So while we're all hear worried about the field getting torn up here's another good question...being as the grey cup is out of the argos scope will the CFL be allowed to paint in endzones for the "big" event? That would most definitely show come wednesday...
And it's not like the CFL's big guys are built like the galleons of the NFL. More like pocket cruisers, doing light drills or walk throughs in sneakers.
44 man roster + 10 practice squad + 10 or so coaches/trainers = an average 64 people at once on the field at any given time. Using the whole field one half they may do offence and the other half defense/special teams. Each practice let's say = 2 hours x 4 days of training x 2 teams = 16 hours of grass time. Worried yet? Now each player may change cleats from a multi-stud to 6 stud so they can get a grip on the field (ie digging in) to see what best cleat works. No turf shoes here. Lines will be painted, emblems/logos (CFL and sponsors) will be visible in big areas of the field. Worried now? All this with the hopes that the grass is dry because if it is not we are in for a shit storm.
So mate, I have a reason to be worried and so should everyone else.
BMO Field will be spared during Grey Cup week, at least two days of practice I found out will be else where. it was confirmed to me the Wednesday will be at Birchmount and the Thursday at Monarch Park. Not sure about the Friday.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
straw man. It's only a test if it rains, a lot, snows, or both. Some seasons at TFC it felt like all it did was rain. Would the pitch have survived that sort of weather with a CFL game? The Vancouver rainout for example? I am sceptical.
lets hope that's not tested next weekend and the following week.
I'm not worried and you're being a bit daft. You must not follow football well if you think they will be practicing in such an aggressive manner before a championship. It's not happening. It's walk throughs and patty cakes. They aren't tearing up the grass this week, guarantee it.
What if, what if....
Why do all the what ifs have to focus on the negative outcome?
Something that helps worriers is to look at the probability of a possible outcome.
Surely, the overwhelming evidence is in favour of a positive one. So yes, we could have a monsoon and they could ruin it. But we have no evidence to say that the pitch couldn't survive or would be irreparably damaged. Or that a monsoon would even happen.
Another strategy is to examine what you would do if the negative thing imagined happens. So, let's say we have that monsoon.
Real Madrid practiced on sod that was laid that morning and they played on it 3 days later. Or, get this. They delay the game by a day or two until the pitch is ready. Inconvenient? Sure. But if the goal is playing on a legit surface, done.
Worst case scenario can be planned for and overcome on the rare chance that it happens.
You can keep worrying. I'm confident there is a solution
Last edited by Pookie; 11-17-2016 at 07:00 AM.
The solution is to return this stadium to its original purpose: soccer specific.
The weather this year has been extraordinary, and the Argos season short ( no playoffs ). These are the best possible conditions, almost an anomaly. Given the weather we have experienced at BMO most years, we have to assume significant rain and the likelihood of a torrential downpour as those are the more normal conditions, a regular occurrence.
in those circumstances, it is highly probable that CFL football will cause significant damage to the pitch. We know that because the CFL itself chooses artificial turf. If there is significant damage to the pitch, it will create immediate problems for TFC. If there is significant damage to the pitch more than once there will be calls for turf. And that is a huge risk to this club.
so no, unusually perfect weather isn't a test and does not give any evidence about the underlying problem and risks. We have to wait for typical weather to return, and that should concern all of us.
Typical weather? We live in rainy Vancouver do we?
The original intent was multi use. Anyways, a rainy rugby game or international event or a herd of wild gophers could intervene.
Not worth worrying about.
If we are assuming things...
And if we assume that a torrential downpour and Argos game will damage the surface...
Why don't we assume that the ground crew will be able to repair it sufficiently in time for the next TFC game. The grounds crew deserve faith.
The grounds crew are fabulous and may be able to repair the damage. True. But suggesting that the lack of damage to the pitch in the best year for weather we have had for TFC games proves that there will not be any when the normal weather returns is rather obviously nonsensical. This year proves nothing, and as I said above, there is a reason the CFL plays on turf.
If the weather in a week is like the weather today, we'll see how good this grounds crew is.
Sadly the Argos at BMO is very permanent, so as much as people want it to return to soccer specific you can keep dreaming. Larry and Bell aren't pissin away money on BMO for a temporary home.
P.s part of Argos to BMO included 3 grey cups in 10 years.
"...aren't pissin' away money...".
Ha ha ha. That's great.
But they already are. Is there a point where all this pissin' away might have a deleterious effect on the playing surface, in terms of budget cutbacks for field maintenance?
It won't snow here but rain is now forecast for the four days prior to Grey Cup Sunday, with overnite temps dipping to the freezing mark. Sunday is expected to be dry but quite cool. Then, more rain prior to the TFC-Mtl second leg.
If the rain was strong enough during CFL practice days, is it possible the workouts could be moved out of BMO Field?
Last edited by greatwhitenorf; 11-20-2016 at 11:43 PM.
The CFL is not interested in a bad field for the Grey Cup so they will protect as much as they can as well.
I'm sure the CFL won't give a hoot what the field is like once the game is over. You don't have to look hard on-line to know that a number of their fans will wish for it to be an utter mess.
With all the rain forecast for the days before the final, the field will be soft on game day. Unless the grounds crew cover it and all practices are shifted elsewhere. Otherwise, the grounds crew have two cold wet days to patch it up. Trying to repair torn grass in late November hardly inspires confidence that Wednesday's game will be played in quality conditions.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!