Sports Along the Wall

2004-04-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Group Wrap
When we began the project, our goal was to create a place for discussion of current issues of technology and ethics dealing with sports. From steroids to instant replay, we have all learned from presenting our own views as well as reading the views of others. Hopefully, our discussion has not simply been dry and boring, but enlightening and entertaining to watch develop. Even though we have hit on some of the major current topics, there is no possible way we could have touched on every issue of technology and sports. Further, it will be fun to see in what direction sports, technology, and ethics continue, as our culture and scientific community continues to develop. So, to end with a cliché as we began: The Fat Lady has now sung! (Well she’s warming up, we are not done until we present).

-Sports Along the Wall

2004-04-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Wrap it Up, B
I have enjoyed the group blog much more than my own. We have 30+ posts which makes it a fun blog to manage. Editing some of the posts and formatting the blog was challenging but yet still fun. I was never able to get our picture to work constantly. The way blogger is set up makes it tough. I learned a lot about editing and learned how to use HTML to format. All of the links that are on the right column of the blog are sports websites and took a short while to format.
I think my favorite part of the blog, other than working together with friends, was the freedom to post on almost anything dealing with sports. My blogs included topics such as Sports websites, gambling, rehabilitation, NASCAR, steroids, and Instant Replay. I believe I made my position known on the controversial subjects and I feel like I educated people on the other blogs. I too have learned about other aspects during this project. To make our presentation better Tim and I interviewed our head nutritionist on steroids. We also got first hand view of the $100 thousand Motion Analysis Lab. I also learned a lot from other people’s blog posts.
As mentioned earlier the presentation has an interview in it. Also is a short clip of the Motion Analysis Lab and a program called Dartfish is also a part of our presentation. We all divided up the slides of the PowerPoint project and each did our favorite topic. The pictures we found are great and really enhance our slides. The presentation should be great. Our group is prepared and through teamwork we have achieved our goal.

-Blake Fertitta

2004-04-21T07:03:00.000-07:00

I Hate Goodbyes
How the time flies when you are having fun surrounding yourself with sports and the discussions that it involves. The discussions have ranged from steroids to instant replay, and have even involved Fantasy Leagues and technologies such as Dartfish. From the short time period that we have had to work on this project, I feel like I've gained a better understanding on how technology is implemented in almost every sport. I also feel like I've learned more about what Georgia Tech Athletics offers to its athletes. I hope this group has given its readers a different and unique perspective on sports and the technologies that continue to play a huge role in its development.

The next step for this group is our presentation. We plan to show different aspects of our topics. I plan to talk about the Motion Analysis Lab here at Georgia Tech and also talk about Dartfish. Along with the verbal presentation I plan to show some clips of both the Motion Analysis and Dartfish. Hopefully the class enjoys the presentation as much as I have enjoyed preparing it.

I guess that’s it...I’m out!

-Tim Gustafson

2004-04-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Fantasy comes to an end...
Game over man, game over! As this project comes to an end, I can look back at all the new technology I never new existed in sports. Sports are rapidly evolving with new technologies, as are the way fans enjoy them. The level of fan involvment in sports is amazing with the fantasy leagues. Using the internet to get up to t he minute stats keeps the games very competitive and interesting. The leagues are able to operate with more efficiency, making them appeal to more peope. The online games also bring people from all over the world together to play the Fantasy League games.

Our group really worked together to got this done. I got off to a late start, but everyone helped get me started and caught up. I hope our presentation goes well tomorrow.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

That’s a Wrap
Well, the project has come to an end. I have truly enjoyed voicing my opinion and reading the opinion of others. From understanding different opinions on current topics in professional and collegiate sports to laughing at everyone’s personal experience with some of the rehab technology here at tech the project has been fun. What really brought the project together was preparing for the presentation. In looking beyond just what I wrote for my entries I began to see just how muddled some of the issues facing athletes today are. Tim’s entry discussing how willing some athletes are to succumb to steroids just for a few good years as well as Blake’s discussion of importance of instant replay, showed me that these issues are not as clear cut as I once thought. Thanks guys. I have enjoyed posting as well as reading.

-Taylor Narewski

2004-04-20T19:04:00.000-07:00

Wrap-Up
Well, Sports Technology is coming to an end! Over this period of time, I have learned a lot about these different technical devices that sports have upgraded to. Just seeing this devices work in action is so amazing. But juts learning more about steroids and its situation that have been brought up by the Major League Baseball committee. Knowing that people who you thought that were "Role Models" are nothing but fakes. But not every Major League Baseball Player and any athlete are on steroids. Also with the Camera Devices that I talked about earlier, so very useful in there line of work. The 3D Digital camera that is used in Major League Baseball is helping many teams who are having trouble pitching to certain player or even teams. It also helps the Baseball Analysis' to break down the different hitting an dpitching situations for the views at home. This topic in general was a very good choice for our group because there are a variety of things to talk about, something in sports and sports technology happens every day, and everyone love sports and technology always interest the human mind. Well, at least every topic we wrote about was kind of interesting. It was a pleasure working with my group members. Sorry it had to end, but I know we earned an "A!" Hint Hint!!

