Who is George Toma? 94-yr-old groundskeeper dubbed 'The Sodfather' gears up for final Super Bowl LVII game
GLENDALE, ARIZONA: As the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles prepare for Super Bowl LVII showdown on Sunday, February 12, Groundskeeper George Toma, known as ‘The God of Sod’ or 'The Sodfather,' is preparing for his 57th and his last big game. Talking about it, the 94-year-old Toma, who has a legacy of working on every Super Bowl field says, "This is my last Super Bowl definitely, and I would like to see the youngsters carry on.”
The field of Super Bowl LVII costs around $800K and it took 18 months to get ready. Toma, who is born and raised in Edwardsville, says, "I think it is one of the best matchups in a long time between the Eagles and the Chiefs. And I think the fans will see a very interesting game," reports Fox News. Super Bowl LVII will be Toma's last game who began working on the fields for Super Bowl I in the year 1967 with a $500 budget.
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Who is George Toma?
George Toma, born on February 2, 1929, began his career as a groundskeeper in 1942 when he was 13, as per Daily Mail. His father worked as a breaker in a coal mine but reportedly died of black-lung disease when Toma was just 10. From 1951 to 1953, Toma served in the US Army, deploying to Korea, according to SABR. In 1963, he started working as the groundskeeper for the Kansas City Chiefs and also worked as the head groundskeeper for the 1984 and 1996 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and Atlanta. In 1969, he was named as the head groundskeeper for the Royals (later Kaufmann) Stadium. He also maintained his position with the Chiefs and was named the director of landscaping at the Harry S Truman Sports Complex.
Which team is George Toma supporting?
Speaking about the game, Toma describes, "I believe the grass we have here today is the second-best grass we had for 57 Super Bowls. It comes from West Coast [Turf] located here in Phoenix, and it's a beautiful type of Bermuda Tahoma, and it's outstanding on the field right now. Even if it's getting beat pretty good by the halftime show practices. I don't like them stamping on that good grass. After they get rehearsed we spend hours with brushes brushing it up to bring the leaves to stand up again." When asked which team he is supporting, Toma mentioned an exchange with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell when the Chiefs played in Super Bowl LIV in 2020. Goodell told him, "'George, you work for the league, the league pays you, you have to be normal, or I can't cheer for anybody.' But in my heart, there is the Chiefs, and on the other side is the Eagles," as per WNEP. He added, "I'm glad I was brought and raised in the valley with a heart, Wyoming Valley of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania."
How to watch Super Bowl LVII?
The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and will be broadcasted on Sky Sports NFL (407) and Sky Sports Main Event (401) on February 12, starting at 11.30 pm.