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Patriots under investigation

Q: Is Tom Brady a cheater?

TB: I don't believe so...

Somewhere there's a young ball-boy that knows.
watching%20you.gif
 
Somewhere there's a young ball-boy that knows.
watching%20you.gif

It was the ref, man. An inside job. Almost a perfect plan...until it wasn't. Now the league just needs to ride it out for one more day, then release the report that says a faulty pressure gauge used by the ref is to blame. I know all of this is true because Oliver Stone told me so in a decoded message sent by subatomic relay direct to my sleeping brain.
 
At first I thought this was bound to be a big deal, but after hearing game balls are handled more than Ginger Lynn during the '80's I see it as nothing more than something the media wants to whack off on.
 
It was the ref, man. An inside job. Almost a perfect plan...until it wasn't. Now the league just needs to ride it out for one more day, then release the report that says a faulty pressure gauge used by the ref is to blame. I know all of this is true because Oliver Stone told me so in a decoded message sent by subatomic relay direct to my sleeping brain.

Word was they used two gauges

...then again, when was the last time those gauges were calibrated? Where's the calibration data sheets? Who was the Quality guy who stamped them off? How up to date is his certification?
We want ANSWERS DAMMIT!!
 
Mark Brunell: I do NOT believe what Tom Brady had to say. I put my hand on every single ball on game day. I know what I prefer -- 13 PSI -- and I can instantly tell if the ball is over-inflated.

Jerome Bettis: I cannot believe what I just heard. I'm very disappointed in you, Tom Brady. Saddest part of this is this is not a big issue. But now, because of the denials, it's a big issue.

Brian Dawkins: Every part of my uniform, down to the stitching and hemming, is done specifically to the way I prefer. I can tell you if my shoes weren't broken in with the shoehorn the way I like them.

Louis Riddick: They're still passing the buck.



NOBODY on ESPN bought Brady's press conference. Nobody. I'm actually pretty surprised at the unanimity of opinion on Brady's press conference. They were disgusted. Wow.
 
Word was they used two gauges

...then again, when was the last time those gauges were calibrated? Where's the calibration data sheets? Who was the Quality guy who stamped them off? How up to date is his certification?
We want ANSWERS DAMMIT!!

I honestly would not be surprised. The NFL wants this story over by this week's news cycle. They certainly do not want it still raging when the teams lands in Arizona. They need this thing to end, and the best way to kill on-going sensationalized stories is offer resolution on Fridays. My bet is the NFL releases a report tomorrow with some kind of explanation that may or may not pass muster, but it will dampen the story in time for Super Week.
 
Mark Brunell: I do NOT believe what Tom Brady had to say. I put my hand on every single ball on game day. I know what I prefer -- 13 PSI -- and I can instantly tell if the ball is over-inflated.

Jerome Bettis: I cannot believe what I just heard. I'm very disappointed in you, Tom Brady. Saddest part of this is this is not a big issue. But now, because of the denials, it's a big issue.

Brian Dawkins: Every part of my uniform, down to the stitching and hemming, is done specifically to the way I prefer. I can tell you if my shoes weren't broken in with the shoehorn the way I like them.

Louis Riddick: They're still passing the buck.



NOBODY on ESPN bought Brady's press conference. Nobody. I'm actually pretty surprised at the unanimity of opinion on Brady's press conference. They were disgusted. Wow.

I missed the press conference... what did he say?
 
I wonder if the officials noticed that the balls were under inflated as they replaced them in the 1st half and how the Colts noticed but the officials didn't?
 
I wonder if the officials noticed that the balls were under inflated as they replaced them in the 1st half and how the Colts noticed but the officials didn't?

That's what I've been wondering since this story broke. The refs touch the balls between every play. Not one of them felt like maybe one of those balls were under-inflated? :um:
 
I wonder if the officials noticed that the balls were under inflated as they replaced them in the 1st half and how the Colts noticed but the officials didn't?

The refs aren't gripping the ball the way the players do. Them not noticing doesn't surprise me.
 