-Treamon Andrews

2004-04-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

It’s So Cold
Like most athletes I have spent my fair share of time in the training room. From muscle soreness to a body part that needs a little extra “warming up” before practice, I have spent some time in the training room. Here at Georgia Tech we have very nice and up to date equipment for most any situation. However, I have not had an injury as serious as the ones sustained by Blake or reamon and thus, have not used some of the more high-tech machines in the training room such as the cybex or ultrasound. The machine I have used more than any other is the cold and hot whirlpools. These whirlpools can have their temperature altered by heaters and are equipped with jets. Despite the fact that the whirlpools are not particularly high tech they are effective. They help to relieve muscle soreness and stiffness, something that occurs frequently. Sometimes the simpler technologies can be the most useful.

-Taylor Narewski

2004-04-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Rehab Baby!
Lets talk about REHAB! Now Rehab, I know a lot about because I went through earlier this year. I was in Rehab for my Hamstring. See I torn my hamstring my senior year in high school. I received therapy but I tried to rush back in maybe 2 to 3 weeks to try to run at the state track meet. I thought I was getting better but what I was really doing was just hurting myself even worst! I never let it heel. So coming hear running track and with the proper help, I found out that I never heel correctly. So I had to stop running completely for about 2 months and just get my hamstring stronger. I had to exercise on this machine called CYBEX! Now CYBEX is a machine that should be taking lightly. There was many times where I tired and even sore from this machine. I used this machine so much the track trainer changed the name to TREBEX! Now that explains how much I have used it. But anyway, getting stronger each day that I use this Cybex machine, I had to take this test at the end to see how much I have improved. So completing the test, the results showed that my hamstrings were stronger than ever! But the problem was that my Quads wasnt strong enough. My hamstring was over working causing it to get strained (is what I did earlier this year) or even torn ( is what I did my senior year in high school). The CYBEX is a machine that develops the muscle that was weak at one point, and is trying to become even stronger. It is also used for torn Knee ligaments.

-Treamon Andrews

2004-04-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Rehab (not just for quitters)
This is my first year competing in NCAA sports and my body is still adjusting. Before College I enjoyed a virtually injury free career but that has changed now that the intensity of work has increased. Right now I am going through my fourth case of tendonitis this semester. Tendonitis is an inflamed or irritated tendon and occurs through over usage AKA Long Distance Running. But to be honest I am not sure what’s more painful: the tendonitis or getting up every early morning for treatment? I spend about an hour every morning in the main training room on campus. I also spend 20 minutes before practice getting treatment and another 15 minutes to top if off after practice.
I begin every morning by taking a short trip across the street to get to the training room. Once there I am greeted with a usual joke from the track trainer, Dave. I make my way to the warm world pool. This thing is great, its like a Jacuzzi. I sometimes feel sorry for the people next to me in the ice cold pool or even doing exercises on the underwater treadmill in the exercise pool. After 10 minutes of ecstasy in the Hot Tub, I make my way over to the tables. I sit down and prop my foot up and allow it to get treatment. Sometimes I get an ultrasound and some other times I get a phono. Both machines send heat waves deep into the skin to help sooth the pain. Heat packs and hot whirlpools can only go so deep. That takes about five minutes. During those five minutes I look around and notice a machine called the Cybex. It is attached to a computer and Measures strength input/output in both legs. I have seen Treamon on it a few times. The more I look around the more machines I see that are used for rehab. I see other athletes doing stranger exercises that help rehabilitate them. I also do some of those exercises including manual resistance of the ankle and towel crunches. My favorite rehab assignment is the ball toss. In this exercise I must balance on my bad foot on a small trampoline and play catch with a soccer ball or volley ball. I must maintain balance and use both hands to catch the ball to throw it back. After that exercise I am supposed to go into the cold pool for 15 minutes but by then I am usually pressed for time so I call it quits.
I have enjoyed my experience going to treatment almost every day this semester. I never enjoyed getting up early or always being the last person to leave the locker room. The treatment itself has never really been painful or boring. All the trainers have been a lot of fun and the facilities are great. I just hope and pray in the future I only visit the training room voluntarily.

-Blake Fertitta

2004-04-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wait and Wait and Wait
Yet another new drafting technology is the Waiting Room draft. Fantasy team owners can look for a "waiting room" that has their preferred league preferences and join that league. Now, they wait until the room has filled up, and then the draft begins. This is a big difference from previous drafts, where you had to wait until a certain day to make your draft picks. This is instant draft satisfaction! When the room is full the page automatically reloads to the "Launch Draft" page. Using a java applet, the draft begins 10 minutes after going to the launch draft page. It then automatically determines the draft order. You have 90 seconds to pick your player, and the draft goes for 25 rounds. This instant draft is a great addition to Fantasy sports.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dart WHAT?
Dartfish…ever heard of it? I’m sure most people out there are shaking their heads with no idea what Dartfish really is. Before I came to Georgia Tech and saw the program in use, I had no idea either. Dartfish is a funky name for a computer program that is used as a video coaching system for almost every sport. This program allows a coach to watch the video and pinpoint problems or defects in the athlete’s technique. This instant feedback allows for quicker solutions and better performance. Not only is this program used to improve a player’s performance it is also being used in the media to give a closer and different perspective on a sport. For instance in sports such as racing and skiing, Dartfish is used to give a representation of how a car or skier is performing compared to the leader. Instead of trying to compare a skiers time with another, you can actually see them as if they were racing each other. This allows the viewer to see the differences in turns and also speed on a straightaway. As a fan of all sports I like the idea of being able to watch either skiers or racers simultaneously instead of constantly glancing at the times and wondering how close it is really going to be.

