8 thoughts on “Negotiating Trick Shots”

1. Pingback: Swish Nothin But Net

2. Noah’s requests had nothing to do with any of the above.

   He was clearly just looking for a way to appear on indisputably.

   And for that, I salute him on his grand success.

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3. Hmmm, plausible deniability playing a role anywhere here? Happy Hannukah!

   Phil

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4. This is not negotiation – this is attempted CYA.

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5. The negotiation described above reminds me of the quote, “it’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.” The phrase, attributed to computer scientist and U.S. Naval officer Grace Hopper, is often used when people feel they will accomplish a greater good by forgoing the complication of seeking permission before acting. The quote also implies that a necessary substitute for permission is to beg forgiveness after completing the controversial act. Noah’s tactic builds on the strategy suggested by the Hopper quote and creatively demonstrates that the forgiveness/permission dichotomy is a false one.

   Since the roof-shot had already taken place, Noah’s requests for permission were not sincere, but rather a creative and successful attempt to warm you up to the idea of the roof-shot. It didn’t really matter what your response was, as the tactic was successful in building up your tolerance to the idea of the roof-shot before you eventually saw it. Had Noah simply included the shot in the video and you first learned of the roof-scaling incident after the video went viral among family and friends, it seems unlikely that your response would have been, “oooh, cool shot.” Rather, there would probably have been a response that prompted a series of appeals for forgiveness from Noah. But, Noah’s repeated requests to complete the roof-shot likely lead you to conjure an image in your head that included an emergency room trip and reconstructive surgery, not to mention substantial property damage.

   With that doomsday scenario in the back of your mind, I suspect the trick-shot likely seemed relatively benign. Noah’s repeated requests worked much like setting an anchor in a negotiation, and created a reference point for the trick shot that was much more outlandish and dangerous than the real thing as captured on video. Don’t get me wrong, that shot was totally unsafe (and awesome), but throwing a football with two feet planted on the first floor roof a mere ten or so feet off the ground is relatively tame compared to the image I put together in my head as I was reading your blog post. My mental image was more along the lines of a running jump shot off the second floor ridge vent, complete with compound fractures and a caved in mini-van roof.

   So, bravo to Noah! He secured the radical footage he needed, and knew he would never be allowed to shoot, without taking the basketball slang term, “breaking ankles,” literally. And, he did so without asking permission (at least not a legitimate request) or forgiveness.

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6. Pingback: Negotiating Trick Shots : Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog

7. Clearly Noah understands the person he’s negotiating with too well – nothing but net! Swish!!!

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8. Just goes to show that good results sometimes come from bad negotiations!

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