October 22, 2007
October 21, 2007
October 15, 2007
Coach Comparison
LSU's Les Miles lost to Kentucky 43-37 in three overtimes. Miles is 1-1 against Kentucky.
Texas A&M's Dennis Franchione got drummed 35-7 by Mike Leach and Texas Tech. Franchione is 1-4 against Texas Tech.
Compare the post-game comments of the two head coaches:
Photo courtesy of USA Today.
"As a coach, I can coach better, and I will. When something like this happens, look at me first."
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/columnists/wendell_barnhouse/story/267699.html
"I think our guys have been really focused & our coaches have done everything that they've needed to do."
"We just didn't execute very well"
http://www.aggieathletics.com/games.php?SID=MFB&SSID=2155
© 2007 Michael Cale
October 10, 2007
Belief In Myths Is A Cognitive Bias
University of Michigan researcher Norman Schwarz had volunteers read a flier from the Centers for Disease Control about flu vaccination myths. Within 30 minutes of reading the flier, older adults recalled 28% of the false statements as being true. After 3 days, they thought 40% of the myths were factual.1
Younger people did better at first, but three days later they made as many errors as older people did after 30 minutes. Most troubling was that people of all ages now felt that the source of their false beliefs was the respected CDC.1So denying myths actually reinforces them to some extent.
The reporter then does some myth-reinforcement by denying the myths that Iraqis carried out the 9/11 attacks and the World Trade Center was felled by pre-planted explosives, etc. The reporter also perpetuates the myth that government officials "have repeatedly tried to connect Iraq with Sept. 11".1
This is akin to including subliminal advertising in a news story about subliminal advertising.
Myth denial is somewhat useful, but there is a tendency for people to believe the myth after significant repetition.
The experiments do not show that denials are completely useless; if that were true, everyone would believe the myths. But the mind's bias does affect many people, especially those who want to believe the myth for their own reasons, or those who are only peripherally interested and are less likely to invest the time and effort needed to firmly grasp the facts.
The research also highlights the disturbing reality that once an idea has been implanted in people's minds, it can be difficult to dislodge. Denials inherently require repeating the bad information, which may be one reason they can paradoxically reinforce it.Indeed, repetition seems to be a key culprit. Things that are repeated often become more accessible in memory, and one of the brain's subconscious rules of thumb is that easily recalled things are true.
Many easily remembered things, in fact, such as one's birthday or a pet's name, are indeed true. But someone trying to manipulate public opinion can take advantage of this aspect of brain functioning. In politics and elsewhere, this means that whoever makes the first assertion about something has a large advantage over everyone who denies it later.1
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Source:
1. Shankar Vedantam. Persistence of Myths Could Alter Public Policy Approach.
Washington Post. September 4, 2007. Page A03.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/03/AR2007090300933_pf.html
© 2007 Michael Cale
October 7, 2007
Two Dimensional Offense Saves Aggies vs. OSU
When the Aggies got the ball in the third quarter, they finally opened up the passing game. McGee threw 3-of-3 for a combined 54 yards to open the series. Then a combination of running and passing led the Aggies down to the OSU 4 yard line where they settled for 3 points.
A&M's recovery of a fumble by Dantrell Savage on the ensuing kickoff set up the Aggies for another run/pass mix to put 7 points on the board and pull with a touchdown of OSU.
This is the offense that Aggie fans have been waiting for for years. Even though the passing game is over-dependent on Kerry Franks and Martellus Bennett, McGee can throw but Coach Fran is simply too reluctant to use the pass.
It seems that the combination of losing a high-profile game to Miami, the newsletter scandal, and being down three-scores at halftime was enough for Fran to become desperate enough to consistently throw the ball. It's about time.
The Aggie defense did a good job of holding the World's Greatest Offense of OSU to two field goals in the second half. Although the OSU offense gained plenty of yardage, they just couldn't make the third down conversions when they needed to. (OSU drove to within 10 yards of the goal line on two drives in the second half).
But once the Aggies has regained the lead at 24-23 in the fourth quarter, Coach Fran did his best to let the victory slip away.
As the A&M offense took over at their own 20-yard line with nearly 3 minutes left in the game, Coach Fran gave up on the passing game that had worked so well in the second half. Only after two running plays left the Ags with 3rd-and-11 did a potential passing play make the field. McGee ended up running for 6 yards to leave A&M with 4th-and-5.
This set up OSU for the opportunity to force A&M to punt from their own 35 with 1:57 on the clock. OSU's offense had been driving the ball well and a field goal could win it.
Only a roughing-the-kicker penalty on OSU spoiled their opportunity to pull out a victory.
A&M was able to easily run out the clock at that point and secure the win.
Despite the wonderful talent in A&M's running game, it's too easy for a defense to stop the run when there is no significant passing threat.
© 2007 Michael Cale
October 2, 2007
A Two-Point Plan For Improving Health Care
For real progress on health care, here's a start -
- Make the tax deduction for health insurance available to everyone, not just large corporations.
- Allow consumers to purchase out-of-state health insurance.
© 2007 Michael Cale
