Expected Value

Follow Expected Value
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

The Expected Value podcast takes you inside the sports analytics world, by talking with people who work for teams, media and other organizations. Conversations focus on what they do, how they do it, and how they got there. Baseball, football, soccer, basketball and more sports will be covered. Pleas…

TruMedia Networks


    • Feb 14, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 42m AVG DURATION
    • 68 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Expected Value podcast is a fantastic platform that brings together professionals from the analytics world, with Paul Carr at the helm. As someone who has been following Paul's work for quite some time, I was thrilled to discover this podcast and have him break down the intricacies of the analytics field with other experts in the industry. It truly is an awesome experience to hear these professionals discuss their insights and share their knowledge.

    One of the best aspects of The Expected Value podcast is the range of topics that are covered. From sports analytics to data science in business, each episode dives into a different area within the analytics world. This diversity keeps the podcast interesting and ensures there is always something new to learn and explore. Additionally, Paul does a great job of selecting guests who are extremely knowledgeable in their respective fields, offering valuable insights and perspectives on various subjects.

    Another standout aspect of this podcast is Paul Carr himself. Having first heard him blow my mind during the 2014 World Cup, I was amazed by his ability to deep dive into statistical analysis and make it accessible to a wide audience. Learning that he is also a graduate from Wheaton only increased my admiration for him. His expertise and passion shine through in each episode, making for an engaging listening experience.

    While it is hard to find any significant negatives about The Expected Value podcast, one minor drawback could be its occasional technical issues. There have been instances where audio quality or connectivity problems affect the smooth flow of conversation between guests. However, it is important to note that such issues are not common occurrences and do not detract significantly from the overall quality of content provided.

    In conclusion, The Expected Value podcast stands out as an incredible platform for anyone interested in diving deeper into analytics and data science. With its diverse range of topics, expert guests, and Paul Carr's exceptional hosting skills, it offers an engaging and informative listening experience. Whether you are an aspiring analyst or simply fascinated by data, this podcast will continuously provide valuable insights and keep you hooked with its captivating discussions.



    Search for episodes from Expected Value with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Expected Value

    Bobby Bandelow - Coordinator of Advance Scouting, Texas Rangers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 43:58


    Wes Johnson - Head Baseball Coach, University of Georgia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 42:53


    Wes Johnson was named Head Baseball Coach for the University of Georgia on June 5th. Prior to taking the job in Athens, Wes served as the Pitching Coach for LSU, where he won a national championship earlier this year. He also has MLB experience, having served as the Pitching Coach for the Minnesota Twins from 2019-2022. His previous stops at Mississippi State and Arkansas add on to his SEC experience, in addition to his past as a high school baseball coach, among other stops. In this conversation, Wes talks about…Balancing his responsibilities of being LSU's pitching coach in the midst of a national championship run with his duties as Georgia's head coach.His career path and how he got into coaching in the first place.An SEC school's resources from a data perspective.Coaching in MLB vs coaching at the collegiate level, including the different levels of preparation.How stats factor in his approach to the transfer portal.Communicating information to players vs a staff member.Players to watch at Georgia and around the SEC next year.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Wes.Show LinksTo check Wes' biography, click here.To read Wes' interview with On3 about his MLB experience, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Brandon Ally - Co-Founder, S2 Cognition

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2023 57:54


    Brandon Ally is the Co-Founder of S2 Cognition, a performance evaluation company that is revolutionizing the way professional teams asses prospective players. He is also S2 Cognition's Chief Business Development Officer and Director of Football. His educational background stands up again the brightest minds in sports. He has a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Tennessee, a PhD in Neuropsychology from Southern Miss, and worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University & Boston University, working in the Geriatric Neuropsychology Laboratory and Alzheimer's Disease Center, respectively. He also has a background in academia, having served as Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University and Vanderbilt University. In addition to his roles at S2 Cognition, he currently serves as Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Louisville. In this conversation, Brandon talks about…His academic background and what a PhD in Neuropsychology encompasses.His athletic background at the University of Tennessee.S2 Cognition's origin story & what S2 Cognition does.What they used to develop the primary S2 test and what the exam provides NFL teams.How things in an athlete's past influence how well they perform on the S2 test.Misconceptions between the S2 test and the Wonderlic exam.How his professional knowledge influences his coaching.His favorite John Wick movie, and shaming Paul for not having seen it.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Brandon.Show LinksFollow Brandon on Twitter: @brandonally3Follow S2 Cognition on Twitter: @S2CognitionTo check out S2 Cognition's website, click here.To check out what the S2 Cognition test said about the 2023 NFL Draft QB class, click here.To read The Athletic's piece on the S2 Cognition test, click here.To read The Athletic's piece on how the S2 Cognition test pointed to Brock Purdy's NFL success, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Alison Lukan - On-Air Analyst & Writer, Seattle Kraken

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 35:18


    Alison Lukan is an On-Air Analyst & Writer for the Seattle Kraken. In her role, she provides analysis for the Seattle Kraken's local broadcasts on Root Sports Northwest, with her team winning a Regional Sports Emmy for their coverage this season. She holds a degree in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond and has previously worked as a consultant in Washington D.C. and has a background in journalism, where she is one of the faces of the hockey analytics revolution. She has also written for The Athletic. In this conversation, Alison talks about…Her academic and career path to get to where she is now.How she caught the hockey bug and why she dove into hockey analytics.What data is available at the NHL level, and her access to hockey data.Her preparation and in-game process as an On-Air Analyst.The challenges of communicating data on TV and the key to doing it clearly.How her corporate background informs what she does now.What an NHL team's analytics staff looks like.Where to get started if someone is looking to get into hockey analytics.Her time as Spidey, the University of Richmond's mascot.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Alison.Show LinksFollow Alison on Twitter: @AlisonLTo read Darren Brown's piece on Alison's first season with the Kraken, click here.To read Alison's piece in The Athletic's piece on her time as Spidey, click here.To read Alison's piece on NHL players' relationship with their sticks, click here.To read Alison's piece in The Athletic on the “Hockey Analytics Conference” (HAC), click here.To read Bill West's piece on Alison and hockey analytics, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    John Taormina - Director of Football Strategy, TruMedia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2023 55:00


