Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Just because you CAN do something...

...doesn't automatically mean you should do something. Case in point: New Braunfels Canyon High School's new artificial turf football field:


The whole sordid story came out in today's Herald-Zeitung. Imagine my horror this morning when I opened the paper to have that scald my eyes! Apparently, somebody somewhere thought this would be a good idea. Ultimately, we have to curse Boise State for that damn blue field up in Idaho for giving people ideas, but this takes things to a whole other level of abomination. Apparently nobody thought that the garish train wreck that is Eastern Washington's red turf was actually a garish train wreck. Indeed, they seem to ascribe some sort of mystical qualities to the crimson rug, since Eastern Washington hasn't suffered a home loss since it was installed two seasons back. Here's a theory: Maybe opponents are too busy retching or laughing to play. My money's on both.

I spent the 90s working as a sports reporter, and I covered countless high school football games--sometimes several a week. Never once did I hear anyone say "You know, Texas high school football is pretty good, but what it really needs to go big-time are football fields in eye-watering, day-glo colors!" Of course, back then pretty much every high school played on natural grass--Groesbeck was pretty much the only ISD with turf, and they were viewed with a healthy dose of suspicion. Canyon has taken that idea of turf to a painful extreme. I can't imagine anyone willingly staring at a field that looks like a bad Photoshop job for more than a few minutes without getting a headache, much less two-plus hours. I know the Comal ISD Athletic Director, Jim Rodrigue. I covered him for years back when he was the head football coach in Belton. I'd have thought he had more sense than this. Apparently not.

You know what the greatest tragedy is? That rug's got an 8-year lifetime, and my eldest daughter starts attending high school there in two years. Time to invest in polarized shades...

Now Playing: Billy Joel KOHUEPT

36 comments:

  1. what an a**, not only does black and red look LEGIT. but its not just for looks, visitors aren't used to the color, and they perceive it differently, throwing them off. if you don't like it GTFO its not like you have any importance here anyways. its something new that looks/feels badass to be on, and i'm more than proud to represent canyon cougars on the field. youre acting like its a debate wether we should bomb another country for the hell of it or not.

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  2. really? you know you really can't say anything because you have NO ties to the school what so ever. you're daughter doesn't even go to the high school yet so get off our case. I among many seniors, juniors, and staff members appreciate the field we deserve. I'm a senior at canyon high school and i like the field. you? you don't have anything to do with the school and neither does your 6th grader. this is NOT your place to talk down on our school district or especially our school. you're supossed to be an adult here. be grateful that our school did something new and different for the student body and quit thinking about YOURSELF and your views. Let's NOT be a childish adult and create a whole web page that only consists of complaining about our field we spend millions on. like hagen said above, GTFO and grow the hell up.

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  3. poonanny

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  4. besides, judson's budget was 12 mil, they spent 24 (around dont get smart with me). what was all that talk about common sense? id like to see you talk to our coaches about all this and see how well that goes over. and with our varsity team workin their asses of on the field they deserve something they can take pride in and remember when they graduate.

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  5. dang hagen. our football players deserved this. they worked their hearts out this year. do NOT sit here and put down our school. we may be just high school kids, but we damn sure know where our place is and when to keep our mouths shut. maybe you need to learn.

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  6. yeah listen to raven!! she knows whats up.
    damnnn got told son!!!

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  7. I see the Canyon forensic debate team's out in force tonight, ready to take the UIL by storm.

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  8. Maybe you should reconsider what you feel is necessary to put online before you do it next time. I dont think our authorities will like what you have to say very much... As will any of the kids.

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  9. correction, BAND kids.
    you have NO right to sit here and insult us. Your opinion doesn't matter to any of us. so i dont know why you wasted the time to write this whole BS article. k thanks <3

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  10. ahhh oohhh is this a nerd joke i hear? wow look he's talking down more people he doesnt know! didnt see that coming. p.s your house, makes my eyes bleed. just thou't id let you know.

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  11. I have every right in the world to point out that red turf is a prime example of poor decision making. Particularly so, since my property taxes go directly to support Comal ISD. And, point of fact, I have not said one word against the fine upstanding students attending Comal ISD, just the wisdom of the administration which A) proposed the idea in the first place and B) actually signed off on it. :-)

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  12. Canyon High School Debate Team-lol you thought11:44 PM

    k let me get started on a 5 page article on why you're completely wrong and why its not your business..

