Friday, May 20, 2005
Do You Care?
Another regular feature we will have at TSD is pointing out inane, often stupifying statistics that writers and TV commentators alike tend to wax on and on about. One major example is Did You Know? on Sportscenter. These facts and stats are so forced and so inconsequential that they just need to be mocked.
Todays Do You Care? from: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/sports/15records.ready.html (login required)
Highest Trillion in an N.B.A. Game: 12 000 000 000 000
This was Kenny Walker's line for the Washington Bullets against the Atlanta Hawks in a box score on Dec. 11, 1993. The column headings in a standard N.B.A. box score account for 13 categories: minutes, field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, offensive rebounds, total rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, personal fouls and points.
A player's minutes followed by 12 zeroes earns him a trillion, indicating he has been in the game but with no statistical evidence to prove that he has contributed in any meaningful way.
Lets waste space on an inconsequential stat that highlights a players single game ineptitude. Seriously, does anyone really want to know or care about this type of stat? Do you think Kenny Walker even remembers the game? What does this contribute to today's sports dialogue? Not one bit. It'd be like telling you that Jim Thome went 0-4 on April 11th @Florida. Yes, it's an interesting stat to report the next day (for fantasy baseball purposes or to rile up the ever passionate philly fans), but definitely not the next week or 12 years down the line.
Todays Do You Care? from: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/sports/15records.ready.html (login required)
Highest Trillion in an N.B.A. Game: 12 000 000 000 000
This was Kenny Walker's line for the Washington Bullets against the Atlanta Hawks in a box score on Dec. 11, 1993. The column headings in a standard N.B.A. box score account for 13 categories: minutes, field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, offensive rebounds, total rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, personal fouls and points.
A player's minutes followed by 12 zeroes earns him a trillion, indicating he has been in the game but with no statistical evidence to prove that he has contributed in any meaningful way.
Lets waste space on an inconsequential stat that highlights a players single game ineptitude. Seriously, does anyone really want to know or care about this type of stat? Do you think Kenny Walker even remembers the game? What does this contribute to today's sports dialogue? Not one bit. It'd be like telling you that Jim Thome went 0-4 on April 11th @Florida. Yes, it's an interesting stat to report the next day (for fantasy baseball purposes or to rile up the ever passionate philly fans), but definitely not the next week or 12 years down the line.