Surprisingly the baseball team at Georgia Tech rarely uses Dartfish. Our strength trainer introduced the program to the team but I guess the coaches haven’t warmed up to the idea. They chose instead to buy another program that probably does half the job. Just don’t tell them I said anything (hehe). What I have seen of Dartfish really impressed me. One of the clips has a pitcher throwing his curveball. The program allows a frame by frame tracking of the pitch and shows the exact path of the ball. Others clips I have seen are of Barry Bonds and Eric Patterson swinging together on a split screen, two pitchers throwing at the same time, and a split screen of a pitcher throwing a ball and a strike. Dartfish allows you to do many things with each video such as trace the bats path or even measure strides and distances. It’s hard to imagine why all sports here at Georgia Tech do not use this program to provide a competitive edge.

Dartfish…weird name, good program. And now you can say you’ve heard of it.

-Tim Gustafson

2004-04-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Finders Keepers
A new enhancement for fantasy games called keeper leagues has been long awaited by fans. FLB participants can choose to be in these keeper leagues, where the drafting rules are a little different. Instead of picking new players for your team every year, you can keep up to five players for three years. Essentially these players are protected from being drafted by other FLB participants. So if you know a year in advance that there is going to be a new super star arising in MLB, you can draft him at a relatively low spot and keep him on your team for next year, thus improving your chances of winning the next years FLB. This brings into play a whole new level of strategy and planning. Someone may be doing great this year, but will he have the same great year next year? This can also go the other way, in that someone has a bad year but he may bounce back for the next year. Keeper leagues add a whole new dimension to the fantasy games.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

Ahhh Just Yesterday
Fantasy League Baseball (FLB) has come a long way in the past decade. I remember my father and his friends setting up a league at a local sports bar. The had everything written out on paper and had to keep track of stats and points themselves. Fantasy sports now use the internet to keep all stats and points in order. Now you can play versus anyone in the world, instead of having to meet up at a local bar. In FLB you are the team's manager, owner and president. FLB participants have a variety of tools available to them, including multiple draft methods, live box scores, unlimited waivers and trades, free agency, an all-empowering commissioner, chat rooms, league bulletin boards, sortable stats for all players, etc. All these are maintained and updated automatically. You just have to know which players to draft and trade. The better your players do in real life, the more points you accrue for your fantasy team, and the better your chances are for winning in your league.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Sports Websites
My first blog discussed March Madness and how the use of the internet enhanced the fans experience. Today I want to expand on the use of technology that enhances the fan's experience. When the Internet finally reached the mainstream it revolutionized the world including the world of sports. Today some of the most visited sites are those that deal with sports, Such as Espn.com or Cnnsi.com. I have posted links to most of the mainstream sites visited by sports fans. At these sites up to the second scores and stats can be viewed. Diagrams of the game can also be viewed. Every shot, hit, pitch, pass, run, and position can be plotted on a diagram. Play by play is posted and easily accessible. Some sites require a small fee but most offer the service free. One of the most popular free services by ESPN is ESPN Motion. This small video automatically shows current highlights of each sport. ESPN and many other sites offer the games live by video or radio for a fee. Therefore it is possible for anyone in the world with the internet and computer to watch a game live.
ESPN and CNNSI as do others offer fantasy games. Fantasy games can be just for fun or may have cash rewards. CNNSI offered $100,000 to anyone who got their bracket entirely correct for the NCAA tournament. Many pools are formed with fantasy games. A group can get together and form a private league or group online. The site will record and tally their scores and calculate a winner. Most sites themselves are for just good clean fun but a few websites do actually allow gambling on the site. Most mainstream sites limit their fantasy games to contests with prizes rather than gambling.

-Blake Fertitta

2004-04-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

HAVE YOU HEARD OF IT? WELL, HAVE YOU?
Im talking about this 3D digital camera they have in sports today. They use this special camera in Major League Baseball. This camera has the ability to break or slow down, or even analyze every pitch inch by inch. Watching the Braves' game the other day, I observed the Braves' pitcher struck out one of the opposing team members and the pitch was very critical. The announcers of this game was so amazed that he broke down the pitch with this new 3d digital camera he has now. It broke the pitch down from the time it left the pitchers hand to the breaking point and all the way to the catchers gloves. Its just amazing what Major league Baseball has moved up to. I guess they have no choice if the want to compete with other sports and technology. Also I observed that Major League Basball has cameras for when players steal bases now. This shows different angles of the base that the player has stolen. Looking at technology, it has come along way in such short time. Just imagine what will happen in the next 10 or 15 years!

