Scorecasting

Written by Moskowitz (finance, Univ. of Chicago) and Sports Illustrated writer Wertheim (Strokes of Genius), Scorecasting is filled with eye-opening refutations of rigidly held beliefs about coaching decisions and refereeing in popular American sports. It opens with a provocative analysis of a football team that almost never punts or attempts field goals—in any situation. What sports idea could be more radical than that? The authors explain why this and other seemingly counterintuitive ideas make good statistical sense and evaluate in depth such concepts as the home field advantage. Actor/writer Zach McLarty's narration makes for a pleasant experience, but listeners may find that having to sit through the recitation of the book's statistical tables may make this title more palatable in print than on audio. Still, all coaches, referees, and team officials should read or listen to this work; serious sports fans will love it. [The Crown Archetype hc, published in February, was a New York Times best seller.—Ed.]—R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA