Quote:
Originally Posted by Flabbibulin
Im not so sure you have that correct- the balls are mixed together and distributed randomly. The ball attendants do not hand out specific footballs depending on which O is up. The balls are all placed together near the replay booth. At least, Im pretty sure this is how it is done. Either way, if the method I am describing is accurate, it is even worse for the Pats, as it eliminates the possibility that something accidentally happened to all the balls after the inspection. Sounds like they were deflated going into the game and the refs didn't accurately assess them?
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Read this in a couple spots over the past day, though not from the rule book.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/footba...-win-1.9821346
NFL rules require each team to provide 12 in-game footballs that the officiating crew inspects two hours before kickoff. Each team provides its own footballs when its offense is on the field. League rules require that footballs be inflated to between 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch (PSI) at all times.
They are inspected before the game, are ok. They go to the Pats sideline, used, and then after the game 11 of the 12 Pats balls are found to be under inflated.