    John Taormina is TruMedia's Director of Football Strategy, overseeing TruMedia's football related business. Prior to joining us at TruMedia, John spent time with the Atlanta Falcons. He started as a Football Analyst before becoming Manager of Football Analytics. His final role with the Falcons was Director of Football Data & Analytics. He holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism from Penn State, along with a Master of Science in Analytics from Villanova. In this conversation, John talks about…His academic path and what led him to pursue a career in sports analytics.His time with the Atlanta Falcons and how his responsibilities changed with each role.What a typical NFL analytics department looks like from the inside.How an NFL analytics department works with the coaching staff.A first-hand perspective of what it's like to be inside the war room during the NFL Draft.Working with cap specialists and what the analytics department does during the off-season.How he aided the Falcons decision makers with a massive trade.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with John.Show LinksFollow John on Twitter: @TheRealPapaJohnTo check out Championship Analytics, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Amelia Probst - Data Scientist & Writer, Pro Football Focus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2023 42:10


    Amelia Probst is a Data Scientist & Writer for Pro Football Focus (PFF). Despite being just 22 years old, the Cornell graduate has already worked in football, baseball, and lacrosse, including internships with the New York Mets and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). In this conversation, Amelia talks about…How she became interested in sports analytics.How she applies what she learned at Cornell to working in sports analytics.Her time with Cornell's Sports Analytics club.Interning with the Mets & the PLL.What's being done in collegiate lacrosse from a data perspective.Joining PFF, what PFF does, and her role at the company.What she has learned about football analytics while at PFF.The difference between working in football, baseball, and lacrosse.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Amelia.Show LinksFollow Amelia on Twitter: @ameliaprobst.To check out Amelia's writing at PFF, click here.To check out Amelia's PFF piece on Offensive Linemen Volatility, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Paul Hembekides - Content Producer, ESPN

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2023 61:37


    Paul Hembekides, aka Hembo, is a Content Producer for ESPN and got his start in the Stats & Information department, working with Expected Value host Paul Carr in the ESPN research room. Currently, Hembo works on Get Up and #Greeny, Mike Greenberg's daily ESPN Radio show. He also partnered with Greenberg to co-author “Got Your Number”, a New York Times Bestseller that explores sports history through the lens of who “owns” each number in sports. In this conversation, Hembo talks about…The origin of “Got Your Number” and he and Greenberg's process for choosing the numbers.How he put together the stats and facts for each athlete.How he balances stats and words in the book.Biggest surprise when researching and writing the book.His path and how he got to his current ESPN role.What he had to learn to adapt his sports passion and knowledge to TV & Radio.A look inside a researchers mindset & how he approaches the “give me the best stat” question.Tips & advice for getting into sports research.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Hembo.Show LinksTo purchase “Got Your Number”, click here.Follow Hembo on Twitter: @PaulHembo.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Cory Jez - Founder, Tour IQ Golf Analytics

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023 68:09


    Cory Jez is the Founder of Tour IQ, a golf analytics platform dedicated to providing PGA Tour players an the resources they need for the first time in golf history. He also has a unique resume, having worked for FanDuel, the Utah Jazz, Austin FC, and an an on-air analyst for the Portland Trailblazers. In this conversation, Cory talks about…His time as an Analytics Manager with FanDuel.His role as Director of Basketball Analytics with the Utah Jazz.His time with Austin FC as the Director of Sport Science and Analytics.The differences of coming into a job vs building a department from scratch.His role as an On-Air Analytics Insider with the Portland TrailBlazers.What Tour IQ is and how it can help golfers improve their game.Transactional vs Transformational in the analytics process.Building trust with “non-data” types.Keys to communicating analytics concepts to athletes, front-office personnel, and a TV audience.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Cory.Show LinksFollow Cory on Twitter: @JezDataFollow TourIQ on Twitter: @tour_IQTo check out Cory on LinkedIn, click here.To check out Cory's website, click here.To check out TourIQ's website, click here.To read Sports Illustrated's feature on TourIQ, click here.To read UpRoxx's feature on the Blazers' analytics integration on their broadcasts, click here.For more on the Tobacco Road golf course, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Tegan Ashby - Philadelphia Phillies, Assistant Director, Software Engineering

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2023 50:40


    Tegan Ashby is the Assistant Director of Software Engineering for the Philadelphia Phillies. Before that, she worked in the NBA as a Senior Developer of Basketball Systems for the Brooklyn Nets, and as a Developer of Research & Development for the Philadelphia 76ers.. She holds a BA in Linguistics from Penn, and took classes at Cal Berkeley's Ancient Neat Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Graduate Studies program. In this conversation, Tegan talks about…What a software engineer does and how it applies to a baseball team.What kinds and volumes of data MLB teams deal with.The difference between a development job with an NBA team compared to an MLB team.What NBA engineering looks like.Her background in Linguistics and how it helps her in her profession.Advice on sports-specific tools for someone learning software engineering.Co-founding the Women In Sports Data and how people can support the initiative.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Tegan.Show LinksFollow Tegan on Twitter: @bunsushiFollow Women in Sports Data on Twitter: @WinSportsDataFor more on Women in Sports Data, click here.For more on SportsDataVerse, click here.To check out Tegan's website, click here.To check out Tegan on LinkedIn, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Carlos Muñoz - Former Houston Astros & Team USA Bullpen Catcher & Coach

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2023 53:45


    Carlos Muñoz is a former bullpen catcher who spent nine years with the Houston Astros (2009-2017) and, most recently, served as a bullpen catcher and coach for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He has also spent time as a scout and instructor throughout his career. In this conversation, Carlos talks about…His Team USA & World Baseball Classic experience.His path from Venezuela to where he is today.What a bullpen catcher does.Framing metrics and what goes into a being a good framer.Robot umpires, and how they would affect catchers.How Latino players use data differently than American players.Why baseball is so big in Venezuela compared to other South American countries.The recent MLB rule changes.Our ‘Playing Favorites' segment, including Carlos' love for Venezuelan arepas.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Carlos.Show LinksFollow Carlos on Twitter: @Carlos96munozFollow Carlos on Instagram: @carlos96munozFollow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Hassan Inayatali - 2023 Big Data Bowl Champion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2023 29:46


