Behind the Scenes of SB Field Condition

[crawhammer]

Bro, do you know how many times Bill tried to get an edge on his opponents? Even Vinatieri admitted that in 2001 Bill took the tarp off early before the Pats-Raiders AFC divisional game, in violation of NFL rules, to create favorable conditions for NE while there was a blizzard. This is just one instance.

By "get an edge" you mean cheating again. So how many rings should be taken away from BB?

 

[raduray]

Link/source?

.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/02/14/super-bowl-field-conditions-issues/

 

[SHOWTIME15]

By "get an edge" you mean cheating again. So how many rings should be taken away from BB?

“Belichick does whatever he can to get an edge in a game.”

-Adam Vinatieri (from the video I posted above at 23:45)

 

[Pape]

“Belichick does whatever he can to get an edge in a game.”

-Adam Vinatieri (from the video I posted above at 23:45)

the issue is - the comment you refer to, and what you are insinuation by removing the tarp early, is couched by AV with the term "i think"... at some point, the tarp has gotta come off regardless... players gotta hit the field for warmups, the nfl has to do their field certifications... and ultimately, it really didnt matter cuz we were losing at the half, down by 10 in the third...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

the issue is - the comment you refer to, and what you are insinuation by removing the tarp early, is couched by AV with the term "i think"... at some point, the tarp has gotta come off regardless... players gotta hit the field for warmups, the nfl has to do their field certifications... and ultimately, it really didnt matter cuz we were losing at the half, down by 10 in the third...

Yes, of course, but if the tarp comes off a bit early, more snow is accumulated on the field and it makes the conditions worse. If you are the home team and knew you were going to do this going into the game, you can adjust your game plan accordingly. I'm not saying that it was the reason the Raiders lost at all though. Gruden was well aware of the weather conditions that day. And AV implied that it wasn't the first time Bill/Kraft did this - "Bill does whatever he can do get an edge in a game, and sometimes that means crappy field conditions for me."

In any event, this whole Chiefs groundskeeper helping the chiefs in the SB makes little sense. First of all, the person in charge of the whole field was the NFL's field surface director, Ed Mangan. Second, why would you deliberately make the field more slick when your starting QB has a badly sprained ankle and could easily slip and make it worse? Mahomes was definitely slipping out there. The truth is they wanted the field to look good on TV, and unfortunately, it led to slick field conditions - that's where the problem lies. The league is ultimately responsible.

 

[Pape]

Yes, of course, but if the tarp comes off a bit early, more snow is accumulated on the field and it makes the conditions worse. If you are the home team and knew you were going to do this going into the game, you can adjust your game plan accordingly. I'm not saying that it was the reason the Raiders lost at all though. Gruden was well aware of the weather conditions that day. And AV implied that it wasn't the first time Bill/Kraft did this - "Bill does whatever he can do get an edge in a game, and sometimes that means crappy field conditions for me."

In any event, this whole Chiefs groundskeeper helping the chiefs in the SB makes little sense. First of all, the person in charge of the whole field was the NFL's field surface director, Ed Mangan. Second, why would you deliberately make the field more slick when your starting QB has a badly sprained ankle and could easily slip and make it worse? Mahomes was definitely slipping out there. The truth is they wanted the field to look good on TV, and unfortunately, it led to slick field conditions - that's where the problem lies. The league is ultimately responsible.

Eh, it was snowing but it wasn't like a blizzard... I'm one of those nameless blotches of people you see in the end zone just to the left of the goal posts in those vids/pics... But hey, thanks for mentioning that video, watched it in it's entirety last night... It had been awhile since I had seen it... Great stuff

 

[Triumph]

that was a ****ty field... they needed a slippery when wet sign posted at the end of the locker room tunnels...

reading on barstool that the iggles slipped 38% of the time on mahomes drop backs versus 14% for the cheefs on the Hurts drop backs... thats a significant difference between the two...

so much so, you gotta wonder if some one tipped the cheefs off on the potential field conditions...

George Toma was there checking things out and he is from Westwood, KS.

He is very old and was the Head groundskeeper at Arrowhead and he prepped grass Super Bowl fields for years. I met him and he told me that Nashua, NH high school paid him to come up there and share his expertise on growing and maintaining grass.

I wonder if he told the Chiefs that those morons were screwing the field all up? I saw pics of Toma on the field in Phoenix.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

George Toma was there checking things out and he is from Westwood, KS.

He's originally from PA and grew up an Eagles fan. From what I read he still cheers for both teams.

Call him ‘The Sodfather.’ Kansas City’s George Toma has tended the turf at every single Super Bowl

The groundskeeping legend, known in the discipline as "The Sodfather," worked for the Kansas City Chiefs for 26 years. This week, the 94-year-old is in Glendale, Arizona, where he's hard at work preparing State Farm Stadium for the Super Bowl game and Rihanna's halftime show.

www.kcur.org

“If I had two hearts, one would be with the Chiefs and one would be with the Eagles,” he added.

He is very old and was the Head groundskeeper at Arrowhead and he prepped grass Super Bowl fields for years. I met him and he told me that Nashua, NH high school paid him to come up there and share his expertise on growing and maintaining grass.

