Tag: 2.6 campaign

On one level, the figures speak for themselves:

Day	Attempts	Near Misses	Baskets	Effort (Baskets/ Attempt)	Baskets/ Minute (BPM)	FeelGood Factor	Total time	Total Shots	Total Baskets	Success rate
1	N/A	0	8	N/A	0.308	N/A	26		8
2	194	0	15	7.73%	0.577	N/A	52	194	23
3	189	87	2	1.06%	0.077	46.03%	78	383	25	6.5%
4	190	107	7	3.68%	0.269	56.32%	104	573	32	5.6%
5	192	105	11	5.73%	0.423	54.69%	130	765	43	5.6%
6	167	108	6	3.59%	0.231	64.67%	156	932	49	5.3%
7	174	114	14	8.05%	0.538	65.52%	182	1,106	63	5.7%
9	180	108	16	8.89%	0.615	60.00%	234	1,286	63	4.9%
10	166	118	18	10.84%	0.692	71.08%	260	1,452	79	5.4%
11	181	121	20	11.05%	0.769	66.85%	286	1,633	97	5.9%
12	176	115	24	13.64%	0.923	65.34%	312	1,809	117	6.5%
13	179	111	24	13.41%	0.923	62.01%	338	1,988	141	7.1%
14	176	125	19	10.80%	0.731	71.02%	364	2,164	160	7.4%
15	167	101	32	19.16%	1.231	60.48%	390	2,331	192	8.2%

It’s taken 15 days to reach the target I set myself, and now of course will go on to set new targets of double the number of shots, seeing how long it will now take to reach 26 shots and who knows what else? I’m open to all sorts of other configurations of challenges which involve basketballs, hoops and the number 26. As long as it’s all completed by 23 May.

On another level though, figures don’t really speak for themselves do they?  They need interpreters or mediators: figures in authority who can tell you what they really really really mean.  The rhetoric of the Covid-19 Pandemic has been driven by the exhortation that we should follow the data; that the data tell us all we need to know when it comes to designing and implementing new public policy relating to social distancing, economic shut down and preserving the NHS.  Arguing with the data – or more accurately with those who supply and communicate it – is only likely to end in tears and insults on Twitter.

So we need to step carefully when making any public comment on basketballs converted, numbers of near misses, the time its taken and other factors which look indisputable to those with an eye on the numbers.  The data may look like they’re speaking for themselves but more often than not they’re the dummy to some-one else’s ventriloquists act.

You can find out why I’m taking the 2.6 Basketball Challenge here  Any help you can offer is much appreciated!.