Author Topic: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?  (Read 1103 times)

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Offline ncwingman

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What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« on: November 11, 2024, 10:24:22 AM »
I want to preface this saying this is not a problem that needs solved, I'm just wondering out loud here.

There have been a few times this year where there's been a change of possession, followed by a significant delay in trying to switch team balls because everybody on the sideline is too busy celebrating. This got me thinking, what if we just had "game balls" rather than each team providing their own? In case of an interception or fumble, we just keep playing with that ball. We'd still have several for trading in after a long incompletion or similar, but we start enforcing the rules that state only officials can order the ball changed. Each team would be responsible for providing a ball boy to go retrieve balls out of play on their sideline and handing one to the wing official as needed, but not responsible for providing the balls themselves.

Maybe the white hat would be given 6 or 8 balls by whatever association and they ensure they're inflated/maintained/etc.. I wouldn't want to force a financial cost that the officials have the buy the balls, of course. This would also ensure that one team doesn't underinflate the balls, or use a worn out ball, or put stickum on them, etc.. Yeah, we check them before the game, but every time I've checked 4 or 5 balls, there's always a bag of 15 more on the sideline and nobody ever ensures those don't get used (although if an obviously flat ball comes in to the game, the umpire will usually kick it back out right away).

Anyway, how terrible is this idea? Would it be complete and total chaos for no reason?

Online GoodScout

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2024, 01:10:30 PM »
When I'm in as umpire, I'm willing to have teams bring in their own balls as long as they're prompt about it.

I've had several games where after a COP I never got the new team ball, and they've had to snap it with their opponents' football (I don't give away a football until I have a new one). Once had a center recognize it wasn't his team's ball, and I said "that's the one you're playing with this play. You can try and get a new one in next play." Usually after that, it's not a problem the rest of the game.

Offline ncwingman

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2024, 02:05:59 PM »
When I'm in as umpire, I'm willing to have teams bring in their own balls as long as they're prompt about it.

I've had several games where after a COP I never got the new team ball, and they've had to snap it with their opponents' football (I don't give away a football until I have a new one). Once had a center recognize it wasn't his team's ball, and I said "that's the one you're playing with this play. You can try and get a new one in next play." Usually after that, it's not a problem the rest of the game.

Like I said, it's not a problem, but as a wing official, if I need a ball from my sideline after a COP I'm not going to just passively wait for them to hand me one. If I turn around and go "Hey, I need your ball!" and I have to repeat myself a few times because they're all a-hootin' and a-hollerin', I get rather annoyed. Eventually, I'll give up if they don't respond, but you've got to make a good faith effort.

I was thinking about it because at higher levels there's ball boys on both sidelines for each team, so if one side is in celebratory chaos, you can grab one from the other side of the field, if necessary. However, I don't suggest putting the Coach's 10 year old kid on the opposing sideline as a backup...

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2024, 07:05:54 AM »
Nothing chaps my hiney more than to have to wait...and wait...and wait...for a ball to come in after a punt or KO.  I try to train my wings to tell the team going on offense “Get a ball ready”, but I guess they have a lot to do, such as eyeing the prom queen.

Online Ralph Damren

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2024, 07:37:00 AM »
Case 1.3.2A states :There is no penalty if a team doesn't provide a ball..." They just get stuck with using the other team's ball. After the assistant coach has returned from Walmart with a new properly inflated ball; the referee can then approve it's use. Upon presentation of Walmart's reciept to the snack-shack, the asst. coach should be allowed all the hot dogs or lobster rolls (Maine only) that he can eat.
                                   eAt&

Offline Rich

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2024, 01:11:24 PM »
Nothing chaps my hiney more than to have to wait...and wait...and wait...for a ball to come in after a punt or KO.  I try to train my wings to tell the team going on offense “Get a ball ready”, but I guess they have a lot to do, such as eyeing the prom queen.

I don't work on a wing much, but when I do I tell the ball person "I'll need one after this kick" and that usually works well.  When I worked deep in college, I was overjoyed at how good the ball people (usually baseball players) were.  Most of them took the job seriously.

Online NVFOA_Ump

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2024, 02:28:31 PM »
We always have the wings ask the coach to identify who the ball person will be and then talk to him or her with "this is how this needs to work".  Works pretty effectively 98% of the time.  We get the ball from them and give it back to them as needed.
It's easy to get the players, getting 'em to play together, that's the hard part. - Casey Stengel

Offline ncwingman

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2024, 02:47:52 PM »
We always have the wings ask the coach to identify who the ball person will be and then talk to him or her with "this is how this needs to work".  Works pretty effectively 98% of the time.  We get the ball from them and give it back to them as needed.

Where I am, it's probably a 60/40 split between good ball boys and the coach's 7 year old kid who'd rather be at home playing pokemon. I usually ask the coach who the ball boy is, and if I get a response of "Oh, I'll find one..." or "He should be here..." and know it's going to be a long night, especially on JV night. It doesn't really matter what you say to them in those nights, they're easily distracted and likely wandering around on the other end of the field.

Then there are nights where the ball boys are waiting for us as soon as we step on the field and eager to do their jobs and we all have a great night. That's more often than not, but definitely not 98%.

Offline bossman72

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Re: What if teams didn't provide their own balls?
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2024, 08:34:28 PM »
It's the only sport that I know of where each team has their own balls.  Every other sport uses the home team provided balls and it's not that big of a deal as we make it in football.