Do You Have Squishy Balls?

I gigged a buddy the other evening with this topic. We were discussing 'deflate-gate' and he asked if the officials didn't checked each teams balls before the game...

I told him that sounded like a good way for an official to get smooshed...;-)

Yeah, a little bit, and the left one sags lower than the right one more and more every year.

Also, they still would have won that game even if they were playing with a bar of soap.

It is normal for balls to deflate when taken from an indoor environment of 72°F to an outdoor environment of 20°F.

The refs checked all the balls prior to game time and they were approved.

Just something to grumble about and turn the refs against them.

😉

One commenter said they could have won with a beach ball.

Wonder if the 12th ball started turning blue.
Had that happen before. Didn't see any action. 😀

So if I only cheat on one question of the LS exam and get caught, do I still get a license? Just sayin'...

I don't really understand the issue. Didn't both teams use the same balls? It's like finding out the field was 5 feet too short - so what?

Actually no, both offenses have a dozen balls each that are signed off on by the referee before the game starts. Weird way of doing it, with all the money the NFL has, why isn't there a "ball official" or something of the like.

The under-inflation was noticed by a Colts defensive player that caught an interception.

I wondered the same thing. Thanks for clarifying PB

Each team offers up 12 "throwing" balls plus some number of "kicking" balls. The throwing balls are sort of shined up whereas the kicking balls are au naturel. The teams play with the balls they brought with them, not the other team's. I don't know what happens if a team scores a dozen touchdowns and every time the ball carrier throws the ball about 40 rows up into the stands. Do they then have no balls to play with and forfeit the game?

The balls are inspected by someone on the officiating crew an hour or two prior to kickoff. Anything "could" magically happen to the balls after the inspection. Has anyone double checked the Colts' balls? Maybe they were in need of a few puffs, too.

"The teams play with the balls they brought with them, not the other team's."

What moron would have ever allowed this screwball scheme?!! Sheesh!!!!!

Either the refs knew, or don't know much about football because they are handling the balls after every play. Something doesn't add up when those who are supposed to be in charge of the game supposedly didn't noticed this. Every one of us who has ever played football either organized or just messing around knows what an under-inflated football feels like.

A. Rich Vannozzi, PLS turning to the dark side (GIS) posted this on Facebook

We don't need no stiking physics

I have to ask, if they inflated the balls in the sauna, would they be guilty?

Underinflation of 2 psi is a big difference from the flat football we played with in the sand lot.

Wouldn't indy's balls also have been underinflated than?

More information is available now.

A) the balls were found to be underinflated at halftime, fixed and then found to be underinflated again at the end of the game.

B) all of the balls were precisely 2 pounds under minimum.

C) indianapolis complained earlier in the year to the nfl about this.

D) wasn't there another issue with the patriots cheating recently? After the big one where they recorded other teams play calling at practice i mean.

Personally it xoesnt matter to me but it is the talk around the office.

New England was caught looking in on other team practice sessions.

This should be like a curve stick infraction in hockey. If a team thinks that you're outside the PSI range, they can challenge. If they're right, then it's a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty. If wrong, they get one, or at least lose a time-out.

There shouldn't be any of this waiting till the end of the game to call it out. That's just whining, and there's no place for that in football.

Isn't it obvious the Colts came to the game with under-inflated balls? Scoreboard

Lance Armstrong has come to Brady's defense...

...this doesn't bode well for the Patriots...