-Treamon Andrews

2004-04-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

What's Your Fantasy?
Fan involvement in sports went to a whole new level with fantasy sports. Unlike betting on teams you think will win, fantasy sports allow you to make your own team and pit them against other teams made by other fans like you. Fanstasy sports have become very popular in the last decade. In fact, a participant in a fantasy baseball game won $10,000 for defeating three million other participants. There are fantasy leagues for almost all sports, from football to nascar to golf, each with thier own rules and ways of tracking points. I explain more how this system works in my next entry.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

Floor It!
With this new technology, the NBA has place a new camera in all basketball arenas. It is not in the stands or above the courts. Its in the "FLOOR!" Its called the "Floor Cam." Now the purpose of this camera, I HAVE NO IDEA. If you ask me, its pointless. The different television stations show different replays that are under the basketball goal. But to me, all this camera shows is when different players go for a dunk or lay-up, they get all under there shorts. Now what male wants to see all of that? Of course its alright for the female, but for all the males who watch professional basketball I think we could do without. I feel that's its just a waste of money and pointless. Of course without the other cameras, you wouldn't be able to see most important things in the game but with the floor camera all you see is Shaq dunking and you see all under his shorts. Now I know nobody wants to see whats under Shaq's shorts. Thats just nasty!

-Treamon Andrews

2004-04-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

How to Paint in with Style
I've been a fan of paintball for almost a year now, playing when I get a chance. I was amazed at the level of technology some of these guns possess. I looked up some of the more advanced guns and found some truly amazing things. The Intimidator Storm has an onboard led screen that can display a shot counter, game timer, or even a psi gauge for your tank. It can also use compressed nitrogen instead of the usual compressed Co2. This gun can fire 25 balls per second and is custom milled. All this is contained in a gun that weighs less than 3 pounds. It is truly one of the best guns in the market and is very technologically advanced.

-Bobby Brewer

2004-04-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

Rick Reilly is the Man
Alright that’s it I've waited long enough. It’s my turn to talk about steroids. I don’t really want to talk about the technology in steroids (that will be discussed in our presentation on Wednesday in full). I want to talk about the ethics. I finally got the copy of Sports Illustrated that was devoted to steroids in MLB. On the last page of every Sports Illustrated is The Life of Reilly. In the March 15th issue he writes an article entitled 2054: A Steroid Odyssey.

The year: 2054. The place: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, N.Y. The scene: A Little League coach takes his team on a tour.
Wow, Coach! It says on this plaque that this Barry Bonds guy hit 73 home runs in one season!
Yep. 2001, Zenon.
Cool! Nobody's hit even 50 homers since, like, before President Schwarzenegger, right, Coach?
Yep. Not since Aught-2.
But what does the hypodermic needle next to his name mean? It means his records are suspicious, Blorzo, because he may have taken steroids. All the players in this section of the Hall have needles next to their name. That's why people call this part Dupers' Town.
Why did they take stereos, Coach?
Steroids, Zyzzgy. They were banned way before you were cloned. They made you mad strong. Guys would go on them after the season, come back 25 pounds heavier and knock the ball from here to the ozone shield. Guys started hitting home runs with check swings!
Cool!
Well, not really. Steroids gave you zits everywhere, raged you out, shriveled your testicles and messed with your liver and heart. Half the guys who took them were dead by the time they were 50.
Why didn't anybody stop them, Coach?
We should have, Pluton. I think we were just so amazed by all the homers. We'd never seen anything like it! It took 71 years for two guys to hit 60 or more homers, and then, suddenly, the milestone was broken six times in four years!
Uh, duh, Coach.
I know, Quarky. We were all fools.
But how did all these stereo takers get past the index-finger drug test in the on-deck circle?
See, nobody tested for steroids back then. Well, except the NFL and the NBA and the NCAA and the Olympics.
Why not baseball?
Fehr.
People were scared?
No, fear was how you pronounced the guy's name, Mr. Don Fehr. He was in charge of the players and he got whatever he wanted. And he didn't want testing.
He didn't know they were bad for you?
He knew. He used to help run the U.S. Olympic Committee. But he was more into making his guys money than saving his guys' lives.
Why didn't the commissioner of baseball do anything?
Please. Bud Selig? He was slower than frozen ketchup. Selig against Fehr was like a burp going up against a hurricane. Nothing like Commissioner Costas later.
So how did they get rid of the stereos, Coach?
Well, that's the great part, Glixxy! It all started on one incredible Opening Day, in 2004. A huge group of the older players were sick of seeing the reputation of their game go down the drain. So they decided to start getting tested on their own! Suddenly, hundreds of ballplayers were taking tests, proving to the world that they were clean! They taped the lab results to their lockers. And the guys that didn't get tested got booed every time they came to the plate. People kept hollering, "Gimme a pee!" and singing, "UR-ine TROU-ble!"
But it was a great year for pitchers. And tailors, of course -- they had to take all the uniforms in. Players that year lost the equivalent of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
So what did Mr. Bonds do when they caught him?
Oh, they never caught him. He always insisted he hadn't taken steroids, and if he had, he hadn't realized it.
How? Did they sneak the steroids into his transdermal of Zork in the morning?
Good question, X-77. He never said. He retired in May that season and never spoke to anybody again. Everybody was so sad, the party only lasted a week.
What about this guy, Coach? It says he hit 70 in one year!
Yeah, Mark McGwire. He admitted he took andro, which a baseball study proved acts like a steroid in your body. He quit three years later and became a pro golfer, only 100 pounds lighter than he was.
What about this Sammy Sosa guy? It says he went from never hitting more than 40 home runs to hitting more than 60 three out of four years.
He packed up and disappeared in the middle of the night when people started saying it wasn't just his bat that was corked, it was his body, too.
(There is a pause.)
Coach, all these Dupers kind of creep me out. Can we beam back to the regular Hall of Fame now?
Sure, Trog. Hey, kids, who wants to go see Pete Rose's display? Compared with these guys, he looks like an Eagle Scout!
Issue date: March 15, 2004

I knew I could not do the article any justice by paraphrasing it or even quoting it. I didn’t want to splice this masterpiece up at all. I think Reilly really sums up what I feel.

