Denver Broncos are as obsessed about their turf as their players

You think you've got lawn challenges.

Do you have a nearly thousand-pound equine mascot galloping across your turf to stop on a dime? A couple dozen boot-wearing dancers spinning and kicking on it? Cleat-wearing, millions-earning athletes twisting, charging and crashing on it?

Ross Kurcab has all of that. And multiple millions of spectators ogling it, in person or on TV.

The Denver Broncos turf manager and his team of 13 grass gurus are responsible for making sure this field of dreams is up to scratch. If he does his job right, he's certain some sportscaster, somewhere, will say, "The field looks great today!"

Which makes him inwardly groan, just a tiny bit.

"It's not for looking at," he said. "The question is, how's it gonna play?"

The play's the thing

Homeowner, cut yourself some slack. The high-profile swath of emerald at Sports Authority Field at Mile High is not like your lawn. Repeat: Not anything like it.

Recall, if you will, the dun- brown field at Lambeau last weekend in Green Bay in which the 49ers squashed the Packers.

That grass wasn't dead. It was "fully dormant," said Kurcab. That means the plants had basically hibernated for a time, waiting for warmer temperatures (something above zero, perhaps) and longer days to send up new green shoots.

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Denver Broncos are as obsessed about their turf as their players