How does Hollinger still have a job?

[Fafnir]

His system looks at scoring differential not wins and losses. The Heat have beaten up the bad teams they've played by a large margin.

Does anyone else actually agree with this system?  In my opinion scoring differential doesn't mean too much in basketball.

  I think in general scoring differential is more important than records in predictions, but obviously there are more factors involved.

Yeah, in this case SoS factor is ridiculous because of the small sample size (and recent games counting for more)

The Rockets have played a tough schedule, and lost most of those games, but because of schedule are rated much too highly. Things will level out to where the rankings are reasonable.

[kozlodoev]

I'm not one to put much stock into Power Rankings, especially anything from Hollinger, but the guy is just flat out wrong, and his PER system is irrelevant. He's been wrong so many times that you just have to wonder. I obviously have my own "dog" in this fight, but I think he ranks the Celtics 5. I believe that he picked the Cavaliers to win it the last two years. I guess ESPN is different, but from most other lines of work in this world...When you demonstrate that you are clearly and consistently incompetent, you lose your job.

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerrankings

So because we're not on top of the pile, Hollinger is an idiot? Heh. Just because you don't like something doesn't necessarily mean it's false.

I would also like to hear your (objective) criteria for clearly and consistently showing incompetence.

[jarufu]

His pic on ESPN bothers me so much I don't like to look at it!

I like reading his power rankings.  Just so I can disagree with them mostly tho ..

[KGs Knee]

Rahim Morris, of the Tampa Bay Bucs, said it best.

Stats are for losers!

Wins are the ONLY thing that matter.

[kg is king]

He has a job because he is disfavoring one marketing (Boston) but favoring 29 other ones

[Fafnir]

Rahim Morris, of the Tampa Bay Bucs, said it best.

Stats are for losers!

Wins are the ONLY thing that matter.

Meh, that's true for coaches and players. They shouldn't be worried about stats, just wins and losses.

For the rest of us who aren't coaching/playing stats are an important tool. I'll also add that most NBA teams use a ton of stats and advanced video tools to prepare.

[Fafnir]

He has a job because he is disfavoring one marketing (Boston) but favoring 29 other ones

Except for 2007-2008 when he loved us the whole year....

[KGs Knee]

Rahim Morris, of the Tampa Bay Bucs, said it best.

Stats are for losers!

Wins are the ONLY thing that matter.

Meh, that's true for coaches and players. They shouldn't be worried about stats, just wins and losses.

For the rest of us who aren't coaching/playing stats are an important tool. I'll also add that most NBA teams use a ton of stats and advanced video tools to prepare.

Well, I'm neither a coach or a player. And I personally, couldn't care less about stats.

According to the "stats", Lebron should already have multiple titles.  Of course, we all know that when the lights are brightest and the games mean the most, he fails time and time again.  Stats just can't reveal this, only sujective observation can.

[Fafnir]

According to the "stats", Lebron should already have multiple titles. 

They really don't say anything like that. They just say he's the best player in the NBA. The best player in the NBA often doesn't win a championship for a given year.

If you don't care about "stats" enough to understand them, its best not to mock them.

[BballTim]

He has a job because he is disfavoring one marketing (Boston) but favoring 29 other ones

Except for 2007-2008 when he loved us the whole year....

  Technically it was his formulas that loved us. But I digress...

[guava_wrench]

The problem is that I remember Hollinger waiting for like 15 games before rolling out those automated rankings. It is way too early for them to work. The Heat have a .700+ SOS.

It is pointless this early in the season, especially when games played against good teams when they were 0-0 don't help SOS at a point when every game has a big impact.

See, a little thought and understanding and we can see that it is silly to get upset over automated power rankings.

[fairweatherfan]

It is pointless this early in the season, especially when games played against good teams when they were 0-0 don't help SOS at a point when every game has a big impact.

I'm pretty sure SOS is based on opponents' current record, not their record at the time of the game.  Agreed that it's at least 2 weeks to soon to break em out though.

[KGs Knee]

If you don't care about "stats" enough to understand them, its best not to mock them.

I understand stats quite well actually.  Which is why I dismiss them.

Subjective observation always will trump stats because there just aren't any stats that can account for the intangibles nessecary to be successful in sports.  Until someone can develope a way to measure a man's heart, determinantion, poise under pressure, etc., it will always be this way.

[Fafnir]

The problem is that I remember Hollinger waiting for like 15 games before rolling out those automated rankings. It is way too early for them to work. The Heat have a .700+ SOS.

It is pointless this early in the season, especially when games played against good teams when they were 0-0 don't help SOS at a point when every game has a big impact.

See, a little thought and understanding and we can see that it is silly to get upset over automated power rankings.

Yeah I thought he waited longer in past years too. My guess is that the editors wanted the hits his rankings would generate, especially when the Heat were number 1 after two weeks.

[Fafnir]

If you don't care about "stats" enough to understand them, its best not to mock them.

I understand stats quite well actually.  Which is why I dismiss them.

I highly doubt this when you say things like "stats say LeBron should have won already"