Jackson Free Press

Disclaimer: Please, people, we don't recommend actually throwing any babies, or scalding hot cups of coffee for that matter. This could be a job for the professional baristas, only.

"See that's the physics we're talking about. What happened there is it came in … like, woosh," says Eamonn Cottrell after a particularly risky toss from the grassy knoll overlooking the parking lot behind Fondren Cups.

"Yes, physics!" says fellow coffee-tosser Michael Bell, … like, woosh."

All kidding aside, Isaac Newton—with his theories governing the laws of mechanical physics—would be grinning in his grave at the sight of such antics. He, too, was known to pull an extreme stunt in the name of discovery, from poking a bodkin (a small dagger) through his eye socket, to staring with one eyeball into the sun's retina-burning rays for as long as he could muster. Newton sort of makes playing catch with a polystyrene cup of boiling hot coffee look like child's play.

While the hurling of medium-roasted joe through space-time may not qualify as grounds for an addendum to Sir Isaac's "Principia," we think these fiercely inventive sportsmen deserve a nod for their experimentation anyway.

"There is, to our knowledge, no other knowledge," Cottrell states confidently. "Hmmm … of the (documented) coffee toss, that is."

The coffee says it all: Start by brewing an organic medium roast. And make sure to preserve the fear factor by keeping it hot; 180 degrees is ideal. Never fill the coffee tossing receptacle more than three quarters full; any more and you risk throwing off the moment of inertia with too much torque. And don't forget the lid. Open containers equal certain disaster.

Make sure you're highly caffeinated before attempting to toss (espresso shots work nicely). And if it's a hot Mississippi day, you're going to need to keep hydrated with H2O.

Cradle that baby! Treat the cup as if it were a wee child. Catch it as gently as possible. Successful catches (E) only occur with the relative frequency of 1.5 E per T (tossing trial). This equals a little greater than 50 percent.* This means you're going to spill coffee and get burned; be ready.

*These are very loose mathematical calculations of the rate of frequency. In other words, don't quote us on these numbers.

Topography tossing is fun; try throwing your cup from extreme heights and/or while jumping from said heights. Savor a cup of coffee and pat your sweaty self on the back— after an exhausting round of tossing, you'll deserve it.

More coffee tossing tips and tricks at http://youtube.com/fnashow.