probably a dumb question but why are football teams in charge of the game balls?


- steve 1-22-2015 2:05 pm

Shouldn't that be left to the officials? Also, do baseball teams supply the game balls?


- steve 1-22-2015 2:31 pm


it seems like the game balls ought to be in the possession of the officials but the balls are too slick when they are unused so teams are given the opportunity prior to game day to scuff them up a bit to increase their grippiness. and beyond that each team uses their own balls on offense i suppose because qbs have specific grips. seems like an easy fix for this particular problem though. once the balls are weighed and tested there is an nfl official that handles them.

i saw this science-y piece yesterday that suggested the advantage of a deflated ball was negligible though im somewhat unconvinced.

baseballs are handled by the home teams if im not mistaken and there has been some whispers that some teams freeze them at times to increase their distance when hit. the colorado rockies have their balls in a humidor for the opposite reason to diminish their springiness to counteract the thin air in denver, but this is done with the blessing of mlb.

but all baseballs are at least cursorily examined by the homeplate umpire and so many are use during a game that it is difficult to manipulate them though every so often a pitcher is called out for doing so.


- dave 1-22-2015 4:51 pm


I didn't see a lab coat in that video, so I'm going to have to call illegal procedure.
- mark 1-22-2015 10:24 pm





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