This is a basketball blog.
But this is also a statistics blog. And the statistics say that 8 out of my last 11 eleven posts have been out about football. There are three reasons I can identify for this:
- I generally blog about what interests me (within the general realm of college athletics) and, at the moment, the MSU football team interests me.
- I still haven’t found a great internet forum for serious discussion of Spartan football that doesn’t involve wading through piles of non-useful information (although G0EL is on its way toward that goal).
- There just isn’t a lot to talk about regarding Michigan State basketball at the moment.
While taking more time to analyze the football team’s performance has been a fun diversion, it’s just not my bag. I don’t see the game with the same passion or clarity that I do for basketball.
I’m looking forward, therefore, to getting back into the rhythm of the basketball season, when the content here can be driven primarily by what happens on the basketball court. The plan for the month and a half remaining before the regular season begins is:
- Continue to talk some football, but scale those efforts back as the start of the basketball season approaches.
- Once practice starts on the 17th, talk about whatever developments arise.
- Do some sort of stats-based preview of the rest of the Big Ten. The Big Ten Geeks have already done pretty thorough TFS-based previews of each team, so my goal is to something a little out of the box–maybe a smaller-scale historical look at each team’s statistical tendencies over the last 5-10 years. (On a related note, I’m expecting that the emergence of the Geeks will mean (1) less need to do conference-wide analysis here and (2) more statistical context in which to analyze MSU’s performance. Speaking of which, they have a good post up on pace in the Big Ten relative to other conferences.)
I’m, as always, happy to take under advisement any suggestions you, the readers, might have about topics of discussion you think would be worthwhile. Having started this blog after the regular season had already begun last season, this is still my first time blogging through a basketball preseason.
Finally, I want to again thank all of you who have made this endeavor more worthwhile by taking the time to contribute your own thoughts and opinions. In particular, here is the list of Spartans that have left at least 10 comments during the 10 months this blog has existed:
- Spartalytical (113)
- DP99/DMP (69)
- witless chum (59)
- Hubert (50)
- Dan (49)
- TMadison25 (46)
- spartanproducer (34)
- Ben (30)
- GBBound (20)
- wifeofaspartan (18)
- Dave (17)
- Kurt (17)
- Dr Huxtable (17)
- MooTheKow (15)
- SpartanDan (12)
- matt (11)
- Nick (10)
These 17 individuals are hereby designated The Friends of the Spartans Weblog. (That’s all the reward our budget allows for, I’m afraid.)
Thanks for the designation, woo-hoo! I’ve enjoyed reading your thoughts on the football team, but I’m also really looking forward to the start of the basketball season. First game just 36 days away! Keep up the good work.
Woo-hoo! And I just broke the tie at 17!
I’m fine with you transitioning from football into basketball as it starts up, but whatever, I’ll be reading either way!
I, too, am anxiously awaiting the start of the basketball season. My main interest is vested in MSU basketball, though I enjoy football as well.
Speaking of practice starting on the 17th, does anyone have any information on this year’s Midnight Madness?
Sweet – moving up in the world.. got a shout out on the Spartans Weblog….
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I’m totally with you on basketball > football. I’m also a MSU football fan – my level of interest is nowhere near that of hoops.
So yeah… like other have said – I’ve enjoyed your football analysis but I too cannot wait for basketball season to begin.
Keeping my eyes peeled for information on Midnight Madness, but haven’t seen anything yet. Assume there’ll be an official announcement soon. I seem to recall they can start at like 10:00 now, rather than having to wait until midnight?
Cool, I assume there’s a ribbon or an iron-on patch or something?
I tend to actually split my emotional involvement 50/50 football to basketball, but I feel much more certain of my knowledge of football. Even if Spartan football is, well, what’s it’s been mostly during my 20 years of fandom, I still like watching it. (My wife mostly leans to b-ball by something like 75/25, unless we’re playing Notre Dame.)
Speaking of, kj, but do you have any opinion on which preseason basketball mag is worth buying? I can get most of that stuff from the Internet, but my wife prefers it in printed form.
One thing I’d be curious about preseason is whether there’s any precedent for what Indiana is facing this year?
I have no idea on the preseason mags. I’ve never bought one.
I’d recommend getting the book TAFKATBW is co-authoring for Basketball Prospectus (assuming your wife doesn’t mind wading through a few tempo-free stats). I got a sneak preview of the MSU section; it should be worthwhile reading. Click on the “Bookstore” link above to pre-order it.
Keep up the good work! I’m greatly looking forward to the new bball season and as well, and will be checking this blog at a furious pace once it begins. Nothing wrong with blogging about whatever sport is on your brain at the moment though. I’m a bbal first guy too, but right now I can’t get enough spartan fball
matt
dang..must have been just shy of the 10 comment mark, had to of been close though. KJ you do an awesome job on this blog. I never got into the statistical side of the game until I found your blog toward the end of the regular season last year. I never liked looking at the hyped up stats (ppg, rpg, apg) because there are so many other factors that contribute to those numbers and the stats you post really shed light on all of those other factors.
Agreed on all of the above… Especially constantly thinking that basketball season can’t come sooner.
Very excited to see how this team operates.
Unfortunately, you are a much better writer and have much less bias and much more insight than the site I guess is the most preeminent Spartan football site right now.
G0EL and Ben, so are you. Can’t you guys just give up your regular lives and feed my need to read good football blogs? I mean, really, what’s a chem engineering or law degree worth anyway?? Victory4MSU guy, I’m hoping for you too.
Even with the limited dedication to football (as it’s not in the mission statement), I’d still rather come here for football than that other site. So there you go.
Spartalytical is obviously in a category of his/her own and deserves recognition! Keep up the good work, I live in the northeast where there are too few chances to talk spartan b-ball, so your website fulfills a real need…
Spartalytical does deserve some sort of prize. I’ll have to come up with something (but don’t get your hopes up).
Don’t toy with my feelings.
Frankly, I had no idea I had piped up that many times. It’d be embarrassing if it weren’t for the anonymity. And no, I didn’t intentionally separate the last two posts just to pad the count.