Comments on: The mathematical game http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/ European Opinion Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:39:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mats http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Mats Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:10:05 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=34#comment-279 A mathematical comment (critique): This football calculation, and the resulting ranking seems to imply that "better" is transitive with respect to football teams. A better than B and B better than C implies that A is better than C. But I'm not sure this would be the case. Not even simple dice are transitive - consider three sided dice with number of eyes: A: 2, 2, 5 B: 3, 3, 3 C: 1, 4, 4 Which die is better (more often show more eyes than the others). Well B is better than A (which always lose on 2 and win on 5) and C is better than B (as C always win on 4 and lose on 1). Is C therefore "best". No, C loses against A 3 times in 3 on 1 and loses 1 times in 3 on 4. C has two 4's so C loses 3+1+1 (=5) times in 9 against A. Hence A is better than C which is better than B which is better than A! Which one is best? You can't make a ranking among these simple three-sided dice. How do you expect to make a mathematical ranking among things as complex as football teams!? A mathematical comment (critique): This football calculation, and the resulting ranking seems to imply that “better” is transitive with respect to football teams. A better than B and B better than C implies that A is better than C. But I’m not sure this would be the case. Not even simple dice are transitive – consider three sided dice with number of eyes:

A: 2, 2, 5
B: 3, 3, 3
C: 1, 4, 4

Which die is better (more often show more eyes than the others). Well B is better than A (which always lose on 2 and win on 5) and C is better than B (as C always win on 4 and lose on 1). Is C therefore “best”. No, C loses against A 3 times in 3 on 1 and loses 1 times in 3 on 4. C has two 4′s so C loses 3+1+1 (=5) times in 9 against A.

Hence A is better than C which is better than B which is better than A! Which one is best? You can’t make a ranking among these simple three-sided dice. How do you expect to make a mathematical ranking among things as complex as football teams!?

]]> By: Edward Hugh http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/comment-page-1/#comment-278 Edward Hugh Wed, 17 Sep 2003 17:59:34 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=34#comment-278 "some eyebrows may be raised at Barcelona in fifth". Yep, we're going for EUFA this year, so I'll have to plump for the next best thing: Marseille. Allez les Phoceans. “some eyebrows may be raised at Barcelona in fifth”. Yep, we’re going for EUFA this year, so I’ll have to plump for the next best thing: Marseille. Allez les Phoceans.

]]> By: Nick Barlow http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/comment-page-1/#comment-277 Nick Barlow Tue, 16 Sep 2003 21:28:57 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=34#comment-277 On a more serious note, having had a look at the site, I think they place far too high a weighting on which country a side plays in (which explains why Sociedad have such a high rating). Obviously, that's useful in stopping dominant sides in small countries (TNS in Wales, say) from getting an arbitrarily high rating from thimping part-timers week in, week out, but it seems to be a bit too much of a blunt instrument around the top with some quite mediocre sides from big leagues coming out ahead of good sides from smaller (or less rich) leagues. For instance, it ranks Bolton as higher than PSG. But that is partly good news, as it means that Wolves won't be competing with Faroese, Azerbaijani and Luxembourgeois sides for last place. On a more serious note, having had a look at the site, I think they place far too high a weighting on which country a side plays in (which explains why Sociedad have such a high rating). Obviously, that’s useful in stopping dominant sides in small countries (TNS in Wales, say) from getting an arbitrarily high rating from thimping part-timers week in, week out, but it seems to be a bit too much of a blunt instrument around the top with some quite mediocre sides from big leagues coming out ahead of good sides from smaller (or less rich) leagues. For instance, it ranks Bolton as higher than PSG.

But that is partly good news, as it means that Wolves won’t be competing with Faroese, Azerbaijani and Luxembourgeois sides for last place.

]]> By: Nick Barlow http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Nick Barlow Tue, 16 Sep 2003 21:14:23 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=34#comment-276 In Wolves case we should probably add, 'if they last that long'. Pah! We're guaranteed 38 games...though we might well be effectively relegated after 25 at this rate. Does the system allow for negative ratings? In Wolves case we should probably add, ‘if they last that long’.

Pah! We’re guaranteed 38 games…though we might well be effectively relegated after 25 at this rate.

Does the system allow for negative ratings?

]]> By: Patrick (G) http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/the-mathematical-game/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Patrick (G) Tue, 16 Sep 2003 20:29:18 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=34#comment-275 What is it about sports that turns otherwise math-phobic men into amateur actuarians ? I had thought it was an american peculiarity, but apparently not. What is it about sports that turns otherwise math-phobic men into amateur actuarians ?
I had thought it was an american peculiarity,
but apparently not.

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