I don't know if you all seen this against the Dolphins, interesting question.

House of Steel · 09-12-2006, 11:42 PM

Ed Bouchette's Daily Question
Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Question: I watched the Dolphins-Steelers game on TV and I noticed how often the Steelers slipped on the Heinz Field grass. Tyrone Carter falling as Wes Welker makes cuts and goes by them. Ricardo Colclough slipping on punt/kick returns. Willie Parker slipping as he runs outside and attempts to cut it upfield. And those were just a few of the more obvious examples.

Though it may be my imagination, it seemed to impact the Steelers players more than the Dolphins players. I haven't noticed that lack of footing in other games around the NFL. Is that a result of something unique to the turf at Heinz Field? Has anyone else ever noticed or mentioned it? Or, am I simply blowing subtle things out of proportion?

Ted Slack, Charlotte, NC

BOUCHETTE: Someone else did notice it. His name is Bill Cowher. The coach acknowledged today the same thing you did, that too many of his players slipped and he did not remember the Dolphins having such problems. Cowher said he talked to his team about it this week. It likely has something to do with the shoes they wore. They have several choices of length of spikes they wear. Many prefer the shorter spikes because they believe it makes them quicker. But if those spikes don't give you enough traction, the only thing they'll make you quicker doing is slipping and falling.

I am sick of that turf at Heinz Field, when the hell are they ever going to improve that darn thing? It looks beat up all the time. This is a real problem. Why hasn't the Rooneys been able to get a good lawn specialist in there to fix this darn nagging problem?

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 09-12-2006, 11:47 PM

Im surprised they didn't switch to bigger spikes, they usually do whenever they notice players starting to slip. This is the best condition we'll see Heinz Field in all year, from here on out it's only going to get worse as Pitt plays more games, the high school teams start playing etc.

House of Steel · 09-12-2006, 11:49 PM

See that the problem right there. They need to tell PITT to play in their damn stadium and the High Schools to find an alternative site. You might ask why I am so sore over this? This could do a world of good. I suggest someone tear that field up after this season and lay down some real turf. It is getting annoying to see that field beat up all the time.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 09-12-2006, 11:58 PM

What they need to do is install Field Turf like so many other stadiums that get alot of wear and tear through the year. Stadiums in the northeast are always torn up as the year goes on. They replace the sod atleast twice a year but by December it still plays like hell.

I don't mind seeing the high school kids play there, that's gotta be a thrill for them, but I would like to see Pitt play in a different stadium, that would help alot. It's nothing personal against Pitt but the college boys are alot bigger than the highschool boys and when you play a full season of NFL games including pre season and playoffs, then you add the college games AND the highschool kids it's just too much wear and tear on the stadium if you ask me and we run the risk of the stadium showing its age before its time.

The stadium was built with the idea that both programs play there each year so unless something drastic happens it will be that way for a long time.

**Steelersfan** · 09-13-2006, 12:36 AM

I think it was Suit that said they had the Steelers had the wrong shoes on. Although I can't imagine the home team wearing the wrong ones. That is just stupid.

**AZ_Steeler** · 09-13-2006, 11:29 AM

Someone else brought this up.. whoever gave the write up of the game that was there... The field being beat up doesn't bother me because it adds to the Steeler home field advantage, especially these teams that play on fake grass! I'm all for their attempt to keep real grass, but the Steelers need to make sure they are wearing the right cleats for the game.

**SteelerFan87** · 09-13-2006, 11:43 AM

I too think Pitt should get their own stadium. Not just because it tears up the field, but because it looks ridiculous. What is Pitt, who's colors are blue and gold, doing playing in a stadium full of yellow seats? Plus, with Pitt playing there, the Steelers can't put a symbol in the middle of the field, and they always leave that one endzone with just white lines in it. It looks terrible. They need a nice big Steelers symbol in the middle of the field, and nice gold endzones with Pittsburgh Steelers written in them, like at Three Rivers.

**AZ_Steeler** · 09-13-2006, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by SteelerFan87

I too think Pitt should get their own stadium. Not just because it tears up the field, but because it looks ridiculous. What is Pitt, who's colors are blue and gold, doing playing in a stadium full of yellow seats? Plus, with Pitt playing there, the Steelers can't put a symbol in the middle of the field, and they always leave that one endzone with just white lines in it. It looks terrible. They need a nice big Steelers symbol in the middle of the field, and nice gold endzones with Pittsburgh Steelers written in them, like at Three Rivers.

Come the playoffs they paint the end zones, but Pitt does need their own stadium. The field was built primarily for the Steelers, but a college doesn't really deserve to play their unless they are going to be playing a HUGE game and would like the extra seating. The Cardinals shared a Stadium with AS-Phew, I mean U

and it got to the point where the Cardinals couldn't say "We will protect our house!!" Which is all the more reason for Pitt to get their own stadium...

as a side note SF87... Pitts colors being Blue and Gold and the Steelers being Black and Gold, why do the Steelers have a stadium with yellow seats?

I'm just pulling yor chain

**PITT23** · 09-13-2006, 06:57 PM

Theres no way Pitt was going to get their own stadium. The minute they were offered a chance to play at Heinz they jumped at it. It also made it chaper for the Steelers. I agree that slipping is a big problem and should never happen at home.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 09-13-2006, 07:03 PM

The Rooney's are too community oriented to every make Pitt play somewhere else. I mean if you were Pitt and you had a chance to play in an NFL stadium instead of having to build your own, you'd do it too.

It's been a sore spot with me ever since Heinz was built but there's nothing that will be done short of a new regime with the Steelers, and none of us wants to see the Rooney's ever stop owning the Steelers.