Gimme the ball throw the ball gimme the ball
February 1, 2014 10:04 PM   Subscribe

A dog watches tennis on TV [SLYT]
posted by jamaro (13 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- Brandon Blatcher



 
I wonder if he's figured out the rules?
posted by esprit de l'escalier at 10:10 PM on February 1, 2014 [1 favorite]


The rules for dog tennis are: you serve, I return.

What a great dog.
posted by Pudhoho at 10:27 PM on February 1, 2014 [1 favorite]


Aww. I think I enjoyed that almost as much as George. whos a good boy you're a god boy yes you are
posted by figurant at 10:27 PM on February 1, 2014


Dog is simultaneously aware and unaware of what is happening
posted by Corduroy at 10:28 PM on February 1, 2014 [6 favorites]


Reminds me of this video of a dog trying to catch a baseball in MLB The Show.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 11:17 PM on February 1, 2014 [2 favorites]


My sister's a vet tech and she tells me that the anesthetic gas they use on animals causes a hallucinatory effect on dogs (at least), such that they start to see movement in their peripheral vision. The dog will start whipping its head left and right to see something. The vets use it as an indicator that the gas is having the desired effect; they call it "watching tennis."

So I was expecting to see a dog inside a plastic box in vet's surgery (only big dogs get masks), starting to lose the plot. This is different, and better.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:25 PM on February 1, 2014 [2 favorites]


Definitely better. I don't feel like watching any dog surgery tonight.
posted by Pudhoho at 12:04 AM on February 2, 2014 [1 favorite]


"Dog is simultaneously aware and unaware of what is happening."

That's exactly right. I mean, it's also trivial and always true about dogs and cats and, well, people. But it's correct in the way that you intended, that George weirdly understands that he's seeing a ball on television that is coming toward him, while also not understanding that it's not actually coming toward him.

I kept expecting there to be something that would reveal that George was reacting to some stimulus that was more proximate and made more sense. But, no, not only is he only alert when the camera shows the court in a way such that it appears the ball is coming toward it and eventually out of the bottom of the TV screen, it's also the case that George on several occasions positions himself specifically where the ball is aimed. And not by accident.

I think he goes into the side-to-side rhythm more because it often works that way with how the player returns the ball and because it keep George in motion, which is more fun than just standing up with his legs on the table and also, in George's mind, keeps him on the move and prepared to get the ball.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 12:18 AM on February 2, 2014 [6 favorites]


That center speaker there isn't long for this world.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 12:43 AM on February 2, 2014 [4 favorites]


Cute. Lucky the dog doesn't paw at the screen.

But the video shows a lamentable thing that's happened to tennis on TV the past 5 years:

During the points now, the camera is so far away from the players it makes it look like a game of Pong. The court occupies less than half the pixels on the screen. The rest of the space is sidelines and the spectator area behind the baseline.

With the sky cam view, no longer can we see how much height players get on the ball. Or Nadal's explosive topspin. During points all we see is Pong.

Viewership keeps going down because tennis has become a game of pong instead of us seeing during points what incredible athletes they are.

Who would choose to sit up there where the camera is, instead of down near the court behind the baseline?
posted by surplus at 6:03 AM on February 2, 2014 [3 favorites]


Surplus: Ooh, maybe they could do a split screen thing instead. On the right half of the screen, a bird's-eye straight down view showing the whole court. On the left side, split the screen horizontally and have a camera focused on each player.

During replays, show just the most exciting view full screen.
posted by JDHarper at 8:52 AM on February 2, 2014


I knew someone would post that baseball video. That's one of the very best ever--wheezing laughter every time. Perfection!
posted by HotToddy at 9:51 AM on February 2, 2014


With the sky cam view, no longer can we see how much height players get on the ball.

By the end of this decade, I bet you'll see player cams.
posted by esprit de l'escalier at 9:34 PM on February 7, 2014


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