OAK RIDGE 2017 FOOTBALL

[WillieTheWildcat]

According to the media, the State of Tennessee has approved a $500,000 grant to Oak Ridge for the installation of synthetic turf. I t should be ready for the 2017 season, RWR!

 

I also read yesterday a tweet by Jordan Graham that he wanted a jumbo Tron instead of the turf. Lets just hope he changes his mind when he sees his 4.48 speed in the 40 yard dash is even faster on the new surface. I really believe Sweet Feet will work hard at track this spring and be even more dangerous next fall. He may just use his junior year to springboard into the elite national running backs.  Good luck Jordan we are behind you.

 

RWR!

[bounder]

Yep there's grant money coming, turf is supposed to be put down after graduation. But for me new locker rooms and press box would be much better. Turf isn't going to make an antiquated stadium look or function better.  "The Ship" has a great stand of real grass and should be left alone. I don't want to try to keep up with the "Jones" (Knox County). just saying. 

[catswild]

I may be wrong but I seriously doubt if either Jordan Graham or Bounder will have any influence on whether or not we get turf. If Graham doesn't want to play on artificial turf then he's in trouble because everyone around here is getting it which means he'll play on it several times a year whether we get it or not.

[catswild]

Yep there's grant money coming, turf is supposed to be put down after graduation. But for me new locker rooms and press box would be much better. Turf isn't going to make an antiquated stadium look or function better.  "The Ship" has a great stand of real grass and should be left alone. I don't want to try to keep up with the "Jones" (Knox County). just saying.

I'm not sure what their motivation is for wanting turf but keeping up with "Jones" as you say (Knox County) wouldn't be accurate because at last count Memphis high schools all have it, Morristown high schools have it, Greeneville has it, Maryville and Alcoa have it, Rhea County has it, Dyersburg has it, Sevier County has it, Pigeon Forge has it, Gatlinburg-Pittman has it, Seymour has it, Anderson County has it, Kingsport D-B has it, Science Hill has it and I'm sure there are more than I could find.

[WillieTheWildcat]

Just remember Jordan did not say anything on this board, I said something that I read. I do not want him to be criticized on here for something I said. He is a kid doing great things for ORHS.

[bounder]

Hey catswild I just used Knox county as an example, but I still feel we have other more important needs at "The Ship" than turf. And you can be sure the school board don't give a obese rodents posterior what I think. It's just an old wildcat fans opinion.

[Lost Old Dad]

What ever y'all get I am glad you are getting it instead of higher powers trying to force y'all to play at the new high school.

 

WAY too much good traditions at the 'Ship' to have it moved someplace else.

 

Congratulations on the grant.

[bounder]

Ahhh heck LOD this bunch is too cheap to do anything.  Times are a changing! We're becoming dinosaurs, think football ain't gonna be king much longer.

[SweetScience]

Ahhh heck LOD this bunch is too cheap to do anything.  Times are a changing! We're becoming dinosaurs, think football ain't gonna be king much longer.

Basketball seems to be right now, which I'm perfectly fine with. I love it just as much as football myself.

[IanMackaye]

Track/cross country are far and away the most successful sports at OR but in terms of media and fan interest basketball is at the top. With two winning programs and decades of tradition I can see why. Both teams play an exciting brand of ball.

 

As I understood the article, the grant is only available for construction that can benefit the public. As much as it may be necessary to update, locker rooms and stands have no ongoing public benefit. New turf and track may seem out of place if the stadium looks old.

[SweetScience]

Track/cross country are far and away the most successful sports at OR but in terms of media and fan interest basketball is at the top. With two winning programs and decades of tradition I can see why. Both teams play an exciting brand of ball.

 

As I understood the article, the grant is only available for construction that can benefit the public. As much as it may be necessary to update, locker rooms and stands have no ongoing public benefit. New turf and track may seem out of place if the stadium looks old.

Disagree with basketball having more media coverage and more fans than Football. The people that go to Football games at a big game couldn't be fit into that gym we have. 

[IanMackaye]

I might have misgauged fan support. I have have been to some basketball games but not football games. I was mainly basing my opinion on coverage in the Knoxville News Sentinel. It seems like they have been giving OR basketball a lot of coverage but not as much to OR football outside of Higgins.