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Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How… von Tobias J. Moskowitz
Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Mariner Books for the ARC.
Based on unque access to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its rival leagues, Blood in the Cage peers through the chainlink Octagon into the frighteningly seductive world of mixed martial arts. Sports Illustrated senior writer L. Jon Wertheim focuses on Pat Miletich, a mixed martial arts pioneer and five-time UFC champion who runs the most famous MMA training school in the world. Single-handedly Miletich has transformed a gritty town on the banks of the Mississippi into an unlikely hotbed for this sport. He has also transformed many an average Joe into a walking weapon of destruction. Wertheim intertwines Miletich's own life story with the larger story of the incredible rise of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, from its controversial back-alley roots to the fastest-growing sporting enterprise in America.
'In a book as bracing and forthright as an open-handed slap, Jon Wertheim transcends easy caricature and cheap sensationalism to deliver the first honest journalism about mixed martial arts that this country's ever seen.'-Jeff MacGregor, author of Sunday Money
'A Voltaire said,'That's why they invented the squeegee.' '-David Mamet, author, playwright, and director
L. Jon Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of four books, including, most recently, Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler. His work has been featured in the Best American Sports Writing numerous times.
Contents
Introduction
1 The opening bell
2 The seduction
3 The secrets of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
4 Birth of UFC Nation
5 Battle of the masters
6 Fighting solves everything
7 The cult of Pat
8 Defending the belt
9 Great Dana
10 Rematch? What rematch?
11 The heavyweight's heavy weight
12 Tuf enough
13 The MMA Godfather
14 The final round
Glossary
Ultimate Fighting Championship rules
Acknowledgments
Even though Mitch doesn't like playing sports, he loves watching them. Because, you know, statistics. Indiana folks love their teams. Mitch realizes right away that he can use this to his advantage. It starts off with him making a bet with another kid, and eventually grows into a gambling business. He gets rich, but all the kid gamblers just break even. As you can guess, a good scheme only lasts so long before you get busted.
I liked this book. It isn't on the same level as books by Mike Lupica or Tim Green which are serious about the game, but it still has some play by play action. It's kind of a younger, more light-hearted version of Tim Green's [b: Football Genius|1025134|Football Genius (Football Genius, #1)|Tim Green|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442514552s/1025134.jpg|2360403] in that the main character in both books are able to predict plays. This one has a more quirky, sarcastic edge to it.
I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
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MartinBodek | 7 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 11, 2015 |
MartinBodek | 7 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 11, 2015 | 
One aspect of this book that I really I enjoyed was the theme depicted by Moskowitz and Wertheim. The main theme in Scorecasting states there are many influences impacting how sports are played and won. Both co-authors described many different impacts, advantages, and disadvantages, and put them into multiple situations. For example, to explain home field advantage, Tobias and L. Jon explained the home field advantage in all leagues, sports, and situations, which helped me to better understand the topic. This in turn helped thicken the theme of Scorecasting, a tool Moskowitz and Wertheim used to their advantage.
Another part of Scorecasting I thought was helpful was the amount of graphs and charts used to help explain the different statistics and topics. An exceptional amount of line, bar, and circle graphs were used, as well as many tables with informative stats oozing from them all. Also among the representations was a strike zone plot, compiling the average strike zones in different count situations and displaying them intertwined with the defined MLB zone. Going back on graphs, they are used as visuals to help us readers better comprehend the numbers we have in front of us. An example of a graph would be in the “There’s No I InTeam” chapter, where Moskowitz and Wertheim created a line graph showing an average NBA team’s chances of postseason success with 0, 1, 2, or 3 superstars on their squad. The vast array of graphs, plots, and charts doesn’t seem like much as you’re reading, but they make a huge difference in your understanding of the concept and statistics at hand.
One final thing I appreciate is the amount of experts that worked with these skilled authors, as well as the amount of research that must have went into Scorecasting. Many sports figures, professors, and statistical geniuses contributed to this book, as shown in the incredible amount of stats and resolutions to the questions asked. Adding to the stats, Wertheim and Moskowitz added their sense of humor, making this book much more appealing to the reader.Overall, the vast majority of their work put into this book paid off in dividends.
In conclusion, I would rate Scorecasting at 4.5 out of 5 stars. The book turned out to be a referee’s nightmare, as shown in many chapters. The hidden influences shown were amazing, which I found to be depicted as the theme of the book. The graphs, charts, research and experts’ opinions were great tools and strategies put into Scorecasting, that really helped it come alive. Overall, I would recommend Scorecasting to any average or super sports fan, wanting to answer their questions about the outcomes of their favorite teams’ games.
The authors applied the analytical tools of microeconomics and modern motivational psychology to the enormous amount of data that are now available. Their conclusions are sometimes startling, usually counterintuitive, and almost always interesting. Moreover, sports coaches have been paying attention to their findings. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban quipped, “if this book had been written years ago I could have just handed it to the NBA rather than getting fined all those times!” The authors have been approached by teams in both the NFL and the NBA about possible consulting relationships.
