NOT EVEN A PANDEMIC COULD KEEP
GEORGE AWAY FROM THIS STADIUM ON
SUNDAY.
>> THE SOD FATHER, THE SOD GOD,
THE NITTY-GRITTY DIRT MAN.
>> Reporter: GEORGE TOMA IS A
LEGEND ON THE FIELD.
AT 92 YEARS YOUNG, HE IS THE
OLDEST AND LONGEST RUNNING
GROUNDSKEEPER AT THE NFL.
SUNDAY’S GAME, HIS 55th SUPER
BOWL.
>> I STARTED THE FIRST SUPER
BOWL IN LOS ANGELES COLISEUM.
>> Reporter: IN 1967, HIS VERY
FIRST SUPER BOWL.
>> COMMISSIONER ASKED ME TO DO
THE FIRST SUPER BOWL, AND I
ASKED HIM, WHAT DOES HE WANT ON
THE CENTER OF THE FIELD, WHAT
LOGO?
HE SAID, GEORGE, WHATEVER YOU
WANT, YOU PUT ON.
>> Reporter: HE’S BEEN RUNNING
THE FIELD EVERY YEAR SINCE.
WHAT IS THE SECRET TO MAKING
SURE THE FIELD IS READY?
>> ACTUALLY, IT STARTED OUT WHEN
I WAS A YOUNG KID IN THE COAL
MINES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
YOU HAD TO WORK.
WORK IS IT.
>> Reporter: TOMA STARTED AS A
GROUNDSKEEPER IN KANSAS CITY IN
1957.
FOR TOMA, THE GAME BEGINS WITH
GOOD SOD.
WHAT IS SOD, FOR FOLKS WHO
AREN’T FAMILIAR WITH IT?
>> WELL, IF YOU TAKE IT, SOD IS
GRASS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF SOD
IS THE SOIL IT’S GROWN ON, THE
ROOT SYSTEM OF IT, AND HOW IT’S
MAINTAINED BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN
THE YARD.
LIKE THIS SOD NOW BEING GROWN
FOR 18 MONTHS, WE PUT IT DOWN,
YOU PLAY ON IT AS SOON AS YOU
PUT IT DOWN.
>> Reporter: THERE IS NO DEFENSE
FOR LOW GRADE GRASS.
>> LIKE I SAY, THE CHEAPEST
INSURANCE FOR AN ATHLETE, THAT
IS FROM THE LITTLE KID SITTING
IN THAT KINDERGARTEN CHAIR ALL
THE WAY UP TO THE KELCES, MA
HOMES, BRADY, THE CHEAPEST
INSURANCE IS THE SAFE PLAY FAIL.
>> Reporter: FROM THERE, THE
REAL WORK BEGINS.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE
FIELD READY FOR SUPER BOWL?
>> ACTUALLY, AS FAR AS THE
GRASS, WITH THE GRASS ALREADY
GROWN, YOU PUT IT DOWN, YOU PLAY
ON IT THE SAME DAY.
BUT THE THING IS, YOU HAVE TO
PUT THE LOGOS IN, THE SUPER BOWL
LOGOS, PAINTING IT, THE END
ZONES, THE SIDELINES.
WE PAINTED IT ALREADY THREE
TIMES.
>> Reporter: WITH THE PANDEMIC,
THE SUPER BOWL WILL BE DIFFERENT
THIS YEAR, WITH FEWER FANS IN
THE STANDS AND HEAVY
PRECAUTIONS.
BUT TOMA ISN’T SLOWING DOWN.
DID SOMEONE SAY, GEORGE, YOU’RE
92, WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
PANDEMIC, MAYBE YOU SHOULD SIT
THIS ONE OUT?
>> I GOT TO WORK.
I CAN’T SIT STILL.
>> Reporter: WITH KANSAS CITY
PLAYING HOMETOWN FAVORITE TAMPA
BAY, THE KANSAS NATIVE IS
IMPARTIAL.
SCORE PREDICTION ON SUNDAY, WHO
DO YOU LIKE?
CHIEFS OR BUCS?
>> I CAN’T SAY.
>> Reporter: YOU CAN TELL ME.
>> NO.
THEY’RE BOTH GOOD TEAMS.
PEOPLE HERE SAY IN YOUR HEART,
THERE’S A CHIEF LOGO SOMEPLACE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> Reporter: OFF THE FIELD, YOU
PROBABLY HAVE ONE HECK OF A YARD
YOURSELF IN KANSAS CITY, I WOULD
IMAGINE.
>> NO, I GOT THE WORST ON THE
BLOCK.
>> Reporter: I MEAN,
>> I MEAN, HERE’S THE THING,
GEORGE TOMA IS IN THE FOOTBALL
HALL OF FAME.
HE IS THAT REVERED, THAT
RESPECTED BY MEMBERS OF THE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
OH, BY THE WAY, HE’S NOT EVEN
GOING TO BE AT THE GAME ON
SUNDAY.
HE HAS TO LEAVE TO GET DOWN TO
SOUTH FLORIDA.
HE ALSO RUNS THE FIELD FOR THE
MINNESOTA TWINS SPRING TRAINING
CAMP.
THE GUY WON’T STOP AT 92.
BY THE WAY, SPECIAL THANKS TO
THE COUNSEL GROWERS SOD FARM
JUST OUTSIDE TAMPA FOR HOSTING
US YESTERDAY.
>> THAT’S NICE.
>> CRAIG, I HAVE TO ASK, ARE YOU
GETTING TO STAY FOR THE GAME?
>> NO, NO.
I’M COMING BACK.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
>> I CAN’T WATCH THE GAME.
>> -- UNDER YOUR FEET.
>> OH.
>> GET BACK WITH YOUR FAMILY.