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George Toma, the long time groundskeeper who prepared and after that recommended the preparation of every Super Bowl field, thinks the concerns that pestered the field at Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, might have been prevented.
The 94-year-old informed ESPN that he thinks the field was overwatered in the days leading up to the video game. According to Toma, who has actually been nicknamed The Sodfather, the field was watered the Wednesday early morning prior to the video game and without delay rolled into the arena on the portable tray that housed the yard field for the last time prior to kickoff 4 days later on.
Toma competed that the field must’ve been watered in the early morning and kept outside to dry prior to being rolled in.
“So, what he does,” Toma stated, describing Ed Mangan, the NFL field director who supervised of the Super Bowl field and worked under Toma for many years, “he waters the hell out of it and puts it right into the stadium and that’s it. Never sees sunlight again. He can’t do that.”
A tarpaulin was laid over the field to secure it from the practice sessions for the pregame, halftime and postgame programs, Toma stated, which caused the field releasing a smell. Toma stated he was informed throughout the week that the field was beginning to decay and rot.
“It had a rotten smell,” he stated.
Toma likewise declared that Mangan did not sand the field enough.
“He sanded it two weeks too late,” Toma stated. “He had only one sanding. He should have had two or three sandings, but he didn’t do s—. And that was it. And not only that, he didn’t take care of it. He wouldn’t listen to anybody.”
Toma stated he’s not blaming rye yard for the field’s slickness, including that he utilized rye yard for 27 Super Bowls.
In a declaration the day after the Super Bowl, the NFL stated: “The State Farm Stadium field surface met the required standards for the maintenance of natural surfaces, as per NFL policy. The natural grass surface was tested throughout Super Bowl week and was in compliance with all mandatory NFL practices.”
Super Bowl LVII was Toma’s last. He retired after more than 80 years in the groundskeeping organization. “I can’t take it anymore,” stated Toma, who stated he hasn’t been pleased with how the NFL reacted to field concerns at Super Bowl websites in the past.
“Me and the league are finished,” Toma stated. “They can’t tell me what to do anymore. We’re done.”
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