FanPost

Timmy Is in the Details

So there's this new book coming out on January 25 that looks like it will be a fun read -- Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won. Explored in the book, according to the promo materials, are topics such as

  • Why Tiger Woods is prone to the same mistake in high-pressure putting situations that you and I are
  • Why professional teams routinely overvalue draft picks
  • The myth of momentum or the "hot hand" in sports, and why so many fans, coaches, and broadcasters fervently subscribe to it
  • Why NFL coaches rarely go for a first down on fourth-down situations--even when their reluctance to do so reduces their chances of winning.

  • Interesting in and of itself, right? You can read an excerpt here and read a discussion of home-court advantage here. But while reading an advance review I found the best part:

    Some quick examples from chapters I enjoyed: . . .


    Why Tim Duncan's 149 blocked shots are more valuable than Dwight Howard's 232 (Answer: Duncan tends to block the ball to his teammates, Howard tends toward the spectacular swat that goes into the 4th row...then back to the other team.)

    I hope Timmy sees that and that it makes him smile.

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