    OH WAIT! blogging's not my life.

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  13. ahhh! he brought taxes into this!

    A) they proposed it cause it looks legit and helps the players(and gives em somethin to take pride in and work harder)
    B) they signed, for the same reason

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  14. Anonymous11:50 PM

    Ugh, get off his nuts. Just like you have the right to have an opinion about how stupid you think his article is, he has the right to not like the field and talk about it. As he pointed out, it wasn't a direct attack to the student body, so chill out. It's all good.

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  15. Don't knock it, Hagen. I'm probably one of the few folks in Comal County that thinks the schools should get *more* money, not less. And I'm glad you don't give a flip about what I write--I shudder to think of the response if you did! ;-)

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  16. well, you have a point, but the way he words everything is rude and childish. noone invited you into this conversation. so get off our nuts

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  17. Anonymous11:56 PM

    I didn't see an open invitation for yourself, either. That comment in itself is rude and childish. You prove my point without me having to say anything.

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  18. real cute. be anonymous.

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  19. Anonymous12:00 AM

    Real cute. Be "James".

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  20. i like tacos. just because i like tacos doesnt mean i have to write a full page essay about it.

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  21. Anonymous12:01 AM

    But it means you can.

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  22. HA! head of this article. Just because you can (post a long blog expressing your childish feelings) doesnt mean you should.
    Irroooonnnyyyyy...

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  23. Anonymous12:08 AM

    That's your opinion, Wendy. lol. You don't seem to be getting the point that everyone has their own opinion, their own actions, and their own restraints that they can choose to exercise. No matter what you think, how much you care, and what you try to do, there is someone else that disagrees with you. And that's okay.

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  24. pwnd. by yourself. and p.s. Anonymous is easier to click than typing your name all the time. Its not like my first name is gonna give you a lead to stalking me.... o_O

    thats true anonymous, except when it comes to tacos and chuck norris.

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  25. wendy? hey wait.. that's my name :D
    how did you know my name?

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  26. Anonymous12:33 AM

    Because you typed it in. I can see Hagen, Raven's, and James' as well.

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  27. all i have to say now is that this is getting out of hand, i let my temper get control of what i said, so i'll sum all of this up by saying:
    GET OVER YOUR STUPID BLOG.

    it's cool for you to have an obnoxiously arrogant opinion, but you really wasted your life by posting a blog about it. NOONE CARES. i hope your daughter doesn't grow up to be like you. Night hagen, see you in band tomorrow :) and wendy, i'll see you at the nop tomorrow :D

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  28. i wish i could be as anonymous as you!!!

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  29. Anonymous7:09 AM

    I don't like the field either. But does that mean I should run around shoving my opinion down other's throats? No. The people who use this field, find pride in it, and I don’t think it matters what color the field is when a team makes a win on it. Go blog about something else.

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  30. Hagen4:44 PM

    getting up at 7 am to blog. Check.

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  31. Anonymous7:15 PM

    He isn't shoving an opinion down you're throat. That's the thing. This person hasn't done anything wrong. He's just expressing his opinion, like how everyone does every single day, talking to your friends, in facebook statuses, whatever. His opinion happens to be on a blog.

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  32. OMG ITS ME AGAIN10:41 PM

    when opinions insult you/your leaders people tend to get aggravated :) dur hur hurrr.

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  33. Anonymous10:53 PM

    It's just turf. Whats the big deal?
    I personally think it's cool, it makes us stand out.
    Why do you care what color our turf is? Your daughter is going to our school in 2 years, WHO CARES? Enroll her somewhere else if you don't like Canyon. Simple as that.

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  34. ummmmmm yeahhhhhhhhh plz hop off mam the schools staff and students work hard and most def deserve this its not fair for some down in the dumps pissed off lady like you to be angry its like u are looking for drama......honestly nuff nuff

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  35. I go to nbhs, and the only thing I have to respect canyon about is this turf

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  36. haha hi abel raven hagen o and my personal fav colllin ! BAR NONE!!!!^^^^^

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