Dallas Morning News Not Built on Mathematics
9 comments so far
July 17, 2008 by
I’m a numbers a guy. And when you think numbers, you live numbers then it’s not uncommon to be reading a newspaper and see a writer horribly misapply, misinterpret, or flat out misunderstand a number. So it’s not really surprising when you see an author make a mathematical error.
Chip Brown makes his Big 12 predictions and has the Huskers going 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the conference. He spells out the five losses he sees in conference (Missouri, @ Texas Tech, @ OU, Kansas, and @ KSU). That’s a reasonable prediction, I suppose, though neither Missouri nor Kansas has won in Lincoln since Carter and LBJ (respectively) were in the White House and even Bill Callahan had an easy time with Ron Prince’s teams.
But putting that aside it leaves a 2-2 non-conference record. He wants to give Virginia Tech a win in Lincoln? Fine. Their lousy offense may not look so bad if Nebraska’s still playing lousy defense.
However, that would mean he’s predicting a win by Western Michigan, San Jose State, or New Mexico State. In Lincoln. Western Michigan went 5-7 a year ago playing in the MAC. San Jose State went 5-7 and New Mexico Sate went 4-9 a year ago playing in the WAC. Mind you, those WAC schools finished behind the Nevada team that NU annihilated in Lincoln in 2007. Either Beck’s got a lot of faith in these MAC/WAC teams or he’s not yet skilled in adding single digit numbers.
I’ll withhold my season predictions until closer to kickoff, but any way you add it up Beck has got it wrong.
Did you enjoy this article?
Get Husker news by email
Follow us on Twitter
Related Stories: Predictions
Post a comment
tom Jul 17 08
He must think that one of our tune up games will need more fine tuning. I could see it happening that not everyone would be on the same page. With a new staff, it's not out of the question.
Brian @ Bevo Sports Jul 17 08
Maybe Chip just mailed this one in since it was in his last days at the Morning News. He's leaving the paper to join Rivals.com in some capacity.
TRN Jul 17 08
maybe hes just not a nebraska fan, but i still dont get how you can have nebraska only winning one game agianst those 3 teams
Greg Morrow Jul 17 08
He may simply have Nebraska so far back in his rear view mirrow, that it might as well be geographical neighbors Wyoming (no offense) or Colorado st. (again, no offense). Just an utterly irrelevant program who can't even recruit a Texas half a step slow, step child.
Love the links in Message Board world, though. I would've never ever seen a reference to this, otherwise.
Humble pie a la mode, until the Corn and "Bo-dacious" can prove differently.
Jon Johnston Jul 17 08
I think it's interesting that EDSBS just announced yesterday that Brown is leaving DMN for Rivals.com. If that isn't a sign that online systems are slowly squeezing the life out of newspapers, what is?
I noticed his article and commented on it as well. I guess he'll have the last life if we somehow lose to Western Michigan.
ze bop Jul 18 08
I heard them interview that guy on The Zone rgdg his predictions. The guy didnt sound too bright to me...
Matt Jul 18 08
I've had run-ins with Chip Brown--he's the former DMN beat writer for the Whorns that got an instant promotion when Belo had to clean house to save their hides a couple of years ago.
Chip isn't too bright when it comes to college football, doesn't know much about college football history, and despises anything Nebraska. What's troubling is that his bosses are even more inept and are extremely anti-Big XII. Not just Big XII North, but Big XII in its entirety.
Remember--you still have a huge amount of folks in TexAss that want the return of the SWC, no matter the cost. The more TexAss slides into mediocrity against the likes of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and anyone from the Big XII North, the louder that chorus of voices will get.
redfred Jul 18 08
"despises nebraska?"
"not a nebraska fan?"
He forecasted them as 3rd in the North. Way more than generous
Bill in Iowa Jul 18 08
Redfred...thats even worse. He must think its going to be a wild season, because we are going to lose to 5 big 12 teams (3 of them in the North) and still claim #3 in the North?