    Hassan Inayatali is a rising senior at the University of Toronto and part of the 2023 Big Data Bowl winning team, along with his partners Aaron White and Daniel Hocevar. Their project, “Between the Lines: How Do We Measure Pressure?” bested over 300 submissions to win the competition. In this conversation, Hassan talks about…What data they had access to.How they attacked their topic, where the data took them, and what idea had in mind.What to say when pitching a coach on their model.What they would do if they had more time and access to more data.How he got into sports analytics.Advice for anyone looking to get into sports analytics.Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Hassan.Show LinksTo check out Hassan & his team's project on how to measure pressure, click here.To read the Toronto Sun article about Hassan & his team, click here.To read the University of Toronto Engineering News piece on Hassan & his team, click here.For more on the NFL's Big Data Bowl Finalists, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Matt Doyle - Senior Writer & Analyst, MLSsoccer.com

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2023 53:11


    Matt Doyle is a Senior Writer for MLSsoccer.com and has been covering the league for over a decade. His ‘Armchair Analyst' column is considered required reading for MLS fans around the globe. He also appears on ‘Extratime', an MLSsoccer.com podcast that covers the league in depth twice a week. In this conversation, Matt talks about…The 2023 MLS seasonMLS's new Apple TV deal and what his role will look likeHow he got into soccer & soccer writingHow he uses data in his writing and analysisWhat to do when the numbers don't match the ‘eye test'Soccer stats he's not fond ofAdvice for using numbers in writingHis favorite episode of ‘Firefly'Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Matt.Show LinksFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattDoyle76To check out ‘Armchair Analyst' and the rest of Matt's writing, click here.To check out ‘Extratime', click here.Follow ‘Extratime' on Twitter: @ExtratimeFollow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Rodrik David - Founder, Right Step Advising

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2023 59:29


    Rodrick David is the founder of Right Step Advising, a company dedicated to helping agents, athletes and schools figure out the next right step for them and their football careers. Before that, he was a scout for the Atlanta Falcons. In this conversation, Rodrik talks about…His reaction to Super Bowl LVII & how he watched the game through a scout's lensHis career path from college to being an NFL scoutHow data is used in the college scouting processWhat information teams gather at events like the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, and Pro DaysWhat part of a scout's job is aided by dataHow agents & players are using data in relation to NILWhat he would do with the No. 1 pick if he was ChicagoStandouts and sleepers in the 2023 NFL DraftThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Rodrik.Show LinksFollow Rodrik on Twitter: @RodrikDavidTo check out Rodrik on LinkedIn, click here.To check out Right Step Advising, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Kalyn Kahler - Senior NFL Writer, The Athletic

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2023 40:06


    Kalyn Kahler is a senior NFL writer for The Athletic, covering the league from a national perspective. She has a traditional journalism background and also likes to use numbers in her stories. She is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and has previously worked for Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, and Defector Media. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Colorado Springs Gazette, among other publications. In this conversation, Kalyn talks about…Her path from Medill to The AthleticHer general approach to using stats in storiesWhat she took away from working with Peter KingThe evolution of data in journalismHow coaches and players react when she brings up stats to themAdvice for someone looking to break into the sports media fieldWhy she's not a fan of even numbersThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Kalyn.Show LinksFollow Kalyn on Twitter: @kalynkahlerTo see Kalyn's work at The Athletic, click here.To check out Kalyn's website, click here.To read her piece on how the Eagles used the QB rush to their advantage, click here.To read her piece on why NFL coaches call for shotgun at the goal line, click here.To read her piece on how a cow becomes a football, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Joe Hultzen - MLB Team Lead, TruMedia

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 63:54


    Joe Hultzen recently joined TruMedia as our MLB Team Lead. His decade-long experience in MLB allows him to provide clients with the services they need to maximize TruMedia's product. He has held roles in the Baseball Operations, Advance Video Scouting, and Player Valuation departments. In this conversation, Joe talks about…The best thing about working for a MLB teamThe challenges of working for a MLB teamThe biggest surprise about working for a MLB teamHow the use of data evolved over the course of his decade with MLB teamsThe key to communicating data wellHis approach to communicating with front offices compared to playersWhat skills to develop when searching for a job with a MLB teamHis favorite “how-did-I-get-here” momentWhere to eat when in PittsburghThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Joe.Show LinksFollow Joe on Twitter: @JoeHultzenFollow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Cristian Perez - Former Advance Scouting Coach, Cincinnati Reds

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2022 50:30


    This week, we're doing things a bit differently on Expected Value. Producer Sergio De La Espriella has taken over Expected Value and conducted an interview in Spanish, as a way of expanding accessibility to data and analytics information to the Spanish-speaking public. Our Spanish-speaking guest is Cristian Perez. Cristian is coming off a four year stint with the Cincinnati Reds where he served as an Assistant Bullpen & Advances Scouting Coach. He also played college baseball at Duke University & the University of Southern California. In this conversation, Julio talks about…How he ended up getting into baseballHis earliest experience with baseball analyticsWhy forming relationships is such an important part of coachingHow much access Latin American players have to analyticsWhat can be done to make analytics more digestable to Latin American playersHis favorite moments from his playing career and his time as a MLB coachHis favorite place to eat in South FloridaShow LinksFollow Cristian on Twitter: @Cris_Perez18Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Lauren Poe - Sports Analytics Developer, ESPN

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2022 31:55


    Lauren Poe is part of ESPN's sports analytics team, which is responsible for metrics like Total QBR, Power Indices for Basketball, Football, and Soccer, and Strength of Record for college football. She has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Oklahoma, spent time as a math teacher, and got her ESPN in the Stats and Analysis department. In this conversation, Lauren talks about…Her career path from math teacher to ESPNHer early years in the ESPN Stats & Analysis groupThe challenges and importance of data cleaningSteps she took to join ESPN's analytics teamWhat she does as a sports analytics developerCreating and maintaining ESPN's metricsHer favorite college football metricsCommunicating data well in writieHow she watches games, especially Oklahoma footballThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Lauren.Show LinksFollow Lauren on Twitter: @laurenpoe.Follow the Women in Sports Data on Twitter: @WinSportsData.To check out the Women in Sports Data website, click here.To check out ESPN's 2022 College Football Playoff predictor, click here.To check great article explaining ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Julio Costa - Data Scientist, Fulham Football Club