Of course Tom Brady knew about it and lied at the conference. Mark Brunell and Troy Aikman pretty much hinted at that without actually using the word. What can the NFL do to punish the Patriots? Take away some first-round picks? That's about all that will happen. It wouldn't matter much if they win their fourth Super Bowl in six appearances in the Belichick, or should I say Belicheat and Brady era. I'll gladly give up some draft picks for a fourth Super Bowl win. Integrity of the game? Please. The Houston Texans are the classiest team in the league but what Super Bowls do we have to show for being a cleanly run organization?
 
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NOBODY on ESPN bought Brady's press conference. Nobody. I'm actually pretty surprised at the unanimity of opinion on Brady's press conference. They were disgusted. Wow.

Probably the least surprising development of this entire saga.

ESPN has been pushing this story harder than anyone. It's the lead story on every single one of their shows. They aren't going to come on air and say "okay, we believe you" and let the story disappear. This is their avenue to keep football ratings up during Pro Bowl week because we certainly know the Pro Bowl isn't going to get the ratings.
 
Probably the least surprising development of this entire saga.

ESPN has been pushing this story harder than anyone. It's the lead story on every single one of their shows. They aren't going to come on air and say "okay, we believe you" and let the story disappear. This is their avenue to keep football ratings up during Pro Bowl week because we certainly know the Pro Bowl isn't going to get the ratings.
That's because the MVP didn't make it in the Super Bowl. If Aaron Rodgers would be playing, all we would hear about the greatest qb matchup of the year. Nobody wants to talk about Russell Wilson. At least that's my theory.
 
That's because the MVP didn't make it in the Super Bowl. If Aaron Rodgers would be playing, all we would hear about the greatest qb matchup of the year. Nobody wants to talk about Russell Wilson. At least that's my theory.

:foottap:
 
[imgwidthsize=250]http://images.imagehog.com/1/32952c6a1f5f14d3.jpg[/IMG]
What if I told you, the ball boy did it using stealth technology Belichick stole from Aliens?
 
11/12 of the Patriots balls "leaked" while non of the 12 Colts balls did same?

Perhaps the Patriots saved money buying those cheap Chinese made footballs from Alibaba? :thinking:

that's my point.

IF the rules say the balls have to be weighted before but not after (I dind't bother to check)

and you inflate them to the minimum, they are gonna deflate during the game

and if this is not considered in the rules I don't see why doing it is "braking the rules".

as I said before, if this was the case, just add it to the rules and let the fines start from next time it happens.
 
that's my point.

IF the rules say the balls have to be weighted before but not after (I dind't bother to check)

and you inflate them to the minimum, they are gonna deflate during the game

and if this is not considered in the rules I don't see why doing it is "braking the rules".

as I said before, if this was the case, just add it to the rules and let the fines start from next time it happens.
Near-ZERO chance that even one ball (from both teams together) drops >2 PSI from pre-game weigh-in to halftime.

Aliens responsible for Aaron Hernandez slayings percentages when we're talking 11 of 12 balls for Patriots ONLY.

[imgwidthsize=300]http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/shared/npr/201311/246628965.jpg[/IMG]

WK says "Seriously??"
Who the F is WK? :kitten:
 
WK says "Seriously??"

Conversations will be had. It will be made clear that all associated with pro football suckle at the same teat. Opinions will be chilled, because no one wants questions on the integrity of the game to lead all three networks nightly news. IMO.
 
"It wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game," Jackson said. "They outplayed us. We didn't match their intensity. I don't feel slighted at all personally. They created turnovers, they ran the ball on us. They won that game because of their intensity -- not the pressure of a football."

Jackson does, however, recall one interesting moment during the first half that has something to do with the latest controversy. He recalls, during a television timeout, there was an especially long delay that prompted him to approach an official.

The game official mentioned something about their efforts to locate a usable football. Shortly after, Jackson noticed that the Patriots were using the Colts' footballs late in the first half. Jackson said it was odd to him that New England couldn't find a football to use, especially in the AFC Championship Game.

But he never understood that what he was witnessing what would indeed be the beginnings of a controversy that has engulfed the sports world since.

Colts' D'Qwell Jackson: I didn't know football had less pressure

Weird (to me) that they noticed the balls in the first half but didn't do anything about it at halftime. From the original story in this thread:

The investigation could be linked to a moment just after halftime, when officials stopped play while Tom Brady and the Patriots offense were on the field. The referee called for a new ball to come in from the Patriots sideline. On the CBS broadcast, announcers Phil Simms and Jim Nantz speculated that a kicking ball could have initially been in play instead.
 
