BlackShanglan
Silver-Tongued Papist
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Posts
- 16,888
I find this sort of thing deeply amusing. Only a theoretical physicist with a doctorate in quantum science could possibly imagine that it takes a theoretical physicist with a doctorate in quantum science to come to the conclusion that when one is taking a penalty shot in football, the best place for the ball to enter the goal is in the upper corner close to the post. Thank goodness we have "research in physics, biology, computing and psychology" to tell us that; otherwise I would never have thought of selecting the place farthest from the goalie and hardest for him to reach.
But wait! That's not all. We also have the ground-breaking revelation that the direction in which the kicker's kicking foot is pointing just prior to the shot has a relatively high degree of correlation with the eventual direction of the ball.
Oh brave new world, that has such creatures in it.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/05/05/science.football.reut/index.html
Score one for science
Physicist finds top corner is goalkeeper's 'unsaveable zone'
Friday, May 5, 2006; Posted: 7:27 p.m. EDT (23:27 GMT)
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Ken Bray, a theoretical physicist with a doctorate in quantum science, has some advice for any player taking a penalty: Aim for the top corner.
It may sound obvious, but Bray's advice is backed by scientific research that he says can help players in everything from taking free kicks to saving penalties.
"Science is important in terms of winning matches," said Bray, author of a book on the science behind soccer called "How to Score."
Bray has analyzed memorable games over the past 50 years and applied research in physics, biology, computing and psychology to the beautiful game.
Using biomechanics to calculate the absolute reach of a goalkeeper diving to try to save a penalty, Bray has identified an area near the posts and in the top corners where the goalkeeper cannot reach as the "unsaveable zone."
"If a player were to place the ball in those regions, which are 28-30 percent of the goal area, there is not a sniff that the goalkeeper can do to get across to them," explained Bray, from the University of Bath in England.
He advised goalkeepers to move before the kick is taken because if they wait, the ball will be halfway to the goal before they can react.
He said that where the striker places and points his standing foot is a good clue to where the ball will go.
"It's been shown that in about 85 percent of cases the direction in which that foot points is the direction of the shot," he told a news conference in London.
But wait! That's not all. We also have the ground-breaking revelation that the direction in which the kicker's kicking foot is pointing just prior to the shot has a relatively high degree of correlation with the eventual direction of the ball.
Oh brave new world, that has such creatures in it.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/05/05/science.football.reut/index.html
Score one for science
Physicist finds top corner is goalkeeper's 'unsaveable zone'
Friday, May 5, 2006; Posted: 7:27 p.m. EDT (23:27 GMT)
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Ken Bray, a theoretical physicist with a doctorate in quantum science, has some advice for any player taking a penalty: Aim for the top corner.
It may sound obvious, but Bray's advice is backed by scientific research that he says can help players in everything from taking free kicks to saving penalties.
"Science is important in terms of winning matches," said Bray, author of a book on the science behind soccer called "How to Score."
Bray has analyzed memorable games over the past 50 years and applied research in physics, biology, computing and psychology to the beautiful game.
Using biomechanics to calculate the absolute reach of a goalkeeper diving to try to save a penalty, Bray has identified an area near the posts and in the top corners where the goalkeeper cannot reach as the "unsaveable zone."
"If a player were to place the ball in those regions, which are 28-30 percent of the goal area, there is not a sniff that the goalkeeper can do to get across to them," explained Bray, from the University of Bath in England.
He advised goalkeepers to move before the kick is taken because if they wait, the ball will be halfway to the goal before they can react.
He said that where the striker places and points his standing foot is a good clue to where the ball will go.
"It's been shown that in about 85 percent of cases the direction in which that foot points is the direction of the shot," he told a news conference in London.
