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adnielsen's review against another edition
5.0
Scorecasting is a very entertaining and non-intimidating introduction to sports analytics and common misconceptions fans often have. There is little to no math presented, so it’s certainly accessible to the less quantitatively inclined readers. I loved how they presented some common misconceptions fans ascribe too and then they do their best to show why the data suggests they’ve been fooled. The “hot hand” doesn’t seem to exist in sports despite sports commentators endlessly suggesting otherwise. Home field advantage is mostly a function of unconscious bias by referees. These are two such examples given in the book. Overall, the book is fascinating and presented so that any sports fan should follow their arguments. This is one of the best popular sports analytics books I’ve read, up there with Moneyball.
mtb_za's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Hilariously feels the need to explain what a red card in Association Football is, but then completely dives into terms in North American sports as though anyone possibly interested will know what they mean. Still somewhat useful, but having an actual explanation of some things would have helped.
endless30's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely made some interesting points, although I've heard or read about many of these concepts elsewhere. Interesting analysis nonetheless, so I'll read the inevitable follow-up book.
kintha's review against another edition
3.0
If you follow this kind of thing, you won't learn much new from this book. But it'd be interesting if you don't.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
A neat piece of writing throwing out theories on why things happen in sports in ways that we sometimes do not realize. The "Freakonomics-for-sports" tag is accurate. Some chapters aren't as fleshed out as could be and that is frustrating but for the most part, it is a really well presented book. Hopefully it catches on in the mainstream because for those such as myself who have been familiar with many concepts (no such thing as momentum, luck in baseball stats, probabilities, hot hand, the "Me" in team, etc.) it can feel like beating my head against a wall with all the vapid arguments we've had to endure over the years.
exelone31's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting look into the numbers behind the numbers in sports, proving which biases are and aren't necessarily in play in a given situation.
The book transitioned pretty seamlessly between different sports and different thought experiments. The last chapter especially is interesting to read in hindsight.
The book transitioned pretty seamlessly between different sports and different thought experiments. The last chapter especially is interesting to read in hindsight.
statman's review
3.0
You'll like this if you like sports and want to challenge conventional wisdom. The authors look for the data to prove or disprove different theories such as the "hot hand", the "home field advantage" "icing the kicker" and more. The examples cover all the major sports, NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB as well as soccer and college sports. Fun, quick read where each chapter is a separate, stand alone issue or myth that they tackle.
siriuslysirius's review
4.0
Full of stats and explaintions. I say someone compare it to Freakanomics or sports. Pretty fair comparison. Numbers can help explain slumps, "luck" (good and bad), and even the use of PEDs. Fascinating stuff, this book.
daniell's review
3.0
Write a review of Scorecasting? That’s easy, phrase it as a Q and A and it becomes a very small book. Obviously this also omits the arguments for the results given, really omitting the reason to read the book, but this also gives a nice digest and a portal to further review. It also proceeds in the subject-order the book itself imposes.These questions and answers are for the most part the substance of a chapter-section condensed to a few lines. Such a summary is entirely inadequate, yes, but also fascinating in that it represents so many “ah ha!” moments that I can’t help but read some of these with a contented smirk. So without further ado,
Why do officials miss calls (incorrect noncalls) in favor of home teams?
Fans support, ticket sales, overall league revenue.
Why do coaches tend to be conservative when studies show they could profit from more risks?
Pressure to conform to convention, fact that odd decisions with poor results garner particular criticism.
Why do some cities have successful _____and unsuccessful _____ teams?
The odds of a team of x skill decrease as the playing field (ha!) incorporates more leveling measures: fewer playoff spots, longer playoff series, longer seasons, longer playoffs, salary capping measures.
Why is Tiger Woods human?
He putts better for par than for birdie: he shares our frame, he participates in our dust.
Why are pitchers human?
You see fewer fastballs on 3-2 counts that started as an 0-2 than when facing the same 3-2, having got there from a 3-0 count.
Why are football coaches human?
“Faced with fourth and goal from the one-yard line, NFL teams go for it 67 percent of the time if they started first and goal from the ten-yard line but only 59 percent of the time if they started first and goal from the ten-yard line” (74).
Why are NBA players human?
Facing a loss (game within fewer than five points) starting the fourth quarter, if a team was up by more than fifteen points before that, they will start to play more aggressively than a team in the same situation who did not have a lead.
Does defense particularly win championships, that is, more so than offense?
Statistically, no.
Are all blocked shots created equally?
No. If a ball is swatted to the player or a teammate it is like way more valuable than if hit out of bounds or back to the opposing player. Blocked shots vary along these lines such that the stat itself is not too telling.
Should .300 hitters who hit the number exactly really be seen as .300 hitters?
The trend is for there to be many more .300 hitters than .299 hitters due to the way batters will be replaced when they hit their number or kept in when they have yet to reach their goal; the same idea applies to 30 HR or 100 RBI seasons.
Is this seen elsewhere?
Absolutely. Firms tend to report many more one-cent earnings surprises in favor of growth than of decline. Books get fudged and angled the right way to make things look slightly better than they would be without tweaking unrelated to performance. Nobody wants a letdown or someone who almost made it.
Is it good to see black head coaches failing in the NFL?
Indeed, it means that one need not anymore be a stellar coach before gaining the helm of a team. If those who would fail are being given a chance, they did not need to overcome race with skill.
