NFL Rep to inspect field
 

Scott from San Diego asked during the most recent chat what would stop the San Francisco 49ers or any team home for the playoffs from watering or drying out the playing surface to suit their style of play.

I didn't get to this question during the chat because I didn't have an air-tight answer. But according to NFL officials, the league sends a representative from its football operations department to each stadium. The official visits the stadium the day before the game to review field-maintenance plans with the team.

We should not expect to see the rogue sprinkler operator from those restaurant commercials, in other words.

Good to hear .... TwoDat!

The day before the game is too late. Somebody should be with that Grounds Crew all week IMO.

They review the maint plan. Nothing more. If a team wanted to tamper with it your right, nothing is going to stop them. We'll know by halftime though, its been dry as a bone there all week and the tide forecast is low.

I thought that was the problem in Green Bay first game of the season....our players kept slipping on the field and the Packers ran wild

We should not expect to see the rogue sprinkler operator from those restaurant commercials, in other words.

Scared children!! trying to even a playing field they can never reach!!

Do they inspect the power grid for night games?

It is still possible they were icing Big Ben. He had an injection that would only last 3 hours and they inadvertently added an hour to that with a power outage. An UNHEARD-OF power outage.

I would put nothing past a football program to pull some crazy shat over a crucial win or loss.

That Packers slip-and-slide was REAL. Even the announcers called it.

Total B.S.

Alaska

Dont you think we are all getting caught up in all this rubbish about being away from home, being outside, checking the weather, checking the moon, seeing if the stars are aligned...

As Public Enemy famously said - Don't Believe the Hype!

To win the Superbowl you have to be good enough to win home and away, inside and outside and beat a variety of teams. The way the Saints are playing, conducting themselves and how things appear in preparation, they have a really REALLY good shot at going all the way.

Let's not get drawn into these conversations. If we make it an issue, it becomes an issue.

WHO DAT!

That's what gets me, I've heard a ton of people talk about the Saints record outside. BUT NOT WHY!!

There really isn't any logic in it just "they don't play good outside". This is a bunch of crap.

How about this instead, because of the O-Line problems early in the season, the Saints offense had trouble with protections and run blocking. They got that straitened out after the Rams games and haven't looked back.

and put that together with:
Since the Rams game, the Saints only played three games away from the dome. ATL, TEN, and MIN. All victories.

The away stats everybody is talking about are heavily weighted to the early part of the schedule that was before we got some of those issues addressed.

There's no voodoo here it was just a fluke of the schedule of when our home games were vs. away.:bng:

The slip-and-slide effect on the field (much like we saw in Green Bay) is NOT just from sprinklers or water. It can be caused by re-sodding or putting down new grass, on part or all of the field, and not leaving enough time for the grass to grow proper roots and dig in.

It's basically a lot like those rolls or carpet chunks of grass that you see at Home Depot. You put pressure on them, or stress, and the grass easily rips and falls apart, exposing the dirt or sod beneath. Also, the water from sprinklers can become trapped underneath the layer of grass, and when the grass rips or tears, because it doesn't have any roots, the water or mud hidden underneath the field comes up. So it can be dry as a bone weather-wise, and no rain for two weeks, the grass can be dry on top, and still be soggy and mud-like underneath, once the grass gets ripped or starts to come up. I guarantee you the field at Candlestick will look green and pretty at the start of the game, but it will become a sloppy, sloggy, disgusting mess by the 2nd or 3rd quarter. They have to slow the Saints down. They WILL do this.

Here's what's going to be the extent of the field inspection:
NFL inspector walks into Candlestick, takes a look at the field, stops for a second or two, scratches his chin and says: "Yep...uh huh...yep...I see it...there's definately a field here. Check. We're good to go."

I have said this before, but I STILL think we're gonna see a situation at Candlestick with, one sloppy, muddy, re-sodded end of the field and one pristine one. And even if the Niners win the toss, I would not be surprised to see them elect to pick which direction they will defend, and set it up so that the Saints are headed into that end zone in the 2nd and 4th, rather than elect to receive the kickoff. SO watch for the Niners to win the toss and pick an end zone, rather than electing to take the ball. Then you'll know the field trickery is on.

record highs expected for Saturday. No rain all week

Whatever they do, it'll make the running game difficult for both sides.