This is about to get uglier. It's not just about the QB grip. The graphs and data in this article indicate that it not only resulted in a statistically impossible fumble rate, but it's been happening for five years.

The Patriots averaged 73 plays/fumble the past 5 years, almost 70% better than the 43 plays/fumble that outdoor teams averaged since 2000.

...

If this chart looks nearly identical, it should. The Patriots are so “off the map” when it comes to either fumbles or only fumbles lost. As mentioned earlier: this is an extremely abnormal occurrence and is NOT simply random fluctuation.

Link

This rabbit hole's about to get deeper. The data is there. Five years they've been pulling this.

Sure, there's no way to prove they were cheating in previous games, much less previous seasons, but this data is conclusive enough for NFL fans who have already ambushed the league and media in their reaction.

And just now... Now I'm realizing why this quote makes more sense:

One source described the league as "disappointed ... angry ... distraught" after spending considerable time on the findings earlier Tuesday.

When I read that a few days ago, I had thought that using "distraught" was a little too much, a little dramatic. But now I'm thinking that the league was well aware that the Patriots were a statistical outlier in certain categories, and were wondering how that was being achieved by a coach with a history of cheating. Well now they have their answer one week before their biggest event. "Distraught."

Five years. Belichick needs to go down for this.
 
just so you're clear, it's not a weight thing it's a pressure thing.
:handshake:

unless they are using over-undersized balls weight and pressure is the same thing :)

I supposed the size of the balls is fixed

edit

unless they are inflating them with helium :)

[IMGwidthsize=100]http://www.partypacks.co.uk/images/products/product_86896_1_orig.jpg[/IMG]
 
This is about to get uglier. It's not just about the QB grip. The graphs and data in this article indicate that it not only resulted in a statistically impossible fumble rate, but it's been happening for five years.

Link

This rabbit hole's about to get deeper. The data is there. Five years they've been pulling this.

Sure, there's no way to prove they were cheating in previous games, much less previous seasons, but this data is conclusive enough for NFL fans who have already ambushed the league and media in their reaction.

And just now... Now I'm realizing why this quote makes more sense:



When I read that a few days ago, I had thought that using "distraught" was a little too much, a little dramatic. But now I'm thinking that the league was well aware that the Patriots were a statistical outlier in certain categories, and were wondering how that was being achieved by a coach with a history of cheating. Well now they have their answer one week before their biggest event. "Distraught."

Five years. Belichick needs to go down for this.

If the coach was named Manning, you know what they'd do. Suspend the Buck passing Beliarcheat for a year without pay or contact with anyone in football. It's time to throw the Bowery Boys under the bus like they are planning to do with some young ball boy.
 
unless they are using over-undersized balls weight and pressure is the same thing :)

I supposed the size of the balls is fixed

edit

unless they are inflating them with helium :)

[IMGwidthsize=100]http://www.partypacks.co.uk/images/products/product_86896_1_orig.jpg[/IMG]

ummm... not really.
If you want the weight of the football, you put it on a scale.
If you want to know the pressure inside a football, you attach a pressure gauge.
Those are different kinds of measurements is all I'm saying.
 
ummm... not really.
If you want the weight of the football, you put it on a scale.
If you want to know the pressure inside a football, you attach a pressure gauge.
Those are different kinds of measurements is all I'm saying.

Theoretically, they are the same if all else is equal. But since the ball expands, the volume is NOT equal. But the balls should weigh more when properly inflated to the proper pressure than those which are under-inflated. It's just usually easier to weigh them than find a pressure gauge.

But I believe the rulebook refers to pressure between 12.5 and 13.5 lbs./sq.in.
 
Link
The Patriots averaged 73 plays/fumble the past 5 years, almost 70% better than the 43 plays/fumble that outdoor teams averaged since 2000.
...
The Patriots are so “off the map” when it comes to either fumbles or only fumbles lost. As mentioned earlier: this is an extremely abnormal occurrence and is NOT simply random fluctuation.

[imgwidthsize=600]http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NEW-Fumble-Chart-3.png[/IMG]

Interesting...

Looks like Patriots are 3 standard deviations away from the norm.

