# Cheerleader free-throw **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445 "2005-01-06T20:18:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/41 "2005-01-08T17:06:39Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Lots of assumptions here that it’s an actual basketball hoop which reacts the way a regulation basketball hoop reacts. Couldn’t it be a larger-than-regulation hoop made out of stiff rubber? No danger to the girl, and she’d fit through fine. Wouldn’t make a metallic thud, either. Heck, it might not even actually be attached to the backboard. Could be on wires. Cheaper than CGI. It’s too far above their heads to rule out a forced perspective shot. It looks like every other basketball hoop I have ever seen. You can see its size relative to the people. There is absolutely no way she can fit through that net. > [@Bobt](#): > > A basketball rim is 18" in diameter. A basketball has a diameter of about 9.4" and basketball nets openings are about that size. She doesn’t get through that net without serious damage to her or the net. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/42 "2005-01-08T17:11:37Z")
> [@treis](#): > > A basketball has a diameter of about 9.4" and basketball nets openings are about that size. She doesn’t get through that net without serious damage to her or the net. [In its original form, when peach baskets were used, contestants climbed up a ladder to retrieve the ball after making a basket. Baskets are still used in basketball, but have evolved to eliminate the manual retrieval of the ball. Today’s basket is an 18-inch-diameter (46 cm) metal rim, with a 15- or 18-inch-long (38 or 46 cm), open-ended nylon net extending below it.](http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/1504) ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/43 "2005-01-08T17:12:47Z")
Well not only did I totally screw up the coding, but I totally misread your statement. Sorry bout that. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/44 "2005-01-08T20:05:04Z")
> [@treis](#): > > It looks like every other basketball hoop I have ever seen. You can see its size relative to the people. There is absolutely no way she can fit through that net. Which only means that it could be a cleverly generated practical special effect. Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood are not that dissimilar in height. Yet in LOTR, with no CGI, only forced perspective shots and a few body doubles, Frodo barely reaches Gandalf’s chest. Frodo’s dining room table looks like any dining room table I’ve seen, until Gandalf walks behind it and bumps his head on the ceiling. Then we realize it’s a teeny tiny table. I’m not saying I know anything for sure. Just trying to point out that CGI isn’t the only way, or even often the best way, to go about these things. If we want to explore every angle, we should be aware of our own assumptions. The blurred images seem pretty damning, however, and would be a tip-off to digital manipulation. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/45 "2005-01-08T20:15:40Z")
You all know this movie isn’t real, right? It’s one of Best Buy’s Silence is Golden fake commercials, like the “last hunt” and some Geico commercials. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/46 "2005-01-08T21:31:00Z")
Given the crappy quality of the video resolution when zoomed I can’t get enough visual detail on the stunt to make any assumptions, but given the level of danger involved and precision necessary to avoid mortal injury I’m 99.99999999999999999999% it’s fake. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/47 "2005-01-08T21:58:34Z")
I’m 5’9" and measure about 17" wide across the shoulders. That gal has to measure a little less than that, I’d guess. Even so, would’t it be normal for her to put her arms up in the air (as if she were diving), to decrease her own width as she went thru the hoop? But she doesn’t. Instead she keeps her arms by her side. So, if the jump varies a few inches to the left or right, she could end up in big trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/48 "2005-01-09T00:44:10Z")
I’m kept thinking of a finger getting snagged in the net. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/49 "2005-01-09T04:12:57Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Which only means that it could be a cleverly generated practical special effect. Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood are not that dissimilar in height. Yet in LOTR, with no CGI, only forced perspective shots and a few body doubles, Frodo barely reaches Gandalf’s chest. Frodo’s dining room table looks like any dining room table I’ve seen, until Gandalf walks behind it and bumps his head on the ceiling. Then we realize it’s a teeny tiny table. Yes but there is no messing around with perspective. The guy is standing underneath the hoop with the net two feet above his head. Comparing the two we see that the opening of the net is only slightly bigger then the guys head. If the guy isn’t standing underneath the net then the cheerleader would have to be thrown at an angle which she isn’t. We see her go straight up and straight back down. So we know that the width is at most 9 inches or so. There is no friggen way she gets through that unscathed. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/50 "2005-01-09T04:32:01Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Yes but there is no messing around with perspective. The guy is standing underneath the hoop with the net two feet above his head. Comparing the two we see that the opening of the net is only slightly bigger then the guys head. If the guy isn’t standing underneath the net then the cheerleader would have to be thrown at an angle which she isn’t. We see her go straight up and straight back down. So we know that the width is at most 9 inches or so. There is no friggen way she gets through that unscathed. [Well the human body can generate considerable downward force if it’s snagged on the way down.](http://www.snopes.com/photos/decapitate.asp) (warning very graphic link from Snopes) ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/51 "2005-01-09T05:42:02Z")
> [@Tinker Grey](#): > > I’m kept thinking of a finger getting snagged in the net. That’s why I think it’s fake. If you’re going to do something like that, even jumping through a huge version, you’d have your arms up. Not only the snagging issue, but you’re narrower (is that a word?) with your arms up…not much, but enough that it makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/52 "2005-01-09T05:55:51Z")
[Fake](http://www.edentrap.com/portals/8/toss.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445/53 "2005-01-09T08:37:12Z")
What?!! I had to wait 10 minutes to have this clip load, and while it loaded I read all the replies. I was expecting to see something really well done. Ughh! It does not even come close to looking real. Her hands at her side (especially her left hand) are bigger than the hoop right before her hands “go through,” the hoop disapears for a frame behind her, her back is curved bigger than hoop, thesilly idea that she could effortlessly slide through the net, the silly sound effects, ect. This thing was not even worth the debate, I can’t believe that anyone was fooled by this. After wasting 10 minutes of my life, I just had to get this off my chest. I feel better now! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerleader-free-throw/283445.md?page=2)