3 ms·
Nate Silver isn't some weird Neo like figure who strides alone dispensing Truth via a college-level understanding of statistics -- his brand of analysis is not
by jfb 13y ago
Nate Silver isn't some weird Neo like figure who strides alone dispensing Truth via a college-level understanding of statistics -- his brand of analysis is not unique or even particularly remarkable save that it is rare in the mainstream media.
Too, it's a bit rich to be badmouthing sports on Hacker News, home of perhaps the most solipsistic conversations on the internet. Sports is a very important part of many people's lives; surely that alone lends it sufficient heft to be a defensible use of Silver's talent?
As for why, Silver got started in sabermetrics, and going back to working on sports stats is almost certainly because he likes it. And I imagine ESPN backed up the proverbial dump truck, too.
- markbao 13y ago> his brand of analysis is not unique or even particularly remarkable save that it is rare in the mainstream media. Ah, so he's good, but it seems like he's doing something totally unique because of the bias that he gets mainstream media attention and most other statisticians don't? > Sports is a very important part of many people's lives; surely that alone lends it sufficient heft to be a defensible use of Silver's talent? Sure does.
- wavefunction 13y agoSilver is very good at generating statistical analyses, as well as determining which set of stats matter and ignoring the ones that don't, imo. It's the second skill that sets him apart from a run-of-the mill statistician.