How would you score a touchdown upside down, flipping at 60 rotations per minute, and flying forward at 12 miles per hour?
That’s exactly what the Detroit Lions’ Golden Tate showed the world Sunday during a game against the New Orleans Saints. Then Lynchburg physics professor Eric Goff was on the air to explain the science of the spin.
Dr. Goff joined the cast of 1st and Goal, an live NFL show on the TuneIn internet radio network, for a segment about the science behind the play. As a regular guest of StarTalk’s Playing With Science podcast, Dr. Goff was invited along with the Playing With Science hosts as part of a promotion between StarTalk and TuneIn.
Sunday’s show was the Playing with Science team’s first appearance on 1st and Goal, but the crew has already been invited for a second. Dr. Goff will provide more football physics commentary on Sunday, October 22, at 6:15 p.m. on 1st and Goal.
As another part of the Startalk / TuneIn promotion, Playing With Science produced an episode about the World Series, in which Dr. Goff discussed the physics of baseball.
Dr. Goff has been a frequent guest on Playing with Science since the sports science podcast started in January 2017. (Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is another frequent participant.) As hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly discuss historic and contemporary moments in sports, Dr. Goff explains the physics involved, showing how certain plays are possible or, sometimes, just how difficult they are. Among other topics, he has spoken about the physics of the Tour de France (a special focus of his research every summer) and Krav Maga, the subject of his next book.
