The Patriots broadcast team talks about soccer in the SwampLands

[nsa]

During the post-game (cum post-season) show on the New England Patriots radio station, they kept an eye on the happenings at the Jets game. They were discussing the horrible field conditions in the SwampLands after Saturday's Giants' match followed by Sunday's tilt. They attributed the deplorable shape of the field to the fact it is built in trays on top of the old turf/concrete field with a wooden framework leveling out the old crown. The trays do not give the grass a chance to really take root.

So they mention that the new grass fields elsewhere are built in new stadiums or by blowing up the old turf field and laying in a new base and drainage for the grass. And then they blame the MetroScum for preventing the SwampLands from tearing down and rebuilding the field there. (Hell, we've blamed them for a lot in the past, but not this. :) )

Their suggestion - find a new place for the M-Scum to play while the field gets a real makeover. Their quote: "It's not like the New Jersey MetroStars are drawing 70,000 folks like the old Cosmos." Followed by a few more obligatory anti-soccer remarks from the pointy-nosed football folks.

[kenntomasch]

Funny. At the end of the day, they're paid by the Krafts, aren't they?

And, IIRC correctly, it wasn't the MetroStars who pushed for grass (at least, it wouldn't have mattered if they did, if the Jets and Giants didn't want it, it wouldn't have happened) or who chose the system that they decided to use.

Could they not have torn up the turf totally and just installed a true grass field, like they have in other stadia in the northeast?

[ToMhIlL]

Originally posted by nsa
Their suggestion - find a new place for the M-Scum to play while the field gets a real makeover. Their quote: "It's not like the New Jersey MetroStars are drawing 70,000 folks like the old Cosmos." Followed by a few more obligatory anti-soccer remarks from the pointy-nosed football folks.
Yeah, like down the road a bit in Harrison, maybe? I'd go along with that...

But if they wanted to blame someone, it should be the fact that the stadium has 2 NFL teams playing in it, so there's a game there every week. That takes more of a toll on the field than year-round use does in a place where only one NFL team plays. The Jets used to play at Shea, but a MLS-like lease and about 20,000 fewer seats was enough to convince them to move to NJ several years ago.

And to bring this full circle, you could still see the outline of the center circle in Foxboro, even though the last soccer game there was October 20th. Those %$#@*&^% soccer lines ruining the NFL field!

Tom

[Kevin Etzel]

I know some soccer fans distain complaining about soccer-bashers but, for what it is worth I e-mailed the following comments to the Patriots by way of their website:

Dear Patriots,

During the post-game show on the New England Patriots radio station, they kept an eye on the happenings at the Jets game. They were discussing the horrible field conditions at Giants Stadium after Saturday's game. They attributed the deplorable shape of the field to the fact it is built in trays on top of the old turf/concrete field with a wooden framework leveling out the old crown. The trays do not give the grass a chance to really take root.

So they mention that the new grass fields elsewhere are built in new stadiums or by blowing up the old turf field and laying in a new base and drainage for the grass. And then they blame the MetroStars soccer team for preventing Giants Stadium from tearing down and rebuilding the field there.

This is not true. The MetroStars along with the Jets and Giants agreed to the current tray system that had worked well at other locations, but not at Giants Stadium. It was not solely the decision of the soccer team (as stated by your broadcast team), but more an attempt by the football teams to reduce injuries caused by the previous artifical surface.

I hope in the future that your broadcasters will try to be more accurate. It is very popular to talk against soccer in the USA, which is fine with me (everyone is entitled to their own opinion). But, broadcasters should be more sure of the facts when doing so.

Regards,
Kevin Etzel
NFL/MLS Fan
Plainview, CT

[falcon6]

Originally posted by Kevin Etzel
I know some soccer fans distain complaining about soccer-bashers but, for what it is worth I e-mailed the following comments to the Patriots by way of their website:

Dear Patriots,

During the post-game show on the New England Patriots radio station, they kept an eye on the happenings at the Jets game. They were discussing the horrible field conditions at Giants Stadium after Saturday's game. They attributed the deplorable shape of the field to the fact it is built in trays on top of the old turf/concrete field with a wooden framework leveling out the old crown. The trays do not give the grass a chance to really take root.

So they mention that the new grass fields elsewhere are built in new stadiums or by blowing up the old turf field and laying in a new base and drainage for the grass. And then they blame the MetroStars soccer team for preventing Giants Stadium from tearing down and rebuilding the field there.

This is not true. The MetroStars along with the Jets and Giants agreed to the current tray system that had worked well at other locations, but not at Giants Stadium. It was not solely the decision of the soccer team (as stated by your broadcast team), but more an attempt by the football teams to reduce injuries caused by the previous artifical surface.

I hope in the future that your broadcasters will try to be more accurate. It is very popular to talk against soccer in the USA, which is fine with me (everyone is entitled to their own opinion). But, broadcasters should be more sure of the facts when doing so.

Regards,
Kevin Etzel
NFL/MLS Fan
Plainview, CT

[falcon6]

Good letter Kevin. You should have also added that hair bands like Bon Jovi playing on the grass also destroys it.

[IMissTheFusion]

Bon Jovi still playing causes negative effects in a great many things....most notably fat 35 year old chicks from Jersey trying to squeeze their fat ass into the same jeans they wore 15 years ago, plastering on a ton of makeup and thinking they are attractive.

That said...good letter. Did you get any response back?