.

The Steelers absolutely have to switch to Field Turf if they wish to continue hosting the High School Championships. I hear some people complain about the other teams who have natural grass and do not have Turf problems. The difference is, those teams do not have a multi-use facility like we do at Heinz Field. New England has a soccer team that shares the field, and guess what, they were forced to go to Field Turf. Ohio State University was also forced to change to fake Turf due to it's multi-use nature.

Again, every person who bashes the Heinz Field grounds crew is dead wrong in doing so. They do an AMAZING job with the factors that they are faced with. Proof positive is resodding an entire field in 24 hours. I have been a part of that process and it typically takes 2 or 3 days. I was equally impressed with the crew repainting the lines on the field during the 15 minute halftime in those conditions. That process typically takes all afternoon.

Kudos to the Heinz Field grounds crew. You did an amazing job that will go unnoticed due to a freak winter monsoon.

-- Bill, North Hills

Having the worst field in the NFL, even way before Soggy Night Football is nothing to be proud of and is, in fact, embarrassing. I hope the Rooneys now feel compelled to give their team the quality field that they deserve. Grass should be the number one option....but only if it can be maintained at a high level throughout the entire year. History has shown that it cannot so now it is time to move on and install the latest and greatest in fieldturf. Even the Pirates have a field they are proud to play on.

-- Jim in Mars

Get Natural turf for 2008, and keep the field just for the Steelers. All turf wears out with playing. The field is being overplayed due to greed! I am a fan of Many Years, from KQV radio. Live in Austin, Texas. Go! Steelers! On Real turf!

-- Ted Smith

I think that the best case scenario for the players is to play on a natural grass surface, however there are a lot of factors that must be considered. Penn State plays on a beautiful surface at Beaver Stadium, however there are only 7 or 8 games played there each fall. And to my knowledge no other team plays at Beaver Stadium. Heinz field has two tenants---the Steelers and Pitt, so there are twice as many games played on Heinz field than Beaver stadium (not counting the high school championship games). Sometimes both the Steelers and Pitt play games at Heinz field on the very same weekend. This all being said, if there is a natural grass solution, then it should be explored. However, if this new artificial field turf is the only viable solution, then it needs to be installed. Professional football has evolved into a fast paced showcase of athletic talent and strategy. Although muddy conditions were acceptable in the past, I don't think they fit with the current game.

-- Carl Nicklas, West Middlesex

i see nothing wrong with replacing the turf at heinz field..todays technology is so advanced its like playing on real grass

-- Augie, Burlington, N.J.

I recall a few years back when the Steelers played in Miami during a tropical storm. The conditions, horrible. The fact is, Heinz Field sustained more rain in a shorter period of time, than Joe Robby or whatever overpriced name they called that dump of a stadium. Any, and I repeat, ANY grass turf field would have played horrible as it did Monday. As a spectator, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Steelers play in that mess. They are used to it by now. You bring any team into Heinz Field after a good rain, and I bet the Steelers pull off a victory. It slows down the competition, as well as gets their mind on something other than football. On another note, ask Ben Roethlisberger which he prefers. Going back to the other MNF monsoon against Baltimore, Ben Roethilisberger took a hit and landed on his hip. The injury which removed him from a couple series could have been much worse. He stated after the game, if it were turf he'd be out for weeks. The grass field slows down opposing teams, and lessens the severity of potential injuries.

Should the WPIAL go? Absolutely.

Should Pitt go? Maybe

But as long as the money fills the bank account to extend Big Ben's contract, expect them to stay. But look at the bright side, the Steelers are 6-0 at home. I say, bring on the rain!

-- Ryan, South Bend, Ind.

Surface definitely needs to be replaced. It needs to be replaced with artificial turf.

This should allow the current schedule of teams, and week-ends, to play without consideration of the field condition being a concern.

-- Rodney Batson, Dayton, Ohio (transplant from W.Va.)

The Steelers should install a state of the art artificial surface. Grass fields in the northeast do not hold up well for 10 games per season let alone the 20 games per season that Heinz Field currently has played on it.

-- Daniel C. Snyder, Herndon, Va.

It seems that the turf has been a problem ever since opening day. Starting the day after the last Steeler home game (including any playoff games), I think they should rip up the field down to its base and rebuildit. This time don't let anyone on the field until the first home game for either PItt ot the Steelers. This way you have approximately 6 months or so for the grass to root itself.

