A Quarterback Pass
     WHILE NOT EVERYONE CAN THROW A SPINNING FOOTBALL, IT CAN BE DONE WITH
PRACTICE.  BUT PHYSICIST WILLIAM RAE AT SUNY BUFFALO SAYS THERE'S SO MUCH THAT
CAN THROW OFF A QUARTERBACK'S PASS THAT IT'S IMPRESSIVE IT CAN BE DONE AT ALL.
THREE FORCES CAN SEND THE FOOTBALL OFF COURSE. THE FIRST IS SIMPLE:

     Rae: "if the the ball gets its nose just ever so slightly hgh which its bound to do, the
air gets under the nose and . . . tends to raise the nose even more so if you try to throw a
football without spinning it it will tumble end over end."

     SPINNING KEEPS THE BALL TRAVELLING STRAIGHT THE SAME WAY THAT SPINNING
KEEPS A TOP STANDING STRAIGHT.  SPINNING CREATES A PHYSICAL FORCE THAT
COUNTERACTS THE FORCES TRYING TO SEND IT TUMBLING END OVER END.  BUT REMEMBER
THAT EVEN THOUGH A TOP STAYS UP, THE SPINNING SENDS THE TOP MOVING FROM SIDE
TO SIDE.  RAE REALIZED THAT THE SAME THING SHOULD HAPPEN TO A FOOTBALL--THE
SPINNING SHOULD CAUSE THE FOOTBALL TO DRIFT SEVERAL YARDS SIDEWAYS AS IT FLIES
DOWN THE FIELD.  OF COURSE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, SO RAE FIGURED THERE HAD TO BE
EVEN A THIRD FORCE TO COUNTERACT THIS ONE

     Rae: "the same thing that makes a baseball curve, is called the magnus force,
when you spin something it provides a slight sideways force and that's what makes a
baseball curve. . . and that seems to be of sufficient strength to tmake the football
straighten out."

     RAE SAYS THE SHAPE AND SIZE OF A FOOTBALL EVOLVED PERFECTLY SO THAT THESE
THREE FORCES ALL CANCEL OUT, KEEPING THE BALL TRAVELLING STRAIGHT.  RAE IS
CURRENTLY TESTING HIS THEORY BY STUDYING FOOTBALL PASSES IN A WIND TUNNEL.   AND
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR QUARTERBACKS?

     Rae: "I can't imagine that it willl have any effct on the game whatsoever."