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A pair of Dolphin's Balls

Discussion in 'Pro Shop' started by Phinlandia, May 9, 2017.

  1. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Good day folks!

    Right, I'll get right to it.

    Sometime ago, around 2010, I visited Miami for a few months. During that time I was fortunate to go and see a game.

    Somehow I got hold of a couple footballs - some raffle or something. Anyway, I would like to know more about them, and how to get rid of them. I don't want to throw them away, but I don't really want them either.

    What do I have?

    1. Brand new football, signed by '#19' Initials appear to be possibly 'JM', or 'TM'.

    2. Battered up Wilson football. - I'm told it was a training ball used by the Miami Dolphins during that year.

    The game I went to see had a team in dark blue or dark purple playing the Dolphins in Miami. Not sure what time of year.

    So, is there anyone who can put 2 and 2 together - - maybe work out who the player who signed the ball was, and possibly what game I went to see.

    The pics of the balls attached.

    Thanks,

    Phinlandia
     

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  2. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Well, the autographed football appears to be from Ted Ginn Jr. He wasn't on the roster that year. Brandon Marshall was #19 that season. However, they autograph on the football is clearly Ted Ginn Jr's after doing a google search for autographed pictures from Teddy. It matches. See below:

    [​IMG]

    As for the game you went to, if it was 2010, dark blue or purple for the visiting team... New England was in Miami in October. Possibly they wore their dark blue jerseys that game. Chicago came to town later in the year, they possibly had dark blue jerseys on as well. Tennessee also came to town in November that year, they have a blue jersey of some sort too, but I'd think New England and Chicago are the best bets. We did play Minnesotta that year, who obviously has a purple uni, but that game was in Minnesotta, not Miami.

    Now, if it was 2009 that you were there... Ted Ginn was still on the roster in 2009. New England played in Miami in December, likely we had them wear their dark blues. Houston was also in town after Christmas, they would have been in dark blues likely. Indianapolis was in town in September, likely in blue, and Buffalo in October, again, likely in blue since we typically force teams to wear their dark jersey's when they come to Miami for the advantage of the sun.

    Best I can do.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
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  3. Finster

    Finster Finsterious Finologist

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    It's a shame what Teddy did there, that looks like it used to be a nice football.

    :rimshot:
     
  4. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Brandon27,

    Well, well...thanks for that interesting research and information.

    Haha! It seems like this Ginn lad didn't have a great time in his final year at Miami! Wikipedia says:

    2009 season[edit]
    Ginn started the 2009 season slowly by catching two balls in his first game. Ginn then seemed to have a breakout game against the Indianapolis Colts on September 21, 2009, catching a career high 11 balls for 108 yards. Although a career game, he was criticized for dropping two potential touchdown passes, one in the final minutes of the game.[20] The next two games Ginn dropped several passes and caught only one 4-yard pass and had a 22-yard run.[21] In Week 5 against the rival Jets, Ginn had just two catches, but one was a 53-yard touchdown against to help the Dolphins win. New Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne was hoped to improve Ginn's game.[22] Ginn however continued to struggle in the passing game and was demoted to backup wide receiver after Week 7. Ginn said he was angry and embarrassed about the benching entering Week 8 against the rival New York Jets. Although Ginn caught no passes in the game, he was given full-time kickoff return duties, and took out his frustrations by tying an NFL record with two kickoff returns for touchdowns, one of 100 yards and the second of 101. Those TDs are the only two of that distance in the same game (the previous record was 2 TDs of 97 yards in the same game), and the first time a player returned two kickoffs in the same quarter since 1967.[23] Ginn won special-teams player of the month for his efforts. The next game against New England, Ginn again dropped several passes that included one in the fourth quarter during a last minute potentially game-tying drive. In the week 10 game against Tampa Bay, Ginn had zero catches despite several attempts and was ineffective in the return game.[24] Ginn would finish the year 4th in dropped passes.[25]

    For the year, Ginn had 1,826 all-purpose yards, including 1,324 return yards and 502 yards from scrimmage, with two fumbles.[26]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Ginn_Jr.