Also, whoever allowed 7 football games to be scheduled in 4 days needs to be shot. Next time, have Pitt and the Steelers schedule away games for that weekend and possibly the following weekend. After 5 football games in one day, the field needs time to recover.

Football should be played on grass, not turf. I'd hate to see Heinz Field go to turf. Grass can be done, but they just need to take care of it a little better than they have been.

-- Tim Lotinsky, Green Tree

Keep the natural grass, ...just limit the amount of games played on it in November and December. If the games cannot be limited artificial turf away!

-- Joe Fig, Guelph, Ontario

Keep the grass. It's the way football was meant to be played. There's nothing better than watching two teams battling it out while covered in mud.

-- Dave Durkin, Houston

The city should build a commercial joint ventured facility that would house Pitt & H.S. games (only), Opposed to having several H.S. games, a home Pitt game, then a Steeler game in almost back-to-back day/evenings. But, perhaps with the city having financial strains, this may prove to be unattainable.

-- Deronne Felton, Durham, N.C.

I hated the Astro-turf that was "unforgiving" at Three Rivers Stadium and looked forward to the natural grass surface at Heinz Field but after 6+ years of watching players slipping and sliding on that surface, even when it is dry, I'm favoring the new generation of field-turf, such as found at WVU and many other colleges and high schools through out the country. I know how the Rooney's feel about playing Steeler football the way it was intended to be played, on grass, but it just doesn't make sense with the amount of use Heinz Field gets this time of year. The Steelers won four Super Bowls while playing on artificial turf, so they needn't worry about playing on that type of surface in the future. I think it will help their game.

-- Steve Williams, Coopersburg, Pa.

Other bad-weather cities have natural or hybrid surfaces and find a way to make them work. The problem is, obviously, that there are too many games being played at Heinz Field. Either limit the number of games played (have the high school games played at a high school, not an NFL stadium) or replace the field with an artificial surface.

-- Chris, Washington, D.C.

A 2004 survey showed the players' favorite fields are almost all natural grass, including several of the DD Grassmaster variety in place at Heinz Field. Among these were several that are, like Heinz, in the north, with the weather that entails. All host events other than NFL games. On Denver's DD Grassmaster surface, for example, are held, during NFL season, numerous lacrosse, soccer, and high school football games.

In light of all this, it seems clear that the Steelers should strive to maintain a natural surface, and that it should be possible to keep that surface in playable condition. I don't know what they're doing wrong, but the problem does not seem to be the surface per se.

-- Joe, Washington, D.C.

I would hold the management team for the ground crew at fault and fire all of them!! And here's why and it's really simple logic and a bit of intelligence to knowing your job.

Anytime anyone tries to build a foundation, it needs time to settle. Consider anything that has ever been built/constructed, we don't pile on everything at once and put up a building overnight, much less stick people into it and see if it falls down!! When Heinz Field was constructed, did we open the doors and stick thousands of people into it to see if it can withstand the test? NO.

For crying out loud, these numb-nuts first of all didn't consider the inclement weather condition, but if they did, they ignored it. So it was either just plain dumb or even dumber for trying to beat Mother Nature. Second, there's a thing called time. There just wasn't enough time to mitigate this problem correctly. I saw the field on Monday night, as did thousands of other people. It was a mess and part of that was attributed to the weather, but a bigger part of it is also due to the management of the ground crew. These guys call themselves pros. Well, can someone answer me this questions, "Since when do pros lay sod over a deteriorated foundation without fixing the problems first?" All they were doing was masking it with a band-aid. This is SOD ... it crumbles, tears, gets wet and loosens ... HELLO!?!?!

So you're essentially laying 3 to 6 inches of this stuff over a deteriorated field and then what.hope and pray that all the water will blend it all together and magically deliver a pristine playing condition? Come one people!! This is not my field of expertise ... I'm in senior management for an IT firm, but it's simple, basic, common knowledge, but I guess you have to be smart to figure that out.

These bums are worthless ... their contract should be terminated with cause. And here's one more to kick you in the derriere.when they were asked if the playing field would present a problem, one guy said no, ".no seams that you can see between the pieces of sods." Yeah right!!!

-- Peter, Fairfax, Va.