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2022 42:17


    This week, we're doing things a bit differently on Expected Value. Producer Sergio De La Espriella has taken over Expected Value and conducted an interview in Spanish, as a way of expanding accessibility to data and analytics information to the Spanish-speaking public. Our first Spanish-speaking guest is Julio Costa, data scientist for Fulham F.C. in the Premier League. Julio has an unorthodox background that includes studying in the United States, running his own analytics blog, and a history of coaching. In this conversation, Julio talks about…His day to day duties as a data scientist.His interaction with the players and coaching staff.How data is prioritized at Fulham vs at other places he has been.His journey to arriving at Fulham.What he learned from his time at the University of Texas at Austin.The Analysts Eye and how that impacted his career.What he looks for when watching a match.Tips for those looking to become a soccer data scientist.His soccer fandom history coming from Portugal.His favorite place to eat in London.Show LinksFollow Julio on Twitter: @juliocosta_lisb.Follow The Analyst Eye on Twitter: @theanalysteye.To check out The Analyst Eye, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Sarah Rudd - Vice President, Blue Crow Sports Group

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2022 37:06


    Sarah Rudd is one of the early pioneers of modern soccer analytics, being heavily involved in the evolution of soccer analytics over the last 10-15 years. Rudd recently joined Blue Crow Sports Group after spending time with Arsenal in the Premier League. Sarah is half of the “First Family” of soccer analytics, being married to Ravi Ramineni, another top soccer analytics mind who previously worked as the Director of Analytics for the Seattle Sounders. Ravi was on Expected Value a couple of years ago, making them the first wife-and-husband combo to appear on the podcast. In this conversation, Sarah talks about…Her academic background and early professional path before transitioning into soccerThe 2011 presentation that put her on the soccer analytics mapWhat she did at StatDNA (the company Arsenal bought to be their in-house analytics group)How the acceptance of analytics changed during her decade with ArsenalBridging the stereotypical gap between scouting and analyticsWorking on the private side of soccer analyticsAdvantages and disadvantages of a club doing everything in-houseHer new company Blue Crow Sport Group and what they're up toHow she and her husband Ravi watch soccer gamesWhat she's done to track her excitement level during World Cup matchesThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Sarah.Show LinksFollow Sarah on Twitter: @srudd_ok.To check out Sarah on LinkedIn, click here.To check out Sarah's 2011 NESSIS presentation, click here.To take a look at a Guardian piece on StatDNA being bought by Arsenal, click here.To check out a NY Times article on Arsenal and soccer analytics, click here.For more on Blue Crow Sports Group, click here.For more on Blue Crow Sports Group's recent purchase of C.D. Leganes, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Chris Cleary - Ole Miss Baseball Volunteer Assistant Coach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2022 37:30


    Chris Cleary is fresh off winning a national championship in his 4th season with the Ole Miss program, the 2nd national championship in Ole Miss athletics history. The Rebels were 7-14 in conference play at one point and turned their season around en route to a national championship. Chris joined the Rebels in August of 2018 as the Coordinator of Operations before being promoted to his current role in July of 2020. In this conversation, Chris talks about…The College World Series experience and Ole Miss' bounce backWhy the state of Mississippi has had so much college baseball success recentlyWhat he does with the team and how analytics in incorporated into his processHow he uses data to help Ole Miss in the field, at the plate, and on the moundThe art of communicating that data to playersHow data has evolved in college baseball over the past decadeWhere to eat in OxfordThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Chris.Show LinksFollow Chris on Twitter: @ccleary05.To check out Chris' biography, click here.To take a look at Ole Miss baseball's facilities tour, click here.To check out Chris' case study on the Cubs infield outs from 2019, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Robin Lund - Pitching Coach, University of Iowa

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2022 35:05


    Robin Lund just wrapped up his fourth season with the Iowa Hawkeyes and his third season as the pitching coach. Iowa pitchers finished the season top-five in the country in ERA, K%, and opponents batting average, among other stats. Before he joined the Iowa staff, Robin spent over 15 years as an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology as UNI. In this conversation, Robin talks about…His journey to becoming the Iowa Hawkeyes pitching coachHis work as a kinesiology professor and how that applies to coachingHow he got into traditional baseball analyticsHis approach to baseball data as someone who came from the sports science sideWorking with Iowa's highly-regarded student manager programAdvice for data-minded people working with baseball peopleBalancing individual pitcher plans with team-wide goals and approachesWhere to eat in Iowa CityThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Robin.Show LinksFollow Robin on Twitter: @Lunderton.To check out Robin's biography, click here.For more on Robin's path to Iowa, click here.For more on Robin's passion for cooking, click here.For more on Iowa's student manager program, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Seth Partnow - Director of Basketball, StatsBomb

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2022 50:00


    Seth Partnow was formerly the Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he now writes for The Athletic and is the Director of Basketball for the data company StatsBomb. Last November he released a book titled: The Midrange Theory, Basketball's Evolution in the Age of Analytics. In this conversation, Seth talks about…His book The Midrange Theory, Basketball's Evolution in the Age of AnalyticsThe first two games of the 2022 NBA FinalsHow he watches games and looks at data afterwardsThe state of NBA analytics in generalHis path from law school to the NBAAdvice for anyone interested in basketball analyticsHis Luc Longley storyThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Seth.Show LinksFollow Seth on Twitter: @SethPartnow.To read Seth's writing on The Athletic, click here.To buy Seth's book The Midrange Theory, click here.To buy Thinking Basketball, click here.To buy Basketball on Paper, click here.To check out Cleaning the Glass, click here.To catch up on Kevin Pelton's writing, follow him on Twitter: @kpelton.For more information on Seth's favorite Milwaukee spot The Vanguard, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Fernando Palomo - ESPN Play-by-Play Commentator

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2022 44:10


    Fernando Palomo has worked at ESPN since 2000 as an anchor and soccer play-by-play commentator, both in English and Spanish. Fernando has covered multiple major soccer events including World Cups, Euros, and the UEFA Champions League. He has been one of the more receptive soccer people to using data and advanced stats on TV and frequently uses analytics in his broadcasts. In this conversation, Fernando talks about…The upcoming Liverpool-Real Madrid Champions League finalWhat he looks for in soccer statsHow he uses data as an announcerThe differences in calling a game in English vs SpanishHow data is used and received differently in two languagesA track and field record that he still holds in his native El SalvadorThen, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Fernando.Show LinksFollow Fernando on Twitter: @fernandopalomo.To read up on Fernando's bio, click here.To read a Q&A he did with Texas A&M Today, click here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Robyn Ritchie - 2022 NFL Big Data Bowl Champion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2022 33:14