    In which case, I don't think I'm going to get rich with this ball. What do you think? No wonder they were giving it away a year later!!

    Shall I just bin it?

    Does anyone want this ball?

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    As for the game I watched..I'm pretty sure it was the Chicago Bears game...

    I remember some orange in the visitor's kit, and having just looked up on Google, it certainly rings a bell. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bears-shut-out-dolphins-16-0/

    However, it looks like the players were wearing white tops in that game...maybe it was the fans who were wearing the dark kit which I remember.

    I also recall telling my mates back home that I was going to see the Miami Dolphins play the Chicago Bulls...! How excited I was. My knowledge of American sporting animals was pretty limited at the time... (not much better now) ;-) Felt pretty stupid though when I realised I hadn't even got the right sport!

    Anyhow, pretty sure it was them.
    ------------------------------------------------------
    I learnt a lot that day...

    It was a revelation to me that the entire team changes from Defense to Attack (I think you call it Offense). That will explain why there appears to be hundreds of players down the side of the pitch doing nothing for half the game. It would also explain why the players never get tired...

    It also made sense when everyone around me started shouting, "Go Dee! Go Dee!". Odd because the players programme didn't have anyone named 'Dee'. Only afterwards, I realised they were encouraging the defense to try harder... As in "Go D!"

    I had to laugh at the skinny guy whose job it was to come on every half hour, kick the ball at the posts, and then run off. He was pretty good, but I guess he should be if that was his only job.

    Once someone dropped his yellow hankercheif on the ground...amazingly the entire game stopped! Why they couldn't just play on, and pick it up later... So much stopping!

    Then some referee comes on the pitch with a giant pen attached to a string, and everyone stood about looking at it! What's that all about?!

    Occassionally, they'd actually run around and actually play some football.

    All in all though, I do remember that the atmosphere was great, before during and after the game! Met some nice fans from both teams... For all its quirks, it was a great day out!
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
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  5. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    Brandon Marshall


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Teddy Ginn Jr.. apparently!
     
  7. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    See above. It's clearly Ted Ginn Jr's autograph.
     
  8. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    As far as getting rid of them, pop them up on eBay. Somebody will pay for the Ginn Jr. ball since he's still in the league. If I had to guess, both balls should sell for $50-75. If you get a few collectors going at it though who knows....you could reach $100+
     
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  9. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    Slightly left of center
    Or you could just give them to me if you want.:cool:
     
  10. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    who was ted Ginn?
     
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  11. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    I'd be careful with posts like this and not offer to purchase or give any payment info to anyone.

    This guy is new, has a Dolphins related handle, and yet seems to not know anything about the Dolphins.

    No offense Phinlandia, you may be a legit dude, but this is how people get taken advantage of on the internet.
     
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  12. Dolphin North

    Dolphin North Well-Known Member

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    I believe Ginn's shoes from the game with the 2 big returns are in the Hall Of Fame. One day he will be reunited with them...





    ...for the price of admission. :tongue:

    While I'm at it, can I be the first to nominate this for thread title of the year?
     
  13. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Thanks! I couldn't resist!
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
  14. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    danmarino,

    100% no offense taken. In fact, I applaud your internet savvy-ness. We need more of it, these days...its what I call part of 'Digital Judgement'. So to put your mind at ease, I'll be clear here that I'm not out to take anyone's money online (unless via a well known system such as Ebay), and I urge people to think twice before giving any unsecured payment details or money over the internet.

    The 'Dolphins' handle - yeah, I'm quite proud of that. Finlandia is a piece of music by Sibelius, written in 1899 (one of my favourites). I just saw the other handles on this forum, and followed suit with the 'Phin' theme. (It's almost worth becoming a fan, just use that handle!) However, once this thread has run its course, I'll probably close this account..

    In fact, this is a genuine 'information finding' mission. I've had these balls for 7 years...carted them around the world with me. Now I'm moving house again in the far east, and thought it was finally time to know more about them, and possibly get rid of them.

    In fact, I was thinking of offering them to anyone for 'free' by sending them first, and asking the person to paypal the postage costs only. Now, I'm thinking of Ebay (but have never used that).

