BIG NAME ASSISTANT COACHES WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ASTROTURF NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL

(LOS ANGELES, California) - Two old rivals will face off as coaches in the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday, January 21st at The Home Depot Center in LA, and they have announced their assistant coaches for the game.

“It doesn’t get any better than this group,” said Bryan Peeples, President of AstroTurf. “These guys were all top-notch players and coaches and these young men who are playing will benefit greatly.”

Dick Vermeil, who coached with the Eagles, Rams, and Chiefs, won a SuperBowl with the Rams. Tom Flores, who coached with the Raiders, won two Super Bowls. They faced off in Super Bowl XV, and now they will face off again as they coach the next generation of NFL players.

Their assistant coaches will be:

Martin Bayless was a defensive back who played collegiately at Bowling Green. He played in the NFL from 1984-1996 for the Cardinals, Bills, Chargers, Chiefs, and Redskins. After playing, he served in the front office of the Bills, and then began a coaching career which has taken him from high school to the University of North Carolina. He has also coached in the NFL Europe, the UFL, and with the Panthers, Raiders, Vikings, and Texans.

Isaac Bruce was a four-time Pro Bowler at wide receiver. He played for the Rams and 49ers from 1994-2009. He finished his career with 15,208 receiving yards. He currently ranks third on that list behind Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.

John Bunting played linebacker at the University of North Carolina. He played professionally for the Eagles from 1972-1982 with the Eagles and then played two years in the USFL. He has been an NFL assistant with the Chiefs, Rams, and Saints. He also served as head coach of the University of North Carolina from 2001-2006.

Frank Gansz, Jr.,is a longtime special teams coach at the college and professional level. He has served as special teams coach for the Ravens, UCLA, and is currently in the role at SMU.

Carl Hairston played defensive end in the NFL from 1976-1990 for the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cardinals. He has coached with the Cardinals, Chiefs, Rams, and Packers. Amazingly, Hairston was either a player or coach in all 240 games coached by Dick Vermeil.

Matthew Hatchette was a receiver at Langston University. He played six NFL seasons for the Vikings, Jets, and Jaguars. Eric Hicks was a defensive end from the University of Maryland, who played with the Chiefs, Jets, and Lions from 1998-2009.

Vonnie Holliday was a defensive end at the University of North Carolina. He began his pro career in 1998 and has played with the Packers, Chiefs, Dolphins, Broncos, and Redskins. He is currently with the Arizona Cardinals.

Priest Holmes was a running back at the University of Texas. He played for the Ravens and the Chiefs from 1997-2007 and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and won a ring in Super Bowl XXXV.

Billy Long played collegiately at Alabama. He has over 20 years coaching experience at the collegiate level, including coaching the offensive line at Arkansas. He served as a consultant for the St. Louis Rams and as strength and conditioning coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kevin Mawae was a four-year starter at center for LSU. The eight-time Pro Bowler played for 14 years in the NFL with the Seahawks, Jets, and Titans.

Rod Martin was a USC linebacker who played 12 NFL seasons from 1977-1988. The two-time Pro Bowler played with the Raiders and was a part of the winning team in two Super Bowl victories(1980-1983).

Steve Ortmayer began coaching in 1967 at Colorado. He also coached collegiately at Georgia Tech. He has served as a coach with the Chiefs and the Raiders, as well as being the general manager of the San Diego Chargers.

Tony Richardson was a running back for Auburn University. The three-time Pro Bowler played with the Chiefs, Vikings, and Jets from 1995-2010.

Greg Robinson has spent years in the coaching ranks. He was the onetime head coach at Syracuse and has served as a defensive coach with the Chiefs, Broncos, and Jets.

Bob Saunders is the son of longtime NFL coach Al Saunders. He has served as an offensive assistant with the Chiefs, the Rams, and the Redskins.

Terry Shea played collegiately as a quarterback at Oregon. As a coach, he was the offensive coordinator at Cal and has served as the head coach for San Jose State and the British Columbia Lions of the CFL. He has also coached with the Chiefs, Bears, and Rams. He currently prepares elite quarterbacks for the NFL and has worked with such players as Sam Bradford, Matthew Stafford, and Josh Freeman.

Will Shields may be the most recognizable of the assistant coaches. Shields played collegiately at Nebraska, where he was an All-American and won the outland trophy. He was also named to the Collegiate All-Century Team. In December 2011, Shields was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He played 14 years for the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection. Shields is on the ballot for this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction class.

Ted Tollmer played quarterback at Cal Poly. He went on to become the offensive coordinator at USC, and followed John Robinson as the head coach of the Trojans. He also coached at San Diego State.

