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Sideline Science

The strategy, physics and money behind racing and big-game sports, explained with original diagrams. Not affiliated with any league or team.

New: Soccer Rules That Split Fans: The 4-Test Rule

Does a ball that touches the goal line count as a goal?

Why T20 Cricket Returns to the Olympics

Cricket was missing from the Olympics for 128 years, and the comeback fits in one Southern…

The 24-Second Clock That Rules the Game

Can an NBA game end in a tie when the clock hits zero?

How Football Works: 4 Downs, 10 Yards, and 14 Teams

Why does pro football look like chaos when it runs on four chances to gain ten yards?

Why F1 tires have 5 colors 🎨

Five tire compounds, but you only see three colors.

Why 25th is out

Who skips a round?

Why F1 tires have 5 colors 🎯

You see three sidewall colors, but there are five slick compounds.

16-0 with zero passes? The NFL's weirdest game

Who won without one completion?

How a 20-Year-Old Broke F1's Youngest Record

Twenty years and 68 days old.

Why Gillette lost its Super Bowls

Gillette just kicked out high school football.

Why F1's $215M Cost Cap Isn't More Spending

The richest teams in racing just got $80 million more to spend.