Sports head scratchers
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by user Popjones
Why do basketball announcers call a one-armed throw downcourt a "baseball pass"?
Does anyone ever "pass" a baseball? No, you pass a football, but you never hear "fooball pass" in basketball, it's always baseball pass.
Why is pitching around a batter in baseball often called an "unintentional intentional walk"?
Isn't this backwards? Shouldn't the term be "intentional unintentional walk"? Think about it. The pitcher has an INTENT to pitch around the batter. Nothing unintentional about it. And if the batter draws a walk in this case, as he usually does, it's officially recorded as an unintentional walk. (I must admit, I usually can't get anyone to agree with me on this one.)
What's the purpose of the deferred option on a football coin toss?
What is gained here? Most teams approach the coin toss hoping they get to decide kick or receive and which end to defend at the beginning of the third quarter. Fine. In the old days you got this option by LOSING the opening coin toss. What were the odds of getting what you wanted? 50-50.
With the deferred option, if you WIN the toss, you can "defer" and get that second-half option. What are the odds of getting what you want now? Still 50-50.
It seems the only thing gained here is a reward for having the clairvoyance of predicting heads or tails. Seems unnecessary and a waste of time to me.
Why is breaking the plane at the goal line considered a touchdown?
Finally, in football, why is the ball spotted differently at the goal line than any other place on the field? If you "break the plane" of the sideline, the play isn't considered out of bounds. Why at the goal line?
Date
Tue 05/23/06, 8:27 pm EST