Personally I love MLB and I love the Atlanta Braves. My friends say I like baseball too much and that I wear my Braves’ hat way to much. I also love the Braves' History including the most famous Brave Henry Aaron. I just watched as Barry Bonds become number three on the all time home run list. I know if Bonds continues to play he will surpass 755 and maybe even 800. This sickens me. Before he gets close I want him to prove his innocence in the steroid scandal. This is probably impossible because the evidence is so strong. He needs to walk away from baseball before he ruins it. I recently learned that McGuire was also guilty. The public had been duped by the supplement he had in his locker that was legal in MLB. He had used the legal supplement has a scapegoat saying that’s what got him stronger. Scientist tested the supplement for years and concluded it did no more than cretin. McGuire already had retired and public no longer cared. He had deceived millions. Even without steroids McGuire and Bonds are both great players and deserve to be in the HOF. But to say they aren’t on steroids after putting up ridiculous numbers is absurd. It is disrespectful to the public. We must remember that Steroids are in Baseball. Players have tested positive but the lack of action against the players is worse in my mind than sticking a needle in your arm.

-Blake Fertitta

2004-04-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Fantasy Land
Within the past 5-6 years, the internet community has seen fantasy team programs grow rapidly. For those who don’t know fantasy baseball and fantasy football are types of internet games. Individuals create their own baseball or football team, made up of current professional players. The individuals’ team receives points by how well their player does in real life. For example, if my fantasy baseball team had Alex Rodriguez playing third base, I would receive points based on Alex’s performance in his regular season game. Individuals compete in leagues against other teams. Honestly, I have never competed in fantasy baseball or football, yet I have friends that have. Following Blake’s line of thought from his internet bracket blog, the increased participation in fantasy sports online has created a great following of the game. While not everyone can afford tickets or even watch every game on television, most participants check their players’ progression constantly. Fantasy team participants check stats from home runs to slugging percentage in baseball or pass efficiency and total yards in football. This kind of devotion to checking stats has created more of a following for MLB and the NFL. Because fans can now compete in their own way they are more likely to follow the sport with more fervor than before.

- Taylor Narewski

2004-04-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

NASCAR Part II
I promised I would do another post on Technology in NASCAR. I don’t have the passion as I did on the last one but I must maintain my promise. Last time I talked about how much I loved NASCAR and how great it was and I talked a little bit about Restrictor plate racing. I don’t completely understand it but neither does Taylor so it’s OK. Today I’m going to start off in the Pits. It is amazing to watch the guys work. The best teams consistently do stops in 13 seconds. That’s faster than what most people can run a 100 meter in but not like my boy Treamon. He would be getting close to finishing his 200 by the time the car left the box. What is so amazing about the pits is that the crew changes four tires, fill up the tank, make a wedge adjustment, and remove the tear away windshield. In the old days the windshield would be wiped down but now the windshield is a number of plastic layers that are taken off one by one at each stop. All of that is just on one side of the wall. On the other side of the wall is where the crew chief is stationed. At the location is so much equipment that is used to calculate numerous situations. Computers are used to just calculate the fuel situation. Its not just distance and MPG (which is about 4 for NASCAR) there are many other factors that come into play such as drafting and laps under yellow (caution laps). All of those must be taken into consideration. Another thing the crew chief has is the radio. Sure the radio isn’t that state of the art but what I find amazing is that the fans can buy cheap scanners at the track and listen to every team. Each driver has their own frequency and the fan can just tune in into their favorite driver.
I am not a car guy so I could never fully describe what goes on in the garage. Before the season teams are allowed to test at three tracks. Wind tunnels are also used off the track. The technology hat goes into building theses cars are ridiculous. SO much technology is used. NASCAR is by far the sport with the most technology. As with most other topics, technology can be used to do wrong. NASCAR also has its history of cheaters. Many times after a race, if a car is doing a lot better than the other cars, it can be seized by NASCAR and tested. NASCAR despite its many opportunities to cheat is still probably the best sport concerning ethics. NASCAR is very strict and investigates anything suspicious. I remember reading an article in Sports Illustrated that discussed many ways to cheat in NASCAR. Of course NASCAR knows how to test for these things and cheating has never been a real controversy of NASCAR.
-Blake Fertitta

2004-04-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

The "Great and Mighty" Instant Replay
Instant Replays…does it really make a difference? Well yes and no. It depends mostly on the sport. Football, hockey, and basketball all have instant replay that can actually make a difference. Baseball however, has instant replay but it can not change a call made by an umpire.

