Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are WonIn Scorecasting, University of Chicago behavioral economist Tobias Moskowitz teams up with veteran Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim to overturn some of the most cherished truisms of sports, and reveal the hidden forces that shape how basketball, baseball, football, and hockey games are played, won and lost. Drawing from Moskowitz's original research, as well as studies from fellow economists such as bestselling author Richard Thaler, the authors look at: the influence home-field advantage has on the outcomes of games in all sports and why it exists; the surprising truth about the universally accepted axiom that defense wins championships; the subtle biases that umpires exhibit in calling balls and strikes in key situations; the unintended consequences of referees' tendencies in every sport to "swallow the whistle," and more. Among the insights that Scorecasting reveals: • 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. In an engaging narrative that takes us from the putting greens of Augusta to the grid iron of a small parochial high school in Arkansas, Scorecasting will forever change how you view the game, whatever your favorite sport might be. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Whistle Swallowing | 7 |
Moore Jack 136137 | 11 |
University of Michigan basketball | 24 |
Cincinnati Bengals 108 | 27 |
Abraham John 189 | 40 |
How Competitive Are Competitive Sports? | 59 |
Basketball | 62 |
Off the Chart | 173 |
Nelson Sheffield | 175 |
King Peter 51 | 179 |
Eckersley Dennis 242 | 189 |
How a Coin Toss Trumps All | 192 |
Dorais Charlie Gus 47 | 198 |
Beckett Josh 120 | 212 |
The Myth of the Hot Hand | 215 |
Yale football team 7980 | 69 |
Rafferty Kevin | 80 |
Offense Wins Championships Too | 81 |
Yao Ming 8687 | 86 |
Rounding First | 92 |
Clinton Bill 175 | 97 |
Cochran Johnnie Jr | 106 |
Cricket 112 | 112 |
Cuban Mark 13n 20 | 130 |
James LeBron 170217 | 170 |
Bezos Jeff 13 | 223 |
Knight Bob | 229 |
Damned Statistics | 230 |
Halladay Roy 231232 | 231 |
Baltimore Orioles | 234 |
Sabol Steve 9 | 240 |
Epilogue | 253 |
| 272 | |
| 277 | |
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Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games ... Tobias Moskowitz,L. Jon Wertheim No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
actually advantage at-bat athletes attempt average ball base baseball basketball batting better bias block Bowl called championship chance chart close coaches consider count course crowd Cubs defense draft drug economic effect evidence face fans favor field field goal final five football fouls four fourth gain give half head hitters home field advantage home team it's kick League least less look lose loss Major League million minutes missed offense officials once opponent pass percent percentage performance pick pitch pitcher play players playoffs points position probably punt receiver referee road round score season Series shooting shot shows situations soccer star started statistics strike zone success Sure team's throw trade turns umpire versus walk winning yards