Moskowitz,
Tobias J. & L.J. Werthem. Scorecasting. Crown see Random, 2011. 278p. $26.00 ISBN 978-0-307-59179-1 hs/adult E-BN
Besides talent,
what wins a game? Moskowitz statistically examines factors such as referees,
home-court
advantage, and coaching decisions to see what influences the final score. This one is thought-provoking and sure to
spark debate. It was written by an acclaimed financial professor at the University of
Chicago and a long-time friend who is a writer for Sports
Illustrated. It takes a sports
fan from just being a passionate observer to a whole new level of insight, using mathematical
models to dissect the common belief in home-court advantage, the influence of referees on the game and why
coaching decisions are sometimes made without any rational basis. Looking primarily at
football, baseball and basketball, with occasional forays into tennis, hockey and soccer, this book
becomes the Freakonomics of the
sports world. Best read in short spurts to enable the reader to take in all the math
behind the rationale, this book will provide an excellent barroom debate or book-club discussion among
rabid sports fans. From looking at a high-school football team that never punts to when
referees see a shrinking strike circle in baseball, to how fans are of
negligible impact at a home game, this book will change the way a fan watches a
game, and
maybe the way a coach plays the game. The psychology involving loss aversion
and influence conformity are truly interesting concepts when applied to
sporting events.
Subject: Influences on Sport Game Results
Lois McNicol
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