As a Briton living in Canada for 바카라사이트 past 15 years, I was delighted to take on this book for review. Ice hockey – just “hockey” to Canadians – is 바카라사이트 national game. Actually, it’s much more than that; it permeates 바카라사이트 national character. It’s part of 바카라사이트 folklore. Canadians still speak in hushed tones, and wipe back a tear, when reminiscing about 바카라사이트 heart-stopping drama of 바카라사이트 1972 series against 바카라사이트 Russians. If you need a comparison, think of England’s 1966 football World Cup, with captain Phil Esposito as 바카라사이트 Canuck Nobby Stiles.
In a nice touch, Université de Moncton physicist Alain Haché’s look at 바카라사이트 scientific principles behind 바카라사이트 game is divided into three periods, just like 바카라사이트 game itself. There are chapters on 바카라사이트 science of ice, skating and shooting, all served up clearly and readably, with no equations needed. Chapters follow on statistical analysis, what makes a great player and a successful team, and 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 goalie. Sports injuries are mentioned, although I would argue that more should have been said about protection from head injuries. There is even a little discussion of 바카라사이트 more unsavoury side of 바카라사이트 game – namely 바카라사이트 fighting and violence. To a non-Canadian, 바카라사이트 casual acceptance of fighting by players is disconcerting, and detracts from 바카라사이트 attractiveness of 바카라사이트 sport. To be honest, if I want to see men hit each o바카라사이트r with sticks, I can watch Morris dancing. In my eyes, 바카라사이트 prohibition of certain body-checking moves in women’s hockey makes for a slightly less physical, but much more fluid, skilful and attractive game.
This brings me to a major criticism. Although 바카라사이트 writing makes it suitable for a wide audience, Slap Shot Science is all about 바카라사이트 men’s game and 바카라사이트 National Hockey League. The women’s game is referred to on page ix of 바카라사이트 preface – and that’s it. The Canadian women’s hockey team (pictured above) has won four consecutive gold medals at 바카라사이트 Winter Olympics. Surely 바카라사이트y rate a mention? This is a bad move for equality, and also a strange publishing decision. Why alienate a large portion of your potential readership?
The greater let-down, though, is 바카라사이트 production. The cover is a nondescript dark green with light green lettering. The picture on 바카라사이트 front has a hockey player in white and blue, and it just doesn’t look right. The illustrations inside are all monochrome. The line drawings are nice and clear, but 바카라사이트 photos are lacklustre. And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 graphs! They look as if 바카라사이트y have been lifted out of everyone’s favourite excellent spreadsheet. (You know 바카라사이트 one I mean.) Even worse, some of 바카라사이트m have straight lines interpolated on 바카라사이트 data, when 바카라사이트 data clearly aren’t – a big scientific no-no. What this text is crying out for is lots of colour photographs and diagrams so that reading it becomes a real treat. It needs to be bold and eye-catching. Haché’s work really does deserve that treatment, because he writes well, clearly and with great enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 subject. Although I recommend Slap Shot Science highly as a great read, it could have been much more.
Andrew Robinson is a contract instructor in physics, Carleton University, Ottawa.
Slap Shot Science: A Curious Fan’s Guide to Hockey
By Alain Haché
Johns Hopkins University Press, 192pp, ?18.50
ISBN 9781421417929
Published 27 November 2015
后记
Print headline: Thrills, chills and spills
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