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mbenga28
11-16-2009, 11:36 AM
could some of the game used football collectors offer some advice on how to keep game used footballs in good shape, especially with how often one should inflate air to maintain its shape? thanks.

cohibasmoker
11-16-2009, 02:11 PM
could some of the game used football collectors offer some advice on how to keep game used footballs in good shape, especially with how often one should inflate air to maintain its shape? thanks.

Interesting question. I've thought about that very question often and since this is a forum, if we get enough input, maybe we can figure it out.

For myself, I've found that footballs that were used in the 1950's, 60's and early 70's had bladders that were similar to tire inter tubes and those babies held up very well. In the 1980's, Wilson went to man-made bladder and they sucked. As a result, the footballs leaked much quicker than their earlier ancestors.

Todays footballs, have a stronger bladder but they aren't used as much as footballs in the past. When you think about it, each team supplies 12 balls per game and they use their own footballs for their offensive plays. If they average 40 - 50 offensive plays per game, how many times are they actually used - 4 or 5 times per game? The home team will supply 12 "K" footballs which are used only for punting and kicking by both teams. When you think about it, how many times are they actually Kicked or punted?

I've purchased footballs directly from player's, with few exceptions all of them came partially deflated. I don't know if the balls were deflated from space restrictions, air loss over time or they felt that it was better to deflate them. The issue with a deflated football is, when you inflate the football, the paint sometimes cracks and flakes off so one needs to be very careful.

For me, it depends on the year of the football but I basically put them on a shelf and enjoy them. One other point, do NOT over-inlate them. Like a inner tube on your car, they can pop or the laces and/or seams on the football could expand too much and they can snaps or tear.

Jim

flaa1a@comcast.net

PS: I think I have a couple of 1980's bladders in the garage. If I can find them, I'll shoot a scan to show you just how cheap they are.

buckeyegamers
11-16-2009, 03:10 PM
As a follow up question...Is there anyway to replace a bladder that won't hold air?

mbenga28
11-16-2009, 04:12 PM
thank you cohibasmoker, excellent advice indeed.

jv225
11-16-2009, 05:22 PM
As a follow up question...Is there anyway to replace a bladder that won't hold air?

You can do it yourself but you would have to re lace the ball. I know Wilson will install a new bladder for you. I sent an Emmitt Smith signed football to Wilson a few years ago to have the bladder replaced. I can't remember the exact price but it was very reasonable.

Edit: I decided to look it up before posting. Wilson will install a new bladder for $15. Not a bad price at all IMO.

Here's a link

http://www.mycusthelp.net/WILSONSPORTS/_cs/AnswerDetail.aspx?sSessionID=&aid=42

Sabresfreak
11-16-2009, 06:55 PM
An official game ball is inflated to 13lbs.

Footballs used in a game are switched out after an interception, kickoff, punt, incompletion, INT or out if one goes out of bounce. Every team has their own footballs with the team name on them. There are ball boys on both sides of the field one usually around the line of scrimmage and one down field a little ways. Most times the ball coming into the game will be from the ball boy down field and the ball coming off will go to the ball boy who is by the line of scrimmage. The ball boy on the line of scrimmage will make sure the ball boy down field gets a replacement. A ball can be replaced from either sideline since there are a set of footballs on both sides. At halftime the footballs are split up again because one side usually ends up with more than the other.

buckeyegamers
11-16-2009, 09:02 PM
You can do it yourself but you would have to re lace the ball. I know Wilson will install a new bladder for you. I sent an Emmitt Smith signed football to Wilson a few years ago to have the bladder replaced. I can't remember the exact price but it was very reasonable.

Edit: I decided to look it up before posting. Wilson will install a new bladder for $15. Not a bad price at all IMO.

Here's a link

http://www.mycusthelp.net/WILSONSPORTS/_cs/AnswerDetail.aspx?sSessionID=&aid=42

Thanks jv225 that's not bad at all