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NFL Preseason 2014 |OT2| - It's only one week, deal with no new content!

R

RBH

Member
bjdyvdnaypelegcwql2x.png


20140825_052230_turfreal.jpg


SANTA CLARA -- For the second time in less than a week, the 49ers on Monday ripped out the turf at Levi's Stadium -- part of an overhaul that the team hopes solves its playing field problems.

The Niners expect to start installing a brand-new field this weekend, and it may include a different type of grass more commonly used at other NFL stadiums. The field should be ready for the Sept. 6 soccer match between Chile and Mexico and the 49ers regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 14.

The thicker-cut field installed two days before Sunday's preseason game against the San Diego Chargers was meant as a temporary solution because the sod cannot generate the deep roots needed for long-term use.

Now, team officials are also removing and making undisclosed "tweaks" to part of the sand base below the turf, and are ripping out the entire 2.5-acre playing surface, including the sidelines and the area behind the endzones, which had not previously been replaced.

It's unclear how much the new field will cost, though the original playing surface had a $1.4 million budget. The 49ers said for the first time Monday that the team will pay for the turf replacement, taking pressure off the public Santa Clara Stadium Authority, which funded the bulk of construction.

The playing surface issues began cropping up following the team's opening preseason game at Levi's Stadium, an Aug. 17 loss to the Denver Broncos. Three days later, coach Jim Harbaugh cut short a public practice at the stadium because players were tripping on field divots.

On Thursday, the team and its sod supplier, West Coast Turf, took out the entire 100-yard field, and had the new, temporary playing surface installed by Friday. A high-school double-header scheduled for this Friday was canceled, with a new line-up of games scheduled for October.

The field largely held up Sunday, but some players griped about its condition.

"It wasn't great. It wasn't good at all," veteran Chargers linebacker Dwight Freeney said after the game, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Team representatives and consultants will spend the next few days deciding whether to stick with the Bandera Bermuda sod, a relatively new strain used only in California, or switch to a Tifway grass variety used by more NFL teams.

"We'll have a couple of weeks now where they can figure out exactly what they want to do, and I expect it to be even better when we come back for Chicago," kicker Phil Dawson said Sunday.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/southbay...9ers-rip-out-levis-stadium-field-again-larger
 
M

MechDX

Member
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ial-overshadows--preseason-setbacks/14533289/

It was the combination of Clowney rushing from the right side of the Texans defense and Watt providing pressure up the middle that helped get Denver quarterback Peyton Manning so riled up after a non-padded practice last week. Watt terrorized every Broncos' offensive lineman – particularly frustrating right tackle Chris Clark – and Clowney earned respect from Denver after speeding around star left tackle Ryan Clady on consecutive plays during a two-minute drill.

Manning fumed after that session ("We stunk," he said), but Clady, a two-time all-pro widely regarded as one of the NFL's best pass protectors, ended the week with nothing but praise for Clowney.

"He definitely is a good player," Clady said. "He's fast, and it shows in practice and on film."

Watch Clowney at practice (when he is participating) and there are two things about him that are striking: He physically looks like an extreme version of an elite NFL player, all shoulders and muscles and hair; and his willingness to work. Watching this against the Broncos was especially interesting, with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, two of the league's most feared pass rushers, on the other sideline. Clowney is like a freakish combination of both – 2 inches taller than Miller, 10 pounds heavier than Ware, but at least as strong and fast as either of them.

"I think he definitely has everything and more," Miller said. "He has a ton of potential."
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That certainly could be Watt's influence. Early in a practice last week, while the rest of the Texans either worked on special teams or watched punt drills from the sidelines, Watt and Clowney were on another field. Watt was as much the teacher as line coach Bill Kollar, patiently demonstrating to Clowney different ways he could use his hands to fight off offensive linemen.

"Every day, we work a little something," Watt said. "As you've seen in games, he's a very talented player. I just try and teach him a couple things I've learned in my time in this league, and ways we can help each other, because I really think it can be a lot of fun."
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Week 1...
anticipation.gif
 
E

eznark

Banned
What do they produce? I have no idea what the site is. The first thing I watched was some fucking awful WIll Farrell baby skit, it was unfunny and Will Farrell did not die.

I don't put up with that kind of false advertising.
 
G

Godslay

Banned
MechDX said:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ial-overshadows--preseason-setbacks/14533289/
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I'd take it with a grain of salt at this point. Clark's first year as a RT, and Clady isn't 100% off the injury to his foot. Not saying that Clowney and Watt aren't good, just view it in the light that the competition wasn't in optimal form.

Sounds like they are saying Welker's helmet took most of the blow, so he's going to start come Week 1. The guy is going to have scrambled eggs for brains as this is his 10th recorded concussion. I guess if he wants to play its his life.
 
T

Talon

Member
eznark said:
What do they produce? I have no idea what the site is. The first thing I watched was some fucking awful WIll Farrell baby skit, it was unfunny and Will Farrell did not die.

I don't put up with that kind of false advertising.
Click to expand...
This is fantastic.
 
B

Bread

Banned
eznark said:
What do they produce? I have no idea what the site is. The first thing I watched was some fucking awful WIll Farrell baby skit, it was unfunny and Will Farrell did not die.

I don't put up with that kind of false advertising.
Click to expand...
2crotchety4me
 
Goro Majima

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
bionic77 said:
I have donated to ALS for almost 10 years. Along with other charities.

