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What made Bill James, the father of modern sabermetrics, so effective as a writer? There are plenty of plausible answers, from the revolutionary nature of the way James interpreted statistics in the 1980s to his way with words and biting wit.In the last edition of his Baseball Abstract series, however, James offered a different explanation.The secret of the success of this series, James wrote, was that I was dead in the center of the discussion. I was writing about exactly the same issues that everybody else was talking about, only in a different way.Thats sort of how I feel about ESPNs new analytics vertical. If youre interested in viewing sports a different way, as James put it, this is a new place to find a common style of thinking across different writers and specialties.At the same time, the topics youll find here are the same as on the sport index pages elsewhere on ESPN.com, both because this is a home for articles also published there and because were still trying to answer the same questions as everyone else.Ive written before that what statistical analysts do in sports has as much to do with history as it does with math. When theres a question worth asking (How will the Golden State Warriors perform with Kevin Durant? How will LeBron James age? Were the Philadelphia 76ers wise to tear down their roster?), what were often doing is using statistics to sift through basketball history in the same way we naturally do in an anecdotal way.The rationale is not about the numbers per se so much as the ability to avoid some of the perceptual biases that cause our memory to overstate certain examples while ignoring other potentially relevant ones.Take, for example, projecting the development of players based on similar predecessors. Finding comparisons for young players has been a part of the scouting process as long as its existed. Alas, even for someone aware of the potential for bias, that process can be unduly influenced by irrelevant factors like the players race, the hand he uses, or where he happened to go to college. A statistical comparison tool like my SCHOENE projection system doesnt consider any of those things.Of course, statistics have always played a role in that process.Weve got this buzzword, analytics, says Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens. Maybe we have more access to data than we had in the past, but certain people have been using statistics and what they can get their hands on forever. Its not necessarily a new concept, right?And its not necessarily more complex, either. Oftentimes, what we call advanced statistics are really anything but in the traditional mathematical sense. Metrics like effective field goal percentage and points per possession arent really any more complex than traditional field goal percentage or per-game stats.The advancement lies in the fact that these new statistics better reflect what happens on the court. Basketball knowledge, not math knowledge, is required to understand and develop these measures.And thats why Id appreciate it if everyone stopped saying that statistical analysts are smart. Its well-intentioned, certainly, and often accurate -- depending on your definition of the term. But engagement with statistical analysis doesnt mean youre smart. Likewise, those who ignore statistical analysis are not by definition dumb, and the latter reflects the real problem here.Talking about how smart statistical analysts are gives the appearance of closing off the field to anyone who doesnt self-identify as smart because they didnt do well in school, or worse yet were told they werent smart or good at math. And the same goes for anyone who doesnt place a great cultural value on math ability.Instead, its better to think of statistical analysis the way we think of any other field of knowledge, one that requires and improves with study. That process is surely easier to navigate if you think about the world in mathematical terms or are familiar with the mathematical field of statistics. However, it doesnt require a diploma from an Ivy League school to begin.Consider the case of Houston Rockets analyst Ed Kupfer, who didnt finish high school in his native Canada. Kupfers interest in basketball statistics was an outgrowth of trying to win debates on NBA Usenet discussion forums. That led him to a discussion group about advanced statistics that became the APBRmetrics message board.There, Kupfer learned about the growing field of basketball statistics with the help of forerunners like Dean Oliver, while also teaching himself the formal mathematical principles of statistics and how to use programs like R in addition to Excel to calculate metrics. Those lessons paid off when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey hired Kupfer as an analyst shortly after joining the Rockets in 2006.If analytics are a field to be learned, then hopefully this new home is the first step for some, necessary review for others, and reinforcement for those who already consider themselves experts.Now, if you dont mind, weve got some questions to answer. Cheap Jerseys Paypal . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Discount China Jerseys . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. https://www.chinajerseysfreeshipping.com/ . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Wholesale Jerseys For Sale . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Stitched Authentic Jerseys .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For much of the first period, the Anaheim Ducks looked overmatched against the top team in the NHL.The Montreal Canadiens were controlling the puck and outshooting Anaheim 15-3 at one point. What they were not getting, however, were any goals.Buoyed by the play of John Gibson in net, the Ducks recovered behind goals from Rickard Rakell and defenseman Cam Fowler to beat the Canadiens 2-1 on Tuesday night.We have to eliminate these starts that are pretty much pedestrian, Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. It was kind of like they had the puck and wouldnt give it to us.But our goalie kept us in there and we got a 1-0 lead and then we were much better the rest of the game.The 23-year-old Gibson, in his first full NHL season, equaled a career high with 39 saves and outplayed counterpart Carey Price, the 2015 league MVP.Price made several excellent stops, but Gibson turned away Montreals first 38 shots. Andrew Shaw scored with 2 minutes left and Price finished with 36 saves for the Canadiens (16-5-2).It was a good test, Gibson said. Theyre the best team in the league and everyone wants to see how they stack up against the best. We played well.Anaheim (11-8-4) had lost three consecutive games before winning Friday at San Jose, the defending Western Conference champion.Price was among the league leaders in goals allowed per game (1.66) and led with 13 wins.Price came up big for us and kept us in the game, Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry said. We were using our speed at first and then got away from that. Its something we have to learn from, because if we use our speed were a tough team to handle.With Gibson stopping 17 shots, the Ducks were able to overcome their slow start when they scored on a power play with just more than 3 minutes to play in the opening period.Rakell tried a wraparound from behind the net, but Price deflected the puck to Anaheims Ryan Kesler.dddddddddddd He attempted to slap it in, but it caromed off Price and right back to Rakell, who snapped it in.It was the ninth goal in 14 games for Rakell, a late signee.The Ducks began to play more aggressively after taking the lead. They went up 2-0 in the second period when Fowler beat Price to the short side.It was a weird angle, Fowler said. My body was facing the boards, so its not an ideal angle to get everything you want on the shot. But Im not complaining.The Ducks held their 2-0 lead until the final minutes, when the Canadiens pulled Price for an extra skater and Shaw ruined the shutout bid.Both goalies played really well, Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. I liked the way we got out of the gate. I thought we were ready to play. They put pressure on us and we didnt react the right way.SHAW SNAPSAfter the Canadiens pulled within a goal, Shaw was sent off for hooking with 28 seconds left and flipped out in the penalty box. He directed a profane tirade toward at least one official, slammed his stick on the glass and snapped it over his knee. Shaw was given a 10-minute misconduct and ejected.Game notes The Ducks went 8-4-2 in November and are 9-0 this season when leading after two periods. ... The Canadiens are 1-7-2 in their last 10 games against the Ducks and 11-14-4 in the all-time series. ... Rakells nine goals in November tie him for third in the NHL. . Gibson matched his career high with 39 saves.UP NEXTCanadiens: Continue a three-game California swing Friday in San Jose.Ducks: Begin a three-game road trip Thursday in Vancouver.---This story has been corrected with the proper spelling of Rakells first name. ' ' '