Background

I am an avid sports fan with a passion for stats, analysis and research.  Part of the fun is identifying trends and relationships among players and teams, and creating my own stats.  Check it out, post your comments; recommended topics and stats are welcome.  Here is some background on my favorite sports and teams.

As a fan of North American team sports—namely baseball, football (not soccer), basketball and ice hockey (field hockey is interesting to watch as well)—the thrill of watching my favorite players exhibit their skills is more satisfying when my team wins the game.  Sports statistics provides a backdrop for conversations and analysis: fans and pundits scrutinize and compare players’ and teams’ performances, either validating their earlier predictions or starting anew with the latest trends (because stats don’t lie).  The ‘lurking variable’ in every game is the unpredictable element (even if the outcome seems predetermined).

Of the aforementioned sports, baseball is my favorite team game; my father and I are longtime fans of the New York Mets.  As a child, I looked forward to watching the games at Shea Stadium with my dad.  The most memorable Shea Stadium moments with my father was the 6-5 come from behind victory against the Boston Red Sox in the 10th inning of Game 6 in the 1986 World Series; and a Friday night game on June 30th, 2000 when the Mets, trailing by seven runs in the 8th inning, rallied to beat the rivaled and hated Braves 10-8 (the scheduled fireworks following the game capped off a great win).

When visiting different ballparks, I want to get to know its personality.  This is not so with other stadiums and arenas.  Canvassing the grounds of a ballpark, seeing the banners of the franchise players and Hall of Famers, checking the view points from different sections, paying outrageous prices at the concession stands, and finally sitting down to watch the game, is part of the ‘full’ experience at a Major League Baseball game.

Football is second on my sports fan list; my favorite team is the New York Giants.  Once in a while I go to a Giants game at the Meadowlands.  Tailgating is the best part of the football game experience.  (In New Orleans the best part of a Saints game is the post game celebration.)  College football does not appeal as much to me.  Being a New Jersey native, I root for Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The hype of each football match up is heightened by the short season and the long wait between games.  Football is like a series of weekly sprints; baseball is more of a long distance race to the finish line.  During the regular season, the sense of urgency is 10-fold with NFL games compared to the outcome of MLB games.

The ebb and flow of emotions watching G-Men coincide with each play.  My excitement and frustration watching the Metropolitans tend to be more controlled and thought-provoking: Is the batter on a hot streak or in a slump?  Will they hit and run?  Who do they have warming up in the bullpen?  Why is the manager making that move?!

Basketball is the third most favorite team sport I enjoy watching; my favorite team is the New Jersey Nets (soon to be the Brooklyn Nets).  My father and I would watch the Nets play at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, and eventually at the Meadowlands.  I am not as much into college basketball, but there is no denying the thrill of March Madness.

Hockey is fourth on my sports fan list; my favorite team is the New York Rangers.  The Blueshirts had a great season and a memorable playoff series versus the New Jersey Devils on their way to winning the Stanley Cup in 1994; it was also a nice to do away with the mocking chants of “1940!”.  Watching hockey on TV is no substitute for watching the game at the arena.