More on UMass' Field Turf installation

[Umass74]

I was down in Amherst yesterday and visited McGuirk.

There are some inages of the new turf on my UMass Football Blog here (http://www.umass74.blogspot.com/) .:)

Right click on the image for a larger view .

[saint0917]

Very nice 74, here are more pics on the Umass website.

New Turf (http://umassathletics.cstv.com/genrel/080406aae.html)

[umassfan]

We dont have to worry bout any snow issues for Colgate this year :)

[Tribe4SF]

Looking forward to the Tribe's visit to McGuirk. Seems like a nice facility. Glad you replaced what I gather was an awful playing surface.

[Umass74]

Looking forward to the Tribe's visit to McGuirk. Seems like a nice facility. Glad you replaced what I gather was an awful playing surface.


Define awful. xlolx

The major problem was the stadium was built on wetlands. It was OK unless it rained. The water table was so high that even a small amount of rain turned it into a bog.

Last year the stadium staff kept the surface covered pre-game, but there was no runoff. Once it was chewed up, not much could be done with the surface.

I talked to the fieldturf guy and he said the new surface could handle >5 inches/hour of rain with no problems.:hurray:

[umassfan]

Looking forward to the Tribe's visit to McGuirk. Seems like a nice facility. Glad you replaced what I gather was an awful playing surface.


When you do come up... it will be band day and that is something fun to watch. The whole field will be covered with 300 UMass band members and high school kids from all over the northeast area.

[Tribe4SF]

When you do come up... it will be band day and that is something fun to watch. The whole field will be covered with 300 UMass band members and high school kids from all over the northeast area.

I'll be staying with my sister in Windsor Locks, CT and we'll be driving up a couple of hours early to tailgate. Parking looks ok, from what I've seen. Any suggestions?

[umassfan]

I'll be staying with my sister in Windsor Locks, CT and we'll be driving up a couple of hours early to tailgate. Parking looks ok, from what I've seen. Any suggestions?
There will be alot of busses because of the bands but you should be able to park near the stadium in what i remember is the purple lot. Its really close to the stadium.

[blukeys]

There will be alot of busses because of the bands but you should be able to park near the stadium in what i remember is the purple lot. Its really close to the stadium.


I have NEVER had any problems parking at UMASS. I confess I never was there on a band day but most UMassfans show up at best about an hour before kickoff. I would say about 60 to 70% show up 30 minutes before the game. Tailgating is not big at UMASS. If You tailgate you can invite the early UMASSFANS, (there will be a few) they will be good folks to hang out with and be very polite and respectful to your team. These folks are not sterotypical Northeastern Fans. They are calm, methodical, reasoned, and knowledgeable.

In addition the countryside surrounding Amherst is gorgeous.

In short go to the game you'll be able to park and you will have a good time. :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

[umassfan]

I have NEVER had any problems parking at UMASS. I confess I never was there on a band day but most UMassfans show up at best about an hour before kickoff. I would say about 60 to 70% show up 30 minutes before the game. Tailgating is not big at UMASS. If You tailgate you can invite the early UMASSFANS, (there will be a few) they will be good folks to hang out with and be very polite and respectful to your team. These folks are not sterotypical Northeastern Fans. They are calm, methodical, reasoned, and knowledgeable.

In addition the countryside surrounding Amherst is gorgeous.

In short go to the game you'll be able to park and you will have a good time. :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:
Tailgating for the most part untill recently hasnt been allowed on campus therefor that is why we dont have a core group of tailgaters. Its not the colleges fault but the town of Amherst/Hadley. Besides a group of stupid students that every college has, our fanbase is pretty friendly overall like stated above. I was suppose to come home for this game but I decided to go to homecoming and NU on the road instead.

[Old Cage]

For band day - start your tailgate early because you really do want to be in the stadium thirty minutes before kickoff. After the game come to the home side and plan on up to 45 minutes more. If it's a decent day, it's quite a spectacle.

