(September 3, 2015 at 6:17 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Both teams should use the same fucking ball....just like baseball...basketball...soccer....hock..no, wait. Bad example.
Not gonna happen though, and it's not as simple as that. None of those sports are contact sports, and the ball gets a lot of abuse, even in a single play (getting crushed, slammed against the ground, etc.). For that reason, each team supplies the officials with 12 balls each, which are then used throughout the game.
I suppose the officials could supply all the balls for the game, but quarterbacks seem to have their own preference for how they want the balls treated before the game, as most don't like playing with "new" balls, but rather with balls that had been broken in so they were easier to grip. Also, the NFL set a range for acceptable PSI levels, and some QB's like the balls at the lower end (e.g. Tom Brady) whilst others prefer the balls to be at the higher end (e.g. Aaron Rodgers).
As long as the officials check the balls before they are put into play to make sure they are regulation, I don't see a problem with continuing to allow teams to supply their own balls.
