<![CDATA[Great Moments in Structural Engineering]]>From ESPN: Punter kicks into HD screen over field

>>ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Tennessee Titans felt they exposed a major flaw in Cowboys Stadium during the first football game played in the building when reserve punter A.J. Trapasso hit the gigantic HD screen that hangs over the field.

But after a 30-10 Dallas win, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he doesn't think it is an issue. The NFL signed off on the 160-foot long, 90-foot high video board, Jones said, and he does not plan to alter it.

Jones implied that having the video board in play provided an "entertainment value" and that both teams would have to deal with it. But the owner repeatedly said that the normal trajectory of an NFL punt would not bring the video board into play. He could move a Mitsubishi Electric sign that hangs off the bottom edge of the board.

Both Trapasso, an undrafted rookie out of Ohio State, and veteran Craig Hentrich hit the video board in warm-ups and marveled at how engineers, architects and ownership failed to anticipate the issue.

"I hit it probably a dozen times in pregame," Hentrich said. "Probably somewhere around a five-second punt is going to hit it and some of the guys in the league wouldn't be able to punt here if it's not raised, they'd just be non-stop hitting it. I don't know what the people were thinking. I guess they should have tested things out before they put that thing in place. It'll have to be raised."

Jones said a punter needed to kick the ball "straight up and hard" to have any chance of making contact with the board. He didn't understand why anyone would take that approach. <<

Good call, Jerry. Since most punters are trained to take the "low and limp" approach to punting the ball, this should work out juuuuuuuust fine.

Dennis

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/6111/great-moments-in-structural-engineeringRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 08:36:02 GMTSat, 22 Aug 2009 14:11:02 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:28:33 GMT]]>NFL needs to step in and MAKE jerry jones do something

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96436https://brownsboard.com/post/96436Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:28:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:22:40 GMT]]>well they're planning on rising it in october, so it'll be fine. I read it was lowered for a concert that is upcoming or something, they can just raise it using the cables.

what I'm worried about is the fact that the screen apparently weighs 1.2 million pounds and is only being supported by several cables... that can't be good.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96422https://brownsboard.com/post/96422Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:22:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:55:45 GMT]]>Jerry Jones = Phyllis Diller....odd but true

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@dencyguy said:

That's a good deal, all things considered. I'll give this to Jones: he's usually true to his vision of making things work for the team and its fans.

Dennis

Finally, a story out of Dallas about the players hitting the building.

Cold, man. Funny as hell, but COLD.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96381https://brownsboard.com/post/96381Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:53:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:36:20 GMT]]>

@hiwaygal said:

What's that, the guy in the field or the architect?

The smart one......the field guy.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96377https://brownsboard.com/post/96377Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:36:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:34:23 GMT]]>

@inspecta said:

At halftime they did a tour of the stadium with Jerry Jones, and he said that monitor is in HD, and cost 40 million dollars. The stadium itself is over 3 million square feet. They have "patio" sections of the stadium where you can stand and watch the game and it only cost 30 bucks for a ticket there.

That's a good deal, all things considered. I'll give this to Jones: he's usually true to his vision of making things work for the team and its fans.

Dennis

Finally, a story out of Dallas about the players hitting the building.

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@hiwaygal said:

I'm blaming the architects!

Total example of an engineer having head up ass and not a lick of common sense.

This is why guys that work in the field hate engineers, and I've been one of them many times.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96373https://brownsboard.com/post/96373Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:33:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Great Moments in Structural Engineering on Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:10:29 GMT]]>

@dencyguy said:

Good call, Jerry. Since most punters are trained to take the "low and limp" approach to punting the ball, this should work out juuuuuuuust fine.

I'm sure jerry jones of all people knows what "low and limp" is like.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/96326https://brownsboard.com/post/96326Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:10:29 GMT