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Suburban Man's Invention Plays Key Role In Getting Super Bowl Field Ready

(CBS) -- As we count down to the Super Bowl, pay close attention to that lush green grass. A man from the suburbs played a big role in getting the field ready.

CBS 2's Sandra Torres introduces us to him and his sod-laying invention.

It started with an idea: a new concept to install turf in a faster, more reliable way. It's called the "Sidekick," and Paul Carlson is the man behind it.

"We use this to push the sod over so we don't have any seams, gaps, anything in between," Carlson said. "In doing that, we save a lot of labor."

The machine began doing its work at Soldier Field just five years ago.

"Before, we used to have to walk the field constantly after a resod to check all the seams and now 95 to 99 percent of it is solved with this machine," Soldier Field groundskeeper John Nolan said.

Now it's a critical tool for resodding at stadiums across the country.

"Our Sidekick is being used in, I believe, it's 10 NFL fields right now or NFL teams," Carlson said.

Moreover, it's a machine that played a role at Levi's Stadium, where the Carolina Panthers will face the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday.

"West Coast Turf did the install at the Super Bowl and they did job, fantastic sod," Carlson said. "They have two of my machines out there, actually two of the prototypes that I made right here in Chicago."

It's a proud moment for Paul and an innovative method he hopes will continue to make a difference.

The Sidekick isn't just being used in football fields across the country. They're also being used in soccer fields. Paul's goal is to have Sidekick used in soccer stadiums all over the world.

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