As a Steeler fan for 30 years its sad to say that between Three Rivers and Heinz Field the turf has always been among the leagues worst.

Have played on grass, astroturf and Field Turf and really like how Field Turf feels like playing on grass and will not give you the problems that weather presents in November and December.

I live in Canada and it is a great surface here in our climate. It seems to work great in other parts of the Northeast US, why not Pittsburgh.

-- Al, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The decision on whether to keep the playing surface or replace it with an artificial surface should be (and is) strictly up to the Rooney family.

After all, it is their investment.

-- Michael M. Bierce, Brighton Heights

Why in the world did they resod to begin with? Grass does not grow in the winter months! If I remember correctly didn't they do the same thing a couple years ago and It did not go well and didn't rain.It seems to me they have more money than brains.If they want to waste anymore money they can send it me.

-- Dan McGraw Parma,Ohio

Please do not ever go fake. I enjoy watching FB in sloppy conditions where scoring is at a premium. AND it saves on injuries.

-- Bruce Floyd

I consider my self a purist and I love that the Steelers have an all grass field but after Monday I think it is time for a change. With more fields going to artificial turf I think it can only help the Steelers. They are a quick team who will only get faster and getting comfortable with artificial turf will get them more acclimated for games against teams like the Patriots and Colts

-- John Maede, Seattle Wa.

Too much has been made of the muddy field. Had it not rained so heavily, that sod would have been great. I would prefer to see the Steelers use grass. They will consider all options for next season, but I think they will go with the natural grass surface. I would hope that they use a heartier grass than they have done in the past or perhaps a blend of grasses that will wear best. As for the WPIAL games the one possibility that comes to mind is Rooney Field at Duquesne University.

As for this Sunday's game I think the field will be fine, but they need to dry it out. It should be rolled to squeeze out the water and the water pumped off the field. They can then use fans to dry the field. When dry they can then line the field, once completed they will need to cover it till Sunday evening. Hopefully the tarp will be of better quality. Too much has been made of the muddy field.

-- Bill Marszalek, Pittsburgh

Sir: I am originaly from Burgettstown. I presently reside in Napa, Calif. I am a disabled Naval veteran and I love our Steelers. Please install the artificial surface like WVU. It is better for the safety of the players.

-- David Szczerba

I keep hearing "players prefer to play on grass". I don't disagree. Problem is, grass doesn't grow in Pittsburgh in November, December and January. I've never heard "players prefer to play on green painted dirt".

I'm willing to bet that, if given the choice between Heinz field and Field Turf, a vast majority of players will chose Field Turf.

-- James M. Gray, Meadville

As an out of town fan who attends a few games a year, I have never been so embarrassed to represent my hometown from afar as I was Monday night. That was downright pitiful.

-- Kraig A. Koelsch, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

The Dolphins game was a perfect storm of bad luck and timing.

Uniforms of football players without grass stains and mud stains is like having a collar without lipstick after a make-out session. Something is missing.

Football on astro-turf is sterile and homogenized no matter how "real" the fake grass looks.

I want to see grass flying not rubber chips flying when I watch a football game. Especially a Steeler football game.

Find a solution but keep the real grass.

-- Tom Mosser, Squirrel Hill

I'm tired of everyone blaming the high school games for the poor field conditions at Heinz Field. If anyone noticed the field was in bad shape before the high school kids got to it. Those high school kids deserve the chance to play at a venue like Heinz Field. Most of them will never play in that type of environment ever again. I laugh every time I hear someone complain about the field. "It's football people." The players are meant to get dirty. Guys: how many times did you play in mud bowls or rain games, snow covered fields, or even on concrete, just so you could play the game? Now think about how much fun those games were. Most of these guys played on fields (as kids) hundreds of times worse than Heinz Field will ever be. I know this is the NFL and standards are extremely high but it's still FOOTBALL!! No one complains about the "Frozen Tundra" at Lambeau. Instead it's looked upon as part of the history of the game. We live in a north eastern city with weather that can be pretty nasty at times. Unfortunately for the Steelers and all of the fans, we were a victim of nothing more than bad timing. If the rains had not happened and the game played a little differently because of a drier surface no one would even be talking about this right now. Mr. Rooney and the Steelers organization are doing the right thing in letting the kids play at a top notch venue. These games are good for the communities, the schools, and most of all the kids. So to the Steelers and their owners I say thank you. Thanks for caring about someone other than yourselves. Thanks for caring about our kids!

