Welcome back! This week we’re kicking off the start of summer talking about The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks by Ben Cohen. Right now we’re up to the first two chapters, and in 2 weeks we’ll reconvene and discuss chapters 3-5. We’ll be doing a vote on the next books soon, email me suggestions you’ve got.
Some things to kick us off:
When’s a time you felt like you had a streak going? What’s your hot hand story?
The first chapter talks about the science of streaks in the context of basketball, and how they can have real psychological effects on the person on a hot run. Have you ever seen someone get hot?
Did you expect to learn an incredible amount of cool detail about Shakespeare? Have you ever read three Shakespeare plays in the course of two months, let alone wrote three?
I’m very curious if the rest of the book will get a chance to discuss a broader concept of “streaks”. The hot hand(s) so far have obviously been about positive outcomes but I’m wondering if a “cold hand” (or even a “neutral hand”) also exists.
I say that only because I don’t have a good hot hand example but I do have a “cold” one from very recent memory.
I was playing a game of Mario Party and I picked Boo because (according to at least one...scholar... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1waQNCNmdr5iCbGLSHBLIFHuNk-a65fRqOgjmKy83Ts8/htmlview#gid=0) they have some of the best odds of racking up spaces to move forward on the board. But lo and behold, I rolled a “-2” SEVEN consecutive turns and it still haunts me (no pun intended) to this day.
I really like this one! I heard about it last year and enjoy Cohens work at the WSJ a lot, i really liked the shakespeare writing bits because I 100% experience the work of writing as like periods where you just have to grind it out paired up with periods where it just absolutely flows. Excited to learn more about the science of this too.
Can I just say how much I love reading about Bob Myers' success? My years at UCLA overlapped with his and he truly was someone you want the best for. UCLA fans can really be some of the worst when things don't go their way, but everyone was always rooting for Bob Myers. On the actual topic: The importance of circumstance in shaping the success of a hot hand is interesting. In my experience it's really all about the surrounding circumstances, but so often you can only see what was needed in hindsight. (And I like to think no one would want to plan a plague for a couple of great plays.) Really enjoying all of the stories and curious to see what else he has to say!
I cannot think of any personal hot streaks that stand out for myself, so I wonder, can a hot streak happen without the person knowing? Is there a part of the hot streak that is reliant on the individual knowing they are having a hot hand? I did like the chapter on Shakespeare and the importance of timing in the hot hand - that factors outside the individual can actually impact such streaks. I'm enjoying this book more than I expected - I thought it would be more stats and figures so I'm glad Cohen has included stories to go along the science aspect of the book.
It's not a book about any of those things. It's a book about all those things!! Loved reading all these great stories! Kyle Allen's merry band of Layup or 3 Pointer Good Shot Rebels & how Steph Curry became the player that totally changed the NBA. Mark Turmell's NBA Jam Fireball, Rob Reiner's 3 A+ films & of course Shakespeare On Fire! Found it super interesting the circumstances that led to people knowing about Rebecca Clarke & Bob Myers. I'm really looking forward to the part of the book that get's more into the science of streaks.
I’m very curious if the rest of the book will get a chance to discuss a broader concept of “streaks”. The hot hand(s) so far have obviously been about positive outcomes but I’m wondering if a “cold hand” (or even a “neutral hand”) also exists.
I say that only because I don’t have a good hot hand example but I do have a “cold” one from very recent memory.
I was playing a game of Mario Party and I picked Boo because (according to at least one...scholar... https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1waQNCNmdr5iCbGLSHBLIFHuNk-a65fRqOgjmKy83Ts8/htmlview#gid=0) they have some of the best odds of racking up spaces to move forward on the board. But lo and behold, I rolled a “-2” SEVEN consecutive turns and it still haunts me (no pun intended) to this day.
I had a hot hand once in a presentation. I could not screw up anything in that 11th grade moment in the sun.
Shakespeare story and speed is remarkable.
I think this will be a fun, easy read.
I really like this one! I heard about it last year and enjoy Cohens work at the WSJ a lot, i really liked the shakespeare writing bits because I 100% experience the work of writing as like periods where you just have to grind it out paired up with periods where it just absolutely flows. Excited to learn more about the science of this too.
Can I just say how much I love reading about Bob Myers' success? My years at UCLA overlapped with his and he truly was someone you want the best for. UCLA fans can really be some of the worst when things don't go their way, but everyone was always rooting for Bob Myers. On the actual topic: The importance of circumstance in shaping the success of a hot hand is interesting. In my experience it's really all about the surrounding circumstances, but so often you can only see what was needed in hindsight. (And I like to think no one would want to plan a plague for a couple of great plays.) Really enjoying all of the stories and curious to see what else he has to say!
I cannot think of any personal hot streaks that stand out for myself, so I wonder, can a hot streak happen without the person knowing? Is there a part of the hot streak that is reliant on the individual knowing they are having a hot hand? I did like the chapter on Shakespeare and the importance of timing in the hot hand - that factors outside the individual can actually impact such streaks. I'm enjoying this book more than I expected - I thought it would be more stats and figures so I'm glad Cohen has included stories to go along the science aspect of the book.
It's not a book about any of those things. It's a book about all those things!! Loved reading all these great stories! Kyle Allen's merry band of Layup or 3 Pointer Good Shot Rebels & how Steph Curry became the player that totally changed the NBA. Mark Turmell's NBA Jam Fireball, Rob Reiner's 3 A+ films & of course Shakespeare On Fire! Found it super interesting the circumstances that led to people knowing about Rebecca Clarke & Bob Myers. I'm really looking forward to the part of the book that get's more into the science of streaks.