Kickoff went into the stands
 

I hate to digress from the forum's regularly scheduled self-loathing after the Chiefs' loss and the BCS results but I was wondering if anyone could answer this one for me.

I forget exactly when but sometime during the second half Nate Kaeding kicked off to us. It was a hell of a kick and easily reached the end zone, finally taking an odd bounce and landing in the hands of a fan in the first row. Very shortly after, the ball handling guys and/or security came over and it looked like they asked for the ball back. After a brief exchange, the fan decided that rather than giving the ball back, he would prefer to toss it about 25 rows behind him since if he couldn't have it, no one could.

From my seats in section 134, we saw this at a bit of a distance but everyone around me had a good laugh when the guy tossed the ball away from whoever those guys were that wanted it back. Why would they want it back so badly? I thought I once read there something like 30 or 40 game balls were prepared before every game. And it's not like balls get hurled into the stands very often.

I mean I know this isn't baseball, but what's the harm? What would they have done if the guy ran off with the ball or stuck a knife into it and then handed it back? Forfeit the game?

I'm pretty sure the ball was eventually returned to the officials demanding it. I don't know if the fan that originally caught it was ejected or not (although I'm curious if anyone closer than I could tell the rest of the story).

Anyone know the deal?

It's a ****ing football. People shouldn't make a big deal out of it.

Well I think the balls for kicks and the balls for regular plays are different but if that guy threw 25 rows behind him on the fly then I think Herm should take a look at him at least...

This is something that has always bugged me about the NFL (amongst other things)....security always asks for the ball back.

For the price of admission...and the truly random/limited amount of footballs that leave the playing area....you should leave with a souvenier.

Im excited that Kaeding got a touchback, I didn't see it if it happened.

NFL is too cheap, to worry about a ball? The stands are far enough away, the net for FG's/EP's is up enough times, that the league shows that it's too cheap to let souvenirs go.

Are we now looking at foulballs into the stands in MLB be returned to the playing field?

Pussy NFL cheap-ass booshit.

That makes you excited? Sheet I thought we were desperate for excitement

Knowing our luck, that was probably Herm's magic ball imbued with the magic of field position and a first down pass.

Damn fan cost us the game.

FAX

Well Kaeding is secretly one of my favorite players.

OH SHIT!

Carl must go

If the NFL is forced to buy new balls because of greedy fans, they sure would not be able to keep the measurement chains maintained like they do.

Well, for us to do well in a game we need to take the ball away. Out team just wasn't taking the ball away. You want to take the ball away two, three times per game, then you're in a good position to score.
What happened in this game was the on-field security just couldn't take the ball away. And it's VERY tough to win a game when that's happening. [/HERM]

I agree it's stupid, but then again, a MLB ball is probably what, $25? An official NFL ball is probably $125

An authentic Wilson game ball is $90 retail. You can bet your ass that the teams pay a small fraction of that price.