Cannon Blasts: Do You Want A Revolution?

As a chord cutter, NFL Sundays are rough, to say the least. In my case yesterday, my FOX game ended (sorry, Browns fans) and I was left with...no other option. My area was a one-FOX game area and CBS doesn’t stream regular season games yet (it’s not 1992 anymore, CBS. Get it together) and so instead of pulling up an illegal stream on my iPad (the Bengals had the night game and the Falcons are tonight so no matchup was that compelling to me in the 4 p.m. slot), I opted to scour ESPN+.

Usually, I do so for the obscure stuff. UNC/Duke women’s field hockey piqued my interested, but I instead decided to keep browsing and landed on the original programing page, a place I honestly haven’t divulged that deep on.

I eventually landed on an episode of Enhanced (directed and written by, of all people, Alex Gibney which was a fun surprise) that was focused on the analytical revolution that is sweeping sports. It’s like the second or third episode - the exact title is escaping me. My apologies.

It’s funny I sat down to watch it, because just hours before hand, I had read Stinerman’s FanPost where he admitted to wrestling with the change being made in the NHL to embrace advanced stats. I’m sure the two are somehow connected, I just don’t know how yet.

Regardless, each got me thinking: I’ve always loved the idea (as weird as that sounds) of advanced stats. I’ll watch ESPN’s Sabermetric broadcast over the normal one, I follow a few advanced stat-centric outlets on the Twitter and I’ve even incorporated advanced numbers in my writings both on here and for my Western Kentucky site.

I’m all for the revolution. I’m here for it.

Except here’s the thing: I don’t fully understand all of the advanced stats.

Be it a combination of being too lazy to actually do all of the reading on them or maybe I don’t like advanced numbers as much as I thought?

Anyway, this is my invitation to you; share your favorite advanced stat reading with me. Hockey, baseball, baskeball, football, cricket (no, seriously, I’d love Sabercricket), hit me up with it.

As for why people don’t like the advanced numbers; I totally get it. I’ll liken to this: I always thought the game of chess was a free-flowing, spontaneous game. That is, until I learned that is really just a series of algorithms and memorization, for the most part. If someone opens d5, e3, c7 (are those actual openings?), there’s a “proper,” way to counter. There might be multiple proper ways to counter, but there is still a “proper,” way to do so.

It’s the same with the advanced numbers - baseball is supposed to be about feel. Basketball is supposed to be about feel. But, when people are telling you that the numbers say you should do X, despite feeling that Y would be better...I get it.

Here’s your links.

Columbus Blue Jackets News

• The Blue Jackets couldn’t take care of business against the Blackhawks on Saturday. Our Ryan Real broke it down for you.
• Is Columbus turning the tide with franchise expectations? William Chase explores that.
• It was a good weekend for the Monsters, who garnered wins over Utica and Binghamton.
• Chris Pennington at 1st Ohio Battery takes a look at Pierre-Luc Dubois’ slow start and how PLD recognizes it, but also isn’t worried about it.
• “While retaining [Artemi] Panarin would be huge, it isn’t necessary for long term success.” A strong claim from Union and Blue’s William Espy.
• William also wonders if WIlliam Nylander’s holdout will trickle into any upcoming RFA’s for Columbus.
• NBCSports Chicago’s Charlie Roumellotis takes a look at the Saad/Panarin trade a year-plus later (he did so ahead of Saturday’s game, but it’s still a good read)./

NHL News

• Ever wonder what it’s like to have a good power play unit? Winnipeg doesn’t.
• ZACK PARISE BACK. At least, according to Hockey Wilderness.
• Is the NHL too much of a boys club? Raw Charge’s Lauren Kelly says, emphatically, yes.
• The Ducks retired the number of D3: The Mighty Ducks star Paul Kariya.
• Former Islanders owner Charles Wang has passed away at the age of 74.
• What early-season trends are legit? Greg Wyshynski takes a look./

Sports News

• LeBron’s home opener in LA was spoiled by a bit of an on-court ruckus.
• Why are the Dodgers so good? Because their unsung hero is...well, everyone.
• You’re never going to believe how my Western Kentucky Hilltoppers lost their game against Old Dominion. Go ahead, guess. Nope, you’re wrong.
• The second, and final, Test between Pakistan and Australia is complete and Pakistan won, meaning they take the series 1-0. The two nations will continue to play three T20 matches to end the Aussies’ tour of the UAE./