I wonder if he told the Chiefs that those morons were screwing the field all up? I saw pics of Toma on the field in Phoenix.

It's possible he said something. But he wasn't the guy in charge of the field that day - some guy named Ed Mangan was the director of field operations. Toma was just one of the groundskeepers.

 

[Pape]

He's originally from PA and grew up an Eagles fan. From what I read he still cheers for both teams.

Call him ‘The Sodfather.’ Kansas City’s George Toma has tended the turf at every single Super Bowl

The groundskeeping legend, known in the discipline as "The Sodfather," worked for the Kansas City Chiefs for 26 years. This week, the 94-year-old is in Glendale, Arizona, where he's hard at work preparing State Farm Stadium for the Super Bowl game and Rihanna's halftime show.

www.kcur.org

It's possible he said something. But he wasn't the guy in charge of the field that day - some guy named Ed Mangan was the director of field operations. Toma was just one of the groundskeepers.

I pew pew your silly facts and will continue to push this conspiracy, this, as mentioned before, SODGATE

 

[Brotherblues]

I wouldn't call it as "the Chiefs got tipped off," but if you want to go that route knock yourself out by all means.

I think it's an example of a veteran HC doing more due diligence on stuff that goes beyond Xs and Os, and really being on top of these details for any possible edge. On the other side we had a young HC in his first dance letting this slip. So it goes.

 

[Triumph]

some guy named Ed Mangan was the director of field operations. Toma was just one of the groundskeepers.

Nobody believes that Toma ran the show at his age.

He was just there out of respect for all his work throughout the years.

 

[Pape]

Nobody believes that Toma ran the show at his age.

He was just there out of respect for all his work throughout the years.

I'm gonna call my buddy who is one of the Yankees groundskeepers, ask his opinion...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Nobody believes that Toma ran the show at his age.

He was just there out of respect for all his work throughout the years.

Yeah just conspiracies being pushed by bitter Eagles fans.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Eh, it was snowing but it wasn't like a blizzard... I'm one of those nameless blotches of people you see in the end zone just to the left of the goal posts in those vids/pics... But hey, thanks for mentioning that video, watched it in it's entirety last night... It had been awhile since I had seen it... Great stuff

I've been hearing and reading blizzard for the game forever it seems, we got 3 inches, hardly a blizzard, it was a light snowfall that just happened to snw during game time.

 

[crawhammer]

“Belichick does whatever he can to get an edge in a game.”

-Adam Vinatieri (from the video I posted above at 23:45)

That Vinatieri quote and what you said clearly aren't the same. So again, how many rings should be taken away from BB?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

That Vinatieri quote and what you said clearly aren't the same. So again, how many rings should be taken away from BB?

Sounds like someone is insecure about BB trying to get an edge in games...LMAO

 

[crawhammer]

Sounds like someone is insecure about BB trying to get an edge in games...LMAO

I'm not insecure about BB. I believe he obsesses about getting any edge possible in every matchup. There's a big different between trying to get an edge and cheating. You're on record as saying BB is a cheater and the Patriots first 3 Super Bowls don't count because of it.

 

[Triumph]

I'm gonna call my buddy who is one of the Yankees groundskeepers, ask his opinion...

Ask him about moles.

They are coming out of the woodwork.

 

[Jim Beankie]

2001 America’s Game at 23:45 mark.




Vinatieri said that Bill and Kraft ordered the tarp to be removed early. NFL rules say that the tarp has to be off right at 90 minutes before kickoff if there is precipitation.

Thanks for the link (and the memories), but if I'm reading the rules correctly, it looks like the deadline to remove the tarp is 90 minutes, so it sounds like they were correctly following the rules... just a little earlier.

2 hours: The visitor’s half of the field must be clear at least 120 minutes prior to kickoff, unless the field is tarped in accordance with league rules.
90 minutes: The grounds crew must have the tarp completely removed from the field if the field was covered due to precipitation. If the stadium has a retractable roof and/or wall, the home club notifies the referee or on-site NFL Football Operations representative whether the roof and/or wall will be open or closed during the game. An open roof or wall can be closed after this point only under certain conditions, including precipitation or if hazardous conditions, such as lightning, endanger people in the stadium.

Countdown to Kickoff: How NFL Games Happen | NFL Football Operations

Go behind the scenes with NFL Football Operations to see everything needed to put on an NFL game day.

operations.nfl.com

 

[Jim Beankie]

2001 America’s Game at 23:45 mark.




Vinatieri said that Bill and Kraft ordered the tarp to be removed early. NFL rules say that the tarp has to be off right at 90 minutes before kickoff if there is precipitation.

"...Right off..." - According to a Bears stadium manager, it takes about 30 min to remove a tarp. I can imagine it would take longer in bad conditions. Here's SF removing the tarp 3 hours before the 49ers/Hawks playoff game this year. You can stop with the TarpGate now, but I'll use any excuse to relive that magical playoff run.

49ers pregame: Rain eases up before playoff opener vs. Seahawks

Levi’s Stadium field emerged in firm condition once the tarp came off three hours before the 49ers’ playoff opener against the Seahawks.

www.redbluffdailynews.com