Building an MVP Machine

Building an MVP Machine

Author: StarTalk Playing with Science & Gary O’Reilly, Chuck Nice, Neil deGrasse Tyson August 14, 2019 Duration: 49:39
Move over Moneyball, something new is coming. Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the world of data-driven player development that’s re-shaping baseball today. Featuring Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik, authors of The MVP Machine, and astrophysicist and baseball sleuth Meredith Wills, PhD. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons and All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio.net/show/building-an-mvp-machine/ Photo Credit: Erik Drost [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Ever wonder how a quarterback's spiral obeys the same physics as a galaxy's rotation, or what biomechanics can tell us about a perfect slam dunk? That's the kind of unexpected conversation you'll find on Playing with Science. Each week, this isn't just a talk show-it's a lively playground where the worlds of elite athletics and deep scientific inquiry genuinely collide. Hosts Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice bring a unique energy, blending a former pro athlete's insight with a comedian's curiosity to break down the how and why behind the sports we love. They're regularly joined by the podcast's resident astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, ensuring that no question, from the aerodynamics of a soccer ball to the physiology of endurance, goes unexplored without a rigorous yet accessible scientific lens. You'll hear from Olympic champions, sports medicine pioneers, and engineers, all dissecting the mechanics, strategies, and data that define peak performance. It turns out the line between the lab and the locker room is much thinner than you'd think. Tuning in, you get more than analysis; you get a deeper appreciation for the physical laws and human ingenuity at play in every record-breaking moment. So if you're passionate about sports or fascinated by science, this podcast reveals they are ultimately the same thrilling game.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Playing with Science
Podcast Episodes
Physics on Wheels, with Dr. Skateboard & Othello Clark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:56
Chuck Nice takes Gary O’Reilly for a ride down memory lane when he revisits his skateboarding youth with a couple of real pros: 2x US Master’s Champion Dr. Bill Robertson, aka Dr. Skateboard, and former skateboarding and…
Baseball: The Perfect Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:21
There have only been 23 perfect games in baseball’s 140-year history – and only one in the World Series, by Don Larsen in 1956. Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore what it takes to pitch a perfect game, with guests Neil…
StarTalk SoundBite: Teaching Baseball Players How to Hit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:15
What is the key to teaching a baseball player to hit a baseball? Listen to former Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti tell Chuck Nice and Gary O'Reilly about how he did it with the Dodgers, and how he would…
World Series Throwback Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:16
Just in time for the 2017 World Series, Gary and Chuck revisit iconic plays from the Fall Classic. Featuring physicist John Eric Goff, Houston Astros Announcer and 2005 World Series winner Geoff Blum, Lehman College Base…
Surf's Up - The Big Waves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:34
Aloha, Dudes! It’s time to shoot the curl when Gary and Chuck dive into the serious science of surfing the big waves. Their guides: California surfer – and NASA oceanographer – Bill Patzert, and, from Maui, pro surfer an…
Golf Science, with Geoff Ogilvy and Neil deGrasse Tyson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:23
Aerodynamics, Doppler radar, laser tracking, and big data! Gary and Chuck find out how science has guided the evolution of golf, from why balls have dimples to how clubs are designed, with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Ty…
Gymnastics: Leap, Bounce & Balance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:40
Chuck Nice and Garry O’Reilly vault into the world of competitive gymnastics with the help of two former Olympic gymnasts: Dr. Phil Cheetham, Senior Sport Technologist for the US Olympic Committee, and 2008 Silver Medali…
Baseball: Brain Training [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:38
What happens inside the brain of a great baseball hitter, and can it be taught? Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice explore the subject with baseball vision trainer Dr. Bill Harrison, neuroscientist Prof. Aaron Seitz, and baseb…
Martial Arts – Fight Like a Physicist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:02
Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly get schooled on the martial arts by two fighting physicists: Jason Thalken, who has a Black Belt in Hopkido, and Prof. John Eric Goff, who has a Black Belt in Karate. Don’t miss an episode of…
The Immaculate Reception [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:03
Gary O’Reilly and Chuck Nice turn to physics to try and solve the mystery of the Immaculate Reception, the most famous – and controversial – play in NFL history. With Neil deGrasse Tyson, NFL QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, physici…