[Husky Alum]

These folks are not sterotypical Northeastern Fans. They are calm, methodical, reasoned, and knowledgeable.

Um, do you mean Northeastern as the geography (i.e Northeastern portion of the United States), or Northeastern as my alma mater? I never knew we had enough fans to bother anyone. ;) There are more than a couple posters on that board who'll vouch.

As for tailgating at UMass, I've never had a problem parking there. We haven't won there since like 1966, but it hasn't stopped me from going.

[blukeys]

Um, do you mean Northeastern as the geography (i.e Northeastern portion of the United States), or Northeastern as my alma mater? I never knew we had enough fans to bother anyone. ;) There are more than a couple posters on that board who'll vouch.

As for tailgating at UMass, I've never had a problem parking there. We haven't won there since like 1966, but it hasn't stopped me from going.


My apologies to the Huskies and their fans for not being clear enough. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I meant Northeastern as in Geography and in all honesty the nasty reputation really could be confined to New York and Philly as I have never seen obnoxiousness in Boston or Baltimore (Some clever taunting by fans on the third base side of Fenway which I made me LMAO, I have seen)

I have never been to Parsons but I think I am going to have to go. I would really like to sit in the back yards of the neighbors and watch the game and drink the whole time!!!!!!!!

[SuperJon]

Looks a lot better than Liberty's turf. For the past month it's been a big gravel pit. There are new excuses why it hasn't gone in popping up every two or three days. It was supposed to be finished, worst case, yesterday. It still hasn't begun.

[Fordham]

this thread is like watching the grass grow.

[Husky Alum]

I have never been to Parsons but I think I am going to have to go. I would really like to sit in the back yards of the neighbors and watch the game and drink the whole time!!!!!!!!

Nah, the neighbors aren't all that accomodating. You can get a better view sitting in the back of my SUV in the end zone drinking some "lemonade" and "diet coke" or "apple juice".

[umassfan]

this thread is like watching the grass grow.
Can fake grass grow?xlolx

[umassfan]

Um, do you mean Northeastern as the geography (i.e Northeastern portion of the United States), or Northeastern as my alma mater? I never knew we had enough fans to bother anyone. ;) There are more than a couple posters on that board who'll vouch.

As for tailgating at UMass, I've never had a problem parking there. We haven't won there since like 1966, but it hasn't stopped me from going.
Im making the trip to Parsons this year... where might I run into a Husky Alum :cool:

[Tribe4SF]

Nah, the neighbors aren't all that accomodating. You can get a better view sitting in the back of my SUV in the end zone drinking some "lemonade" and "diet coke" or "apple juice".

I can vouch for that! If you're going to visit Husky Alum's tailgate and it's raining, strap a kayak to your back. I discovered that Parsons is the drainage point for all of Brookline.:eek:

[Tribe4SF]

Can fake grass grow?xlolx

I have a friend who has had great difficulty grasping the concept of FieldTurf. He has asked me the following....

1) "Have they watered it yet?" (A: No, it seems to do better when it's dry.)

2) "When will they cut it?" (A: If they don't water it, they may not have to.)

For all the snipers out there....no, he's not a W&M grad.

[bkrownd]

Glad you replaced what I gather was an awful playing surface.

You don't like grass?

[Umass74]

I've posted yet another (and very likely the last) update on UMass' field turf installation on my UMass Football Blog (http://www.umass74.blogspot.com/) . Please forgive our interest in the field renovations, but the first major upgrade in McGuirk in forty years makes UMass fans a little giddy. :rotateh:

This one shows the UMass decals and center "UM".

As usual, right click on the image for a larger view.

[saint0917]

I've posted yet another (and very likely the last) update on UMass' field turf installation on my UMass Football Blog (http://www.umass74.blogspot.com/) . Please forgive our interest in the field renovations, but the first major upgrade in McGuirk in forty years makes UMass fans a little giddy. :rotateh:

Wow, it looks real nice. It will be nice working on the sidelines this year and not have to stand in 6 inches of mud every game. :hurray:

[Umass74]

Yup, it should help everybody.

