Great article by our very own WhiskeyDizzy. I highly recommend checking out his new article. It's on the front page... and here is a direct link as well:


http://www.twolvesblog.com/20071009305/minnesota-timberwolves/articles/ill-trade-you-for-a-ring.html


He has used Regression Analysis to formulate and tweak equations which predict the win-loss records of any given team(s) for an upcoming season, after which they traded an All-Star caliber player. He created equations for both the Timberwolves and Celtics for the 2007-08 season. Check it out, it's quite fascinating. Read on to see how many wins his formulas predict for the Wolves and Celtics this year!


CW EDIT 1/16/09: Well holy crap, how about that! He was only off by 1 win! Amazing.

A dude on Celticsblog posted a link to your article in their forums, and they are discussing your article:


http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=10928.0


Whiskey, you may want to sign up there and go settle some of their comments!!!

College Wolf wrote:
I'm on my way to check it out!! Counldn't look at Celticsblog at work...really busy day!!

by the way, definite howl for that article

DeROK wrote:
Agreed. I just gave him one too...

Hey Whiskey,

Great rebuttal on Celticsblog! I think you responded very firmly, yet tastefully. I am interested in seeing how the guys drinking the Haterade respond...

Also, I responded right after you. I wonder if the forums are slow tonight cuz the Sox were playing in the playoffs? That would be my guess.

I have a feeling that if your numbers predicted 58 wins for the team, they'd all be heralding you as a mathmatical genius!

DeROK wrote:
I agree, I was gonna bring up that point in my response but felt it would only add fuel to the fire. I appreciate your support guys!

CW, that \"musings\" was one of the best articles I've read in a loooooong time! It was really really good!

Derok, your BOTB response was sooooo ca$$$$h money! Every single sentence was LOL funny!!

whiskeydizzy wrote:
Yeah, oh well... I do agree with Derok on that though too. I mean, 48 wins could totally happen. So many variables throughout the course of the entire season.

Thanks for the props, I enjoy doing the \"Musings\" articles.

One guy sent me an email, but it was the same as his post. Fin-dawgg wrote this:

I enjoyed the piece a great deal, I took it how what you intended it to be, a fun idea that you tested in order to see what would happen. I don’t think 48 wins is unreasonable, basketball is a funny game and anything can happen. A question I would have with regards to the trades you’ve studied, is out of the 30 trades involving All-Star players how many of those trades took place before a season, giving players training camp to adjust to their new surroundings, and during a season, when they have to learn and adjust while playing games. I think these elements may be an important variable to consider. I don’t believe teams that make trades during a season, particularly later in the season, reap the immediate impact of their newly acquired talent; as a result their win totals suffer. I would like to thank you for your time and initiative with regards to what you did, it was a nice piece and you should be proud of it.

--Fin

I haven't heard again from any of the true haters after my post...

here was my response on celticsblog:

Thanks Fin! I appreciate the kind words!! To answer your question, 16 of the players were traded mid-season. I re-ran my regression and including this variable the Celtics should win 51 games next year.

whiskeydizzy wrote:

Nice. Funny that those other haters aren't responding after you went on and did a big response. Lol...

Anyhow, 51 wins is good. My personal prediction for the Celtics was 52, so I think your Regression is pretty damn good.

Your article got mentioned in the latest \"Carnival of the NBA.\"

Congrats!

Yeah, Congratulation! Another howl for you, my friend!

College Wolf wrote:
Wow. Thanks!! Thats really cool!!

Thanks for the howl Derok!!