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Is Ranked Choice Voting the Hero We Need? (Part 1)
Ranked Choice voting is having a bit of a moment in the public consciousness — at least on the very handicapped scale of voting systems. It promises to avoid some of the unsavory outcomes that occur in the “First Past the Post” Plurality system used in the vast majority of U.S. elections by allowing voters…… Read more
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Have NBA Teams Gotten Better at Drafting?
With the rise of analytics and the global popularity of the NBA and basketball overall, NBA General Managers seem to have more resources at their disposal than ever before. Presumably this fact, paired with decades of history to learn from, would lead to teams being better at picking the best available player when it’s their…… Read more
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Does Playoff Dominance Portend Super Bowl Success?
Seeing a team crush its playoff opponents can inspire confidence in its fans going into the Super Bowl. A team patched up its weaknesses against strong opponents, and is playing with confidence and chemistry. And if nothing else, being able to blow out playoff teams seems to suggest that your team is really, really good.…… Read more
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Using Math and Logic to Predict Future Super Bowl Halftime Performers
I felt a small tinge of excitement when I found out that Shakira is performing at the halftime of Super Bowl LIV, indicating that I’m the kind of slightly-nostalgic viewer with a cursory acquaintance with popular culture that the NFL was targeting with the pick. Finding myself at all interested in the Super Bowl Halftime…… Read more
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Is Momentum Really a Thing in Presidential Primaries (Before the Voting Starts)?
The long months of speculation before the Iowa Caucuses abound with headlines about the “momentum” that a candidate has, including nearly half a million Google results for “Buttigieg Momentum” and one atrocious portmanteau in “Buttimentum”. Certainly winning Iowa or New Hampshire can boost a Presidential hopeful’s campaign, whereas losing early states can destroy a candidate’s…… Read more