By the end of the season, the Bulldog Stadium grass was not so much grass as a mirage, smoke and mirrors, a visual effect a magician would have approved. OK, it wasn't done quite that well, but the intent was there. There seemed to be as much painted dirt as there was grass, and it was obviously not good. But honestly, at least in my head, I hadn't made too big of deal about it until I saw the field at the University of New Mexico.
I mean, it's winter, right? My yard looks pretty brown and gross and there aren't nearly as many 300-pound men diving around on it. Maybe I was being too hard on the Fresno State athletics department. They don't have a ton of staff or money these days. Maybe everybody's grass looks like that in December.
Ah, but then came New Mexico. This was at the New Mexico Bowl, at the end of a long season in a stadium which saw six home games. Bulldog Stadium only had five. And the grass looked great. Greener than an intern. Plusher than '70s haircut. Of course the Lobos only won one game on it, so it certainly hadn't been trampled down by any field-stormings or impromptu goal-post demolitions.
One of the things Fresno State AD Thomas Boeh talked about last summer at the announcement of Alphonso Bigelow's donation, or pledge, or whatever they're calling it now, was field turf. He said it definitely wouldn't happen for the 2009 season, but could be a possibility for 2010. Well that's obviously not happening. It's almost February, and nothing is happening. There are no plans. Beyond the initial "six figure" check, there's been no word of more Bigelow money. It doesn't look good for field turf for next season.
So I guess my question is, if you could make one facilities improvement for Fresno State athletics, what would it be? I'm taking field turf. It's the field of play for the team that pays all the bills. It's the most televised piece of acreage on the entire campus. How could there be something more important than that? I'll come up with a list if we get a few ideas.
Hands down the biggest need is a baseball scoreboard, not some makeshift one like we've heard rumors of but something nice with video to replaced the oft broken one at Beiden Field. The former national champs deserve first-class. But I'd agree Bulldog Stadium in general needs an update of amenities, still not a field turf fan though.
Field turf would be nice, but the football team is in definite need of a training table. That would improve recruiting and performance. I'd say a training table and field turf would be my top two.
The FSU Football team need more than a new field turf.....priority Number #1: they need a good football team on the field to perform.