The players seemed to enjoy it. The media - not so much.

Last Friday's field conditions across Northeast Ohio for teams that play on natural grass were borderline unplayable. I would describe the conditions at Sidley Field for the Ledgemont-Grand Valley game as a mudpit, but that would be an insult to pits filled with mud everywhere.

It was melted chocolate soup where grass and dirt used to be, and the players were covered head to toe and in other spots I would just assume not envision. When you are 17 years old, that is fun. When you are ... older ... and aren't wearing spikes or football pants, it isn't exactly a laugh-fest.

It's not complaining, really. That's what you get in October in Northeast Ohio. Rain, cold, mud, more mud and muddy mud on top of mud caked in mud. What I was so surprised at was that the players could get any traction at all to cut, plant or move without falling flat on their faces.

Maybe that is the way football was intended to be played? I will still take two good teams doing battle on turf and deciding who is the better squad on equal footing.

But at least everyone had fun last Friday ... I think.

- BTilton@News-Herald.com