-- Mike, Pittsburgh

The Steelers should replace the natural grass (or whatever they've got now) with artificial turf. Heinz Field was constructed with a giant contribution from the taxpayers; I've got to believe that playing on that field is a high point in the career of every high school football player, so continued use of the field for the WPIAL playoffs is a must. Natural turf or whatever they have now cannot stand up to the beating from the repetitive use of the field by the WPIAL, Pitt and the Steelers. It was a miracle that no one got hurt on account of the field conditions. Any turf should be used that will allow for athletes to perform to their highest level; that was not the case on Monday night.

I can't understand that with all the gazillion dollars that the NFL makes each year, they can't create a $5 million grant for Penn State, Ohio State, or one of the other large, agriculture/turf management schools out there to develop a cold weather grass field that stands up to hard use. It would be a PR coup for sure, and if a school actually develops something for that use, it would be a giant payday for the school, the NFL, and the professors and students involved.

-- Paul Alessio, Pittsburgh

Having had to deal with turfgrass issues at my residence here in the Burgh, I sympathize with the challenges faced by the Steelers and the stadium management. I can't get the building maintenance guys at my place to grow anything but dust at my townhouse complex.

But, at the end of the day, the Steelers play professional football. I live for my Steelers. And, hey, tickets are expensive, the players are talented, and we diehard fans expected a professional exhibition. Those that failed to provide for a similarly professional product in the field of play should be fired for their incompetence.

The weather on Monday was unfortunate, but not unforeseeable. I was embarrassed for my beloved hometown on Monday. Realistically, Pittsburgh is rarely on the national stage and when we have an opportunity to show of our wonderful city, we should expect more from those who spend our tax dollars in this sub-par way. In a minuscule way, as a taxpayer, I paid for a part of the new football stadium, and I am not satisfied with it or those who manage it.

-- Joseph "Duke" Scheib, Sewickley

God doesn't make a natural turf that can take that many games in a short amount of time. So you have two options: Install the artificial turf like WVU uses or move the high school games somewhere else. You don't have to be an agronomist to understand that grass doesn't grow and repair itself easily this time of year. Also remember everyone thought this DDGrassmaster field was the answer to all of Heinz Field's problems and it was perceived to be the closest thing to the durability of artificial turf with all the characteristics of natural grass. Teams have endured horrible conditions over the last several years at Heinz Field so just put down the FieldTurf that WVU has and be done with it.

-- Frank, Penn Township

I would replace the natural sod field with "field turf" or some equivalent artificial turf. I would allow all non-Steeler athletic events. I would not charge high school programs to use the field.

Regards and Go Stillers!!!!

-- Steve Ferg, New Freedom, Pa.

I think it's great that the stadium gets so much use. It's a pity that PNC Park is not used as much. We all know the high schools are strapped for cash and it is a great gift to our youngsters that the championships get to be held in a professional stadium. However, Pitt makes a ton of money off their football team and the use of Heinz Field is a great recruiting tool. Pitt should definitely chip in to pay for the turf.

-- Catherine, formerly of Pittsburgh , now living in Arlington, Va.

I still love to see football in the rain, snow, blizzards, and even hurricanes (remember that one?) I also remember some really bad surfaces at Three Rivers in the rain. This is Pittsburgh a blue collar town still, right? Tell me our fans don't still enjoy a defensive battle in any conditions. If not what's Pittsburgh coming to? Hell put up a dome. Keep the grass ... Please

-- Steven Booth, Pocono Mountains (formerly McKeesport)

I think the Steelers need to replace the natural grass with artificial turf after the season is over. The natural surface at Heinz Field can make for poor playing conditions as we have witnessed over the past few years, especially this past Monday night. Sooner or later one of the players is going to get seriously injured while trying to make a cut. I have seen many playing surfaces on high school fields in this area and they are much better than the surface at Heinz Field. The Steelers need to seriously take a look at this. Also, anybody that thinks that the Steelers should not let the high school teams on the field is not a true Pittsburgher. This has been a great tradition for many years and it is a great thing. Those players dream of getting a chance to play a game on the field that their home team plays on.