    Robyn Ritchie, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, is part of the team that won the NFL's Big Data Bowl this year. This was the fourth annual Big Data Bowl, put on by Mike Lopez and the league's analytics staff, and the topic this year was special teams, with each team given a set of tracking data and asked to come up with analysis and strategies based on that data. Robyn and her teammates (Brendan Kumagai, Ryker Moreau, Elijah Cavan) bested over 200 contestants with their entry, entitled “Punt Returns: Using the Math to Find the Path” In this conversation, Robyn talks about…Exactly what data she and her team usedHow they approached the contestWhat methods and tools they used along the wayChallenges they ran intoCommunicating their ideas effectivelyHer path to getting a master's and a PhD in statisticsWhy Simon Fraser has produced so many good sports analystsHer advice for people looking to get into the fieldHer work in curling analytics (yes, curling!)Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Robyn.Show LinksFollow Robyn on Twitter: @RR_SportsStats.For more on the Big Data Bowl, click here.To watch the 2022 Big Data Bowl Finals, click here.To see the Kaggle Robyn referenced in the episode, click here.For more on the Canadian Statistics Student Conference, click here.Check out the Winnipeg Free Press' piece on Robyn by clicking here.Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter.Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn.

    Mike Tannenbaum - Founder, The 33rd Team

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022


    Mike Tannenbaum started working in the NFL as an intern with the Saints back in 1994, and he worked his way up with the Browns, Saints and Jets, becoming the Jets general manager in 2006, then the Dolphins executive vice president of football operations in 2015. Mike is now the founder of The 33rd Team, a football think tank and media platform. In this conversation, Mike talks about… * The AFC and NFC Championship games * How Mike watches football games from a general manager's perspective * What The 33rd Team is and how The 33rd Team uses analytics, including their Comprehensive Passing Metric * How data was used when Mike first started in the 90s vs how data is used now * Mike's experience appearing on an episode of CSI:NY Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Mike. Show Links * Follow Mike on Twitter: @RealTannenbaum * Check out The 33rd Team here. * Follow The 33rd Team on Twitter: @The33rdTeamFB * Check out the Comprehensive Passing Metric here. * Check out Mike's appearance on CSI:NY here. * Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn

    Chip Hale - Arizona Baseball Head Coach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 30:05


    Chip Hale won a national title as a player with Arizona back in 1986, played seven years in the major leagues, then spent 15 years as a major-league coach and manger. He won a World Series as the Nationals bench coach in 2019, and then took over the Arizona baseball program last summer. In this conversation, Chip talks about… * The evolution of data availability over the course of his playing and coaching career * What information college teams have access to * What college kids expect from data and how they use it * How he balances stats and the eye test when making in-game decisions * Keys to communicating with players * Managing a couple innings in the 2019 World Series * Memories from winning the 1986 NCAA title with Arizona Then, TruMedia's Sergio De La Espriella joins the show to discuss Paul's conversation with Chip. Show Links * Follow Chip on Twitter: @UHCoachHale * Check out Chip's biography here. * Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, TuneIn

    Jill Reiner & Ella Summer - NFL Big Data Bowl winners

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2021 43:15


    Jill Reiner and Ella Summer won the college division of this year's NFL Big Data Bowl, which asked participants to “evaluate defensive performance on passing plays.” In these conversations, Jill and Ella will talk about…. - What they're studying in school - How they got interested in the Big Data Bowl and decided to join the competition - Their approaches and methodologies in evaluating pass defense performance - What surprised them as they dove into the data - What next steps they'd ideally take to examine the topic further - Keys to communicating their work effectively - Other work they've done in sports analytics Then TruMedia's Andy Cox, who was a Big Data Bowl judge, joins the show to discuss the process of evaluating entries, along with what Jill and Ella did well. Show links - Follow Jill on Twitter: @jillhreiner - Follow Jill's black labs on Instagram: @archieandbodie - Jill's Big Data Bowl submission on Kaggle - Denison interview with Jill - Follow Ella on Twitter: @EllaSummer17 - Ella's Big Data Bowl submission on Kaggle - Announcement of Big Data Bowl winners - Watch the Big Data Bowl winners and presentations - Ben Baldwin's Big Data Bowl summary on The Athletic - Follow TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    Robbie Robinson - Mets Complex Manager & Catching Instructor

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2021 31:26


    Robbie Robinson is a Complex Manager and Catching Instructor for the New York Mets. In this conversation, Robbie talks about… - His baseball career path - What he does for the Mets in his current role - The evolution of available data over the past decade - Using data to both know yourself and know others - Keys to communicating data and the importance of relationships - What data helps in evaluating the catching process - Catcher framing data and applying that to catching technique - Advice for analyst types looking to interact with players and coaches - His how-did-I-get-here moment with a Hall-of-Fame player Show links - Follow Robbie on Twitter: @robrobinson23 - TruMedia job openings - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    Alex Vigderman - Lead Research Analyst, Sports Info Solutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2021 37:01


    Alex Vigderman is a Lead Research Analyst at Sports Info Solutions, and he talks about… - What Sports Info Solutions does - What he does as Lead Research Analyst - Compiling the SIS Football Rookie Handbook and takeaways from its statistical analysis - Analyzing strengths and weaknesses of Florida QB Kyle Trask - The draft prospect that numbers suggest is undervalued - Sports Info Solutions' Total Points model, which measures individual contribution in football - Creating metrics without necessarily knowing a player's intent on a play - Fine-tuning the Defensive Runs Saved stat - The SIS defensive fantasy baseball draft - Takeaways from this year's SABR conference - His path into sports analytics, as a psychology major at Penn Show links - Follow Alex on Twitter: @vigmanoncampus - Purchase the SIS Football Rookie Handbook or e-book - Total Points: a primer and a look at the future - Sports Info Solutions DRS draft - Software Engineer job opening at TruMedia - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    John Tobias - Sports Statistics Professor & TV Statistician

