Technology has had a large impact on sports, especially in the way that they prepare for games. Photographs taken from sky views have been taken since the late 20s and used to get an edge on the opponent. Coaches and players have studied these photos in order in find certain tendencies that other teams have in specific situations and what formations their opponents use. The Yankees were one of the first teams to use photography as a way of preparing for games. The coaches would tell the players to study the way the ball came out of a pitchers hand so they could recognize what pitch was being thrown by the way the fingers were positioned on the ball.
Videos of games were first used in the mid 60’s by the Green Bay Packers to get ready for games and by the late 60’s early 70’s almost every team in the NFL used film to prepare for games. Teams would hold film meetings in which both offense and defense would watch their own game to learn from their mistakes and see where they went wrong and they would also watch previous games that their opponents played to find weaknesses. Coaches would also use film as a tool for motivation, during these film sessions coaches often times would single out players who made mistakes in order to keep them playing at a high level. Radios are used in both NASCAR and the NFL to communicate during games and races. Not everyone can be together at one time during a race or game so the radio provides a constant form of communication. In football all the coaches have radios but the quarterback and one defensive player are the only players that have radios. In NASCAR a radio is setup between the driver and pit crew and in baseball they use a phone to communicate between the bullpen and the dugout. If a coach sees something that a player or driver doesn’t they use the radio to inform the driver or player to make adjustments.
Videos of games were first used in the mid 60’s by the Green Bay Packers to get ready for games and by the late 60’s early 70’s almost every team in the NFL used film to prepare for games. Teams would hold film meetings in which both offense and defense would watch their own game to learn from their mistakes and see where they went wrong and they would also watch previous games that their opponents played to find weaknesses. Coaches would also use film as a tool for motivation, during these film sessions coaches often times would single out players who made mistakes in order to keep them playing at a high level. Radios are used in both NASCAR and the NFL to communicate during games and races. Not everyone can be together at one time during a race or game so the radio provides a constant form of communication. In football all the coaches have radios but the quarterback and one defensive player are the only players that have radios. In NASCAR a radio is setup between the driver and pit crew and in baseball they use a phone to communicate between the bullpen and the dugout. If a coach sees something that a player or driver doesn’t they use the radio to inform the driver or player to make adjustments.
Sources: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80c3eb01&template=with-video&confirm=true
http://www.bigblueview.com/2009/6/11/904729/the-glory-game-how-the-1958-nfl
The New England Patriots took sports technology a little too far a couple of years ago eaves-dropping on other team’s communications to gain an advantage. I was glad because it justified my dislike for them. I dislike Boston sports teams in general; especially the Celtics – that’s the best compliment the Bruins or Red Sox will ever get from me.
ReplyDeleteProfessional sports teams harness technology in every way imaginable to maximize their profits and protect their investments. They really are leader in the use of every imaginable technology – sports medicine, broadcasting & communications, ticket sales, marketing, etc. The industry’s effective use of technology was something to be admired – until a Boston sports team screwed that up too.
Technology has greatly impacted sports. It's not just in communication. I've seen a lot of practice simulators for pitchers and particularly golfers. They have all kinds of technology to simulate where the ball will go based on its impact on the screen. The ability to communicate among players is probably the other biggest advantage. The coach has more control when he can say what he wants to the team, and not just hope they know what to do. Yelling your plans across the field isn't exactly the best way to set up a play either, so it helps secrecy as well. Also, the technology of the photographers helps the players and the crowd. What's the point of sports if not to entertain? With new technology the viewers can feel like they're right in the action. The push to improve players has also led to a lot of innovation in computer generated physics engines. If sports didn't want to accurately predict the outcome of their pitches or swings the computer industry wouldn't have pushed so much for accurate physics. These physics engines have really impacted the gaming industry. Everyone wants their games to feel real.
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