538 Blog Pats Home/Away record doesn't indicate foul play

[FCEastside]

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/if-the-patriots-are-cheating-at-home-the-stats-dont-show-it/

As if we needed statistical analysis for the obvious, but....

 

[jmt57]

Unfortunately if the masses are unable to grasp the 8th-grade intellectual concept of the Ideal Gas Law, then they will never fathom statistical analysis. To the masses, all that graph proves is that da cheatin Cheaterz cheat.

 

[FCEastside]

I hear you. At least a reputable source like 538 doesn't find any reason to suspect NE. Reasonable people look to them to pick serious matters such as presidential races correctly. Glad they don't see smoke with the Pats. I know it won't help with fans of other teams, but maybe national media will be moved by that evidence.

 

[Koma]

Analysis like that is good to read. Patriots fans and rational people will read it and think it makes sense. Then you read the comments and see there's a vocal group out their who have their fingers in their ears, denying this stuff.

My favorite was the "Even if it doesn't help, it's still cheating" argument. Given the choice between (a) no cheating and (b) cheating, but in a non-beneficial way that isn't supported or revealed by the analysis, these people choose to believe that invisible and ineffective forces are at work. There's not much you can do when the counter-argument to "See? No evidence" is that lack of evidence supports their claim of wrongdoing.

 

[Rusty Coupe]

Small minds that only Bob Kravitz can get through to.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Eh. The nutbars are just gonna say NE cheats at home and away.

 

[VectorPrime]

Patriots literally couldn't deflate footballs during away games. Especially considering McNally wasn't with the team.