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 ...
It's just a game.
As my 'ole daddy use to say:
Winning aint every thing, son
but it's way ahead of whatever is in second place.
GO STILLERS
Vaseline/Al Davis/jerseys/footballs....... ah, the good old days.
lol
Yes I remember. What were the causes of that?
What....... had they just had a rodeo?
I hear you. ;-)
Enjoy the game. I pray that the game illustrates the prowess of both teams as those abilities truly exist.
What a great game this should be.
Super Bowl Sunday ........... a great day!
ROFL
****
That's very, very funny ...... but may I be the old fuddy duddy here again and repeat that these great players, on both excellent teams, have worked too hard all year and during their entire careers to play a game of this importance where slippery balls are introduced on every play of the first half.
They have worked too damn hard for the results (as Cowher would say --- the destination) of all their pain and work to be possibly influenced by the luck introduced by slippery balls!
It's just plain ignorant and inconsistent with much of what the NFL tries to stand for.
Yes, I saw that last night again. It sure was questionable.
Still my favorite all time Super Bowl halftime score, 2-0.
I don't mind so much...
Then again I don't really give a crap about either team....
Gee these guys have been playing for all these years with the same ball. They never got a new one. Its amazing what you learn on these forums. Now we know what the guys on the bench do , they sit there all day rubbing their balls.
Give me a break! I know that 13 dollar bet with my barber (thats a haircut) really has me bothered.
Professional sports teams, especially football teams, are something whole cities get behind and support. It brings people together and fans as well as players have a lot of emotion involved in this game.
I have fond memories of rooting for the Hawks with my Dad, Grandpa, brothers and friends since I was a child. My mom is having a Seahawk cake made and my Dad put the Hawk flag up. I have family and friends coming to eat and drink and enjoy the biggest sporting event in American culture, 1 billion people will be watching this uniquely American game and I'll be damned if the game should be decided because a ball slips out of the QB's hand and gets intercepted.
You know what the Seattle running backs say about Hasselbach everytime he gets under the center?
He's been under more balls than a midget hooker.
Really, I don't mean to be a jerk by asking you this, but do you want athletic events of this importance to be won by the team with the better effort and talent? Or would you mind the game be won on a couple of lucky breaks?
I have seen you post a long ping list often on sports threads, so I wonder really how you feel about this.
If it's easy to avoid the balls being slippery, don't you think it should be avoided to negate as much luck (bad luck) as possible?
LOL ............. they should rub their balls.
See post # 2
;-)
"I'll be damned if the game should be decided because a ball slips out of the QB's hand and gets intercepted." --- thank you! You and I are for two different teams but we feel EXACTLY THE SAME on this. Thank you for KNOWING!
Let's have a fair game where the better team really wins!
***
(see post # 32)
Just as stupid as signing a bill with 20 different pens.
lol.......
Maybe this complaint has a lot to do with the quarterbacks making their excuses before the fact happens.
I mean what better way to explain throwing the ball to the oposition than saying I told you the balls were too slippery before the game started.
Lets get on with the game and leave the excuses for the losers.
Thats what the SB is. Its an exciting fun "holiday" that Americans celebrate without the request of the gov't, but because it is in our blood.
Yesterday I spoke with a customer who was rooting for the Steelers, but he had rooted for Indy in the playoffs. He knew the game and the players on the teams and it was fun to be in Allen Texas talking about the Steeler/Seahawk Superbowl with an Indy fan who had an actual opinion on the game.
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