What they accomplished, along with others at the University of Chicago, came from taking new approaches to investigate old beliefs.
For example, they found that the home field advantage is easy to measure. Home teams win the majority of games in virtually all sports in the United States, Europe, Australia, and international competition. But why? The authors discovered that some of the home team advantage in professional basketball and college football could be attributed to scheduling. In the NBA, for example, teams that travel frequently must play games on consecutive days in different cities. Home teams not only are not tired from traveling, but they also get more rest between games. Nevertheless, scheduling could account for only about one third to one fourth of the advantage, and could not account for any advantage in any of the other sports studied.
The authors found that the home team advantage was very great in professional basketball and soccer, not so big in major league baseball, and very small in N.F.L. football. It turns out that the referees in basketball and soccer have the power to affect the outcomes of those games to a greater extent than the officials in football or baseball because they must make many highly judgmental decisions. The authors determined that calls like “charging” in basketball (a very judgmental call) are awarded very disproportionately to the home teams in the final minutes of close games. In soccer, the referees consistently awarded longer “extra time” at the end of close games when the home team was behind by one goal, and much shorter “extra time” when the home team was ahead by one goal.
Even in professional football, where the advantage has never been that great, the advantage has eroded since the introduction of “instant replay,” which allows spectators the ability to scrutinize the officials’ decisions.
Major league baseball presented the authors with a gold mine of statistical data. Television has allowed the leagues to determine the correctness of the calls of balls and strikes on every pitch thrown over the last decade. It turns out that umpires are very good at what they do, being correct in more that 86% of their calls. However, when they do err, they err disproportionately in favor of the home team.
Moskowitz and Wertheim measured another bias in umpiring errors in calling balls and strikes. Umpires are more likely to call a pitch a ball even though it was actually in the strike zone when the batter already has two strikes against him. Conversely, they are more likely to call an errant pitch a strike when the pitcher has already thrown three balls. Thus, by avoiding walks and called third strikes, they seem to want the hitters to determine their fate by swinging rather than passively taking the pitch.
The authors speculate that the bias they measured is not deliberate, at least not in many cases. They look to research in modern motivational psychology to see that all people have an innate desire to please and to conform. As the size of the crowd increases, the chances of the official making a “homer” call also increases.
The authors, being from Chicago, also speculated on why the Chicago Cubs have had such a long history of losing. They concluded that the Cubs have less of an economic incentive to win than any other team in baseball. The Cub fans are just plain loyal, in stark contrast to the fans of their cross-town rivals, the White Sox. Cubs’ attendance does not vary much whether they are winning or losing. The Cubs are able to charge higher ticket prices than the White Sox, no matter which team has the better record. The authors attribute this greater fan loyalty to decisions made long ago by P.K. Wrigley, then owner of the Cubs, when he decided the fans should have a pleasant experience in a beautiful ballpark, win or lose. The authors also found that the attendance at Cubs games was more influenced by the price of beer in the stadium than by any other factor they measured! In effect, Cubs games are big outdoor picnics with plenty of cheap beer; White Sox games (and those of most other major league teams) are sporting contests, the success in which greatly influences the home team’s profits. The Cubs make money (they are the third most valuable major league franchise even though they are one of the least successful on the field) as long as they don’t charge too much for beer.
In another intriguing quantitative analysis, the authors determined that defense wins only about as many championships as does offense, Michael Jordan’s assertions notwithstanding. Borrowing from the research of Amos Tversky, another business school “quant” (from Stanford), they concluded that there is no such thing as "momentum" in sports. Recent success in winning games or (in basketball) shooting baskets is not nearly as good a predictor of success as success over a longer period, such as an entire season.
They also concluded that fear of a bad result often overpowers the desire to obtain a good result. For example, football coaches nearly always punt on fourth down even though statistically, their chances of winning the game greatly improve if they “go for it.” Coaches who are more secure in their jobs, like Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, are much more likely to gamble on fourth down than their peers.
In listening to the authors (this was an audiobook), I was reminded of my experiences in courses in economics, finance, and antitrust law at the University of Chicago. Using similar quantitative and analytical techniques, my professors demolished many preconceived notions and popularly held myths about society, the economy, and the world. However, the popular myths remain largely intact, in spite of the data. Perhaps that’s a subject for another book!
Evaluation: This collection of essays, reminiscent of Freakonomics or the entertaining writings of Malcolm Gladwell, is a pleasant read for any sports fan and a must read for any media sports pundit.
(JAB)
There is something in the book for fans of both professional and amateur sports, and everything in between, such as our semi-professional college sports programs. The authors take a hard look at football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, and soccer and use statistics, personal observation, interviews, and speculation to make surprising points concerning what is really happening out there.
