Put the Footballs in NFL Hands, not Teams'

Good morning,

The real question surrounding DeflateGate may not be what the Patriots did or did not do to the footballs but why they even could have a hand on those things?

By rule, each team provides 12 balls per game and after the ref checks them for the proper inflation, they give them back to the teams! Then, when that team’s offense is on the field, they use one of the balls from that team’s sideline.

How ludicrous is that? The multi-billion dollar NFL allows someone from each team to handle the footballs that team will use on offense. Doesn’t that scream out for some hanky-panky?

Here’s a quick solution that only comes about in the NFL it seems if something like this occurs: The league can assign someone for each game to bring 24 footballs with him, give them to the ref to test and then give them back to the one independent person who works for the NFL to secure.

Then, each offense can play with the same football until it either becomes too wet, damaged or gets thrown into the stands by an exuberant player. Then, have the NFL-assigned ballboy to give another ball to the ref.

How difficult is that?

Onto some other stuff:

--- Dick LeBeau is close to signing with Arizona to become the Cardinals new linebackers coach, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.

If so, it will give the Cardinals four coaches in their 70s next season and all four worked with the Steelers. LeBeau is 77. Assistant head coach Tom Moore, the Steelers wide receivers coach for their final two Super Bowls in the 1970s and later offensive coordinator in the 1980s, is 76. Assistant offensive line coach Larry Zierlein, Mike Tomlin’s first line coach with the Steelers, turns 70 in July. Tom Pratt, 78, who helped the Steelers in training camp for several years, is Arizona’s pass rush specialist.

That makes coach Bruce Arians a relative whippersnapper at 62.

That should be a delightful coaching amalgamation when the Cardinals play in Heinz Field next season.

--- If you were wavering on whether to watch Sunday’s Pro Bowl or not, this should help – the game will feature narrowed goal posts! Instead of being 18 feet wide, they will be 14 feet. I have a better idea: Put just one post up and make the kicker hit it. I used to watch Gary Anderson try to hit one of the posts in practice and he often did so.

--- And if that does not entice you to watch, maybe this will: The Pro Bowl will have no kickoffs. The game will start at the 25-yard line as will each possession following scores. That rule is coming to a stadium near you before too long also. So, don’t ask what the Pro Bowl kickoff time is Sunday because there is none.

--- Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell were named co-winners of the AFC offensive player of the year award as presented by the Kansas City 101 Club.

--- Here is a chance for you to get your hands on some rare Steelers memorabilia from the 1970s and much more.

--- For Amusement Only: Beginning with the Steelers victory over Dallas in Super Bowl X, the over bet on total points in the game has won 23 times, the under 16.

--- The Steelers signed a guy who was working for UPS, unloading boxes. Maybe he can also deliver for them.