Faux Grass

[LifeTimeCajun]

I just think that we could have better spent 700K rather than putting it on a the turf. You can employee two men to be full time workers that can maintain that field...to do maintenace only. We are talking about less than three acres to take care of. And for that kind of money you can buy a heck of alot of chemicals to take care of it as well. Of course I am not talking about all the painting and endzone designs ...just speaking of turf maintenace. We are in south lousiana. There is no reason you cant get grass to grow with the rescources that a university should have.

[CajunAmos]

I just think that we could have better spent 700K rather than putting it on a the turf. You can employee two men to be full time workers that can maintain that field...to do maintenace only. We are talking about less than three acres to take care of. And for that kind of money you can buy a heck of alot of chemicals to take care of it as well. Of course I am not talking about all the painting and endzone designs ...just speaking of turf maintenace. We are in south lousiana. There is no reason you cant get grass to grow with the rescources that a university should have.

I'm thinking that the maintenance personnel is the same that handles these services for the whole university, and they don't have the staffing to dedicate time to just one field. I don't think baseball would be having an assistance coach spend time maintaining a field rather than scouting or coaching if there was another avenue to handle this maintenance. Also, during off seasons, no one maintains the fields at all. I think it was stated in an earlier post, but just having the fields in great condition year round for recruiting purposes is a great thing as well.

[Just1More]

I saw a local sports personality talking to some HS coaches and he said that there are over 50 artificial football fields in Louisiana now, mostly at high schools. I find it hard to believe that the cost is justified thru reduced maintenance costs alone. For HS programs, I think it's easier to get boosters to pay for a new turf field than it is to get them to rally around paying for the upkeep on the old gr_____ That is probably one of the biggest reasons that "maintenance economics" plays a part in this. Otherwise, I find it hard to believe that maintenance cost reductions justify the capital outlay.

Regardless, there are benefits to faux grass beyond maintenance cost reductions. I think it will be an improvement from many angles. It does impress HS recruits. For one, the speedster types want to play on turf. They know that they clock out faster on turf. I think it's a wash, but they don't... and that's what counts.

I like the fact that we will be practicing on artificial grass and playing on it. That does add both a real and perceived (mental) benefit to our team. I also like that we can provide the stadium to a multitude of events, marketing our program at the very least, and not have to worry about significant damage/repair to our field.

"The Faux Swamp"... I think that new name will be indisputably unique.

[Etowncajun]

What work is being done on the outdoor practice field?

[shof]

_ I saw a local sports personality talking to some HS coaches and he said that there are over 50 artificial football fields in Louisiana now, mostly at high schools.

There's a big push here in San Antonio for the newer artificial turfs. It makes a great deal of sense here because one or two fields host the entire district; so the natural grass fields were getting beaten up fast with so many teams playing games on them.
Shof

[jllanclos]

"The Faux Swamp"... I think that new name will be indisputably unique. _

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snote]

I saw a local sports personality talking to some HS coaches and he said that there are over 50 artificial football fields in Louisiana now, mostly at high schools.

can you define "local sports personality" ?

he obviously was attempting to predict the future..

I also like that we can provide the stadium to a multitude of events, marketing our program at the very least, and not have to worry about significant damage/repair to our field.

yeah.. no more "static" when comes to Kiwanis's FB Jamboree for the locals

[Just1More]

_ can you define "local sports personality" ?

he obviously was attempting to predict the future..

Lee Brecheen - "local" to Baton Rouge - Louisiana Football Magazine. On one of his shows the other day, he said something like "can you believe we now have over 50 artificial turf fields in Louisiana... most of them high schools... it all got started with STM in Lafayette, West Monroe and some school around New Orleans..."

If there were 50 in Louisiana, 45 would have to be at high schools. He didn't elaborate, but he doesn't tend to exaggerate. He may have said "15", but I thought he said "50". I do not know how to validate his statement.

[USLJim]

_ Faux-naïf is more like it. Do they really think they can save money with this? After eleven years you sink $1.4 mil in plastic blades and sand balls and pretend you don't have to hire maintenance to keep the field raked and floated. I refuse to believe that putting the $700G in a money market earning a measly three percent wouldn’t give a full time maintenance guy the head start on saving the Swamp’s beloved grass. It's not like you can let the maintenance crew go, he still has to cut the end zone hills. This sounds like a weapon of mass distraction ploy. _

Why don't you get negative!!!! Do you ever ask questions, Do you know how much money is spent on Paint for each game. I asked, 150-200 gallons per game. Now multiply that by , say, $15/can for 5 to 6 games per year. Do you know how much is cost to buy professional lawnmowers, weedeaters, and other maintenance tools. Do you know how many manhours you are saving for these guys to be doing something else other than mowing the field, painting it . do you know how much fertilizer cost and how much is used. I only hope you aren't a UL , USL, SLI, SLII graduate cause you are too NEGATIVE FOR ME. GO ROOT FOR SOMEONE ELSE IF YOU ARE NOT A VISIONARY. We will save money and man power which we don't have because of money. GET REAL.