...just as the Mayfield pick was Dorsey's pick. For once, Haslam didn't parade in friends to watch last year's draft. It was a scout's draft. The analytics team had limited influence. Dorsey was skeptical of their helpfulness when he first got the job. He told an associate that he didn't need "fucking nerds" to tell him how to evaluate players.

I like analytics but I think at least one team per league should completely eschew fucking nerds. You know, just to see what happens.

You get the 2013 Chicago White Sox.

analytics has it's place in sports.

analytics has it's place in sports.

but there's just something that tingles the plums when a football guy sneers "fucking nerds"

Wew lad that roster: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamsta ... 2013&t=CHA

You can use analytics in baseball because its really more of an individual performance sport. Football is really more about team ability, where analytics doesn't really help.

I mostly agree but analytics have driven the sport towards being more aggressive on 4th down, which was a much needed improvement from 10+ years ago.

That's true. I was more talking about player evaluation.

Is that the same thing though....athleticism v. analystics?

We still see this in the NFL. Drafting gifted athletes but they're football retarded.

The issue with praising Dorsey is that the nerds were the ones who acquired most of the talent on the defense and the assets that he's been able to use. They were just fired instead of Hue Jackson because Haslam is an impatient busybody owner. Giving Dorsey the credit though is like praising Bryan Colangelo for the Sixers.