Why home advantage?
Players play the same home and away, but officials officiate in favor of a crowd.
Is there an “I” in team?
More than 90 percent of NBA titles belong to teams with a superstar, NHL and soccer teams rarely thrive without an excellent keeper, and the effect of one player is diminished in the MLB. Individuals count to some degree more than total egalitarianism.
Do teams overvalue high draft picks?
College picks and resulting fates are very difficult to predict, and when the Cowboys in the 90s realized this their valuation of draft picks brought them great success and, as their executives moved to other teams, many imitators.
Are NFL overtimes fair?
Nope, they really depend on the coin toss. If you get it you stand to win 61% of the time, over 3:2 odds.
Why are Dominican MLB players more likely to use steroids?
Because they work, and more Dominicans find themselves in a position where the pressure to hit it big is great and where they will do anything to gain an edge.
Does calling a timeout to “ice” a player really work?
No.
Can people get “hot hands” and “go on a streak”?
No, the best indicator of someone’s success at athletic activity X is their career performance, not their single-season, single game, single quarter, or last minute of performance.
When I hear that someone has done athletic feat X “the last four of five times,” is this entirely correct?
Not really, because if it were not four of six they would say “five of the last six.” “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”—Mark Twain.
Are the Chicago Cubs particularly cursed?
No, they merely have a highly loyal fan base who has bonded to the idea of a lovable loser. Given the inelasticity of demand, the franchise has comparatively lesser motivation to sacrifice revenue for talent. The funny part: Wrigley Field sells the third-cheapest beer in the MLB.
Why do officials miss calls (incorrect noncalls) in favor of home teams?
Fans support, ticket sales, overall league revenue.
Why do coaches tend to be conservative when studies show they could profit from more risks?
Pressure to conform to convention, fact that odd decisions with poor results garner particular criticism.
Why do some cities have successful _____and unsuccessful _____ teams?
The odds of a team of x skill decrease as the playing field (ha!) incorporates more leveling measures: fewer playoff spots, longer playoff series, longer seasons, longer playoffs, salary capping measures.
Why is Tiger Woods human?
He putts better for par than for birdie: he shares our frame, he participates in our dust.
Why are pitchers human?
You see fewer fastballs on 3-2 counts that started as an 0-2 than when facing the same 3-2, having got there from a 3-0 count.
Why are football coaches human?
“Faced with fourth and goal from the one-yard line, NFL teams go for it 67 percent of the time if they started first and goal from the ten-yard line but only 59 percent of the time if they started first and goal from the ten-yard line” (74).
Why are NBA players human?
Facing a loss (game within fewer than five points) starting the fourth quarter, if a team was up by more than fifteen points before that, they will start to play more aggressively than a team in the same situation who did not have a lead.
Does defense particularly win championships, that is, more so than offense?
Statistically, no.
Are all blocked shots created equally?
No. If a ball is swatted to the player or a teammate it is like way more valuable than if hit out of bounds or back to the opposing player. Blocked shots vary along these lines such that the stat itself is not too telling.
Should .300 hitters who hit the number exactly really be seen as .300 hitters?
The trend is for there to be many more .300 hitters than .299 hitters due to the way batters will be replaced when they hit their number or kept in when they have yet to reach their goal; the same idea applies to 30 HR or 100 RBI seasons.
Is this seen elsewhere?
Absolutely. Firms tend to report many more one-cent earnings surprises in favor of growth than of decline. Books get fudged and angled the right way to make things look slightly better than they would be without tweaking unrelated to performance. Nobody wants a letdown or someone who almost made it.
Is it good to see black head coaches failing in the NFL?
Indeed, it means that one need not anymore be a stellar coach before gaining the helm of a team. If those who would fail are being given a chance, they did not need to overcome race with skill.
Why home advantage?
Players play the same home and away, but officials officiate in favor of a crowd.
Is there an “I” in team?
More than 90 percent of NBA titles belong to teams with a superstar, NHL and soccer teams rarely thrive without an excellent keeper, and the effect of one player is diminished in the MLB. Individuals count to some degree more than total egalitarianism.
Do teams overvalue high draft picks?
College picks and resulting fates are very difficult to predict, and when the Cowboys in the 90s realized this their valuation of draft picks brought them great success and, as their executives moved to other teams, many imitators.
Are NFL overtimes fair?
Nope, they really depend on the coin toss. If you get it you stand to win 61% of the time, over 3:2 odds.
Why are Dominican MLB players more likely to use steroids?
Because they work, and more Dominicans find themselves in a position where the pressure to hit it big is great and where they will do anything to gain an edge.
Does calling a timeout to “ice” a player really work?
No.
Can people get “hot hands” and “go on a streak”?
No, the best indicator of someone’s success at athletic activity X is their career performance, not their single-season, single game, single quarter, or last minute of performance.
When I hear that someone has done athletic feat X “the last four of five times,” is this entirely correct?
Not really, because if it were not four of six they would say “five of the last six.” “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”—Mark Twain.
Are the Chicago Cubs particularly cursed?
No, they merely have a highly loyal fan base who has bonded to the idea of a lovable loser. Given the inelasticity of demand, the franchise has comparatively lesser motivation to sacrifice revenue for talent. The funny part: Wrigley Field sells the third-cheapest beer in the MLB.