2, 4, 8

There is a game circulating the internet.  You are given the numbers 2, 4, and 8 and you are asked to think of the rule that these numbers conform to.  You can type in three numbers to test whether or not your rule works.  You can do this as many times as you want and you aren’t penalized for typing in three numbers that don’t conform to the rule.

78% of people who take the exam never type in three numbers that yield a no.  They see 2, 4, 8 assume the rule is 2x the previous number, type in something like 16, 32, 64 get a yes from the computer, and with that confirmation they submit their answer.  Only 22% of the people try to get a no.

The rule is that the numbers are in ascending order.  Although 2x the previous number falls under this umbrella and will yield a “yes” every time, it doesn’t cover the entire scope of the rule.  Uncovering the whole truth cannot be done without first trying something you think will fail and discovering that it works.

The question I am left with is when is a good time to test things we don’t think will work?  A team has a finite season, a player has a finite career, and if we know that something will work we are inclined to follow that path.  Risking time testing out something that we think will fail is not particularly enticing when looking for efficient results, but innovation comes from taking a risk on something that may not pan out.

When do we test out the diagonal stack?

When do we try the diamond stack?

When do we try a circle stack?

When do we consider a non-stack offense?

When do we try having cutters guard handlers and handlers guard cutters?

When do we try a “force nearest sideline” defense?

When do we try a defense that doesn’t include a mark?

I will probably never try something wild but someday someone will, if it works then the game changes.