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

[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.