Last year UMass practiced on what, five different fields? We almost lost a WR when he was almost hit by a car going after a long pass while the team was practicing on the mall in front of the stadium off Stadium Drive xlolx

Should really help the team get more done at practice.:nod:

[Calif_Colonial]

Don't appologize for talking up the new FieldTurf installation.

It's awesome, Fieldturf in the Northeast is the way to go! Gamedays in September through the middle of October is usually great. But from there on you can have rain, sleet, and snow come November. It can become a nasty muddy quagmire!:nonono2:

The UMASS logo at the 50 is going to look sweet! :thumbsup:

:hurray:

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

It's awesome, Fieldturf in the Northeast is the way to go! Gamedays in September through the middle of October is usually great. But from there on you can have rain, sleet, and snow come November. It can become a nasty muddy quagmire!:nonono2:


The problem the past two seasons has been monsoons in early October!

[Umass74]

Don't appologize for talking up the new FieldTurf installation.

It's awesome, Fieldturf in the Northeast is the way to go! Gamedays in September through the middle of October is usually great. But from there on you can have rain, sleet, and snow come November. It can become a nasty muddy quagmire!

The UMASS logo at the 50 is going to look sweet!

Thanks CC.

As I said before, the sight of the new field really makes UMass fans smile. After years of shoestring budgets, some investment in the program makes us giddy.

When Jimmie Reid was head coach, his budget was so low that on recruiting trips he would say with friends and sleep on the floor. When UMass played another New England team, the UMass food service would make box lunches and the team would park at a rest stop on the Maine Turnpike and eat a plastic wrapped sandwich, and apple an some cool aid...

[MSUBear42]

The new brand of FieldTurf is amazing. Missouri State had it installed this year, too:

http://usera.imagecave.com/MSUBear42/FootballStadium.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/MSUBear42/105_2927.jpg

http://usera.imagecave.com/MSUBear42/105_2925.jpg

[SuperJon]

How long did it take to install? We finally got ours here at Liberty (after a month of it supposed to be here and hearing all kinds of excuses why it wasn't) and now they're saying it'll take 10-14 days and the first game is in 19 days.

[Tod]

Looks really good! Missouri State's, too! Congrats!

Now, let's get the damn season here!!!!:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:

:nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

[MSUBear42]

It took ours, start to finish, about 3 weeks. That including removing the old turf and installing all logos.

[MSUBear42]

Here is the pic that FieldTurf took:

http://fieldturf.com/images/installs/Plaster%20Field%20panoramic.jpg

[SuperJon]

Ok, our turf's already been taken up.

[Umass74]

SJ:

Once the under gravel is set, it only took about a week to lay the turf. The sand/rubber composte is a seperate operation. It only takes a couple of days, but requires good weather.

Looks like you'll make it unless you get a week of rain. Good luck!

[SuperJon]

Awesome, that makes me a lot happier

[Tribe4SF]

Awesome, that makes me a lot happier

They can get it done in time....as long as Jerry keeps sending the installments.:smiley_wi

Tribe players are raving about the FieldTurf.

[Calif_Colonial]

Missouri State University's stadium is a beautiful facilty too. I quess if I had home seats up by the pressbox I could burn off a few pounds just taking a trip down for a coke.

[SuperJon]

They can get it done in time....as long as Jerry keeps sending the installments.:smiley_wi

Tribe players are raving about the FieldTurf.

The got about 35 yards down today.

[Umass74]

I have four images of the sand/rubber composite being installed on the UMass FieldTurf surface. They are on my UMass Football Blog (http://umass74.blogspot.com/).

[Umass74]

Just a note. The installation of the FieldTurf at McGuirk is complete. The field has been handed over to the UMass Football team.

First practice on the field was held yesterday to rave reviews.