Shostack + Friends Blog Archive

 

That's Some Serious Precision, or Watch Out, She's Gonna Go All Decimal!

So last night the family and I sat down and watched a little TV together for the first time in ages.  We happened to settle on the X-Games on ESPN, purely because they were showing a sport that I can only describe as Artistic Snowmobile Jumping.  Basically, these guys get on snowmobiles, jump them in the air flip around and stuff, and then a panel of judges score their efforts.  I suppose the criteria is like ice skating or gymnastics where they score creativity and technique and so forth…  If you haven’t seen this sport, here’s a little youtube video of what it’s like:

So we’re watching this sport on ESPN, and after a while I’m noticing a couple of things about the scores.  First, they’re using a 100 point scale, and all the scores are coming in between 85 and 92.  Fine, I suppose they’re summing up a number of elements.

Then this one rider scores an 88.3.  Point Three.  Seriously, what judge decides to go decimal?  You know, a 100 point scale isn’t good enough, I really need the precision of that tenth of a point to determine if the member of “Team Slednecks” is that much better than the “Red Bull Rockstars” or whatever.

One comment on "That's Some Serious Precision, or Watch Out, She's Gonna Go All Decimal!"

  • Marty says:

    Going all decimal may keep it less likely you have to endure an overtime aerial final showdown winner take all trick fest between Team Slednecks and the Redbull Rockstars

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