1. What is a patent intended to protect? What is the policy or purpose behind this right?
2. What is a copyright intended to protect? What is the policy or purpose behind this right?
3. What is a trademark intended to protect? What is the policy or purpose behind this right?
4. Should patenting a sports move be allowed by the courts?
5. Should patenting a play be allowed by the courts?
In answering 4. and 5. above, address: Is this good or bad social policy? What are your positions and why?
6. If you were working with a pro athlete who came up with a devastatingly effective method of shooting a basket, hitting a baseball, spiking a volleyball, kicking a soccer ball etc., would you advise him/her to seek a patent (or whatever appropriate IP protection)?
7. If you were advising a coach on their unique play, same question?
8. Can you find a real example of a move or play which has been given IP protection? Or is there not such thing (yet)?