-- Bill, Ross Twp.

No one would be complaining if we beat the New England Patriots on Monday night in those conditions. Come on people, it is football. This game was made to play in mud, rain and snow. I do not agree with the method of replacement, and everyone admitted it was a trial to see how it would work. I do agree natural grass is the only surface they should consider. Should the Patriots put a dome up because of the snow they get? The games that are most interesting are the games played in extreme conditions.

-- Tony, Pittsburgh

I'm not sure about any deals that have been made for the usage of Heinz field when the stadium was funded as it would pertain to college and highschool games gaining access to the field, but I am a fan of natural grass and the amount of abuse the Heinz Field is getting now is too much.

If non NFL games are not allowed to be diverted elsewhere, field turf may be the answer. Otherwise send the highschool games somewhere else. I'd be interested to find out the attendance at those games. Is an NFL stadium actually needed?

-- Gregg Wolf, Columbus, Ohio

My gosh! It seems this has been a concern and question since Heinz Field opened?! With all due respect to the Rooney family, there seems to be some good hybrid-alternatives (to natural grass) out there; check them out, choose one and let's get past this! It was an embarrassment Monday night and could well have cost the Steelers a game, that very well could have adversely affected their season.

-- Rich, New York City

Since the public paid the lion's share of the tab for Heinz Field, we ought to demand that the venue be outfitted for maximum use. That means replacing the playing surface with artificial turf.

Countless high schools in our area have installed artificial surfaces at their fields. Why? Functionality for one; the fake stuff stands up to football games, soccer games, band practice and other uses with minimal maintenance. Safety is always a concern, but from what I have read, athletic injuries are no more likely to occur on modern artificial turf than they are on natural grass. The Steelers themselves practice on artificial turf, so the notion that Heinz Field needs to be real grass is just one old school guy's stubbornness.

We should have high school games and soccer tournaments and maybe a small college doubleheader at Heinz Field throughout the football season in addition to Pitt and Steeler games.

And when they do dig up and haul off the real sod, I hope they take away those lame ketchup bottles, too.

-- Dan Skantar, Oakdale

I think Heinz Field has some of the worst grass ever. It has been subject to harsher criticism from players, coaches and fans alike. Yes, it makes for interesting (although very dangerous) games, but it is more of a nuisance than its worth. The steelers should convert to a field turf and soon. It won't take away from the dynamics of the game. Come up with the times and make the change.

-- Branden, Detroit

Football is meant to be played outdoors and I commend the Rooney Family for staying with natural grass ... A little mud and rain never hurt anyone!

-- T. Moore, Ruff Creek, Pa.

Keep the grass, it's a Pittsburgh Tradition.

-- Harish B. Rao, York, Pa.

Monday night was an aberration. Yes the field was an embarrassment to the organization and the city, but how can you plan for the events that took place to cause this. That being said, keep the field natural and minimize the use the field by high schools. Playing 5 games over the course of a weekend is a recipe for disaster. Heinz Field already has a bad reputation, why allow events to occur that will only enhance that reputation. I was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and want to see football played the way it was intended to be played.

-- Sam Storey, Houston

Concerning the field conditions, the underlying root cause of the horrible conditions was the ill-advised laying of new sod 24 hours prior to game time, not the other teams that played on Fri/Sat. It would have been better if the original sod had been left alone, along with the designed drainage system that goes with it. That being the case, the issue is not the surface type, nor the amount of play, but the decision by the grounds crew to make an ill-advised decision that close to game time.

I.e. Don't do it again!

-- Curt Gobbell, Lakeland, Tenn. (Lifetime Steeler Fan)

I'm sure that there would be a much bigger outcry in the city if Miami would have kicked the winning field goal in that coin toss game. If the Steelers would have lost Monday, turf would already be on its way.

-- Will Davis, Harrisburg

They should have Pitt build their own stadium back in Oakland and have the High Schools find some other venue to play on. Then they would be able to keep the natural surface.

-- Ryan, Butler

The playing surface at Heinz Field is an absolute joke in so many aspects it is almost incomprehensible. Pittsburgh received another black eye on national television and should be embarrassed. I guess that field is the "crown jewel" of a city that has crumbling roadways, buildings, a crumbling young population and now a crumbling field at a stadium less than 10 years old. I understand that both the WPIAL and Pitt play on the field but who schedules these events? Seven football games in 11 days are going to tear up any surface up. Is it going to take Big Ben or Willie Parker blowing a knee out to get the Rooneys to loosen their purse strings?