Football has recently implemented instant replay to overrule a call made by an official. If a coach disagrees with a call he can throw his red flag and challenge the ruling on the field. If the officials review the play and determine that the call made was correct then the coach that challenged the play loses a timeout. When the game is within two minutes of each half, all controversial calls are reviewed upstairs by a panel. This has limited the chance of a team losing on a controversial play. It has also been criticized by taking away from the human aspect of the game.

Hockey has an instant replay but only to determine if a puck crosses the goalies line. This replay is used less often than football and seems like it is used for a more important cause, to distinguish between a goal and a missed shot. Basketball’s instant replay is also used sparingly. The only times I’ve seen it used is to determine if a shot was let off before the clock hit :00 and to see if any more time should be put on the clock in tight situations. This also seems like a valid time to use the instant replay, and makes sure it doesn’t become a huge part of the game.

Baseball is a little different. We have instant replay but we can’t use it for anything but to see a play over again and complain. It seems like we did a lot of that this weekend. Replays were shown from everything to balls and strikes, foul balls, and out/safe calls. Usually we were on the wrong side of the calls and the instant replay gave us nothing but the chance to complain more and louder with no way of reversing the call….

So does Instant Replay really make a difference? Not in my sport and therefore not in my book, but that’s coming from a bitter baseball player.

-Tim Gustafson

2004-04-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Camera Work
People often wonder how technology plays even the slightest role in baseball. At this moment I am not even talking about the new technology used to evaluate home plate umpires. At Georgia Tech we use technology, more specifically cameras, to help develop our skills. During games and practices we have cameras focused on the hitters and also the pitcher. The film is then broken down frame by frame to show the mechanics of either your swing or pitch. Having visual feedback really benefits the coach and player. They can both see the flaws no matter how minor they are and take the necessary steps to fix them. I can speak from personal experience and for me the video has provided valuable feedback. Without the cameras it would be hard to tell the mechanical flaws that have developed from practicing bad habits. These flaws are hard to “feel” by just throwing, you must see it to actually realize what you are doing. The camera work has allowed me to dramatically improve my mechanics, help prevent injury, and given me the chance to become a better pitcher. Without that technology it is hard to imagine where I would be now.

-Tim Gustafson

2004-04-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

No Steroids in this Sport. (well, maybe in the pits)
Well of all professionals sports, no sport has more technology involved than NASCAR. Now some of you may say I should include Formula 1 or Cart or some of that other crap. But to me none of those leagues matter. It’s sort of like the NIT during March Madness. NASCAR is the fastest growing sport in the nation. No other sport is as patriotic as NASCAR. Watch the beginning of a race and you will understand. I personally love NASCAR and the biggest reason is that it is similar as you can get to the sport I do; long distance running. Granted we don’t have pit stops in track, we do go around the track a lot and it is about patience and endurance. You can sling shot around a curve or even draft in both NASCAR and track. Now most people either are obsessed with NASCAR or find it the most boring sport other than gold to watch on television. But your perspective will change when you go watch a race in person. Cars are going 180 mph and can be as close as 10 yards away. I believe I am a true NASCAR fan just because I hate Jeff Gordon (even though I hate Robby even more), no true NASCAR fan actually like the "Rainbow warrior." Of course I was never obsessed with Dale Earnhardt Sr., even though my respect greatly grew for him when he did a cameo in Basketball. But just like my parents remember where they were when JFK got shot, I remember where I was and what I was doing when Dale went into the wall at Daytona. I had the pleasure of seeing him win his last race when my dad took me for my birthday to Atlanta Motor Speedway in what was the closest finish in AMS history. Now both my parents are from the north so I began to enjoy NASCAR on my own instead of having it forced upon me. I know I haven’t really mentioned technology yet, and I do plan on mentioning that since it is the topic of this blog, I just had to clear some things up. But I also must warn you that one blog on technology in NASCAR is not doing it any justice. There is a good chance this may be a 2-parter. IN NASCAR it is not who has the fastest car but instead who has the best car over 500 miles. There is a lot of strategy involved in NASCAR. Just because you win the Pole doesn’t guarantee that you have the car to beat in the race. NASCAR isn’t about speed, though they still go very fast, it is about endurance. Bill Elliot has the record for the fastest speed, over 200mph, by a stock car and that was set over a decade ago. Since then, some super speedways, such as Talladega, are forced to have restrictor plate racing. The restrictor plate gives the cars a max speed. This may be stupid to the lame man but there is much more to racing than just a fast car. Restrictor plate racing forces teams to take a completely different approach to racing. Not all races are forced to have restrictor plates, but those that do, make sure you put your money on a DEI owned car. That team has mastered the restrictor plate races but don’t ask me how. That is there little secret. You must remember this is a competition.
-Blake Fertitta

2004-03-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

Alright, Something New! Wait... no, Steroids Again
An interesting side note to the Barry “Balco” Bonds story in major league baseball is the possibility of an international baseball world cup. The system would be setup much like the soccer world cup with a specific number of teams qualifying from determined regions throughout the world. If this were to happen, baseball fans every where would, in a phrase, wet themselves. Fans would tune in to see teams from Cuba and Japan play, both possessing numbers of All-Stars. However, once again causing problems for this idea to come to life is steroids. Steroid testing in the United States Major League is below the standards used worldwide. Therefore, a new strategy of how to go about testing athletes would need to be devised before we could see such a terrific sporting event happen. Someone, please tell the Players Union this is not about privacy or saving face. Other athletes such as Ben Johnson, an Olympic sprinter, were dealt with publicly for taking steroids. Why should baseball players be any different? Though supplement technology still remains a few years ahead of the testing methods, the steroids issue is getting aggravating quickly, as well as taking up too much space on this blog.

