Abstract:
A portable football inspired bolo throwing game of skill wherein two tethered miniature footballs are tossed onto a runged stand bearing resemblance to a football goalpost. The base of the runged stand accepts a placard with the name, insignia or logo of well known college or professional teams. In this way the owner can display his loyalty. The miniature footballs are similarly adorned. The ratio of the dimensions of the game pieces lead to a lively game where luck plays a greater role than does skill.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a portable object throwing game of skill, and more particularly for a bolo tossing game with a football motif. 
     Object tossing games, including bolos as the tossed objects, have been utilized in the gamming and amusement industry for decades, possibly centuries. Although they all vary in design, generally they utilize a limbed or runged support that is capable of catching a bolo. Here, players toss a form of bolo and attempt to have its final resting position conform to the area of highest scoring on a runged support designed to be similar in appearance to a football goalpost. 
     As is true of most sports and games, their popularity is related to where they can be played, the ease of play and the enjoyment that playing can bring. This present invention is designed to be quickly assembled and utilized outdoors at such locations as where football tailgate parties may occur. Where better place to find people who a re prime candidates to play and purchase a game bearing a football motif? Its unique ratio of bolo size and tether length to goalpost dimensions, result in a lively game wherein the bolo randomly “jumps” about the goalpost rungs and uprights. This added element of unpredictability in the game tends to minimize the skill aspect, making the game attractive to novices, who are the targeted audience and consumers. 
     Simply stated, the time has come for a new design of throwing games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved bolo tossing game of skill with a football motif that can be adapted to bear the insignia, logo or name of the owner&#39;s favorite team. 
     It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an object tossing game of skill that utilizes a bolo that can be ensnared on a post having upright and horizontal bars. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an improved outdoor amusement device that can be quickly and easily assembled and that is capable of enjoyment by players of all ages. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a recreational apparatus that utilizes two miniature footballs joined by a flaccid resilient tether that are thrown about the upright and horizontal bars of a post designed to be similar in appearance to a football goalpost. 
     The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a football bolo; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a football bolo; 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a partially disassembled goal post; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional front view of the goal post; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged cutaway section of the mechanical attachment between the goalpost components; 
     FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a football bolo wrapped around a horizontal rung of the goalpost; 
     FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the goalpost with a football bolo wrapped around the arched base support; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the base support for the goalpost. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided in a set of miniaturized footballs joined together by a flexible, resilient tether to form a bolo that is tossed at a post configured with multiple horizontal and vertical bars to ensnare the bolo. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be understood that footbolo  2  is comprised of two substantially identical miniature footballs  4  joined by a resilient tether  6  such that football ends  8  are positioned at the distal visible ends  10  of tether  6 . In the preferred embodiment footballs  4  are solid bodies formed from a spongy, resilient material with laces  12  embossed on the surface, and lines  14  visually highlighted. Although not illustrated, each of the footballs  4  may bear the logo, colors, insignia or name of the user&#39;s favorite team. These will be secured with the appropriate licencing. 
     Tether  6  extends into cavity  16  which resides along the longitudinal axis of football  4  ending at the approximate midpoint of football  4 . Glue  20  serves to mechanically affix tether  6  securely into cavity  16 . Tether  6  is a rope of cotton, nylon, polyester or a similar material. 
     Looking at FIGS. 3 to  7 , it can be seen that footbolo goalpost  22  utilizes a curved post  24  such that the side profile of goalpost  22  resembles that of a football goalpost. The bottom end of curved post  24  matingly engages retention cylinder  28  which projects normally and centrally from circular base  30 . Mechanical fastener  32  affixes curved post  24  securely into cylinder  28 . In the preferred embodiment mechanical fastener  32  is a bolt and wingnut although there are numerous other mechanical fastening devices well known in the art that would accomplish the same task. 
     Circular base  30  is fabricated from a plywood or wood product substrate although plastic or fibreboard would work equally as well. The logo, colors, insignia or name of the user&#39;s favorite team  60  will be displayed on the top side of a flexible sheet good such as cloth or plastic and will attach to base  30  by hook and loop fasteners on the bottom side of the sheet good and base  30 . 