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 41:06


    John Tobias is a professor of sports statistics and analytics at UNC-Charlotte, and he also works as a TV statistician for a variety of sports. In this conversation, John talks about… - His unconventional path to working in both TV and the academic world - What a statistician does during a broadcast - How to choose what stats are given to talent - Challenges to live TV - How advanced stats factor into TV - Communicating stats concisely in broadcasts - Components that go into teaching sports statistics - Advice for students and people interested in a sports analytics career - Diversity (or lack thereof) in the sports analytics world - Suggestions for making the field more diverse - His favorite event he’s covered working in TV Show links - Follow John on Twitter and Instagram - John’s bio at UNC-Charlotte - Boston Globe article on diversity in sports analytics - Strength in Numbers charity Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    Mike Petriello - MLB.com

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2020 40:58


    Mike Petriello is a writer and analyst for MLB.com, host of the Ballpark Dimensions podcast, and analyst on ESPN’s Statcast broadcasts. In this conversation, Mike talks about… - The Rays pulling Blake Snell in the sixth inning of Game 6, and the fallout of that move - How he decides what to write about - His process for diving into the data - His articles on Cody Bellinger’s fielding prowess and the different arm angles of the Rays pitching staff - How to communicate complex ideas in writing - What’s on the Statcast horizon - Preparing for the Statcast broadcasts - Differences in communicating data on TV compared to writing - His career path to being a baseball writer - Advice for aspiring baseball writers Show links - @mike_petriello on Twitter - Ballpark Dimensions podcast - Cody Belinger’s fielding excellence - Arm angles of Rays pitchers - No one shifts DJ LeMahieu - Mike’s career path - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    Justin Ray - 15th Club

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2020 54:27


    Justin Ray is the Head of Content for 15th Club, and he was previously a Senior Researcher at The Golf Channel and ESPN. Among the topics covered… - How 15th Club works with golfers and media - How golf data has evolved over the past 20 years - What Strokes Gained is and how it can be used - How players use data on and off the course - Bryson DeChambeau’s unique approach to the game - What’s next in golf analytics and how they trickle down to recreational golfers - How to get started in golf analytics - How he researches a tournament - What makes The Masters unique from an analysis standpiont - His top players to watch at The Masters - How Barbaro got Justin a job at ESPN Show links - Follow @JustinRayGolf on Twitter - 15th Club - Justin’s golf writing on 15th Club - Shotlink - Strokes Gained explained - The Increasing Presence of Data Analytics in Golf - How Bryson DeChambeau is Breaking Golf - PGA Tour stats page - Datagolf.com - Salt Lick BBQ - Driftwood, TX - Franklin Barbecue - Austin, TX - Picture of “Bill Self Killed Barbaro” sign - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter Listen here or wherever you get podcasts: Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher , TuneIn

    Alok Pattani - Google Cloud

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 53:42


    Alok Pattani is a Data Science Developer Advocate for Google Cloud, which partners with sports organizations including Major League Baseball and the NCAA. He is also a consultant for the Dallas Cowboys, and he was previously a founding member of ESPN’s sports analytics department. In this conversation, Alok will talk about… - What Google Cloud is and what he does for them - How Google works with MLB and the NCAA - BigQuery and how he uses it - How the volume of sports data has changed in recent years - What he does for the Cowboys - What NFL teams are doing in the analytics space and how NGS data has changed that - Advice for students looking to get into sports analytics - Why he chose sports and ESPN out of college - Developing and communicating metrics at ESPN - Researching LeBron James’ The Decision show at ESPN - How he combines his love for data with his love for ice cream Show links - Follow Alok on Twitter: @AlokPattani - MLB Film Room powered by Google Cloud - Alok’s white paper on schedule-adjusted metrics in NCAA basketball (page 92) - Using BigQuery to simulate March Madness - Explaining ESPN’s Total QBR - 2011 notes on the Mavericks and Dan Crawford - Paul Carr’s Google presentation on effectively communicating data - Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Keith Goldner - VP of Data Science, FanDuel

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 37:58


    Keith Goldner is the Vice President of Data Science at FanDuel, where he oversees the company’s sports modeling and innovation. He’s also the Chief Analyst for numberFire, the sports projection company he helped start straight out of college about a decade ago. In this episode, Keith talks about… - What he does for FanDuel and numberFire - Working with NBA teams, both now and a decade ago - The most important thing in communicating data - How to break into the sports analytics field - What he looks for when hiring employees - Three main avenues for sports analytics jobs - Majoring in math at Northwestern - Value of internships - His tough decision to choose a startup over a team job after college - Differences between backward-looking and forward-looking modeling - State of field hockey analytics - Hanging out with Shaq Show links - Follow Keith on Twitter: @keithgoldner - Keith’s web site - FanDuel and numberFire - Sloan Sports Analytics Conference panels - Forbes 30 under 30 - Drive-By Football - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Brian Burke - ESPN Senior Analytics Specialist

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2020 57:23


    Brian Burke has been at the forefront of football analytics over over a decade, since creating AdvancedNFLStats.com in the mid-2000s. He’s now a Senior Analytics Specialist at ESPN, where he and the analytics team recently unveiled new metrics for Run Block Win Rate and Run Stop Win Rate. In this episode, Brian will discuss… - Previous metrics he’s developed at ESPN - The process of building the models for Run Block Win Rate and Run Stop Win Rate - Challenges he and the team faced in creating these metrics - How he knows when to stop tinkering with new metrics and let them loose - The excitement of releasing new metrics into the wild - The headline story of the metric: Aaron Donald is average against the run - What’s next on the analytics horizon - What a typical NFL Sunday looks like - His path from being a Navy fighter pilot to the sports analytics world - A favorite Army-Navy moment - How he broke a Navy war game. Show links - Follow Brian on Twitter: @bburkeESPN - Introduction to Run Block Win Rate and Run Stop Win Rate - Aaron Donald is an average run defender - Pass Block Win Rate and Pass Rush Win Rate - ESPN’s Analytics home page - Brian Burke bio - Brian joins ESPN - Advanced Football Analytics - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Dean Oliver - Assistant Coach for Analytics, Washington Wizards