The only advantage I see in it would be perhaps SF would have a better idea as to cleat sizes. I'd think bigger cleats would be better on those surfaces. I have no doubt, extra sizes will be brought, and I suspect they've been practicing on turf, at least some, as well as outside.

It is true you've got other factors outside, like sun and shadows casting onto the fields, looking into the sun, the brightness, darkness, and of course the big one, wind. Unless the wind gets pretty ferocious, it won't affect the shorter passes. Once again, that disadvantage goes to both sides.

So I think we're going to see a very good game. It may be lower scoring than usual. I'm not sure why I feel that way, but I do. I hope I'm wrong, since I love seeing the Saints' run up the score.

Saints are doing a walk through today on the field and they will have pregame warm ups on it tomorrow. If they can't figure out the field conditions shame on them. I would think after the first game this year on a slick lambeau they would know to bring extra cleats.

I think everyone is overemphasizing this whole field conditions crap. The Saints will be ready for any of the conditions, I'm sure coach Payton has taken the proper precautions along with the equipment managers bringing a few different cleats just in case. Tired of hearing about all this all week, WE WILL BE FINE!

It reminds me of in '09 when everybody was saying that we'd be "rusty" from the time off and that we lost three games. You better believe that SP is tired of hearing how we aren't the same team on the road and can't play outside. We'll be ready

Exactly, if the field is wet, it's on purpose.

Well if it as dry as my bone, then they will not need to wet it

Wow. You guys talk about EVERYTHING.

I'm with Hulka...they will see that the feild is there.

Not like they aren't going to let them play or anything.

The weather at Candlestick. Bad time for the Niners to be having the nicest January in memory. San Francisco would be better served with a slick field Saturday, to slow Sproles and Graham. But the weather's been almost summery, with consistent bright sunshine all week ... and it could be a 67 by gametime. Saints weather.

Read more: Niners defense looking to outsmart Drew Brees and the Saints - Peter King - SI.com

LOL jokeray. We like to make sure all the bases are covered...
Oh wait...wrong sport...damn...

If that field is sloppy it'll be on purpose. Should the NFL realize this, both organizations should just get on BART, zip over to Oakland, and play the game there. :mrgreen:

old school home field advantage goes out of the window

you guys are the first team i've ever seen talk about who the refs are going to be before the game.

you guys are thorough, I'll give you that.

Our thoroughness comes from years and years and years of not having "Wins" to discuss.

Right, plus it's a day game, so power won't be a factor. An outage might lower concession sales, but not much else

I think the wet field would be safer

After reading their boards and listening to SF fans smack talk all week, I am starting to think that the Niners might have blacked out the power at Candlestick against the Steelers on purpose, to cause a game delay so Ben's novocaine shot in his ankle would wear off! There really was never a good explanation given for what happened with the power there that night. Could be a scenario like the dude from "Airplane" pulling the plug on the runway lights.

Can we please stop worrying about the tides?

The stadium is 14 feet above sea level and is entirely unaffected by the tides or the fog or anything like that, except rain. I am here on the Peninsula right now. It is sunny and cool, not cold, and a perfect day for football, just like it will be tomorrow. There is no rain or tsunami in the forecast.

Nothing else to see here, we can move on.

Rite. For some reason people think it's below sea level. The only thing out here below sea level is in Sacramento...

bada boom!

Two shows a nite.

Tip your waiters and waitresses.

Forget the field, keep your eyes in the stands and the parking lot!
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...4wJH-wxL_UwXIg

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...pVpPJK7dhaVV0A

I'd go and personally water the 49ers side of the field.

Wasn't that Baltimore they pulled that crap on???

Your conspiracy theories are cute.

Just leave your sideline whistles at home please (because there is actual audio/video evidence of that)

Guess they need this advantage since their crowd isn't loud enough!?!?!?!?

If they don't water their field they might find themselves wishing that they had.

Fantastic what you folks can do with special effects these days.