Sport Science on Butler's last shot

[striker219]

Just in case it didn't make you nauseous enough the first time. Enjoy!

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...lers-last-shot

[CrazieDUMB]

That is totally awesome. I always love sport science. Must be cuz im just a nerd from Duke

[GoingFor#5]

When he released the shot, I said to myself, "no way that goes in, that's a 28 mph release and you need a 27.5 mph release from that location on the floor."

[striker219]

Now if only Sport Science could tell me how long it will be before I'm able to watch that shot without my sphincter involuntarily tightening up.

[Gewebe14]

Is there a Sports Science out there yet on the mystical powers of Zou's beard?

[greybeard]

A game of inches. Aren't they all?

If Nolan's finger roll in the last minute had a .1 percent higher launch angle, or his takeoff point was a quarter of an inch farther out, or if the rim was a tad cleaner, my calculations are that it goes in and that Butler was miles from ever getting a last-shot opportunity. Rats. I just knew I would regret someday having stopped at "Psychics for Poets at Cornell, but the others required that you know something about science.

[nyesq83]

Psychics or Physics?

I think Psychics was a course at Duke's paranormal school back in the day!

[nyesq83]

Now if only Sport Science could tell me how long it will be before I'm able to watch that shot without my sphincter involuntarily tightening up.

Better that than loosening!

[uh_no]

That is totally awesome. I always love sport science. Must be cuz im just a nerd from Duke

lol...sports science is incredibly bogus though....perhaps the initial hypothesis are legit...but the way they do the tests and experiments and present it is so ridiculous....the presenter clearly doesn't have a clue....and neither does the script writer....

[Jderf]

lol...sports science is incredibly bogus though....perhaps the initial hypothesis are legit...but the way they do the tests and experiments and present it is so ridiculous....the presenter clearly doesn't have a clue....and neither does the script writer....

Ah, come on. They use numbers. Numbers mean science. Science means true. Therefore, Sport Science gives substantial and well-founded analysis. Sometimes they even have shiny charts and graphics. How can that not convince you?

[uh_no]

Ah, come on. They use numbers. Numbers mean science. Science means true. Therefore, Sport Science gives substantial and well-founded analysis. Sometimes they even have shiny charts and graphics. How can that not convince you?

oh i didn't see the clip!

they used "x-axis"...that little dial looking thing with the degrees on it convinced me!

sorry i ever doubted

[DevilHorns]

Ah, come on. They use numbers. Numbers mean science. Science means true. Therefore, Sport Science gives substantial and well-founded analysis. Sometimes they even have shiny charts and graphics. How can that not convince you?

They forgot to take into account the wear and tear of the basketball over the course of the game plus any artifacts on the basketball (sweat, dirt, etc), spin of the ball, humidity, air pressure, and on ya, THE BLATANT FOUL that gave him an open shot.

This shot would not have been even close if Singler was even 2 feet closer to the shot attempt. Doing a half court heave is much easier if you can see. Go try it outside right now. Singler absolutely dominated Heyward all night. Let's not forget that.

[gus]

They forgot to take into account the wear and tear of the basketball over the course of the game plus any artifacts on the basketball (sweat, dirt, etc), spin of the ball, humidity, air pressure, and on ya, THE BLATANT FOUL that gave him an open shot.

This shot would not have been even close if Singler was even 2 feet closer to the shot attempt. Doing a half court heave is much easier if you can see. Go try it outside right now. Singler absolutely dominated Heyward all night. Let's not forget that.

With the velocity that ball had when it hit the back board and the high trajectory, I'm not sure spin would have much affect on the rebound angle off the glass.

All I kept focusing on was Kyle getting leveled. Ouch.

[CLW]

All this stuff is academic as the shot most likely wouldn't have counted even IF it went in.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

Well good thing it didn't go in right.

[WiJoe]

All this stuff is academic as the shot most likely wouldn't have counted even IF it went in.

I think they look at the clock on the basket, not the ribbon board. Also, that photo would be much more impressive if it showed the ball in his hand with the clock at 0.00 and the border around the backboard lit.

[Bluedog]

I think they look at the clock on the basket, not the ribbon board. Also, that photo would be much more impressive if it showed the ball in his hand with the clock at 0.00 and the border around the backboard lit.

It appears that he did get it off at 0.1. Here's a pic at zero:



It would have counted, I think. Good thing it doesn't matter and we're national champs!

[CLW]

I think they look at the clock on the basket, not the ribbon board. Also, that photo would be much more impressive if it showed the ball in his hand with the clock at 0.00 and the border around the backboard lit.

That was the only photo SI showed with an article asking if the shot would have even counted had it gone in. Can you imagine if the shot went in and then was waved off b/c he didn't get it off in time? The CONSPIRACY theories and Duke hate would rise to an even greater level than we have now.

Agreed on the clock on the basket. Someone correct me if I am wrong, I know it goes clock, light, horn (with some slight delay between each step) but my understanding of the rule is once the clock hits 0.0 the game/half is over.

I just don't see anyway he gets the ball (from where he has it in the picture with .1 second or less left) out of his hand in that amount of time.

EDIT: The photo at 0.0 doesn't indicate how long (if at all) it had been at 0.0. I honestly can't say whether he got it off or not as that was the last thing on my mind during the final play. In any event both the physics lesson and the clock are all "what ifs" b/c the ball hit iron.

[hurleyfor3]

In the second picture, with the clock at 00.0, why is the background scoreboard blacked out? I don't remember that happening in Indy, although of course I wasn't really paying attention to that. Still, the endzones were the only places in the building where the score was shown -- the scoreboards hanging above the court showed individual points and fouls but not the game score or time. The scoreboard setup in general there was kinda weird.

When it left his hand I do remember thinking it was real, real close.

[weezie]

...Sometimes they even have shiny...

Oooooh, shiny! I love shiny stuff.