The NFL’s Big Data complicated, together with Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus, would have you ever consider that numbers don’t lie, however the reality is that numbers may be untrustworthy little digits. They don’t explicitly generate fake stats, however correct statistics may be framed deceptively. For occasion, on Christmas Day, Jalen Hurts was carried into the top zone for his fifteenth dashing landing of the season, surpassing the record Cam Newton’s tallied as a rookie.
However, Hurts’ fugazi numbers obscure what’s been a wildly inconsistent season from him. After battling Patrick Mahomes for supremacy all through 2022 and for 4 quarters in Super Bowl LVII, he’s doubled his interception price and his deep ball accuracy has regressed. tallying an NFL-record 11 dashing touchdowns from the 1-yard-line. Hurts owes De’Andre Swift an apology everytime he trots on the market. The Eagles tailback must be within the midst of a career-year, however has been vultured out of a dozen aim line scores. Running backs are being phased out of even probably the most primary duties.
Hurts’ no leg days off routine deserves credit score too, however a compilation of the 15 performs he logged dashing touchdowns may very well be edited right into a 20-second clip. A fast evaluation of each landing Newton scored in 2011 reveals that Newton scored from the 1 solely 3 times.
The diploma of issue was increased and the overall yardage Newton lined behind the road of scrimmage and weaving round tacklers en path to his 14 dashing touchdowns have been considerably increased. Even as he cashed in on aim line scores, Carolina featured Newton within the shotgun, giving him a runway to select up steam and launch himself over the trenches into the top zone. Not all asterisks are as innocent as Hurts’ landing milestone, although.
USSR’s 1972 gold medal sport do-overs
During the peak of the Cold War, the USSR and the United States’ antipathy for each other prolonged into the sports activities realm. The Petty Wars culminated in bedlam throughout the closing seconds of their 1972 gold medal basketball sport on the Munich Olympics. What the USSR would generously describe as their Miracle in Lake Placid, is considered within the Western Hemisphere because the disgraceful shamockery in Olympic historical past.
After being given three probabilities to replay their closing possession in a gold medal match towards the United States as a result of a malfunctioning clock, Alexander Belov reeled in a full-court cross from inbounder Ivan Edeshko on the third try and deposited a sport successful lay-up as time expired to reward the USSR with a 51-50 win. In protest, the ‘72 U.S. men’s nationwide group grew to become the one Olympic group in any sport to refuse their medals. The U.S. group’s unanimous rejection of their silver medals over half a century later underscores the antipathy that also exists after the sport. Not all asterisks are as egregious.
The twin drawback with Michael Strahan’s fake sack
Two a long time later, it’s arduous to consider Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record has by no means been surpassed. You’d assume that the elevated quantity of dropbacks, scrambling quarterbacks and the 17-game schedule would have resulted in it being eclipsed by now, however TJ Watts matching the mark in 2021 is the closest anybody has come.
The solely purpose Watt doesn’t personal the mark outright is due to Brett Favre rolling out of play motion and into the trail of Strahan and going limp within the closing seconds of the 2002 common season finale. After taking the sack, Favre appeared all too giddy over Strahan’s record including much more suspicion. But even Watt’s record is thought-about quick of the particular record regardless of enjoying in 17 video games. During the NFL’s first 16-game schedule in 1978, Detroit Lions rookie Al “Bubba” Baker had 23.5 sacks. Unfortunately, Baker’s title was misplaced to historical past as a result of he painted his cross dashing masterpiece 4 years earlier than the NFL started formally monitoring quarterback sacks.
Georgia Tech stings Cumberland
The grainy, black and white scoreboard photos depicting undefeated Georgia Tech’s lopsided 225-0 victory over Cumberland is nonetheless cited as the final word desecration of a program in faculty soccer historical past. But it’s additionally a sham. There was no Cumberland soccer group in 1916. The yr prior, that they had disbanded its program a yr earlier to give attention to athletics, however needed to comply with by way of with their matchup towards Georgia Tech to gather a $500 “money game” test. The administration tasked their baseball captain with recruiting college students so they may subject a soccer group for one sport. Cumberland was the unique Bishop Sycamore.
John Heisman’s Tech squad performed like one of many high faculty soccer groups within the nation and scored a landing on each drive towards a conglomeration of legislation college college students, frat boys and baseball gamers. The subsequent yr Tech gained the nationwide title whereas Cumberland soccer was etched into ignominy. If it weren’t for Cumberland making an attempt to tug a quick one, Penn State’s 81-0 shutout of Cincinnati throughout the 1991 season could be the most important margin of victory ever documented on the highest degree of faculty soccer.
The Home Run King
The late Hank Aaron’s information are largely above reproach. Hammerin’ Hank is nonetheless well known as the house run king by a big contingent of the baseball group who rightfully contemplate Barry Bonds’ 762 as tarnished as a result of his affiliation with steroids. Count me amongst them. Bonds must be in Cooperstown, however his crown is constructed on a throne of lies. However, Aaron has an asterisk on his personal resume.
The quintessential slugger of an built-in MLB retired because the profession house run chief and nonetheless clings to information for many profession RBIs, further base hits and MLB All-Star Games 25. There’s only one drawback along with his 25 All-Star Games. The math doesn’t add up as a result of he performed in solely 22 seasons. During 4 seasons between 1959 and 1962, MLB hosted two All-Star Games. To Aaron’s credit score, he was a participant within the Midsummer Classic for 21 of his 23 seasons within the majors, which might nonetheless be the record.
As a matter of record, asterisks may be ignored. They’re the parentheticals of historical past books. They merely exist to offer context. There’s no increased sports activities courtroom that exists to take information to arbitration. Ultimately, Hurts’ season shall be outlined by how he responds within the postseason and never by the uproar over the Tush Push as a gimmick or loophole. It’s within the eyes of the beholder.
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