I suspect that most fans will be least surprised by the book when it comes to whatever sport they spend the most time following. In my case, that sport is baseball. While the authors spend a substantial number of pages explaining what goes on in the head of a major league umpire when the game is being played in a loud and hostile ballpark, little about “makeup calls” and special treatment for star players, especially in late innings or in crucial situations, will surprise baseball nuts.
The chapter on the use of steroids in baseball did, however, give me something new to think about. Ever wonder why most of the players caught using steroids are minority players from poor countries? Moskowitz and Wertheim will fill you in.
There are chapters on home field advantage, the relative value of blocked shots in basketball, the situational pressure of putting, the “myth” of the hot hand and momentum, icing the field goal kicker in game situations, why early draft choices are so overvalued and, among a few others, whether or not defense really wins championships.
There really is something here for everyone, regardless of how rabid a sports fan one might be, and there are some surprises and observational gems to be found. If you enjoyed Freakonomics or SuperFreakonomics, the odds are pretty high that you will love this one. If you hated those two books and dislike sports, run away from Scorecasting.
Just remember, sports fans, as one of the book’s chapter titles puts it, “There’s no I in team, but there is an “m” and an “e.” Or as Michael Jordon once said when a team owner chastised him by using the “there’s no I in team,” thing, “There’s an I in win. So which way do you want it?”
This one will make you chuckle a bit while it presents you with a new way to look at something you’ve been watching your entire life. It might even make you feel a little smarter because you already knew some of this stuff.
Rated at: 3.5
It wasn't enough that it was a historic moment, both men were also at their peak, playing incredible tennis. Sports writer L. Jon Wertheim breaks down the match, describing key points, and discusses both men's backgrounds and styles of play. As a tennis fan, I remembered watching the match and how tense it was for me, and it was fun to revisit it as well as learning more about both players. The writing really detracted from my enjoyment, however. Sometimes Wertheim uses the oddest descriptions, such as comparing Nadal's biceps to yule logs, and at other time words seem to fail him so he describes something as "damn good" or "a hell of a point," which just struck me as bad writing when he couldn't think of anything else more descriptive. The other irritant was that he seemed to be more in Nadal's camp, usually describing as an Everyman or a journeyman who's just one of the guys, while Federer is described in less glowing terms as kind of above all that. I tried to remember that I had about two years of future knowledge, and that the book itself - at least when it came to tennis statistics - was out of date almost as soon as it was published, but as a Federer fan myself it was a little hard to get past that. If you're a tennis fan looking for more on the Federer-Nadal rivalry, I would recommend this book, but for most I would point to Levels of the Game by John McPhee instead.
2 bell7 | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 28, 2010 |
bell7 | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 28, 2010 | This book is not any normal sports book. Nearly every shot in the whole match is discussed. L. Jon Wertheim takes the story of this match and then opens a bubble around it. He discusses the stories leading up to the match, the players background, even the story of the chair umpire. He goes into detail about the playing style of the players. He discusses the player's equipment and even discussed tennis equipment's change over time. He spends a surprisingly long amount of time talking about betting in tennis. I had no idea how large the operation is, and it turns out that the bets on this match were record highs. Online betting has increased tennis' ability to be bet on.
The point of this book is to give a detailed account of the greatest tennis match ever played. Man did he give it justice. The in-depth analysis of every major point. The book does contain a ton of information about the final two sets and may shortchange the first three. After reading the book, I still do not know who Wertheim wanted to win the match. He gives praise to both players. Their individual stories are both highly motivating and are a good story for anyone who is looking for a story about two men who gave their all. By no means is this the most difficult book to read, but it is not a poorly written one either.
This book is a must read for anyone who really likes tennis. This book will not disappoint.
I really enjoyed it.
Jon Wertheim offers an amazing commentary on the match itself, interspersed with biographical details, that itself lends tension and excitement to the book. My only gripe is I think Wertheim gives short shrift to two back-to-back shots that were the best two shots I have ever seen in a lifetime of playing tennis. (I got the video of the match from my kids for Father's Day this year, so I have watched these two shots over and over.) It was tied 7-7 in the fourth set tie-breaker. Federer runs around and hits one of his trademark inside-out forehands into the far corner. A winner against every other player in the tournament. Nadal, on a full out run, catches up to it an hits a wicked, twisting forehand down the line in the only part of the court Federer can't cover. You hear the audible scream from Federer as the ball goes dipping by him. Then, on Championship point, Nadal serves out wide for Federer's backhand, gets the short ball he expects, and whips a forehand that pulls Federer off the court on his backhand side. Federer then unleashes the best backhand down-the-line shot I believe I will ever see, into the very corner of the court. The target must have been about a foot square, on Championship point. What courage! I'm quite sure I'll see that shot to my dying day.
Anyway, if you are a tennis fan, read this book. I guarantee you will enjoy it.
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