tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post6319785741893822629..comments2024-03-19T06:06:57.807-05:00Comments on Braves & Birds: An Exercise in the Importance of Playing NobodiesMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-29845828318368119812013-10-08T14:28:30.324-05:002013-10-08T14:28:30.324-05:00Each team has their respective schedule to post fo...Each team has their respective schedule to post for the audience.. so we wait and see and the big events.. <a href="http://amandavanderpool.com/" rel="nofollow">Checkout Amanda</a>Amandanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-50046687577324171122011-11-07T14:45:26.353-05:002011-11-07T14:45:26.353-05:00Please. UF has had plenty of years with 7 home gam...Please. UF has had plenty of years with 7 home games and 4 cupcakes on the schedule. Every team benefits from a good schedule.PatinDCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-83955619390401699732011-11-04T13:18:53.691-05:002011-11-04T13:18:53.691-05:00"Isn’t the major difference between these tea..."Isn’t the major difference between these teams their schedules?"<br /><br />I suppose we'll see once Florida goes el foldo against Vandy in the Swamp.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-617664163356054432011-11-02T09:01:41.956-05:002011-11-02T09:01:41.956-05:00This comparison really doesn't say so much abo...This comparison really doesn't say so much about the importance of playing cupcakes as the importance of lucking out in close games.<br /><br />The expected result of feeding on cupcakes is inflated margins in scoring, yardage, and TOs. Wisconsin is a MUCH better example of this effect than Penn State.<br /><br />Penn State is what happens when you have a team who plays near the level of its competition and simply has excessively good luck in close games.<br /><br />This isn't to suggest that the Big 10 isn't pretty weak this season. It is. Penn State's luck just isn't particularly strong evidence for it.<br /><br />PS: It should be noted that Penn State was less bad against Alabama than Florida was by 12 points. The fact that Florida has had similar statistical advantages over its opponents might actually cause a naive person to conclude that Florida's schedule had MORE cupcakes.Matt Skaleckihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07865157392979456950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-11368476985637310882011-11-01T10:36:54.823-05:002011-11-01T10:36:54.823-05:00Doesn't the Penn State schedule/record this se...Doesn't the Penn State schedule/record this season also illustrate, in some sense, the problem with trying to evaluate merit across conferences in such a small sample size? As a fan of baseball first and basketball second, I find myself continually amused at the complicated metrics college football employs to "determine" who is 9th, and 15th, and 23rd, when such an exercise is inherently silly. Moreover, most non-partial college football fans would probably take Florida in a head-to-head matchup anyway, which only further underscores the absurdity of the ranking system. <br /><br />On another note, doesn't your argument lend support to the notion that major conference, non-championship contenders <i>should</i> schedule cupcakes? Penn State has benefited from beating the soft underbelly of the Big Ten, but they are also benefiting, more generally, from beating up bad teams. Penn State now has a chance to go to a BCS bowl game and reap the cash rewards. Had they actually planned this out, one would be tempted to say that the plan was a good one.Adam Malkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906845916098689970noreply@blogger.com