Now on ScienceBlogs: Oldest Human-Made Object in Space

ScienceBlogs Book Club: Inside the Outbreaks

Omni Brain

An exploration of the serious/fun/ridiculous - past/present/future of the brain and the science that loves it.

The Homunculus

steve_icon_medium.jpgSteve Higgins is sometimes a Psychologist, sometimes a Neuroscientist, and sometimes even a Human Factors Engineer. He works for the U.S. Government. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in Psychology.

Search

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Archives

Blogroll


Bloggers' Rights at EFF


Openlab 2007


Glial Cells

Access Omni Brain mobile here.

Access Omni Brain email here.

Axons

« Messing With Stupid Animal Rights Extremists | Main | Creepy-crawling delusion »

What is the best way of distracting a free throw shooter?

Category: Popular CultureSports
Posted on: November 7, 2007 3:17 PM, by The Omnibrain

If you had control of the crowd behind a free throw shooter at a basketball game and you wanted him to miss what would you do?

Here's one highly entertaining way:

Help us come up with some others!

Share on Facebook
Share on StumbleUpon
Share on Facebook

TrackBacks

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://scienceblogs.com/mt/pings/55016

Comments

1

Preface: I watch a lot of rugby.

Rugby kicking genius Johnny Wilkinson claims that his accuracy is based on focusing on a person in the crowd who he will "kick the ball to".

I figure all you need to do is have everyone in the crowd put their hands in the air leaning to the right and wiggling their hands. then just as he comes into kick everyone moves their hands to the left. It should be a big enough motion to put him off.

Yay sportsmanship!

Posted by: Hadyn | November 7, 2007 3:50 PM

2

I do not think you CAN distract a good free-throw shooter (90% and above in my book), they are too focused, and have practiced too long, and their muscle memory is too good.

However, a Shak-type? Yes, almost anything can distract them, including a sudden silence, and I think that every shooter has a certain, personal tipping point of what will and will not distract them. This looks like a great research project for some under-grad, but remember: PROMISE TO NEVER GIVE THESE REULTS TO DUKE OR YOU WILL BURN IN HELLL FOREVER, IF THERE WERE A HELL!

Posted by: J-Dog | November 7, 2007 4:23 PM

3

I think it would be more effective to shine a 50 mW laser in his eyes.

Posted by: Tegumai Bopsulai, FCD | November 7, 2007 5:27 PM

4

Another of the many reasons I hate basketball. It is very poor sportsmanship to distract people like that, but apparently it's all right in basketball.

Posted by: Stephen Downes | November 7, 2007 7:38 PM

5

If everyone sitting behind the basket just before the shot simultaneously holds out a regulation basketball hoop and net (or one that looks reg), the real hoop might get lost in the background.

Posted by: Dave S. | November 8, 2007 1:03 PM

6

i think the best way to make a free throw shooter to miss is to but presure on the shootter. This will increase the heart rate. Making them lose concentration. therefore making them miss the shot. but if you are shaq or ben wallace then no matter what they will miss...haha

Posted by: Billy Bond | March 10, 2010 8:51 AM

Post a Comment

(Email is required for authentication purposes only. On some blogs, comments are moderated for spam, so your comment may not appear immediately.)





ScienceBlogs

Search ScienceBlogs:

Go to:

Advertisement
Follow ScienceBlogs on Twitter

© 2006-2011 ScienceBlogs LLC. ScienceBlogs is a registered trademark of ScienceBlogs LLC. All rights reserved.