-- Joe Ireland, Mt. Washington

I think that it is a wonderful tradition to allow the WPIAL Championships to be held at Heinz Field. Growing up in the Pittsburgh Area (Zelienople) I know it was always the goal of the high school football teams, bands, and fans to go the game at Three Rivers/Heinz Field. I also believe that the venue is a great place for the Pitt Panthers to call home. I think that the Rooney's show a lot of class by allowing these other teams to use the facilities. However on that same note, the Rooney's have been a bit stubborn to think that all that use will be possible on a natural or hybrid surface. Monday night, although their intentions were good and could not predict the weather, the field was an embarrassment. I hope that it acts as a motivating factor for them to switch to any number of the Field Turf / Artificial Surfaces that are out there. Should not the costs for maintenance of the field already be in the contract agreements with those other teams / organizations, just raise the fees associated with it to offset the cost.

-- Chris, Henderson, North Carolina

Considering the Pittsburgh weather, the answer is simple --put a roof over the field.

-- Carl Meyers, Wexford

They have got to replace it with ARTIFICAL TURF like WEST VIRGINIA or NEW ENGLANDS....what a disgrace that was to the city of PITTSBURGH Monday night...

I'll bet that MONDAY night disgrace did a lot for PITT'S recruiting ... tell the possible recruit ... look at the nice field that you will be playing on

-- Bob Wurzer, Palm Harbor, Fla.

They should do nothing. For years the NFL has tried to sanitize the games with perfect conditions. They do not want to see the type of game we had at Heinz field on Monday night. We here in Pittsburgh should be proud that we still have old school football that can muck it up in the mud. I am sure the conditions may have been extreme, although the removal of snow and mud from the game should not be such a priority for the NFL. Forget about it, let the players play. They surely are not afraid of getting dirty, I hope.

-- Marty Spicer, Oakdale

Option 5: Ensure the NFL schedules a Steelers' away game on the weekend of the WPIAL championships. That would provide a solid week (or two if there were back-to-back road games) for the ground crew to prepare the field.

If they can slate the Cowboys and Lions to be home every Thanksgiving year after year, this shouldn't be a huge issue for the schedule makers.

-- Patrick W., Dallas, Texas

-- Chris, Washington, D.C.

I think that it is great to be able to play football on natural grass, but not in a city that has the weather that Pittsburgh does. Monday night was an embarrassment to the city and the team.

-- Rick

I don't understand why the Rooneys and Heinz Field management haven't contacted Penn State.

Penn State has an excellent reputation for turf management, including offering the Turfgrass Science major under the College of Agricultural Science.

Beaver Stadium is a natural grass stadium and I guarantee you that field has NEVER come close to looking like the mucky mess at Heinz.

Yes, of course I know that Heinz was the venue for several different football contests within a short period of time;

I would think that would make it all the more critical to contact experts in field management.

Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, contact the experts at Penn State.

-- Joanne Grimes, Monroeville

In only makes sense to go to a next-turf playing field. They have too many games in a short period of time to keep the grass in good shape.

-- Mike Donchak, Shenadoah, Pa.

I am a HUGE steeler fan. I grew up there in the 70's. BUT, I think the top brass at Heinz Field, the Rooney family and the NFL should be embarrassed over that field on Monday. Has anyone ever laid sod at their home before.

Would you play football on it a day later? Not to mention the ability to look at a weather forecast. GET THE ARTIFICIAL FIELD ALREADY!

You never saw a game in Three Rivers like that.

-- Bill Wiles, Butler

I think they Steelers should replace the field with artificial turf. The product they use nowadays is much better and more forgiving than the old astro-turf. It would be a shame if WPIAL championships, Pitt games, and other events were prevented from using the field because the NFL puts their foot down and tells the Steelers to keep them off if a rainy weekend is forecast.

-- J. Malcolm Johnson

That was the worse field that I have ever seen, we are very luckily no one was hurt.

Please keep the other Teams off the field during NFL season and build the PITT college team their own field.

What's going to be done for this weekend game?

-- Brent

First published on November 28, 2007 at 11:32 am