Yahoo! and a Proposal

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Not sure how long this will be true, but for much of the day Tom Van Riper’s article (originally posted at Forbes.com) – Is LeBron really the Best? – has been the lead story at Yahoo.com.   

Although this is big news (for Marty and I), I thought I would take a break from my work to discuss something I just thought of this morning.

As I noted last night, Andres Alvarez has figured out how to automate Wins Produced.  This means that next season, each player’s Wins Produced will be available throughout the season.  And this means that people no longer have to wait for me to post articles on their favorite (or not so favorite) teams.

Still, I suspect someone might want to see a discussion of these numbers.  But since everyone has these numbers, that discussion doesn’t have to be led by me anymore. So here is what I propose.   TrueHoop now has a network of blogs that cover each team.  I suspect we could do something similar here as well.  Specifically, I think we could have people who follow each specific team write posts throughout the season. These posts would review the Wins Produced numbers and then offer some additional analysis.  In other words, these posts would be similar to what I have done the past few seasons.  These posts, though, could be much better since the author of the column would be someone who really cared about the subject matter.

If you are interested in being one of these writers, please let me know.  I would like to set up a roster of people before the next season starts.  In fact, we could even start posting such analysis during the off-season.

- DJ

71 thoughts on “Yahoo! and a Proposal”

  1. I like when you post. I came here to read your insightful analysis, and I do not even know how to work or access this automated thing.

    Please keep blogging nice well thought out pieces.

  3. Andrew,
    The automated work is not quite on-line yet. What we have seen, though, is that it can be done. Once it is up and running, though, I am hopeful that we can get great analysis from a multitude of people.

    Reservoirgod,
    Please send me an e-mail and I can then put you down for the Heat.

  4. Dr. Berri,

    After I get done with the hosting, I’d love to comments on the Nuggets.

    Andres

  5. I think I could be talked into composing something in regard to the Wolves.

    Flynn!?! Aye carumba…

  8. Dr. Berri,

    I’d love to cover the Portland Trail Blazers.

    Thanks,
    Burzin

  9. So far this response to this is great. Some people are e-mailing me and other are posting here. We are now getting multiple volunteers for the same team. For me, this is not a problem. So if someone has taken your team, please feel free to still volunteer. Multiple writers on the same team should still work.

  10. I’d love to write for the Celtics. But I really think the best move here, would be to possibly let people submit some season reviews for teams using Andre’s stats, and seeing who has solid analysis.

    Otherwise this will devolve into a race of I was here firsts.

  11. I’d love to take on the lovable, disappointing Dallas Mavericks.

    I’ve got my own similar blog (having problems with it at the moment) and have been doing lots and lots of statistical analysis/time-wasting already. I’d love the chance at being a part of the growing community.

    Thanks!

  12. dberri,

    I’d love to be involved. As people have already volunteered for the Blazers and Spurs, I’d be happy to take on anyone else.

    Can I offer to do the Clippers? I’d quite like to follow the “other” LA team.

  13. Wow, good job thanks Dre. I knew dberri would be replaced by a robot one day!

    I don’t do blog stuff since I’m too lazy but I’m sure I can come up with a robot to write something about Toronto Raptors based on the numbers.

  14. I’d love to support the celtics part, though I assume that’ll have a lot of people. Would be happy to do hornets too if you don’t find someone good, got to cheer on them soon to be not-rookies! (Collison and lil buckets).

  15. At this point we have twelve volunteers asking to cover 10 teams. The teams with volunteers include Boston (2), Charlotte, Denver, LA Clippers, Miami (2), Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Portland, San Antonio, and Toronto.

    I would like everyone who wishes to do this to send me their complete name and e-mail address. Thanks to everyone for volunteering. I do think this will make for much better discussions.

  16. Dr. Berri,
    I’d like to work on the Rockets. Could I email you my email address and all that (rather than putting it on the blog)? Thanks.

  17. I did a season previews of the 76ers using WP48 in past years on my now-defunct blog, so I’d be happy to put together some write-ups about them again. I don’t actually get to watch them play on TV that often these days so I won’t have any subjective opinions from watching the games to get in the way of the numbers…

  25. So far we have 21 volunteers wishing to work on 16 teams. So this is going well. Still no one has expressed a desire to write about Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Indiana, LA Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, or Utah.

    I have no problem with more than one person writing about the same team. But I also hope to get every team covered by someone.

  30. I would like Cleveland on the proviso that Lebron is still there next year :-)

  32. Pingback: While We’re Waiting… Cavs/Celtics Game 3, Cleveland Football, Wood Promoted | WaitingForNextYear

  34. Shawn Ryan
    shawn.p.r@gmail.com
    I would love to do analysis on the rockets. I’ll also offer to write on any of the following teams (which ever there is the greatest need for, I find them all interesting):
    Cleveland, Dallas,Indiana, LA Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, or Utah

  35. Pingback: Linkblog » The Wages of Wins Journal

  39. I’m a long time avid reader. I would love to write for the lakers, being a die hard fan. although writing for the warriors or clippers would do. I’d love to help.

    peter.m.lai@gmail.com

  40. pmpballer, so you’re going to be hosting the Kobe threads from now on?