They must only draft players with very strong hands.
laughing-smiley-with-hand-in-front-of-mouth.gif
 
Theoretically, they are the same if all else is equal.

But since everything else is not equal, nobody would ever bother with weight when all they need is the final one measurement of pressure regardless of whether everything else was equal to being with.
 
Theoretically, they are the same if all else is equal. But since the ball expands, the volume is NOT equal. But the balls should weigh more when properly inflated to the proper pressure than those which are under-inflated. It's just usually easier to weigh them than find a pressure gauge.

But I believe the rulebook refers to pressure between 12.5 and 13.5 lbs./sq.in.

so you're telling me that you believe a football WEIGHS 12.5 lbs, minimum?

That's as much as a bowling ball. You're saying Tom Brady (or whoever) can throw a bowling ball 50 yds down field??

Seriously??
 
But since everything else is not equal, nobody would ever bother with weight when all they need is the final one measurement of pressure regardless of whether everything else was equal to being with.
I asked a physicist friend about the weight of air in a properly inflated football. He said, "First, assume a spherical football...".

Theoretically, they are the same if all else is equal. But since the ball expands, the volume is NOT equal. But the balls should weigh more when properly inflated to the proper pressure than those which are under-inflated. It's just usually easier to weigh them than find a pressure gauge.
There are too many variables in a football (weight of the leather, the strings, inner volume etc.) to make weighing them a viable option. They would be required to track the empty and inflated weight of each football and then do some math. The pressure gauge is much easier - it measures what is in question directly.
 
At this point, it doesn't matter..The most the NFL is going to do is throw a hefty fine at them, take away a few draft picks and possibly suspend Bilicheat for a few games next season. That would be devastating for most franchises...not them though.
 
Brady pushed for rule to let visiting team provide own footballs

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has long wanted control over the footballs he throws, to the point where he was the driving force behind a rules change that allowed visiting teams to provide their own footballs, rather than having both teams use footballs provided by the home team.

In 2006, Brady and Peyton Manning successfully lobbied the league to let every team provide its own footballs to use on offense. Prior to that, it was always the home team that supplied the footballs, which meant that road team quarterbacks didn’t get to try the footballs out until pregame warmups.

Brady said at the time that he appreciated the opportunity to address the league’s Competition Committee and get a rule change that he felt would be advantageous to himself and other quarterbacks.

“The thing is, every quarterback likes it a little bit different,” Brady told the Sun-Sentinel at the time. “Some like them blown up a little bit more, some like them a little more thin, some like them a little more new, some like them really broken in.”

Brady’s comments come into new focus this week as the NFL investigates whether the Patriots deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game, in violation of NFL rules. After Patriots coach Bill Belichick said today that he knows nothing about how balls are prepared prior to games, increased attention has turned to whether Brady was behind deflating the footballs.
 
I asked a physicist friend about the weight of air in a properly inflated football. He said, "First, assume a spherical football...".

====================================

There are too many variables in a football (weight of the leather, the strings, inner volume etc.) to make weighing them a viable option. They would be required to track the empty and inflated weight of each football and then do some math. The pressure gauge is much easier - it measures what is in question directly.

Exactly, the "all other things being equal" qualifier is so incorrect as to render everything after it meaningless. The shape/volume, empty weight, fill temp, tested temp, etc. all have to be the same. And then you get to try to back pressure out of weight differences in the .1 g range. It's a pain in the ass to no purpose.
 
Wow, talk about opening up old wounds...


Ex-GM on Pats: Culture of cheating

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The "DeflateGate'' controversy in New England resurrected questions former Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney had about the Patriots after losing Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Hurney, now the host of a weekday radio talk show on Charlotte's ESPN 730 AM and an ESPN NFL Insider, shared those questions on Thursday regarding Carolina's 32-29 loss to the Patriots at the end of the 2003 season.

"There isn't a day that goes by since 2003 that I haven't questioned ... that there were some things done that might have been beyond the rules that may have given them a three-point advantage,'' Hurney said during his radio show.

"And I can't prove anything and that's why I'm very angry. And the anger has come back over the last couple of days that commissioner Roger Goodell decided to shred all of the evidence after 'Spygate,' because I think there were a lot of things in there that would bring closure to a lot of people.''

