Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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RECORD BREAKINGTON — I have no cute anecdotes or hypotheticals to introduce this video, only awe and respect for what you’re about to see.
The video is from a group of four friends from Perth, Australia, called How Ridiculous, who breaks its own shot basketball world record with the help of the 415-foot high Gordon Dam in Tasmania.
Seeing the setup, it’s hard not to feel anything but incredulity when one of the members lobs a ball off the top of the dam toward the waiting basketball standard below. The tension is incredible in the several seconds it takes the ball to fall in a perfect swish into the hoop. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
There's no indication of how many times the quartet tried its trick shot before succeeding, but it’s probably safe to say a lot. Just considering in the wind factor, the curvature of the dam and the inconsistencies of a human throwing the ball, it’s pretty miraculous they even made the shot within 1,000 tries, if you ask me. (Yes, I know no one is asking me, considering my beyond inefficient knowledge of the matters of physics.)
On the surface it may seem that How Ridiculous is just another bunch of dudes with too much time on their hands trying to make money on YouTube, but the group actually promotes a worthy, global cause.
According to the website, the group came together in 2009 to make trick-shot videos, travel and campaign to “inspire people to live selflessly, give generously and join us in the fight against child poverty” in partnership with Compassion Australia. And I think they have the right idea, because there’s not much better than having fun but making the world a better place as you do it.
Bonus video: How Ridiculous throws an over-inflated basketball over the bridge, making the basketball explode with a satisfying loud, echoing pop.