    Who’s going to sign up for the Nugget’s you’re-an idiot-Melo-is-Denver’s-best-player hate?

  41. Any volunteer for such melo based hate is either very brave or very masochistic.

    I think there should be regular mental health therapy for pmpballer. No one, not even a lakers fan, should go through such abuse without some form of support.

  42. I have to say… the last Kobe post seemed to have more people taunting Kobe fans than Kobe fans coming here offering taunts.

    That being said… if you decide to write for this forum you will get some people who won’t like what you are saying.

  43. I love the Pistons and Wages of Wins (ordering Stumbling tomorrow). Commenting from mobile ATM so haven’t read if hey are claimed yet.

  45. I would love to cover the clippers but due to time constraints would need to split it up with another clip fan if they will fess up and agree to acknowledge their sadism publicly.

  46. If there is still any space to do it, I would love to cover the Celtics. The Mavs and the Timberwolves would also be of interest to me.

  47. So the timeline for the site is about a week. Next Saturday is what we are gunning for. In the mean time I got some time to correct the position problem (this was all through Dr. Berri’s help + solution) and add some functionality:

  49. i would have to say, there are very few laker fans that would be able to stomach the comparison that kobe in fact does not compare as favorably to some of the best players ever.

    my heart wants to claim kobe as one of the best ever, however unfortunately the stats don’t back it up….

  51. Quick update… we now have 30 volunteers. Some teams have not been claimed, though. As Andres notes, data will be posted next Saturday. So this week we will work out the details of how this all going to work.

  53. Thanks Bill. I have you on the list.

    So far no one has said that the following teams are their primary choice: Indiana, Memphis, Milwaukee, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Utah.

    By the way, I just rescued four comments from spam, including one from Michael Penn. Not sure why that happens. But if you write something and it doesn’t appear, let me know. I don’t check spam that often.

  54. Dre I just watched your video and it looks brilliant. What programs did you use to create this?

    Good work!

  55. Rondo had a monster triple double – he played all but 1 minute of the game as well.

    29 pts (1.38 pps), 18 boards, 13 assists (4 to’s)

  56. @Michael this is done using Silverlight (the same program used by Netflix and the NFL)

  58. Rondo did have a monster game, but the thing most people not here would consider most important was his 29 points, which was at 50% true shooting and would get a total of 0 win score. That he out-rebounded the rest of our starters combined is ridiculous. Let’s just start him as a center. Truly amazing performance. Tony Allen was excellent too.

    Rondo beat or tied LeBron on every single good boxscore stat except for blocked shots. Neat.

  60. i wonder if theres any true way to incorporate defensive efficiency of a player in statistical methods accurately? because i think the celts vs cavs game showed what we all knew, mo williams cannot guard anyone.

  61. I’d love to do Orlando. I can’t watch as many of their games, but I really enjoy their team. I grew up a Knicks fan, and they are a team that would be interesting to post on as well.

    Could you have s shortlist of alternates for teams if the analysis they send you isn’t up to snuff? If so, add me to the Spurs’ list.

    Daniel
    dpeterse@alum.trinity.edu

  62. Cool_Hand_Luke,

    Even that zero win score contribution from offense is good though when taken in context. KG and Tony Allen were the only Celtics who scored more efficiently than Rondo. On top of all of his other gaudy numbers he was scoring frequently and (most critically) efficiently when compared with the other options.

  63. Pingback: The WoW All-NBA Team and the jbrett Codes Again « The Wages of Wins Journal

  64. Yeah, you’re right flowers, I had only looked at the entire team (a total of .5 WS for shooting, so I had figured he was average efficiency without looking deeper). Many of TA’s plays were off fast breaks, not off a half court set, so you’re completely right, Rondo was an excellent option from the half court. My mistake.

  65. Well, the Wizards have been claimed twice, so I declare myself out of the running.

    It might be interesting to do ongoing analyses by position as well as by team. I.e. a point guard blog, etc…

  66. Id love to keep stats by position and generate graphs and stats on requests ( I do this for fun, yes I am a geek ) . I’ll take any open team.

  67. Dr. Berri,

    Although I’m a New Englander, and thus a Celtics fan, I’d be happy to cover the Grizzlies. I live in Oxford, MS so they are the closest team to me and I have been following them for a bit.

    My email is jbguest7@gmail.com

    Ben Guest

  69. I would love to write for any team left over! Seeing as how nobody has mentioned the Knicks, Pacers or Jazz I would love to write for any of them. My email is j.url@hotmail.com

  70. By the way I have read both Wages of Wins and Stumbling on Wins and thought both should help revolutionize sports as we know it. It is only a matter of time before the entire NBA is utilizing wp48 in player evaluations.

  71. David, I would email you directly but I can’t find your email address on the site.

    I would also like to do the Grizzlies, and here’s my angle. I moved to Vancouver in 1995 when they joined the NBA and I’ve followed them very closely even after they moved to Memphis. And I also call dibs on covering the new Vancouver franchise when the NBA inevitably returns!

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