-Taylor Narewski

2004-03-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

The Mechanical Ref
The advancements in technology in the past century have had a great influence in the world of sports. Sports have been improved in many aspects including officiating. This has been very controversial concerning more non human judgments. Instant Replay was instituted into the NFL not long ago and was very controversial at the time of its proposal. I did a paper arguing for Instant Replay in the NFL citing incidents involving human error that cost teams pivotal games. Many critics now and then despise Instant Replay. Some are bold enough to call for its removal including some that once were for it like Coach Bill Billick of the Baltimore Ravens. Some argue that "Human error is a part of the game and that it is another obstacle a team must be prepared to deal with." Still the Big Ten plans to incorporate instant replay in the coming football season. Slowly the game is headed to "perfection". Taylor claims that the games are headed in the direction of being more like an "interactive game". I thought about this and realized something ironic. In Madden 2004 the gamer is given the option of "challenging" the call. Most of the time the play will stand but sometime the play will be reversed. The computer will also challenge the officiating crew and usually at a much higher success rate than myself. The fact that a play can be reversed is very ironic in that the game is programmed to make incorrect calls so that it is more realistic. So while the NFL heads in the direction of taking the image of just another "interactive game" the gaming industry is heading in the direction of reality by Implementing human errors and other qualities such as fatigue.
-Blake Fertitta

2004-03-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

INSTANT REPLAY!!! STEROIDS!!! LETS HAVE BOTH!!!
Well who loves Instant Replay? Apparently everyone does. Instant Replay has played a huge part in the NCAA Tournment, the NBA, the NFL, and sports period. Instant Replay has saved many games from being blown. From I being a first down to if the shot is good or not. From seeing if the player released the ball on time to the matter of yards or even inches. It has made a very big difference in sports today. With the NCAA tournment, Instant Replay has been to down to its full effect this year. For example with the Florida game (not remembering the opponent), a Florida player hit a buzzer beater to win the game! Or did he? The referee call the shot as good. But with the Instant Replay rule, every game winning shot or just to see if its a three pointer or was his/her toe on the line. It gets reviewed. Now looking back a couple of years ago w/o Instant Replay, the game would be over. This determined if teams went home or not. IT WAS A BIG DEAL. But the game was tied up and the Florida player hit the three pointer but it was no good. The shot was released late, which made the two teams go into overtime! Now with the Steroids issue. Ive watched on the sports channel that the Major League Baseball committee was trying to settle something where players would get drug test more often that usual to try and cut back on this Steroid use! Now since the committee has cut down on this issue, do you think we will see anymore 45 or 50 homeruns hit by anybody? Good question. Let it Marinate!

-Treamon Andrews

2004-03-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Steroids, AGAIN
I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing about steroids. It has been in basically every sports magazine, show, or even sports conversation. And even though we are all exhausted from hearing the word STEROID, I think I am going to drag it on further…Steroids, are they worth it? If you ask college athletes, particularly baseball players, you may receive a surprising answer. I’ve asked a question such as, “If the only way you could make it to the Major Leagues was by taking steroids, even if it was just one cycle, would you do it?” Most of the time they answer with a “yes”. Athletes will often times do whatever it takes to achieve their dream of reaching the professional level. They will practice longer, lift harder, and even take substances that will give them the extra edge. Just imagine being from a poor country such as the Dominican Republic and having nothing but baseball and a dream. What would you do to make it and provide your family with a way out of poverty? If steroids were your only answer, what do you think you would do? Steroids could be the answer to millions of dollars and a chance to live a life without worrying about your next meal. I believe it is easy to see why steroids have become such a problem and how from an athlete’s perspective it can be seen as an easy road to success and fortune. Without short-term side effects it is hard to imagine many players from poorer countries turning down steroids if it is their only way to accomplish their dream…

*Bloggers Warning*

STEROIDS ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT...HARDWORK IS JUST AS EFFECTIVE!!!

