If you look at close-up pictures of what many are calling the greatest catch of all time (e.g. here - you can zoom in on the picture), Odell Beckham Jr. clearly has some of his fingers folded down. I would think that would make it a lot harder to make that kind of catch, both because it leaves him fewer fingers with which to grip the ball and because the folded fingers tend to push the ball farther away from his palm and leave him less room to latch on with his other fingers.
But media accounts have said that he practices these one-handed catches, so I assume he did it deliberately. Question then is, what’s the rationale?
If I had to guess, I’d say all of his fingers were extended and when the ball hit his thumb, index and middle finger he closed all of his fingers to grip the ball… it’s just that there is no ball for his ring and pinky finger to touch so they folded down against his palm.
According to another (enlarged) pic from the site linked in the OP, which appears to have been taken just before Beckham’s left foot impacted the ground, he has all four fingers extended. I assume his little and ring fingers continued to close while his ring, middle finger, and thumb held the ball.
That was an amazing catch, no doubt, and Collinsworth orgasm aside, how is he not called for offensive pass interface? Look at the seconds leading up to the catch. Carr is playing the ball, Beckham clearly shoves him aside.
Eh, the final second or two is misleading. Carr is already falling down, and from that angle it looks like Beckham pushed him. But from other angles, I thought it was clear that Carr had a hand on him and was grabbing at his jersey.
