The area at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl LVII was criticized by gamers and followers and now a former NFL groundskeeper is becoming a member of the dialog. Longtime groundskeeper George Toma says the sector points didn’t have to occur.
Toma, also referred to as the “Sodfather,” says the sector was watered on the Wednesday morning earlier than the sport and rapidly moved into the stadium. According to his experience, he believes the sector ought to have been left outdoors to dry after it was watered and moved in after.
He went by means of the method of what he believes Ed Mangan, the NFL area director who was in command of the Super Bowl area, did to arrange for the large sport. Mangan beforehand labored beneath Toma.
“So, what [Mangan] does,” Toma stated (through ESPN), “he waters the hell out of it and places it proper into the stadium, and that is it. Never sees daylight once more. He cannot try this.”
Toma stated the sector had a foul odor, explaining that it got here from the group laying a tarp over the sector to guard it from rehearsals forward of the sport. The 94-year-old Toma stated in the course of the week of the Super Bowl, he was knowledgeable that the sector was starting to decay and decay.
“It had a rotten odor,” he stated.
The area was not sanded sufficient, in line with Toma, who didn’t consider the timing of the sanding was correct.
“He sanded it two weeks too late,” Toma stated. “He had just one sanding. He ought to have had two or three sandings, however he did not do s—. And that was it. And not solely that, he did not deal with it. He would not hearken to anyone.”
It isn’t the rye grass that Toma thinks was the issue, and he’s acquainted with the sector kind, as he used it for 27 Super Bowls.
After the sport, the league launched an announcement saying, “The State Farm Stadium area floor met the required requirements for the upkeep of pure surfaces, as per NFL coverage. The pure grass floor was examined all through Super Bowl week and was in compliance with all necessary NFL practices.”
Toma is now retired from groundskeeping after 80 years and expressed ongoing frustrations with how the league has dealt with area issues at Super Bowls. Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles was his final within the enterprise.
“I can not take it anymore,” he stated. “Me and the league are completed. They cannot inform me what to do anymore. We’re accomplished.”
