This document contains notes from a sports writing class. It discusses statistical metrics in sports writing, predictive analytics, choosing relevant statistics to report, and how statistics can help sportswriters challenge assumptions, find new stories, and analyze strategy. Students are assigned a 250-300 word story on sports fans and the World Series for Thursday, including an interview with a fan commenting on the Series.

1. JOU 3304
Sports Writing
Professor Michael Rizzo
Director, Journalism Program
Division of Mass Communication
Collins College of Professional Studies
Presentation for October 26, 2020

2. JOU 3304
Sports Writing
Last Presentation – October 22
Broadcasting for Radio
Writing for TV

3. JOU 3304
Sports Writing
Today
Statistical Metrics

4. Recap
Broadcasters need to be SMEs –
you can’t just wing it on the air
Pay attention
Write conversationally to make the
audience comfortable
Be creative in your storytelling
Stick to the facts but adding your take
is OK

6. Chapter 7
Why did he…
win this in 2018?

8. Statistics, including Sabermetrics
help [journalists and fans] dive
deeper in what happens on the
field.
Data provides truth – Nate Silver

9. Predictive analytics has three
aims. What are they?

10. 1. Provide context for player’s
stats
2. Separate skill from luck
3. Understand evolution of a
player: age performance

11. What do statistics accomplish
for sportswriters?

12. Challenge conventional wisdom
Find stories (original stories!)
Reveal something new
Make comparisons
Analyze strategy

13. What should sportswriters
try to make statistics do?

14. Make us reflect more on our
views and assumptions
Confirm or deny what’s been
accepted as fact before

21. Choosing statistics to report
Provide historical trends
Tell and explain deviations from the
norm
Compare and characterize
Follow the stars
Report numbers with precision

22. https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/10/astros-george-springer-passes-yankees-babe-ruth-in-mlb-postseason-record-book
Houston Astros right fielder George Springer passed Babe Ruth on the MLB all-
time postseason home run list on Tuesday with a solo blast in the 5-2 win over the
Oakland A’s in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.
Per MLB.com:
Springer is now tied for seventh with Nelson Cruz, David Ortiz and Jim Thome at
17 homers. Springer, Cruz and Thome are also tied for the most postseason big flies in 54
career games or fewer. Springer already owns the Astros' all-time record, and he trails
only Albert Pujols (19) among active players. Another homer would move Springer into
the top five all-time, tying him with Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle.

23. For Thursday October 29, 2020
Write a 250-300 word story on the
sports fan and the World Series.
You need to include quotes from
a sports fan you have cultivated
to comment on the Series.
The deadline to submit your story is
Thursday October 29, 2020 by
1 p.m. ET

24. STAY WELL
AND
STAY SAFE