Posted on 02/05/2006 3:30:39 AM PST by beyond the sea
Super Bowl quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Hasselbeck are worried about using the new balls that will be used for every play in the first half of Sunday's Super Bowl XL per the NFL.
The main headache for passers is that the league never did a competent job of rubbing off the slick surface covering every football, ones they plan to donate to charity and give to the Hall of Fame and to the coaches and players in the game as souvenirs.
Unlike baseball, the league's officials have never been diligent in rubbing off the slippery surface covering every football. Big Ben will be wearing gloves due to a right thumb injury, and he believes he should be able to grip the new footballs.
"My only concern is how the receivers and guys like Jerome Bettis deal with the slippery new footballs," Roethlisberger said. "I understand the reason for putting so many footballs into play for this game, but I do know how difficult it is for my teammates to catch them."
Hasselbeck didn't know about the league's system of using a new football for every single play in the first half of the championship game.
"I don't like the new footballs, but I'm sure I will be able to deal with them," Hasselbeck said. "It's part of the deal, and every player on the field has to handle this situation. Most of the new footballs will be given to charity and that's a good thing."
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
"'Big deal over nothing' --Yeh right. (sarcasm off)"
How nice of you.
They know what's coming and prepare for it. They'll concentrate a bit more. You can complain and insult people all you want.
Have a good Sunday.
"I don't like the new footballs, but I'm sure I will be able to deal with them," Hasselbeck said. "It's part of the deal, and every player on the field has to handle this situation."
Somebody gets it.
http://sport.monstersandcritics.com/football/article_1094245.php/Super_Bowl_footballs_authenticated
DETROIT, MI, United States (UPI) -- Footballs for this year`s Super Bowl will be authenticated with a drop of synthetic DNA to deter the sale of 'game-used' counterfeits.
The real ones can be determined by exposing them to a specific laser frequency when the DNA will glow to a bright green, reports The Los Angeles Times.
'The ball can change hands a thousand-plus times, but it will never lose that DNA,' said Joe Orlando, head of the California company which marked the Super Bowl footballs. 'The chance of replicating this exact DNA sequence is one in 33 trillion, so it`s virtually impossible.'
The NFL has prepared 120 Wilson footballs for Sunday`s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks and plans to use a new one on every play of the first half, before going to a 12-ball rotation after halftime, The Times reported.
Some of the footballs are donated to charities, while others are set aside for players, coaches and officials.
Some players feel changing the balls so often could pose problems as new balls tend to be slippery.
Not brilliant at all just fact. As long as the playing field is the same for all why should anyone cry over a new ball.
...new balls that will be used for every play in the first half of Sunday's Super Bowl XL...
Stupid me. I thought Delay-of-Game was a penalty offense.
Not an insult, just some truth.
Hey......... you said it was no big deal. I merely then showed you that it was INDEED a big deal to those professional players in post # 19. I'm sorry if you cannot take truth. You were not insulted you just have a thin skin apparently.
It is a big deal, and could be easily avoided.
People could be given commemorative balls without changing game balls on every play of the first half.
If they want so many of these stupid commemorative balls why don't they put a new ball in play ON EVERY PLAY OF THE WHOLE GAME?
He's a future politician.
;-)
Think on the sunny side.
What if all the players had to change jerseys after every play!
Maybe we won't have deal with that scenario until Super Bowl LXX©.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SMASH MOUTH?
STEELERS STYLE!!!
You didn't insult me.
I thought you insulted another poster.
I'm ok with this whole thing. I just disagree with you.
These people are pros and will deal with it.
Wish you luck with your bet/team.
I'm glad to see that you have your game face on already. Give 'em hell and GOOO Stillers!
What if all the players had to change jerseys after every play!
Don't give them any ideas.
Your thinking is plain simple and foolish.
Let me ask you this. Why do professional teams cover outdoor playing fields before the game when it is raining or snowing. Why??
Why to ground crews try to make the playing surface as good as possible in games like baseball and football for instance?
Why does a major league grounds crew try to get rid of all the little stones and pebbles from real soil infields?
Why do these people make efforts to keep the fields playable for the players? When you finally think of the answer to those questions, you may begin to know why a decent "unslippery" ball should be furnished...... if at all possible!
If you think slippery balls are great for the most important game of the football season then why don't they just go and smear Vaseline on the balls before the game? It would be the same for both teams....... that satisfies your simple rationale.
Too sum it up.......... efforts are made through the decades to offer to the players an excellent playing surface....... efforts should be made to give them a good ball to play with. Plain and simple!
LOL .......... the game officials will hurriedly slip the balls onto the field between plays.
Two years ago the surface on the field of Reliant Stadium was very slick for the SB.
LOL
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SMASH MOUTH? ...... STEELERS STYLE!!! ---
Oh yes! GO STEELERS!
Now, isn't that the truth.
I didn't bet .......... yet.
;-)
LOL........ I do. I'm just a little pissed about these stupid balls. I hate luck (for either team), and when luck (or bad luck) can easily be avoided, it should be.(See post # 32)
****
I think I'll go get a Rolling Rock or two for breakfast to settle down a little.
Go Stillers
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