Eric Warfield is another Nebraska product coaching in the game. He played cornerback in the NFL for the Chiefs and the Patriots from 1998-2006. The game begins at 3:00 PST and will be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network.

About AstroTurf
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s first vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety.

TOM FLORES AND DICK VERMEIL TO COACH IN THE ASTROTURF NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL

(LOS ANGELES, California) – Two coaching legends will face off in the newest bowl game to feature the best collegiate football players.

Dick Vermeil and Tom Flores will coach the two teams of all-stars in the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on January 21st in Los Angeles at The Home Depot Center.

Vermeil, who has the distinction of being named Coach of the Year at four levels including high school, junior college, NCAA Division I, and professional football, will participate in the game.

Vermeil became the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976 after being the first special teams coach in NFL history for the LA Rams and then head coach for UCLA. Vermeil then spent 15 years as a sportscaster. He returned to coaching in 1997 with the St. Louis Rams and won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. He retired the following year, but returned to coaching with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001, where he stayed until 2006.

Flores played from 1960-1969 with the Raiders, Bills, and Chiefs. After serving as an assistant coach with Buffalo and Oakland, he became the Raiders head coach in 1979 after John Madden retired. He coached the Raiders from 1979-1987 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1992-1994. Flores was the first Hispanic player to play in a Super Bowl and the first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl. Flores won Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII as a head coach.

This is not the first time the two coaching legends have squared off. Most notably, the Raiders, coached by Flores, defeated the Eagles, coach by Vermeil in Super Bowl XV in 1980.

The American and National coaching staffs and their rosters face off on January 21 at the Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, Calif. Kickoff is 3 p.m. PT.

Standout players and coaches, both active and former, will come together from the top professional and collegiate ranks to help 100 draft-eligible players showcase their talent on the NBC Sports Network and in front of 25,000 fans and scouts.

The AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be more than just an all-star game for participants as the week-long educational experience will provide them with valuable information on how to succeed both on and off the field. The hand-picked staffs of Vermeil and Flores are committed to engaging and educating the game’s participants on preparing for the business of football.

The week will also bring the excitement of professional football back to Los Angeles as the player participants interact with the Southern California community through youth clinics and fan appreciation initiatives.

Hollywood glitz and glamour will also be incorporated as the NFLPA PULSE Awards will be held in downtown L.A. on the eve of the game. The annual event honors some of the biggest names in the NFL for their accomplishments both on and off the field.

Exciting partnerships with some of the most recognizable names in sporting events ensures the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will provide a professional-level experience for its players, fans and sponsors. AEG and IMG bring elite management teams and unparalleled sporting event expertise to the inaugural game. The Home Depot Center has hosted some of the finest competitions in international athletics, where AstroTurf will unveil an innovative field.

The field surface is the all new AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 Extreme. The field combines a monofilament Horseshoe fiber with a slit film product. The Horseshoe fiber has an Omega shape, which is more resilient and bounces back, staying upright longer. It also reflects less light and heat. The slit film offers the ultimate in durability.

The field also has a face weight of 60 ounces of fiber per square yard, the highest in the industry. This adds to the durability provided by the fiber shape.

In extensive testing, AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems perform most like natural grass from ball roll, to slide resistance, to the biomechanical function of cleats penetrating and releasing properly. A study at Michigan State University, funded by NFL Charities, found that AstroTurf GameDay Grass systems looked and performed more like natural grass than any other synthetic product measured, also making it the safest option.

The field features AstroFlect heat reduction technology, which can lower surface temperatures by as much as 18%.

The field also has RootZone, a thatch layer which holds the sand and rubber infill in place for less splash and migration, making for a more consistent playing surface.

The field rests atop an all new AstroBase system, 15,000 interlocking panels which will provide stability for the field, allow for better drainage, and decrease installation time.

Tickets went on sale nationwide through Tickermaster.com in November.

About AstroTurf
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s first vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality,
technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit http://www.astroturfusa.com/.

WORLD RECORD SNOWMOBILE JUMP ON ASTROTURF

Last year, Levi Levalle set the world record jump on a snowmobile, using an AstroTurf ramp. He was injured in practice and could perform the stunt live on New Year's Eve.

This year he performed the jump on New Year's Eve in San Diego alongside a motorcycle ridden by Robbie Maddison, also attempting a world record.

Levalle set the record this year with an amzing jump of 412', all while using an AstroTurf ramp since there is no snow in San Diego. What'll they think of next?

