Moneyball. It is witchcraft.

[mezzrow]

I think you're going to have to wait until the next American hope plays in the league.

If I hold my breath until we have a genuine American hope, my face will be Everton blue through and through.

I want them to take the league by storm to corn all the anti USAers on here mostly.

Ah, the 99%. It's a given by now, azul.

Tim Howard would likely as soon stand in front of the Cleveland dogpound wearing a Roethisberger jersey as return to the Gwladys end.
"And, (wait for it)... with reason." - Sam Eagle
Doesn't have a thing to do with his Americanness. Tim's good behind a mike, too. Has a future there.

 

[chicoazul]

If I hold my breath until we have a genuine American hope, my face will be Everton blue through and through.



Ah, the 99%. It's a given by now, azul.

Tim Howard would likely as soon stand in front of the Cleveland dogpound wearing a Roethisberger jersey as return to the Gwladys end.
"And, (wait for it)... with reason." - Sam Eagle
Doesn't have a thing to do with his Americanness. Tim's good behind a mike, too. Has a future there.

Together we can fight the anti American sentiment that blights this board by supporting Wales in this year's Euro Championships.

I'm all Americans can get behind this worthy cause. Like the post above if you is in and God bless you American home of the snide.

 

[mezzrow]

Which begs the question: was Lukaku a moneyball signing sir?

I think you could make a case for that in this market. I wouldn't, but you could.

 

[mezzrow]

Together we can fight the anti American sentiment that blights this board by supporting Wales in this year's Euro Championships.

I'm all Americans can get behind this worthy cause. Like the post above if you is in and God bless you American home of the snide.

I can be convinced. After all, when I think of blight I think of Wales and I think of you, azul. (places poster of Craig Bellamy in loo)

Lllllayydddfffddd!!! (it must mean something...)

 

[Tubey]

Which begs the question: was Lukaku a moneyball signing sir?

Nope, just a really good one.

 

[rascal]

The one international sport that could mimic moneyball is cricket. Star Sports are already using moneyball type stats to evaluate a players performance.

 

[Garrick]

Seriously though what is the most offensive thing I can throw at an American that will guarantee bites?

Calling them Canadian?

Not much, really. Those of us who are worldly enough to follow a sport in another country will be immune to everything. Until another Republican is elected president, at least.

 

[Piranha]

Moneyball is already in football, FC Midtjylland use a football stats based version of Moneyball, beat Southampton this year in the Europa League.

They also own Brentford and use it there too so it's being used in English football also, they are pretty much signing everyone based on stats compared with the value of the player exactly how the Oakland A's did with their moneyball formula.

 

[njligernj]

Fair point.

It's truly mind blowing. As if failures like the Kopites means the system is broken rather than the personnel..

This is such an important point it deserves to be read again by the tea party, flat earth-er, anti-stats contingent. READ IT AGAIN YOU MONSTERS!

Seriously though what is the most offensive thing I can throw at an American that will guarantee bites?

Calling them Canadian?

Nah. Americans and Canadians get along just fine. We don't really have that hating your neighbour thing like the UK. Well aside from red states and Mexicans of course ... but red staters hate literally everything that doesn't look like a sitcom from the 50's anyway so ignore them. You can wind them up by saying anything. Merely the word "government" or "taxes" and they'll be all set for a week of whining.

I think the most offensive thing you can throw at an American around here is "I refuse to listen to logic and reason because it's just not cricket!"

So basically what you all already do. It's infuriating. It's like arguing with our grandparents. Literally when stats and replay come up it's like the same arguments I had as a teen with old people in the late 90s. Even the old people over here have mostly accepted this stuff now but we come to a UK board and it's hard candy and superstition time again. You'll be asking us for help with your PC and phone next.

 

[njligernj]

Oh and I think this http://www.amazon.ca/The-Extra-2-Strategies-Baseball/dp/0345517652 is actually better than MoneyBall FWIW. The Rays did arguably more with less than Oakland did but Oakland came first and had a Brad Pitt movie so I get that's what people call this but it's far from the only case.

re: Lukaku I think he's more of a WAR-focused type signing. When our replacement is Kone though it seems like I am stacking the deck there to make a point.

 

[abelard]

But the whole analytical "Moneyball" basis of Tampa Bay, or the Phildelphia 76ers (who lose 85% of their games but are #1 on ESPN's list of most analytical American sports franchises: http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/12331388/the-great-analytics-rankings) is exploiting contrived conditions that violate the labour laws of virtually every other country. It's not a model that can just be copied and imposed anywhere else.

What Everton fans are reasonably cautious about, given Sunderland, Villa, Fulham, Hicks and Gillette, the Glazers et al, is the American conviction that the entire rest of the world needs you to liberate our antiquated minds and explain how to use telephones and PCs, and can thus be ignored when it comes to running a football team. Why do you think Everton needs American (or anyone else's) help identifying affordable talent? Why presume Americans are the only people employing statistics in sports?

 

[SerenityNigh]

Together we can fight the anti American sentiment that blights this board by supporting Wales in this year's Euro Championships.

I'm all Americans can get behind this worthy cause. Like the post above if you is in and God bless you American home of the snide.

Was at the Alamo a few days ago, noticed there was 1 Welshman who defended against Santa Ana. Wondered whether they'd have been better off with a few more or without the Welsh entirely. Since this is your expertise, I'll defer to you.

As far as the Euros are concerned, I'm only interested in whatever results maximize the football and fume.

 

[SerenityNigh]

Not much, really. Those of us who are worldly enough to follow a sport in another country will be immune to everything. Until another Republican is elected president, at least.

If you're tough enough to watch Everton weekly then you're tough enough to trade barbs with some bloke renting a bedsit in bootle.
*returns to uncontrollable sobbing

 

[SerenityNigh]

Oh and I think this http://www.amazon.ca/The-Extra-2-Strategies-Baseball/dp/0345517652 is actually better than MoneyBall FWIW. The Rays did arguably more with less than Oakland did but Oakland came first and had a Brad Pitt movie so I get that's what people call this but it's far from the only case.

re: Lukaku I think he's more of a WAR-focused type signing. When our replacement is Kone though it seems like I am stacking the deck there to make a point.

Next you'll be inviting us over for a game of Statis Pro Baseball


*but I do agree that they Rays were great in exploiting the Free Agent rules to collect compensation picks

 

[SerenityNigh]

But the whole analytical "Moneyball" basis of Tampa Bay, or the Phildelphia 76ers (who lose 85% of their games but are #1 on ESPN's list of most analytical American sports franchises: http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/12331388/the-great-analytics-rankings) is exploiting contrived conditions that violate the labour laws of virtually every other country. It's not a model that can just be copied and imposed anywhere else.

What Everton fans are reasonably cautious about, given Sunderland, Villa, Fulham, Hicks and Gillette, the Glazers et al, is the American conviction that the entire rest of the world needs you to liberate our antiquated minds and explain how to use telephones and PCs, and can thus be ignored when it comes to running a football team. Why do you think Everton needs American (or anyone else's) help identifying affordable talent? Why presume Americans are the only people employing statistics in sports?

You should try decaf mate