I challenge you to read a book and learn something. Then donate to a charity or volunteer you bum ass bum.
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:jnc

Bread said:
Show us the receipts! For all we know you're chan's Cambodian bastard son.
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Awww that's too far bro. Chan and Gata being related just sounds unholy rather than hilarious like bionic and gata or Yankee and Dragon or something.

eznark said:
Wow, this is the best Soldier Field has looked in a decade.
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:jncccc
 
A

ActStriker

Member
Godslay said:
Sounds like they are saying Welker's helmet took most of the blow, so he's going to start come Week 1. The guy is going to have scrambled eggs for brains as this is his 10th recorded concussion. I guess if he wants to play its his life.
Click to expand...

You've got to be kidding me.
 
L

LJ11

Member
DeaconKnowledge said:
I always liked Mike Zimmer.

Mike Zimmer says Pro Football Focus is a crock of shit.

Also, Collinsworth bought some of it.
Click to expand...

Smart move by Collinsworth, someone will scoop them up for sure, I'd have thrown money there way too.

FrenchMovieTheme said:
i'm not sure i would consider PFF completely worthless but sometimes i see grades for niners guys (both good and bad) and feel like they are completely wrong in my opinion
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Feel the same way at times. One thing they make clear is that they grade what they see. So if the QB should have adjusted the protection, but didn't, it's the OL fault. They also grade without watching coaches film, isn't that tough to do with S/CB?

They have Bradham as a Bills secret superstar, because he's good in the run game, dude is barely on the field. All sample size. He's a meathead who runs, that's it, can't be trusted on the field. The secret is he sucks, but he'll make a stop once every 5 reps.

Now Robey, he's a secret superstar.

Football Outsiders has done a great job the last couple of years, they hired good writers. I used to blast them, felt the write ups were nothing special, especially for the praise the site received. No longer the case, I liked a bunch of the stuff they put up last year, informative and you learned something. Glorified power rankings no more.
 
E

Elfforkusu

Member
Godslay said:
He does have a specially design concussion helmet, so that might be partially true.

Even so, that's a lot of concussions guy is going to be punch drunk later in life. Too bad really, but maybe he doesn't care.
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Eh, hard to say. It seems to be quantity, not quality (as it were...) when it comes to concussions wrecking brains. That's what makes it so alarming.
 
G

Godslay

Banned
Elfforkusu said:
Eh, hard to say. It seems to be quantity, not quality (as it were...) when it comes to concussions wrecking brains. That's what makes it so alarming.
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I agree. Although small numbers of concussions can have lingering effects.

I'm of the mindset where he should either retire or sit until he is healthy. I guess if he wants to play and is cleared, its his choice. Its just sad in a way, but at the same time hes an adult and you have to respect his decision even of it looks like a poor choice at this point.
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
You know how people use the expression "I'd kill for..." as in "I'd kill for a hamburger right now!" or "I'd kill for a Star Jones sex tape to be leaked", but is there anything you'd actually kill for?
 
E

Elfforkusu

Member
Godslay said:
I agree. Although small numbers of concussions can have lingering effects.

I'm of the mindset where he should either retire or sit until he is healthy. I guess if he wants to play and is cleared, its his choice. Its just sad in a way, but at the same time hes an adult and you have to respect his decision even of it looks like a poor choice at this point.
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Well, what I'm getting at is that -- we'll call them "brain trauma events", e.g. concussions and other "sub-concussive impacts" -- that's the real number that matters, not the "10 concussions".

I'm a lot more worried about the future health of a dude like Clay Matthews who headbutts linemen 70 times a game.
 
T

TheFatOne

Member
Godslay said:
He does have a specially design concussion helmet, so that might be partially true.

Even so, that's a lot of concussions guy is going to be punch drunk later in life. Too bad really, but maybe he doesn't care.
Click to expand...

Come on godslay please don't tell me your buying that bullshit. There were a few times when he played for the Pats were I thought he had a concussion. That one hit he took against the Steelers is one of the hits that comes to mind. It's sad, but no team is going to sit a player down for their own good. There was also chatter in the press about him having a concussion, but with the way the Pats hide their injuries you just never now. There's no doubt in my mind that he has had more concussions than the number that's being thrown out right now. Just seeing what concussions did to a player like Marc Savard for the Bruins makes me sad thinking about what Welkers future might be like. Savard had a two concussions that ended his career.

Marc Savard said:
Savard said he still sees “dots” in hot weather and when kneeling down, and still has issues with migraines associated with the multiple concussions he suffered during his NHL career. Those are the sad realities for NHL players once the crowds and media attention die down.
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He also has said in live interviews that he suffers from memory issues, and I remember reading articles about his recovery was truly sad stuff. Concussions are scary as fuck, and it's pretty disgusting the way most sports treat them. I'm glad it looks like things are changing for the better now, but they are still the scariest injuries any player can have. Loved Welker when he played with the Pats and hope that his brain isn't scrambled. It should be if you have a certain number of concussions in a year you automatically sit the season. Players are never going to save themselves and teams will always look out for their own self interests. Right now there should be a system in place that takes that decision out of the teams/players hands.
 
G

Godslay

Banned
Elfforkusu said:
Well, what I'm getting at is that -- we'll call them "brain trauma events", e.g. concussions and other "sub-concussive impacts" -- that's the real number that matters, not the "10 concussions".

I'm a lot more worried about the future health of a dude like Clay Matthews who headbutts linemen 70 times a game.
Click to expand...

They are probably both screwed. Either death by a thousand cuts, or by massive blows. Nothing new I guess, as I'm sure until the technology is there players will face injuries of this type for awhile.
 
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