The NFL is investigating why 11 of 12 football used by the Patriots in Sunday's 45-7 win over Indianapolis in the AFC Championship Game were underinflated significantly below the league requirements.

"To me this isn't about 'DeflateGate', this isn't about anything having to do about any particular game last week,'' Hurney said. "And it certainly isn't fodder to get by the first week before the Super Bowl.

"This is about a culture. Is there a culture of cheating at probably what most people look at as the best franchise in the National Football League?''

It was revealed in 2007 that the New England Patriots were caught illegally taping sideline defensive signals from New York Jets coaches during the team's opening week game. The "Spygate" controversy led to accusations that such activity has been going on since 2000.

"There are people who swear to me that the Patriots taped our practice down in Houston during Super Bowl week," Hurney said. "I can't prove it. I don't know. And I hate talking like this because I feel like a bad loser, but it just gnaws at you and this latest incident brings it back up.

"You go to 'Spygate' after our Super Bowl and things came out about a rumor about a video guy, and he had tapes and he goes to Hawaii and kind of disappears. ... These are all rumors and I can't substantiate any of this. But it gnaws at you."

Hurney made it clear the Panthers weren't completely innocent of violating rules during their Super Bowl year. He reminded that a report came out after the season that several Carolina players bought steroids from a South Carolina physician.

Among those cited in the report were three of the five starting offensive linemen.

"That was wrong," Hurney said. "The organization didn't know anything about it and we took steps and we addressed that. We weren't going to put up with that. [Team owner] Jerry Richardson wasn't going to put up with that.

"To me, this isn't about deflating balls, it's about a continuing culture of alleged cheating and to me everybody's talking about [coach] Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. When is Robert Kraft going to come up and explain why, if they are found guilty of this, why do these things keep happening in this organization?"

Hurney said the current allegations against New England aggravate him because "it really pulls up some pretty big scabs.'' He admittedly kept track of New England's playoff record after "Spygate."

"They were 6-6 in the playoffs," he said. "Now they're getting to the Super Bowl and you're saying this is all behind them and this comes up. This isn't about deflating balls; this is about is there a culture of cheating that they'll do anything to get an edge.

"This is a bigger issue, and I think most people are missing the issue. It's an issue of if there is a culture of cheating at the organization that most people look at as the gold standard in this league. Is there a culture of cheating and breaking the rules?''

Hurney wasn't surprised that Belichick denied any knowledge of wrongdoing.

"What did you expect him to say?" he said. "I don't expect the league to come out and say anything before the Super Bowl. I hope they do, but I still go back to why were all the documents shredded after that investigation if there weren't highly damaging facts about what the Patriots did.

"... You go to people and teams, people that have played them and feel like I do that they might have had an unfair advantage. You're going to feel that way. But winning that Super Bowl, when you work in the National Football League, that completes your career and that's all you work for. And when there's a question about it, that's why I wanted to see the evidence, and that's why I'm so upset about the evidence being shredded.''

Hurney said the history of the Patriots under Belichick makes him wary of what the coach says.

"I know I don't trust anything that Bill Belichick says because of all the rumors that are out there,'' he said. "That's why I want to see the report. I want to see what they did or what they didn't do.

"I can't prove any of this. But where there's smoke, a lot of times there's fire.''
 
Wow, talk about opening up old wounds...


Ex-GM on Pats: Culture of cheating

As argued in the Sport Illustrated article, cheating is systemic in that organization.

The league absorbed a credibility hit when they destroyed the Spygate evidence, but I would imagine they only paid that price if Kraft agreed to not let his organization embarrass the league again.

Well, here we are with a new embarrassment after a season full of embarrassments. Goodell's hand will be forced. I don't see how Belichick will remain a coach.
 
Wow, talk about opening up old wounds...

The NFL is investigating why 11 of 12 football used by the Patriots in Sunday's 45-7 win over Indianapolis in the AFC Championship Game were underinflated significantly below the league requirements.

Bellichek and Brady are investigating how one ball got missed...
 
