Political Fallacies: Ideas vs Teams

A recent study confirmed what I have been observing over the last dozen years or so.  In the USA, politics is no longer a battle of ideas but a competition between teams.

Of course, it has always been so to some extent.  Politics is the science of forming coalitions to further personal goals.  This is why we have a Congress to pass laws instead of an enlightened king or executive: only by forming coalitions can we ensure that the top priorities of the maximum number are achieved. This is also why we have political parties:  to allow people to come together and form an alliance that achieves goals that not everyone wants but that everyone in the party can live with.

But while parties and coalitions drive votes, it has been ideas that have driven the parties.  From the beginning of the nation, political parties worked to ensure their top priorities were based on more than personal preferences and piques.  Federalism and Anti-Federalism were defining issues because the first generation had severe disagreements over whether centralization or decentralization were better for the freedom of the individual and the good of the nation.  (We are still fighting that battle in the Gun Control debate, among others.)  Kennedy to Reagan defended Democracy over Communism not only as a practical matter but also in the arena of ideas as they fought in the Cold War.  As recently as President Bill Clinton, the debates over Health Care Reform were over the idea of a government-run universal system and a privately-run independent system.  Which was really better for the consumer, the nation, and the world?

Something different has followed the rise of social media.  We no longer are talking about big ideas.  The formation of echo chambers where we only speak with those who agree with us have eliminated the need to defend a position.  Instead, we defend our "friends" against all attackers, right or wrong.  Our political parties have turned into teams.  And like the Yankees or the Red Sox, it no longer matters who has the best players, best managers, best philosophy, or best mascot.  We support our team simply because it is OUR team.

What is the problem with this?  There are several, which you have probably noticed in the politics of the last 8 years or so:

1. If you support a Team instead of a Philosophy, you find yourself loving or hating people based on their allegiance instead of their character.
2. If you support a Team instead of an Idea, you find yourself supporting and defending things that you don't actually believe.
3. If you support a Team instead of an Ethical System, you see no problem in hating someone simply because they support the other team.

My challenge to you:  STOP SUPPORTING YOUR TEAM, RIGHT OR WRONG, AND GET BACK TO LOOKING AT THE IDEAS YOU VALUE.  You may be surprised to find out who you've been helping or hurting while you were busy playing the political game.

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How are statisticians changing sports?

I am not a big sports guys, but this is where science and sports meet. Stats have always been a huge part of baseball, but other sports have not always paid as much attention. Now, the NBA is taking notice of the efforts of Houston Rockets to study statistics and ferret out those players who are not big scorers but make a huge difference in whether a team wins or loses.

Battier’s game is a weird combination of obvious weaknesses and nearly invisible strengths. When he is on the court, his teammates get better, often a lot better, and his opponents get worse — often a lot worse. He may not grab huge numbers of rebounds, but he has an uncanny ability to improve his teammates’ rebounding. He doesn’t shoot much, but when he does, he takes only the most efficient shots. He also has a knack for getting the ball to teammates who are in a position to do the same, and he commits few turnovers. On defense, although he routinely guards the N.B.A.’s most prolific scorers, he significantly reduces their shooting percentages. At the same time he somehow improves the defensive efficiency of his teammates — probably, Morey surmises, by helping them out in all sorts of subtle ways. “I call him Lego,” Morey says. “When he’s on the court, all the pieces start to fit together. And everything that leads to winning that you can get to through intellect instead of innate ability, Shane excels in. I’ll bet he’s in the hundredth percentile of every category.”

This article brings back to my mind the Golden Age of the NBA when players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson not only were superstars, but actually caused the other players around them to play better. Bringing out more people with that same gift can only make the game better and more fun to watch.

Why Americans will never embrace soccer (European Football)

I admit that I am mostly posting this to get the reaction of Sean and CRChair to this article which posits 7 reasons why soccer will never be a popular American sport. Personally, I only ever find soccer interesting if one of my friends is playing - and never if I am playing. But I have been lectured on numerous occasions by AYSO parents, referees, and players as to why I should find it interesting and how soccer is in fact the ultimate sport.

1. Americans don’t have the Attention Spans.
Soccer is a continuous game that is heavily influenced by a teams endurance and stamina. Unfortunately, Americans do not understand that concept. While the most popular sport in the United States involves watching a car go around a track for 600 miles, soccer is players running constantly for 90 minutes. Unlike soccer, however, NASCAR also involves the elements of horrendous crashes, pit stops, and fan favorites. Football also stops after every play, and during the four quarters of the game. The same goes for the innings of baseball, and the quarters of basketball.
2. Low Scores.
Because soccer is such a competitive and trying sport, the scores remain relatively few and far between. Americans like scoring, in all ways, forms, and meanings. Look at every other sport and their average scores, and then compare them to a high scoring soccer affair involving 5 – 6 goals. While scoring a goal is exciting, you have to remember spectators endure 90 minutes of passing balls and running in order to witness the goal.

Good Job CBS

CBSSportsline did a courageous thing with publishing on the front of their spots section an article on NFL draft prospect Darren McFadden. They were courageous because the article wasn't about his football talent (which is immense), but is about him probably fathering 3 children out of wedlock before his 22nd birthday. The author of the article rightly argues that NFL teams should be careful before giving lots of responsibility and lots of cash to players who have not shown that they have matured enough. Kudos to CBS for publishing an article that doesn't pull any punches.

The other interesting thing in the article is that the author argues that the next big sports scandal will be about players having children out of wedlock. Wilt Chamberlain used to brag that he slept with 10,000 women in his lifetime. NFL star Travis Henry has a bunch of children all by different women as well.

Shelton Little League Continues the Dream!

In 1988 my hometown little league team won the World Series. (That was Trumbull, CT. I was in High School at the time and had never been anywhere NEAR a game, if you are wondering. I was in Marching Band Camp at the time.) It was a great time for the town and for the kids, and I did not think I'd be seeing that again in my lifetime. Well, since we moved to Shelton, it appears I was wrong!

Jacob Lennertz never dreamed of pitching a three-hitter in this spot. Nick Petrovich just wanted to hit it hard. They both surpassed their hopes Thursday night, and Shelton National is within one game of the Little League World Series. It avenged its only New England Regional loss with a 6-0 semifinal win over Portland (Maine) North at Breen Field. Lennertz struck out 13, and Petrovich went 3-for-4 with a game-clinching home run and four RBIs. With a win Saturday over Walpole (Mass.) American, Shelton National would be the first Connecticut team to reach Williamsport, Pa., since Trumbull National won it all in 1989.
"It feels really good," said Petrovich, who was on the mound last Saturday in a pool-play loss to Portland. "I wouldn't rather do it with anybody else."
The regional final is Saturday at 2 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN.

Go Shelton Nationals!!! Go all the way!

Go, Shelton Little League, Go!

Woo-hoo! The Little League team with our landlord's son on it has advanced to the regional semi-finals, and the paper has only good things to say about his performance!

Not only did Shelton National's Nick Petrovich do it with his arm, he also did it with his bat. Petrovich pitched a complete game, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out seven, and hit the go-ahead home run to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Cranston (R.I.) in the New England Little League Regionals at Breen Field.
Shelton National, which rounds out pool play with a 3-1 record, advances to the semifinals on Thursday. The team will play at either 5 or 8 p.m. "Our kids deserve this. We pitch well, we throw strikes, and we make the plays on defense," Shelton National manager Mark Testani said.

I believe the New England Finals are set for Thursday, which I have am all set up to record on my EyeTV. If they win there, they go to the Nationals!