    -----------------------------------------------
    I'm British.

    I was over in Miami flight training for 3 or 4 months. I had a bucket list of things to do while I was in America. Mostly drawn from Hollywood depictions of American life! Going to an American football game was one! Others included 'turning patties in a diner', 'playing the organ at a basketball game'. Hanging out with homeless people warming hands wearing fingerless gloves around an 'oil drum' fire drinking wine from a paper bag! That kind of thing!

    Even standing in the bleachers at a High School football game. (Like in Grease!). I did that and was fascinated by the cheerleaders...., but just looked (and felt) like a dirty old pervert, so didn't stay for long!

    So I turned up at Sun Life Stadium that day all alone (having bought a ticket from a dodgy looking bloke at the side of the road).

    Naturally, I went straight to the 'Fan Shop' and bought myself a large foam finger! Haha! When I got into the stands, I was the only person with one!

    I've dug deep in my hard drive, and found the one photo I got from the day - that's me with the famous foam finger, and some stranger from the opposition supporters who was sitting in front of me!!! I needed at least one photo to prove to my friends I was there!

    The day was the best. I enviously walked through the 'tailgate' party at the before the game. I had so much fun during the game, even though I didn't have a clue what was going on. It just seemed a lot of stopping and starting.

    The scale of it all, the camaraderie and the passion etc... I only wish I had some mates to enjoy it with.

    I think the Dolphins lost that game pretty badly!
    ----------------------------------------------

    As for the balls and Teddy Ginn...

    I did read in Wikipedia yesterday that he did have a record breaking game (2 100 yard runs in one game), but apart from that, it seems he was one of the worst wide receivers Miami has had. Maybe he could be famous for that!

    Now thinking back to it, I do remember some confusion when I asked people whose autograph it was. Brandon Marshal was #19 that season. Not Ginn.

    After having moved around the NFL quite a lot it seems, Ginn is now going to play for the New Orleans Saints!

    Thanks to you Dolphin's fans for helping me learn about these balls, and bringing back memories of a great day out.
     

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    Last edited: May 9, 2017
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  15. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    thread moved to the appropriate forum, thanks.

    - Phins Moderator.
     
  16. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    Do you allow folks to hold and feel your balls before buying?
     
  17. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    Can I give you my cc number, social and mother's maiden name ?


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  18. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Nah...but I can tell you they're a bit soft at the moment... :smile: Too soft to kick...would probably just damage them...

    Mike, I do however have the original sack they came in...(see the picture) I guess it would be called a ball s... :tongue2:

    Enough of this before it gets out of hand!!!!
     

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  19. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    No one here would ever buy Ginn memorabilia.


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  20. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    Great stories!

    If you don't find a taker I'd gladly throw a few dollars down for those footballs. Through a reputable source. lol

    As dirtylandry wrote, most Dolphins' fans wouldn't pay for Ginn memorabilia, and I never particularly liked him while he was playing for us, but he did win a few games against the Jets so I'll always give him props for that.
     
  21. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    That's right on special teams lol


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  22. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    Crap. That's that damn Bears game I took my wife to a few years ago. Yeah, she's from Chicago and I still haven't heard the end of it!
     
  23. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Hmmm... Probably, I'd only ask the postage price (not that much) from Hong Kong. Using Paypal is easiest. Pay once you receive them...I'm trust you..

    However, we're going to have to wait, since they got put into storage during the move! I'm not sure when I'll get there next... could be a couple of months! Sorry.

    I'll PM you when I next get access, and see if you're still interested!

    Phinlandia
     
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  24. Phinlandia

    Phinlandia New Member

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    Sorry to dredge up such terrible memories!!!

    Can you see yourself in my picture above?
     
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  25. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    lol...No worries. Hong Kong, huh? I've always wanted to visit. I've lived in Japan. Visited Okinawa, Guam, and S. Korea. I really love the Asian atmosphere and cultures. How long will you be in Hong Kong?
     
  26. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    No. Different section. That would have been pretty cool though!
     

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