...The computer age has bestowed some unforeseen blessings on the sports world. Math whizzes are now using the personal computer to track game results to a level never before possible, and sports are the better for it. The book "Moneyball" chronicled the way Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics used obscure statistical analyses to scout and deal for talent. Now, a variation of this method has spilt over into basketball with a number of NBA teams using statistics in a similar manner. These methods were described in a recent Sports Illustratedarticle titled Measure of Success. Described as simply as possible, these statisticianstrack how well a team does when a player is on the floor, versus how well they do when theyarent.

These measures disregard a players contribution as represented by their scoring, rebounding and assists totals,and simply asks, "Does the team do better or worse when this player is on the floor?" They also in many casescontradict the conventional wisdom concerning the relative worth of certain players. Jason Collins, a fifth-year center for the Nets of little renown gets ranked as the fourth best defensive center in the league. Conversely, high-scoring Michael Redd of the Milwaukee Bucks issuch a disaster on defense that his teams tend to lose with him on the floor, and win while he is on the bench.

While amateur coaches are sure to find these analyses interesting, is there any way in which theycan employ these metrics for their own use? Amateur coaches might be able to get team assistantsto gather the data needed to maintain these stats, but there is a much better way these conceptscan be applied.

Virtually all teams rely heavily on scrimmage play as part of their pr...more

League One betting Review - 5 February 2006

...es in hand and are 11/4 favourites to win outright.

Friday night saw Swansea City edge back into third with their first win in five games against Bournemouth. The 4/5 Swans scored the winning goal through midfielder Andy Robinson on the stroke of half time.

Barnsley, at 10/11, kept up the pressure with a win against Bristol City. A goal in each half from Marc Richards secured the third successive 2-0 victory for the Tykes.

Brentford adapted quickly to life without striker DJ Campbell, a 500,000 signing for Birmingham City, by crushing Walsall 5-0 at Griffin Park. The 8/11 odds lo...more

League One betting Review

...inute lead through Billy Sharp but an Andy Robinson penalty and Leon Knight goal put the Swans in front. With a 6/4 away victory on the cards, former Swansea striker Steve Torpey headed in a last gasp equaliser.

Nottingham Forest started life without Gary Megson positively by recording their first away win since August at Port Vale. Kris Kommons after 40 minutes and Nathan Tyson with moments remaining secured a morale boosting 21/10 victory.

Walsall s...more

soccer in Scotland

...am introduced a whole new aspect to the game that day, a team based approach utilizing, passing. Up till then the way the game was played was to muscle the ball up the field in Rugby like fashion, after that game the English began adopting a playing style to match the Scottish soccer team, and soccer in its current form was born.

The Scottish soccer team did not exist that day in the form that we now understand; soccer was played by Universities or Clubs, with no central organization to elect a national team. There was no Scottish team picked from the best players around, but a club to represent the whole country. To cope and control the rising popularity of the game Scotland formed a Football Association three month after the first match between England and Scotland. Wales then followed and formed a FA in 1875, and then Ireland in 1880. England on the other hand had formed their Football Association in 1863. With the formation of a Football Association, Scotland was able to establish leagues, tournament and even a national team.

With forty two different professional teams over two different leagues, it is understandable that Scotland has some of the most dedicated soccer fans in the world; this also applies to the female fans. Scotland has also always had a strong legion of female soccer lovers and players. Seeming to always be pioneers in the game Scotland and England were also the first two co...more

Yoga Teacher Jobs