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2020 46:03


    Currently an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, Dean Oliver is one of the godfathers of basketball analytics. In 2003, he wrote Basketball on Paper, one of the first and best books published in the field. Since then, he’s worked for four NBA teams plus ESPN and TruMedia. In this episode, he talks about… * What he learned in his first season on the bench with the Wizards * His role during a game * Importance of using video with data * How NBA analytics have changed over two decades * How basketball analytics is like ice cream * Where to start if you’re getting to know NBA data * Importance of telling a story when using numbers * Working in the media at ESPN * How Basketball on Paper came to be and how Bill James was involved * Thoughts on his Four Factors 17 years later * When he first thought he had a chance to work in basketball * Memories from his playing days at Cal Tech Show links * Follow @DeanO_Lytics on Twitter * Basketball on Paper * How the Wizards use Dean Oliver * Wizards philosophical shift in hiring Dean Oliver * How Dean Oliver changes the Wizards thinking * Wizards hire Dean Oliver * Presentation at 2016 OptaPro Forum * Dean’s writing archives * Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Namita Nandakumar - Senior Quantitative Analyst, Seattle Kraken

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2020 53:30


    Namita Nandakumar is a senior quantitative analyst for the expansion Seattle Kraken, which begin NHL play in the 2021-22 season. Namita came to Seattle from the Philadelphia Eagles, and she’ll talk about… - The excitement around the Seattle Kraken franchise - Building a hockey team and an analytics team from scratch - The state of hockey data in the NHL and beyond - What she’s looking forward to about player tracking data - Differences in working in football and hockey analytics - Differences between doing public analytics and working for a team - Her public work on drafting perfectly in the NHL and the effect of player size - Her pitch for using the programming language R - Advice for aspiring sports analysts - Getting more women and underrepresented communities into sports analytics Show Links - Follow Namita on Twitter: @nnstats - Profile on NHL.com - Namita on Hockey Graphs and The Athletic - Namita’s Twitter thread for people with sports analytics aspirations - Hockey analytics starter kit - What Does It Mean to Draft Perfectly: NESSIS poster and slide presentation - Hockey Graphs mentorship program - Measurables Office Hours program, Twitter, podcast - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Tyler Heaps - Director of Sporting Analytics, U.S. Soccer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2020 40:49


    Tyler Heaps is U.S. Soccer’s director of sporting analytics, and in this episode he’ll talk about… - Working with national teams from the senior level through the youth ranks - How they’re handling work during the pandemic - Thoughts on what Gregg Berhalter said in the previous episode - Factoring league quality into analysis - Dealing with small sample sizes - Keys to working and communicating with a wide swath of coaches and players - How he watches a game - What’s interesting about player-tracking data - His role in France with the World Cup-winning U.S. women - Tips for breaking into the sports analytics field - His favorite stadium in England Show links - Follow Tyler on Twitter and LinkedIn - 2019 NESSIS panel - Article on his 2019 Opta Pro Soccer presentation - Augsburg alumni spotlight - Follow @TruMediaSports on Twitter

    Gregg Berhalter - U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2020 33:56


    Gregg Berhalter has been the head coach of the United States men’s national soccer team since December 2018, following a playing career that spanned 18 years and four countries (Netherlands, England, Germany, U.S.). He thenmanaged Swedish club Hammarby and the Columbus Crew before taking the USMNT job. In this conversation, Berhalter discusses… - How data crept into his prep process as a player and coach - How he and his staff use analytics to monitor the player pool - Using data in game prep and during games - What happens when data and the eye test conflict - Keys to communicating data to players - How he watches a game with data in mind - One of his favorite games from his playing career - His godfather, Hall-of-Famer Carl Yastrzemski Show links - Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. Soccer bio - How the USMNT uses fitness data - Highlights of the 2008 German Cup quarterfinal between Bayern and 1860 Munich - Berhalter’s godfather is Carl Yastrzemski - TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports

    Corrie van Zyl - Cricket South Africa

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2020 42:18


    Corrie van Zyl is a Cricket South Africa consultant who previously served as CSA’s general manager and the head coach of the South Africa national team, and he played for South Africa in the early 1990s. He talks about… - How cricket data has evolved and what tracking data is now available - How teams use data in player selection, match prep, batting orders, in-game decisions - Analytics tools like ProVision and Hawkeye - Strategic differences between test cricket and T20 cricket - How the game has changed in recent years - Parallels between cricket and baseball analytics - Future of cricket analytics Show links - Corrie van Zyl on ESPNcricinfo - Two-minute cricket primer video - Cricket South Africa- ProVision analytics platform - Lord’s Cricket Ground in London - TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports

    Ben Mackriell - Stats Perform

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2020 59:43


    Ben Mackriell is the Head of Team Performance Product Strategy at Stats Perform, which owns the data-tracking company Opta. In our conversation, Ben discusses… - What teams are doing with data while leagues are shut down - How he got into sports analytics - His first club job with Everton - Working at Everton, Fulham, Reading, Norwich City & Burnley - The best advice he received as an analyst - Keys to communicating data at clubs - How he works with clubs in his Stats Perform role - AI, computer vision, and the future of analytics - The state of analytics in cricket and rugby - Why he roots for Boston teams - Joining Fulham right before Clint Dempsey’s famous chip against Juventus Show links - Follow Ben on Twitter (@BenMackriell) & LinkedIn - Stats Perform & OptaPro - ProVision, the analytical platform from Stats Perform & TruMedia - How Opta collects data - Ben’s reflections on the 2020 OptaPro Forum - British Lions 2017 rugby documentary - Clint Dempsey’s chip vs Juventus in the 2010 Europa League quarters - The Test, an Australian cricket documentary series on Amazon Prime - The MVP Machine, by Ben Lindbergh & Travis Sawchik - Stats Perform on Twitter: @StatsPerform - TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports

    Steve Fenn - Data Visualization Architect

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2020 47:40


    Steve Fenn is a data visualization architect who specializes in Tableau. In our conversation, he’ll talk about… - Importance and usefulness of data visualization - What Tableau is, how it’s used to create data viz, and why it’s popular - Principles of good data viz - Common mistakes he sees - Good visualizations he’s created and mistakes he’s made - His Tableau Development Academy Show links - Steve’s Tableau Development Academy - Follow Steve on Twitter: @StatHunting - Steve on LinkedIn - Steve’s Tableau page - Jimi Hendrix visualization - Star Wars visualization - MLS payroll visualization - Makeover Monday - Steve on John Burn-Murdoch’s visualization talk at the Sounders Analytics Conference - Follow TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports

    Cynthia Frelund - Data Scientist, NFL Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2020 42:47


