[Tomcat68]

Nobody from this area that attended the Ashland and JC game knew that any high school protected their playing field with a fire hose to make sure their muddy swamp stayed intact for JC. Gee I'm not sure ....is a dry field better than a swamp field? How about a crowning muddy field? :bigeyed:

Well, as being part of the ground crew for the stadium, I can promise that no hose, or any water besides rain water, was used on the field. The same pouring rains that attending through most of the first half of the game, had been going on and off for the previous 3 days leading up to the game, as well as the day of the game.

Do you really think a passing team would want to limit their offense to only 13 passes or so? In 99% of cases, a muddy field will tremendously help a running team and hamper a passing team.

For a passing team:

A quarterback would have much problems trying to catch (shotgun), grip and throw a wet ball. Receivers would have a hard time catching a heavier, wet ball but would have an advantage of running routes because they know where they're going and a DB doesn't. Offensive linemen have to try to plant their feet in mud to prevent a pass rusher coming full steam at/around them. Running backs either have to plant in mud like linemen or run routes like a receiver so they change. Those are all things that effect a passing team in wet conditions.

For a running team:

Little QB problems except in receiving the snap and handoffs, no problem with receivers (since they won't be catching much for a running team) except when trying to move to block a moving defensive player, offensive linemen have a large advantage of driving players attempting to hold their ground in mud. Running backs have major trouble cutting. Those are all things that effect a running team in wet conditions.

For every player on the field, the chances of fumbling is much higher so this effects both teams.

Obviously, the wet weather effects both teams in good and bad ways. But, most people will say that a wet, muddy field is a larger advantage for a running team.

So please, drop the fuss about the wet field. Putnam Stadium is nice (very nice early in the season before the wear and tear), but it's not a dome. It rains in Ashland. It rained most of the week, and through a large portion early in the game. That's just the luck of the draw. And to be honest, uninformed fans in Ashland would be doing the same complaining after the game that the weather "cost us the game." But that is why they are uninformed.