Check out the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-OU1vfyaks&feature=player_embedded

ASTROTURF PROUD OF PARTNERSHIP WITH ERIC BERRY

While we missed seeing Eric Berry of the Kansas City Chiefs play this year due to an early season injury, we got an opportunity to spend a little time with him right before Christmas and we couldn’t be prouder of our association with this fine young man.

In a world where professional athletes increasingly lose sight of the team concept and exist with a sense of entitlement, Eric Berry is one of the good guys. Literally. Berry, who has been ranked as one of the Top 5 Good Guys in the NFL, along with Tim Tebow and Drew Brees, is truly a humble guy with a bright future.

Before beginning his NFL career, Berry decided he wanted to give back to the recreation department where he grew up. Duncan Park, in Fairburn, Georgia, is managed by Berry’s father James, who was a three-year starter for the Tennessee Vols. Eric wanted the park to have the benefit of a synthetic turf field so that young athletes in Fairburn would have a first-class field on which to play and develop their skills. He partnered with AstroTurf to provide a state-of-the-art field at Duncan Park. As a result of the partnership, Berry also took a huge interest in player safety and worked with AstroTurf to help open the Center for Athletic Field Safety at the University of Tennessee.

He also formed the Eric Berry Foundation to give back to kids and he is a great representative for all that is right about sports.

Prior to his rookie year, Eric was at preseason camp where temperature soared to over 100 degrees. After practice, he performed his rookie duties and carried the pads of two veterans from the field back to the locker room. On the way, he stopped to sign autographs for fans and was the last player left outside. He’d signed for everyone who wanted an autograph, but there were two kids left who wanted an autograph, but had nothing left to sign. Berry sat down and took his cleats off and signed them for the boys, leaving him to carry the equipment back to the locker room in his socks.

Berry is willing to sign for so many fans because when he was in high school, he was shunned when he approached the great Deion Sanders. Berry vowed that if he made it as a pro that he would never do that.

Eric joined us at Competitive Edge Sports (CES) in Atlanta right before Christmas to film a commercial and be interviewed about the safety and other benefits of playing on AstroTurf. The commercial will air on January 21st on the NBC Sports Network during the AstroTurf NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Some of his other video comments will air at the American Football Coaches Association in San Antonio next week.

He came in and talked to everyone who wanted to talk to him and was very accommodating. He also displayed his classic humble attitude. After filming, Eric and I discussed a high school game of his that I had officiated. He spoke about that game with a passion that would have made you think he was still playing for Creekside High School. Eric hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

One thing’s for sure, I can tell you where he’s going. I, for one, will be encouraging my son to follow Eric’s career and look up to him as a role model.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Chip Smith of CES in Atlanta for letting us use his facility to film with Eric. CES is the premiere training facility for professional athletes all over the country and is also recognized for training future NFL players who are working out to participate in combines.

We also owe a big thanks to Ashley Kerns of Allegiant Athletic Agency (a3), Eric’s agency, for coordinating the shoot. She’s a real trooper who works hard to help Eric honor all his commitments, as well as a tireless worker in organizing Eric’s football camps, which help kids all over the country.

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SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEBRASKA FACE OFF IN THE CAPITAL ONE BOWL ON ASTROTURF

It's the first day of the new year and despite the promise for great things to come, it seems a little strange not having college football on the first day of the year.

The NFL has provided the much-needed action, but tomorrow brings with it more college football.

The game we'll be focusing on kicks off at 1:00 p.m. at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando. South Carolina will take on Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. The part that grabs our attention is that the game will be played on AstroTurf.

If the previous bowl game on this AstroTurf surface is any indication, this game will be a good one. In the Champs Sports Bowl on December 29th, Florida State battled back from a 14 point deficit to beat Notre Dame 18-14.

The Capital One Bowl should also be a good one. South Carolina is 10-2 and Nebraska is 9-3.

When it comes to points scored, this should be a pick-it. South Carolina averages 30.1 points per game and Nebraska is slightly better at 30.5

South Carolina has the edge in points against, only giving up 18.8 points per game, while Nebraska is giving up 22.8.

South Carolina has the edge in passing yards, and Nebraska has a better rushing average. However, South Carolina rates better in both pass and rush defense.

On paper, it looks like a very even match-up.

While you're watching the game, make sure to take note of the AstroTurf surface. Two years ago, when Penn State faced LSU in the Capital One Bowl, the field was a muddy mess. The weather, compounded by the number of events held on the field prior to that game, created the problem.

After the game, Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium officials enlisted AstroTurf to change the surface. They got the most advanced synthetic turf playing surface available.

Make sure to check it out.