    Cynthia Frelund is a data scientist for the NFL Network, where she brings analytical insight to all aspects of the network’s coverage, including this week’s NFL Draft. In this episode, Cynthia talks about… - Her analytics-based mock draft and how it differs from traditional mocks and big boards - What prospect jumps out to her from a data perspective - How she uses predictive analytics during the NFL season - Dealing with the inevitability of predictions being wrong - Communicating data and working through resistance to analytics - Listening to NFL personnel and translating their thoughts into data - Tools that go into her modeling (including Computer Vision, NGS data and various programming languages) - Her path through business school and ESPN to her current position - Advice to women in the field - Her favorite marathon of the 20+ that she’s run Show Links- Follow Cynthia on Twitter: @cfrelund - Women in Football Draft Special on Twitch - Mock Draft 2.0 - Analytics-based fits for top QBs - Cynthia’s NFL.com articles - Jets.com profile - Women in Sports Tech profile - Reddit AMA - FoxSports.com conversation - The42.ie interview - Northwestern’s predictive analytics master’s program - Follow TruMedia on Twitter: @TruMediaSports

    Eric Thibault - Associate Head Coach, Washington Mystics

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2020 29:42


    Eric Thibault is the associate head coach of the reigning WNBA champion Washington Mystics. He’s been with the Mystics since 2013, and he has his hands in most every aspect of coaching the team. In this conversation, he talks about… - What he does as an associate head coach - Using data in advance scouting, player development, draft prep and more - How available data has changed in the past decade - Communicating with players and reinforcing positively - Getting married a week after the WNBA Finals Show links - Follow Eric on Twtter: @ET_hoops - Thibault promoted to associate head coach - Thibaults keep coaching in the family - Mystics-Lynx analytics scrimmage in 2015 - Thibault joins Mystics staff

    Jonathan Tosches - Manager of Advance Scouting, Washington Nationals

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 44:37


    The second guest in Expected Value’s Champions series is Jonathan Tosches, Manager of Advance Scouting for the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals. In this episode, we talk about… - What MLB advance scouts do - Data he uses and what he produces - Communicating and building relationships with players and coaches - Working in the replay room during games - How he saved the Nationals season - His career path to the Nationals - Stories from winning the World Series Show links - Tosches sees Strasburg tipping pitches in World Series - Nationals celebrate at Capitals game

    Ravi Ramineni - Director of Soccer Analytics, Seattle Sounders

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2020 54:37


    To kick off our Champions series on Expected Value, our first guest is Ravi Ramineni, director of soccer analytics for the reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders. Ravi talks about… - His role, which covers on-field strategy, player recruitment & salary cap - What he does on a matchday - How his job has evolved in seven years with Seattle - Descriptive, predictive & prescriptive analytics - His career path from India to an MLS club - Being married to a data analyst for another soccer club - Winning trophies with Seattle

    Sheil Kapadia - NFL Writer, The Athletic

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2020 28:30


    The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia mixes journalism and data as well as anyone covering the NFL. At last month’s NFL combine, he talked about… - His career path to ESPN and The Athletic - How he started manually tracking data - Using numbers in journalism - Evolution of NFL data during his reporting career - How teams are using analytics better - Advice for aspiring sports journalists Show Links- Twitter: @SheilKapadia - Sheil on The Athletic - Top 100 NFL free agents - How the Ravens gain an advantage with fourth-down aggressiveness - Video of John Harbaugh talking analytics

    NFL Big Data Bowl winners - Dmitry Gordeev and Philipp Singer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2020 35:37


    Dmitry Gordeev and Philipp Singer won the NFL’s second Big Data Bowl, which asked competitors the question: When an NFL ball carrier takes a handoff, how many yards should we expect the play to gain? Expected Value spoke with the winners at the NFL Combine, covering topics including… - How two Europeans with minimal NFL knowledge won the Big Data Bowl - Keys to developing their model - What separated their entry from the pack - What their work suggests about running back skill - What else interests them in sports analytics Show links- Dmitry Gordeev on Twitter: @dott1718 - Philipp Singer on Twitter: @ph_singer - 2020 NFL Big Data Bowl - Sports Techie conversation with the winners - The Athletic’s preview and recap of the competition

    Tom Worville - Analytics Writer, The Athletic

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2020 33:28


    Tom Worville is a newly-minted football (soccer) analytics writer for The Athletic, and he was previously a senior data analyst for the data and analytics company Opta. In this episode, he talks about… - His Opta Pro Forum presentation on long and short goal kicks - His career path from Analytics FC to Opta to The Athletic - Why he’s joining The Athletic and what he’ll do there - Communicating through data and visualization - Being called a geek by Sam Allardyce Show links- Follow Tom on Twitter: @Worville - Tom’s writing on The Athletic - His Opta Pro Forum presentation in four visuals

    Opta Pro Forum - Conversations with Four Presenters

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2020 47:06


    This episode features conversations with four presenters from last week’s Opta Pro Forum, a soccer analytics conference held in London. - Karun Singh, a software engineer who used tracking data to identify recurring match situations - David Perdomo Meza, a data scientist at Twenty3 who looked at how different playing styles worked against each other - Will Gürpinar-Morgan, a Stats Perform data scientist who identified player roles using unsupervised learning - Vignesh Jayanth, who is working on a master’s in data science and analyzed how to break down a low-block defense Show links - Karun Singh: @karun1710 - David Perdomo Meza: @dperdomomeza1, Twenty3 - Will Gurpinar-Morgan: @WillTGM, Stats Perform - Vignesh Jayanth: @VigneshJayanth1 - Opta Pro: @OptaPro, web site & blog

    Aaron Schatz - Football Outsiders Founder & Editor-in-Chief

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2020 33:14


    Aaron Schatz is the founder and editor-in-chief of Football Outsiders, the first prominent football analytics web site. On this episode, we’ll talk about… - Why the Chiefs are a 57% Super Bowl favorite, per DVOA - How the Chiefs and 49ers match up on both sides of the ball - Origins of Football Outsiders and DVOA - Where football analytics is going - How much easier getting into football analytics is now - How he watches NFL games - Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers Show links- Twitter: @FO_ASchatz, Football Outsiders - Football Outsiders - What is DVOA? - DVOA ratings entering the Super Bowl - Football Outsiders research findings - Football Outsiders on ESPN - Off the Charts football podcast - Aaron Schatz on Seth Meyers

    Claim Expected Value

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel