Slapping The Spreadsheeters
April 19th, 2021
Calling out the statgeeks.
Joe has referenced trying to keep an open mind when it comes to the calculator crowd and football.
This is why Joe likes the gang over at Football Outsiders. Oh, there is no doubt they are big-time, knee-deep into the analytics. But Joe likes these guys in part because Joe has met them and talked football with them. They are open-minded.
They may be numbers guys, but when the numbers suggest something fishy or totally illogical, they hit the pause button and will admit openly, “Well, the numbers tell us one thing, but this just doesn’t make sense.”
In other words, they are not slaves to stats.
That brings Joe to his good friend Mike Tanier of Pro Football Network. He has written stories for Football Outsiders and Tanier, who is an analytics guy and once taught high school math to a pupil in his class by the name of “Joe Flacco, tapped the breaks on the high priests of the spreadsheeters.
You may recall that at the (Norm?) Sloan Conference, which is a gathering and celebration of the pocket protector sect, an award was bestowed upon DeAndre Hopkins for the transaction of the year in all of sports for 2020.
Joe was outraged. And Tanier himself scolded his brothers in numbers for such a glaring oversight.
Hopkins, like [Julian] Edelman, made a little news on Monday when the folks at the MIT Sloan Analytics Conference named Hopkins’ acquisition by the Arizona Cardinals as the Best Sports Transaction of the Year. My frenemies in analytics circles may have missed the fact that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired Tom Brady in exchange for money and won a Super Bowl as a result. But give the Sloan crew credit: they aren’t hailing Jon Gruden as a mathematical sorcerer because he traded Khalil Mack for draft picks anymore!
And this is why Joe likes, appreciates and respects the Football Outsiders guys so much. They don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees.
While numbers may tell them one thing, they always factor in good ol’ common sense.
April 19th, 2021 at 8:42 am
Domonique Foxworth & Dan Graziano just said on Mike Greenberg ‘s show “Get Up” that the Bucs will go 10-7 or worse. WTF
April 19th, 2021 at 9:03 am
Brady’s main contribution on the field is smart decisions- minimizes turnovers and utilizes his weapons effectively. The Defense is the key to the Bucs- when healthy, they are great and they give the offense many opportunities to score which is why Bucs score 30 or more per game when D is healthy.
April 19th, 2021 at 9:40 am
I think Brady’s main contribution is leadership. It carried through to the defense. I watched how pathetic they were in the Chicago game last year and everybody saw and felt the fire in TB12. The very next week was the first time I remember the Bucs being perfect (penalty free). From there, they kept improving 1 game at a time. I think it started with that game and the defense fed off of the offense in demanding perfection. I think many QB’s can be as accurate and careful with the ball as TB12, but not many could do what he did and get those results. Go Bucs!!! Thank you TB12!!
April 19th, 2021 at 10:04 am
I heard them say the Bucs might be 10-7.
I will give them 2 things, The whole team was very inconsistent most the year and now teams are gunning for them.
But…
now they have a full off-season.
Both sides of the ball got better and better.
Both sides of the ball should be improved and more consistent with another year of playing together.
Their schedule really is not that difficult on paper.
I think they win at least 13… with a consistent pass rush, they could run the table and go down in history – but there are lulls, it’s a long season, there are injuries
I’ll just say at least 13
April 19th, 2021 at 10:06 am
Who is Domonique Foxworth? Seriously. Never heard of the guy.
Will never forget Dianna Russini claiming Bucs would miss the playoffs based on texts she was getting from Patriots players. Whoops.
Well, if Russini’s logic holds (Brady needs a lot of work with his new team), offense should be a juggernaut this year.
April 19th, 2021 at 10:30 am
I’d be disappointed at 10-7.
11 wins or better.
Good coaching. Good leaders at the top.
Guys that really do not get injured a lot.
What am I missing?
Another strong playoff run seems pretty simple for this team at this point.
April 19th, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Analytics and talking heads are the quintessential example of Bovine Scathology 💩
Bucs have an awesome team and have the best shot at going 20-0 since the 07 Patriots!
Can’t wait for season too start🏈