Hoge: Stop Worrying About Dimensions, Embrace Football At Wrigley
By Adam Hoge -
As Northwestern prepares to host Illinois at Wrigley Field, I can't help but be shocked by all the criticism and negativity surrounding the game.
Why's the marquee purple? Why is the end zone so close to the wall? Why is the goal post not attached to the ground? Go Cubs go!
People have good reason to be concerned about the east end zone, which sits directly against the right field wall. At one point along the end zone, barely eight inches separate the field of play and the wall.
It's a legitimate problem -- one that is not only dangerous, but will also affect strategy and game play -- but trust me, there's way more good that will come from Saturday's football game at Wrigley than bad.
I got a chance to tour the field Wednesday and it is a majestic sight. Northwestern has done a phenomenal job of making Wrigley Field home. From the purple marquee, to the painted field and even the banners of former players hanging in the concourse, fans are going to be impressed Saturday.
Recruits are going to be impressed Saturday.
And with ESPN College GameDay in town, the rest of the country is going to take notice. Northwestern will receive more attention this weekend than it has since the 1996 Rose Bowl. That's a good thing.
I'm not trying to brush aside a legitimate safety issue. I was both frightened and heartbroken when I watched Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand get paralyzed earlier this season in a game when he collided head-on with an opposing player.
But I contend that colliding into an opposing player full speed is much more dangerous than running into a heavily padded wall in the back of an end zone.
"Both universities, civil engineers and the safety engineers got together and they evaluated the field and the safety and that was the number one priority," Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald told the Mully & Hanley Show on 670 The Score Wednesday.
Trust me, it looks worse than it really is. I took note of the padding in the outfield and it's a foot thick. If I ran full-speed into the wall without pads on I wouldn't have a bruise on me. Not only will the players be wearing pads, but they will be coached up on the safety concerns in the east end zone. The receivers will know not to layout for a ball in the back of the end zone and the quarterbacks will know not to throw it there.
And that's why in one of the windiest ballparks in the country, Pat Fitzgerald and Ron Zook are more likely to be worried about the end zones than the wind when they decide which side they want to defend at the opening coin toss.
Meanwhile, the only fans who will have any gripes at the game are the ones sitting in the right field bleachers. With the end zone right up against the high wall, those fans won't be able to see some of the action on that side of the field. But overall, the sight lines will be great -- much better than the awkward angles created when the Blackhawks played the Red Wings at Wrigley.
And when the game is over, fans will be more likely to be clamoring for another game at Wrigley in 2011 than criticizing the configuration of the field.
Will there be another game at Wrigley?
"Let's see how Saturday goes," Fitzgerald said.