The NFL issued the following statement on Friday afternoon in response to inquiries about “Deflategate”:
“Our office has been conducting an investigation as to whether the footballs used in last Sunday’s AFC Championship Game complied with the specifications that are set forth in the playing rules. The investigation began based on information that suggested that the game balls used by the New England Patriots were not properly inflated to levels required by the playing rules, specifically Playing Rule 2, Section 1, which requires that the ball be inflated to between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. Prior to the game, the game officials inspect the footballs to be used by each team and confirm that this standard is satisfied, which was done before last Sunday’s game.

“The investigation is being led jointly by NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss. Mr. Wells and his firm bring additional expertise and a valuable independent perspective. The investigation began promptly on Sunday night. Over the past several days, nearly 40 interviews have been conducted, including of Patriots personnel, game officials, and third parties with relevant information and expertise. We have obtained and are continuing to obtain additional information, including video and other electronic information and physical evidence. We have retained Renaissance Associates, an investigatory firm with sophisticated forensic expertise to assist in reviewing electronic and video information.

“The playing rules are intended to protect the fairness and integrity of our games. We take seriously claims that those rules have been violated and will fully investigate this matter without compromise or delay. The investigation is ongoing, will be thorough and objective, and is being pursued expeditiously. In the coming days, we expect to conduct numerous additional interviews, examine video and other forensic evidence, as well as relevant physical evidence. While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were under-inflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated. The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence.

“Upon being advised of the investigation, the Patriots promptly pledged their full cooperation and have made their personnel and other information available to us upon request. Our investigation will seek information from any and all relevant sources and we expect full cooperation from other clubs as well. As we develop more information and are in a position to reach conclusions, we will share them publicly.”
 

We have retained Renaissance Associates, an investigatory firm with sophisticated forensic expertise to assist in reviewing electronic and video information.

They're trying to get the offending equipment manager to sing. It won't be just any ball boy. It's someone loyal enough to not sell his information to some author in 10 ten years.
 
The condition of the footballs on Sunday is coming into clarity.

This is significant, because it takes weather-as-a-factor out of the possible reasons why New England’s footballs could have lost air while the balls on Indianapolis’ sidelines would have stayed fully inflated. I am told reliably that:
  • The 12 footballs used in the first half for New England, and the 12 footballs used by the Colts, all left the officials’ locker room before the game at the prescribed pressure level of between 12.5 pounds per square inch and 13.5 psi.
  • All 24 footballs were checked by pressure gauge at halftime. I am told either 11 or 12 of New England’s footballs (ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported it was 11, and I hear it could have been all 12) had at least two pounds less pressure in them. All 12 Indianapolis footballs were at the prescribed level.
  • All 24 footballs were checked by pressure gauge after the game. All 24 checked at the correct pressure-which is one of the last pieces of the puzzle the league needed to determine with certainty that something fishy happened with the Patriots footballs, because the Colts’ balls stayed correctly inflated for the nearly four hours. There had been reports quoting atmospheric experts that cold weather could deflate footballs. But if the Patriots’ balls were all low, and the Colts’ balls all legit, that quashes that theory.
The conclusion: There is little doubt the New England footballs were tampered with by a human.
 
so you're telling me that you believe a football WEIGHS 12.5 lbs, minimum?

That's as much as a bowling ball. You're saying Tom Brady (or whoever) can throw a bowling ball 50 yds down field??

Seriously??

You really need to revisit your physics. 12.5 -13.5 lbs/sq.in. is a unit of pressure. It will correspond to a mass of air at that pressure contained within the bladder of the football so the volume has to be known and using that, you can calculate the weight of the air contained within the properly inflated ball. Add to that the weight of the container (the ball) and you can derive the approximate weight of the whole.

The easy way to do this is to weigh properly inflated balls to determine their usual weight and use that as a guide. But balls under-inflated will have less mass and thus weigh less. None of this suggests that the footballs weigh 12.5 pounds. I'm sure it is not a secret to those who are responsible for making sure the balls are properly inflated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_(ball)

"Before play, the ball is inflated to an air pressure of 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch (86 to 93 kilopascals). The ball weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 grams)."
 
Someone else mentioned this up-thread but it bears asking again:

Why don't the refs keep control of the balls until game time? Isn't that how MLB does it? Don't the umpires keep control of the baseballs until game time? Don't NBA refs keep control of the ball to be used in play throughout the game from tip off until final whistle?
Why is the NFL different?
:hmmm:
 
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