Eye Test: What is it? Can it be replaced? Is subjectivity necessary?

[Living Being]

What is the "eye test" to you? Hustle, diving for loose balls, intimidation, passing ability (without assists), contested shots? Is it swagger, aesthetics, or a "nice looking shot?"

Surely there are stats (perhaps flawed, like +/-) for some of the things people consider part of the "eye test," but for things that are not tracked by stats, can we make a new stat?

Would it take too many resources to make the "eye test" obsolete? More observers? Computerized analysis of player movement?

What are "eye test" things that don't even matter? Like being a great dribbler doing fancy moves, having a lightning first step, blowing by the defender...and then missing a shot, running out the time clock, or making a turnover.

Does the "eye test" hurt the perception of some players? Is that how players become "underrated?" Players that are quiet, not flashy, or economical in their movement? Players that do layups? Do chuckers fail the "eye test" if they chuck 3 times in a row as opposed to 3 of 5 team FGA?

Couldn't an advanced computer intelligence scan and record an entire basketball game and give an accurate analysis of who is the best player on the court?

Complete objectivity would eliminate basketball discussion, but yet the game of basketball could still be watched. You could still root for a player...you just couldn't argue that they were better than they were.

[SpanishACB]

Couldn't an advanced computer intelligence scan and record an entire basketball game and give an accurate analysis of who is the best player on the court?



how does a computer differentiate a fluke from an intended action?

if by advanced computer intelligence you mean human simulating artificial intelligence, then duh, of course. What is your question here? It can't be done now if that's what you're asking

[ILLsmak]

The eye test is essential in everything because we still don't fully understand what all the human mind can measure. Some people have intuition, too. Eye test to me is luls for someone who isn't experienced, but some expert, it's important. You can "see"subtle things stats can't measure. Or that raw science can't measure. That's why drs put their hands on ppl.

Eye test has become a meme but what we're really talking about is numbers vs human perception, and people who say the numbers mean human perception is flawed. That's bullshit tho because stats for anything are easily influenced. And they do. People, even psychopaths, can't control their every facial muscle. So the truth comes out by watching.

-Smak

[Living Being]

I posed this as a hypothetical question. I do not believe computers or statistics analyzed by computers can ever replace the reasoning abilities of the human mind. Life is more than raw data. Numbers are just partial representations of phenomena.

Even if we could collect the data perfectly, who would decide in the end if a rebound was more important than an assist? Does it matter what position is supplying the contribution?
Who can measure momentum or motivation and despair? How can you know if a player coming on the floor is making his teammates better, or if it's the guy who just went to the bench?

Can you avoid bias with the "eye test?" Does it matter what your own history and style of playing is?

[lilteapot]

http://thomaseyecare.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Eye-chart.jpg

[GimmeThat]

do you honestly believe that Data came before the eye test?

as if Datas weren't a simple mere measurement to prove ones eye test being accurate or not.

[Living Being]

do you honestly believe that Data came before the eye test?

as if Datas weren't a simple mere measurement to prove ones eye test being accurate or not.
I clearly did not state that the eye test was something new. I'm just asking for a reexamination of it in the face of modern technology and number-crunching.

[Crown&Coke]

The devil is in the details.

If a guy jumps to shoot and sees an open guy at the last second and passes to him for a score. I treat that differently than if a guy jumps to pass and gets the pass there for a score.

To the numbers crunchers that might simply be recorded as an assist in either instance. But in real life ball, there is a distinct difference between the two plays.


But with the eye test you surely have bias. There is no exact science to it, which is why a blend of the two is probably the best option

[BigBoss]

lol at OP's dp :roll: