Because the NFL season is much longer than the World Cup. Also the NFL season takes place in a much colder part of the year, which is very unfriendly to grass. And I would bet a dollar that they are limiting (or even prohibiting) concerts and other events during the World Cup, which they can’t reasonably do from August to January to accommodate the NFL.
Not to mention that even if no events ever happened at MetLife stadium other than NFL games from August to January, and it were unseasonably warm to allow the grass to have the most favorable conditions, you still have to face playing twice as many NFL games on that grass compared to your typical NFL stadium.
I recall during the natural grass experiment from 2000 to 2003 that they spent $1 million per week maintaining the grass, but still it was a dismal failure.
Virtually all of the projects I’ve worked on that involve new football/soccer fields for the high schools in our area used FieldTurf. That stuff is pretty amazing and is a far cry from the old astroturf many people think of when they hear ‘artificial turf.’
FieldTurf is installed on a prepared surface of compacted subgrade, ~6" of compacted drainage rock, and ~2" of compacted leveling aggregate. The turf itself has fairly long “blades” and also has an infill of small rubberized granular pellets. If you’ve watched a football game played on FieldTurf and noticed black stuff flying where the players’ feet hit the ground, those are the rubberized pellets.
You mentioned Seattle wanting the stadium to switch natural grass over artificial turf. It’s worth noting that the Washington State Department of Ecology considers this type of artificial turf a “pollution generating surface” and that any stormwater runoff from the field needs enhanced treatment before it’s allowed to infiltrate or enter a body of water. These enhanced treatment systems aren’t cheap and I could see a client electing to stay with natural grass it if means not having to install an expensive stormwater treatment facility onsite.
Getting back to Aaron Rodgers, it’s unfortunate to have an injury like that at the beginning of the season, with all the excitement that comes when bringing in a quarterback that’s won a Superbowl (even if that was over a decade ago). I used to be a big Packers fan since before their Superbowl win in '97 right on up to a few years ago when real life commitments got in the way of my fandom. In the end I never bothered to get back into it and it’s been a couple years now since I’ve watched an NFL game at all. I used to be certain that one day I would see a game at Lambeau Field, and now I just don’t care.
As a very long-suffering Jets fan, this is just… typical.
However, it may be a blessing in disguise (for me). I was really struggling between being excited with the instant playoff hopes (though way over-hyped in my opinion) and hating the guy. So now that conflict is gone. And the Jets get to keep their first round draft pick.
I have no idea how far Wilson will be able to take them, but at least I can watch them (lose?) in peace.
I was watching a news segment about this yesterday that showed a video clip that caught the exact moment, from a perfect camera angle and slowed down-- so you could see his calf muscle jiggle like jello as the tendon snapped. Ugh.
Like him or hate him, Jets fan or not, I hate seeing anybody have an injury like that.
Though, in the same news segment, they said “it’s being called ‘the most devastating injury in the history of the NFL’”. I thought, somewhere, Joe Theismann must be saying “Hello? Remember me?!?” Not to mention Detroit Lion Mike Utley and others made parapalegic by injuries.
Even if they mean in the context of ruining a contender’s chance to win a championship, Vinny Testaverde has entered the chat. Same injury, same team, same potential.
Yeah, in whatever context you take the statement, it was pretty hyperbolic and kind of insensitive to the many NFL players over the years who’ve had all manner of devastating injuries. Even if Rodger’s career is done, he’s got a nice nest egg and will be reasonably intact physically and mentally once he heals.
It was definitely hyperbolic. But considering Rodgers HoF trajectory, long career and many records, notoriety on and off the field, and spectacular flame-out on the field after only 3 plays with his new team, after a summer of hype, and on a nationally televised game, it does rank up there. Altho, I am of the age and remember the Joe Theismann event and think that one can never be topped.
Meanwhile, I’m seeing conflicting reports concerning whether Colin Kapernick is talking to the Jets. I’m guessing it’s not going to happen, and is just gossip.
The only thing I’ve read (Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, etc.) is that his agent contacted the Jets. That’s all. No information on whether they politely declined or just immediately hung up.
Not sure how NFL quarterback contracts work but since he was guaranteed $65M for the season can they force him to assume other job duties instead of letting him basically go home?
Can they make him attend meetings, show up to games, coach the new QB?
Meh, I’ll see your Rodgers and Testaverde and raise you a Brady ACL tear opening weekend of 2008. Fresh off an almost perfect season and an opportunity to try again.
But Theismann’s leg beats them all. Brady and Testaverde came back from their injuries. There’s a decent chance Rodgers does, too. Theismann was completely done, in that moment, and everyone saw and heard it happen. Hell, I watched Anderson Silva shatter his leg on Chris Weidmann, and that didn’t haunt me as bad as replays of Theismann going down.
ETA: Back to the original premise: Rodgers going down hurts in multiple ways. I definitely hate seeing ANYONE celebrating an injury, doubly so when it’s from Packers fans. And though I was so incredibly happy to see Albatross Rodgers leave, especially after some of his words and actions, I wished him well-ish; the Jets record does determine where the pick going to the Packers is, after all. While the all-but-guaranteed second round pick is definitely going to be better now than it was a week ago, it sucks coming at the expense of an exciting player with a second chance.
Dan Marino had the same injury without even being hit.
Story time: the next season (maybe later) I was a teenager who would go to Dolphins summer practices anytime I got off work early. One day I was standing by a fence opposite the stands where most fans would sit, and on a side field Marino was taking snaps from a center with Bernie Kosar, who by that point had joined the team as a backup.
I was giddy when I overheard Marino comment to Kosar on the injury (which happened in Cleveland)
Marino was able to come back, but he was 32.
No way a 40 year old quarterback returns from that. Then again, didn’t Rodgers pledge to play for 2 years? Nah, I still don’t see it.