     The top end of curved post  24  abuts normally first horizontal bar  26  so as to form a “tee” configuration when viewed from the front perspective. The distal ends of first horizontal bar  26  are turned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of bar  26  and reside parallel to each other forming right connector receptacle  50  and left connector receptacle  52 . Right connector receptacle  50  and left connector receptacle  52  of first horizontal bar  26  each contain left recess  46  and right recess  47 . 
     Upright structure  34  is comprised of left upright  36  and right upright  38  positioned parallel to one another by second horizontal bar  40  and third horizontal bar  42 . All bars, uprights and posts have a circular cross section. From the lower ends of left upright  36  and right upright  38  extend left peg  44  and right peg  45 . These pegs matingly conform to left recess  46  and right recess  47 . 
     When left peg  44  and right peg  45  are inserted into left recess  46  and right recess  47 , and the bottom end of curved post  24  is matingly engaged into retention cylinder  28 , the resulting structure forms footbolo goalpost  22 . Although footbolo goalpost  22  utilizes a curved post  24  such that the side profile of goalpost  22  resembles that of a football goalpost, in an alternate embodiment curved post  24  could be replaced by an inverted “L” shaped post. 
     Much testing has been performed to establish the correct dimensions of and ratios between the footbolo  2  and the goalpost  22  so that the combination will enable and result in a “lively” game. Using these dimensions, when the footbolo  2  of the present invention is utilized with the game&#39;s goalpost  22 , a dynamic synergism occurs wherein footbolo  22  is likely to come to rest anywhere on goalpost  22  regardless of what rung or upright it initially contacts. It is this “jumpy” nature or unpredictability of footbolo&#39;s  2  final resting place that makes this game so interesting. With the dimensions used in the preferred embodiment, the winner of the game is determined as much by luck, as by the player&#39;s skill level. 
     It has been determined that the length of tether  6  between the proximate ends of the miniaturized footballs is approximately twelve inches. Each miniaturized football is fifty millimeters thick (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) and ninety millimeters long (parallel to the longitudinal axis) or as would be commonly used to denote the dimensions by one skilled in the art, 50×90 mm. The post has an overall height of three and one half feet, and a width of approximately two feet. The first horizontal bar is approximately one foot off of the base and approximately one foot from the second horizontal bar. The second horizontal bar is approximately one foot from the first and third horizontal bars. The left and right upright bars are approximately two and one half feet in length. The main arched upright positions the first horizontal bar approximately one foot off of the base. All bars are approximately three quarters of an inch in diameter. The base is circular in configuration and approximately one half to one inch thick with an approximately a one foot radius. Tether  6  has a diameter of three eights of an inch. Due to the size of footbolo  2  numerous methods of tossing are available. 
     In practice, two footbolo posts  22  are assembled and placed twenty five feet apart. Teams are compiled of one or two players each. The opposing teams stand to the left and right of one footbolo post  22  and take alternating turns throwing their three footbolos  2  at the other footbolo posts  22 . Points are scored depending upon where the footbolos  2  finally reside. In a suggested scoring scheme, footbolos  2  wrapped around third horizontal bar  42  are worth 7 points, footbolos  2  wrapped around second horizontal bar  40  are worth 3 points and footbolos  2  wrapped around third horizontal bar  26  are worth 2 points. Footbolos  2  wrapped around other footbolos  2  cancel out each others points. Footbolos  2  wrapped around left upright  36  or right upright  38  score the points assigned to the lowest horizontal bar in that section of upright. Scoring per round is based on a net calculation of points and is done only upon completion of that entire “end”. The object is to score thirty-seven points in each quarter before the opponent. If one team scores in excess of thirty-seven points then there score is returned to twenty-one points. To win, one team must win more than two quarters. In the event of a tie, with each team winning two quarters, a fifth quarter will be played. 
     The above description will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. It also sets forth the best modes for carrying out this invention. There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain readily apparent to others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present invention have been disclosed. Examples of such modifications may be seen in the introduction of an elastic tether or in the shape and design of the tethered sport objects. A non exhaustive list of such tethered objects may include baseballs, soccer balls, golf balls, hockey pucks, etc.