-Tim Gustafson

2004-03-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

A Bad Call with Instant Replay
Continuing in the same line of thought that as Blake’s entry on technology and the NCAA tournament I would like to discus the use of instant replay. After watching most all of the games up to this point in the tournament, I noticed that the officials relied on the instant replay more than I have seen in recent years. In basketball the use of the camera in making officiating decisions is limited to important possession calls and making sure the time on the clock is correct. This use of new camera and digital slow motion technology is okay with limited use. However, in the NFL instant replay can be used to overturn most any type of play. With the recent announcement that the Big Ten conference will use instant replay in their football games next year and the use of the automated strike zone in Major League Baseball parks this past year, I am beginning to be concerned. As an athlete, I truly enjoy competing in my sport, track, and enjoy watching and following other sports as well. However, I do not agree with the invasion of more and more technology into sports to help with officiating. Yes, officials and referees calls are important and should be as correct as they can make them. Yet, the human aspect of officiating is something that makes sports fun. Sports are not a video game world where all every single call will be correct according to the game’s rules. Human officials’ decisions are not always right but the human aspect is very important to the game. Taking the technology path to the extreme, one could foresee a sport in which the basketball athletes are not allowed to even do a little bumping or holding that really is an important part of the game. Also, imagine baseball when a pitcher must throw the ball within a centimeter of the strike zone so as to get a strike. These would no longer be sports but simply interactive video games. I understand that these ideas are a bit of a stretch, but I want camera and instant replay technology to be held in check so as to preserve the integrity of the sports we all love to play and watch.

-Taylor Narewski

2004-03-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

STEROIDS, STEROIDS, STEROIDS!
What will we do without them! Nah, Im just playing. The steroid issue is very big right now. Based on these athletes who are "role models" for not only these future baseball stars but for any person who looks up to them. Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield are the top two people are really being peculated by the media. But other stories have started to come out now. For example Brady Anderson from the Baltimore Orioles, hit fifty homeruns in the 1995 seasons but since that season, he hasn't done anything close to that. I mean the 1995 season was his 3rd or 4th year in the major league and he's putting up numbers that are incredible. But he is a proposes in this steroid situation. The thing with Barry bonds and Gary Sheffield is that their trainer was involved with these steroids and the deal with Bonds and Sheffield is that they were suspected of taking these steroids but not proven to use them. The thing with Barry Bonds is that in the beginning of his career, he wasn't as big as Dave Chappelle and now he looks like he plays linebacker for the San Francisco Forty-Niners. But that's just my opinion!

-Treamon Andrews

2004-03-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

Just the Beginning
Well since this is merely an introduction blog to our group, I'll make it short and sweet. Our goal is to bring readers an informative look into sports and technology. I am currently coming to you from a hotel room in North Carolina, as we play Wake Forest this weekend in baseball. Hopefully this weekend will turn out a lot better than the last...Anyway, on to the topic. People will always ask, "What does technology have to do with sports and how in the world can it help"? With time and each additional blog we hope to answer questions like these and many more. We hope you find our blog interesting and helpful...enjoy the reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Tim Gustafson

2004-03-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

Steroid Use Not So New
Alex Rodriguez’s addition to the New York Yankees lineup, bringing their 2004 payroll to a figure that falls just short of the U.S. National debt, was supposed to be this season’s big story. However, as we have all witnessed, baseball has turned into nothing more than a group of star athletes being questioned for steroid use or asked of their opinion. In today’s sports community, the use of supplements has become widespread as athletes seek to pack on more muscle or drop their recovery time. This bout with steroids is nothing particularly new. Athletes at such a high level have always been dangerously close to breaking contemporary regulations dealing with supplements. For example many of the number of East German male and female Olympic athletes’ were found to have used steroids. Also, even two of the athletes that finished ahead of legendary Steve Prefontaine in the 5000 meter race of the Olympics were found to be blood doping. Despite having gone around the world and back again, my point is thus: this bout with professional athletes and steroids has garnered more attention than many other cases of illegal supplement use in sports such as track and field. Even President George Bush and Congress have become involved. The reason for such attention is that the infraction has finally occurred in a sport that is highly publicized. So, did Barry Bonds take steroids? And how many other countless star players have taken steroids? Those answers will become clearer in the coming months. However, hopefully, the new found media attention on supplements will provide the much needed impetus to rid all other sports of such horrible supplement infractions.

-Taylor Narewski

2004-03-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Who's In Your Bracket
I figured I would do my first post on the sport that's on everyone's mind: Men's College Basketball. The words “March Madness” says it all. There is no better way to describe it and year after year, that madness is growing. Now in the new millennium, the internet is widely available and more specifically broad ban is mainstream. Sports websites now offer free video highlights and up to the second scores. Insight and predictions of the games are readily available to anyone with a computer. This is an opportune time to turn a profit for businessmen and for the average fan. Contests banners litter the websites with "tournament pick 'ems" that will award the winners with prizes. Internet sites allow users to join public and private leagues that compete against other users all over the world. New words such as bracketolgoy should be added to the dictionary. Every fan has filled out at least one bracket and some fans go as far to skip work and some even school just to watch the games. The fan base for college basketball and many other sports has really grown over the past few years. That growth can be contributed to the advances in technology.

-Blake Fertitta

2004-03-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

Intro to Sports Along the Wall

From steroids in baseball to a transgendered person entering a golf tournament, the wild world of sports has no shortage of current, perplexing issues worthy of discussion. With the aid of supplements and new training methods sports athletes arte stronger and more skilled than generations past. Also, with new technologies such instant replay and the automated strike zone, coaches, officials, and even fans have been given a more accurate depiction of what really does happen on the field. With such new technology sports, from the professional to the little league level, are changing with alarming speed. This blog has been created as a forum for open discussion and heated arugment about the current technology and ehtics issue facing the sports world today. Have a good clean debate, no hits below the belt, and PLAY BALL!