Any thoughts on the following:

I refer to Alan Shearer's project regarding further investigations into the long term effects on the brain caused by long term heading of a football. I certainly wouldn't argue against this apart from one thing. According to Alan, the old leather football (apart from when it was mud bound ) was less heavy than the ball is today. I'm assuming he'll have done his homework but if the sizes of balls are the same as yesteryear (size 5) for senior football, I can't see how the modern plastic casings are thicker and weigh more than the old leather ball and it's bladder.