Lena's Mud and Goodell's Balls - A Brief Commentary

[HRBAKER]

The Patriots must have also figured out a way to overinflate the Colts balls.

[clydepepper]

Am I the only one who never even knew that each team uses their own footballs while on offense? How strange is that? ESPN was discussing how it would never fly in either basketball or baseball. They surmised that the reasoning behind it was to keep all of thee quarterbacks happy.

They also brought up the fact that Brady was 11-for21 with one TD and one interception in the first half with the lower pressured balls and 12-for-14 with two touchdowns, no interceptions and twice as much yardage in the second half with the correctly pressurized footballs.

The questions are: If such a rule exists, but isn't enforced, then why even have the rule and if such a rule is broken what- if any should be the penalty. ESPN was stating that since it's Belichick, and since he has 'a past history of deception' the penalty should be sizable.

My question is: Isn't this just the minutia meant for a slow sports news day?

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

The Patriots must have also figured out a way to overinflate the Colts balls.

That's called epididymitis, Jeff.

[steve B]

From a couple articles the penalty appears to be $25000 for altering a game ball. Or 275,000 for eleven. (I see no mention of any bargain for an even dozen like donuts, there would be if I wrote the rules )

It will be interesting to see if they go beyond what the rules call for.

From comments from players especially quarterbacks, the rule appears to be almost universally ignored.

Steve B

[pgellis]

Originally Posted by steve B

From a couple articles the penalty appears to be $25000 for altering a game ball. Or 275,000 for eleven. (I see no mention of any bargain for an even dozen like donuts, there would be if I wrote the rules )

It will be interesting to see if they go beyond what the rules call for.

From comments from players especially quarterbacks, the rule appears to be almost universally ignored.

Steve B

Steve, you are just plain wrong with that. The $25,000 fine is the "minimum" penalty, not the only penalty.

And the rule is not ignored. I believe that QBs may alter balls before they bring them to officials, but once they are checked, 99.9% of teams/QBs do not then go back to them and alter them. That is what is being accused here.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by pgellis

I believe that QBs may alter balls before they bring them to officials,...

Phil - that's standard protocol for all teams. I did extensive research on this, as well as handling of 'K Balls', last year. I wrote a yet-to-be-published article regarding it, but that's another story.

One of the things I did was to buy a new NFL football and prepare it as best I could, for 'game' use. It was a grueling experience involving wet towels, driers, heavy objects, etc. I wish we had known about this stuff when I was a kid - it really helps the 'play' of the ball, but then again - I only ever owned one new football until this most recent acquisition. I based some of my effort on the following article, but there are many others:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/24/sp...king.html?_r=0

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Phil - that's standard protocol for all teams. I did extensive research on this, as well as handling of 'K Balls', last year. I wrote a yet-to-be-published article regarding it, but that's another story.

One of the things I did was to buy a new NFL football and prepare it as best I could, for 'game' use. It was a grueling experience involving wet towels, driers, heavy objects, etc. I wish we had known about this stuff when I was a kid - it really helps the 'play' of the ball, but then again - I only ever owned one new football until this most recent acquisition.[/URL]

As said in the other thread, this story is ridiculous. If the league had ever really cared to enforce this, they would supply the teams' game balls in game rather than prior. As is, on every level besides the NFL, each team plays with whatever type and style game ball they're comfortable with. Wilson 1005 were "passing balls", while Wilson 1001 were standard balls. In the late '90's, I'd guess Nebraska used a 1001, while Florida used a 1005. Not sure what all the college variants are now, but they're still variants. Why would it be expected this level of choice and customization would stop in the NFL if it is allowed on every other level, and is not truly enforced in the pros?

As for wet towels, or whatever.. if the league ever decided to truly regulate games balls and give both teams balls randomly from the same batch, QBs would just wipe sweat from their belly or spit in their hands to achieve the same effect.

Think this story and the league's response is a vehicle to further hype the game.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

As said in the other thread, this story is ridiculous. If the league had ever really cared to enforce this, they would supply the teams' game balls in game rather than prior. As is, on every level besides the NFL, each team plays with whatever type and style game ball they're comfortable with. Wilson 1005 were "passing balls", while Wilson 1001 were standard balls. In the late '90's, I'd guess Nebraska used a 1001, while Florida used a 1005. Not sure what all the college variants are now, but they're still variants. Why would it be expected this level of choice and customization would stop in the NFL if it is allowed on every other level, and is not truly enforced in the pros?

As for wet towels, or whatever.. if the league ever decided to truly regulate games balls and give both teams balls randomly from the same batch, QBs would just wipe sweat from their belly or spit in their hands to achieve the same effect.

Think this story and the league's response is a vehicle to further hype the game.

I can't sleep either

The wet towel thing wasn't a quick process - saturating an entire football multiple times with belly sweat is kind of scary.

I hope you are right about it just being a story to hype the game, but my thinking is that if everyone is doing it (deflating balls by as much as 2 pounds), then even if current quarterbacks and personnel aren't willing to admit it, there are plenty of ex-NFL quarterbacks and equipment managers who would come forward to get their moment in the spotlight just prior to the SuperBowl.