Finding the SuperFan

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An Oiler fans trek through blogs, hockey analytics and academia.

Back in 2008, I decided it was time to head back to school to finish a graduate degree. Something I can do part-time, something related to my day-job, and something that would interest me enough to stay motivated. I came across the Communications and Technology program at the University of Alberta while surfing the web and decided to take the plunge.

My background was in sociology and my interests were always research methodology and group dynamics (how do groups get together to accomplish stuff). I figured a lot of the technology starting to take off was changing the way groups interact and to how much they could accomplish as a group. My main interests have always been information and knowledge management. How do we know what we know, and how do we work collectively to build new knowledge and information. That group dynamic is always intriguing since it’s been occurring for centuries, but has really accelerated because of the advancement of communication technology. The web is an obvious example, but what is it about the web and what sort of rules apply that allows it to be so critical for information development and knowledge sharing. It was pretty high level thinking at the time since I honestly had no idea where my graduate career was going to go.

The Program

Before starting the MACT program, all applicants had to submit a research idea for their final project. I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I decided to something work-related and chose electronic health records. It was a hot button topic in healthcare, so I thought some sort of research on it would be interesting. I received my acceptance letter and was to start the program in the spring of 2009.

All students were also asked to maintain a “digital portfolio” (i.e., a blog) as a way to centralize assignments and reflect on key topics. Not many students actually did one, but I figured this might be a useful way to find a supervisor for my final research paper.

Within a couple months of starting the program, getting deep into communication theory, I realized there wasn’t anything interesting about electronic health records. There had already been a ton of research on it, including the type of technology used, its adoption in various countries and the benefits of it. That realization and the fact that others in my cohort had some killer ideas, I knew right away that I needed to find another topic.

Reset

By the end of the spring session, which included a three week residency-type set up on campus to complete a two courses, I was absolutely spent. We covered a ton of material and new concepts and spent hours completing assignments and presentations. I really tried to apply my research topic of health records to everything we covered, but it just wasn’t interesting. My attitude about the program reflected it. And my grades showed it as well.  Continue reading →

Joining the University of Alberta Senate

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coat

University of Alberta

Happy to announce that I’ve been appointed to the University of Alberta Senate by the Alumni Association. Starting this fall, I’ll be joining a group that represents the community and serves as an advisory board to the University of Alberta.

I’ll remain on the Alumni Council as part of the Executive team, but will have to vacate my position as the Faculty of Extension representative.

What does the Senate do? From the Senate’s website:

The Senate seeks to inquire, promote and connect, building bridges of understanding between the University and the public. The Senate role is based on the belief that an ongoing relationship with the community is fundamental to the effectiveness of the University. Through the Senate, the community can deliver an opinion or a point of view to the University; and through the Senate the University can reach the community.

There are a number of committees and working groups within the Senate, all with different roles and mandates. I’m not sure which groups I’ll be a part of, but I’ll share the details once I find out.

I’ll likely continue using this site to blog about volunteering with the U of A. It’ll all be under the Alumni Council category.

Alumni Council – 2013-2014 Annual Report

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University of Alberta

University of Alberta

Just wrapped up my first year with the Alumni Council. A pretty great experience representing the Faculty of Extension and working with a very dynamic group. Each person brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and a commitment to represent the U of A alumni from around the world.

A couple of highlights from the Alumni Association’s 2013-2014 Annual Report that I thought would be worth sharing:

  • There are currently 255,296 living alumni, with 75% living in Alberta.
  • The number of U of A alumni volunteering grew substantially over the past year. There are a ton of ways for students and alumni to get involved either on campus or in their communities. Definitely check out the Alumni Association website for more information.
  • The study completed by Dr. Briggs and Dr. Jennings that showcased the impact U of A alumni have had on the global economy really stood out this year. If you’re interested, the entire report is available online.
  • The events hosted by the Alumni Association were well attended. There really is something for everyone, so definitely check out the events page.

I also want to point out that fundraising is definitely a goal, but it’s only a part of what the Alumni Association is about. Through various programs and events, this group is committed to keeping students and alumni engaged with the U of A and fostering a positive relationship with the greater community. Whether it’s through volunteering, attending a scotch tasting event on campus or taking a break from studying at ProcrastiNite, students and alumni can stay in touch with campus and be part of a very unique community.

Beyond the Stats: An Interview with Extra Skater’s Darryl Metcalf

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sunilagni's avatarHockey in Society / Hockey dans la société

Chicago Blackhawks v Los Angeles Kings - Game Four Los Angeles Kings

The popularity of hockey analytics continues to grow as fans, teams and the NHL embrace new methods of measuring team and player performance. The uptake of analytics is dependent on the individual doing the analysis, as each person has different opinions and biases regarding what impacts a game result and what doesn’t. As a result, a number of websites have emerged providing various levels of data and analysis, putting the onus on the end user to interpret it as they please.

It’s important to note that fans in particular have lead the charge when it comes to developing and discussing new ideas regarding the game. The online environment has been critical for the growth of hockey analytics as fans connect online, publish ideas and develop the knowledge that surrounds the game. In recent years, a number of data visualization tools such as Super Shot Search and Shift…

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Ice Code

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thinkerGreat explanation as to why hockey analytics is important for fans and the game as a whole. Unfortunately I can’t find the full article online to share, but the original source is below.

 

Accepting hockey analytics, then, requires more than brushing off your arithmetic skills and reading a spreadsheet. It requires a shift in thinking, embracing an uncomfortable amount of arbitrariness, accepting that a bounce is just a bounce and dumb luck can have more to do with a win  than grit or heart. Not to make too lofty a comparison, but it can sometimes feel like the difference between believing in a world of a higher order, of divine narratives and preordained plans, and seeing the word as a messy, arbitrary place. The numbers challenge some of the stories we used to explain the world, but they also introduce their own kind of complex beauty.

Fervent irrationality, after all, is what makes a fan a fan. But thinking about the percentages and probabilities doesn’t suddenly drain the magic from the sport – it just means watching the game more thoughtfully.

Hune-Brown, N. “Ice Code”. Sharp. April 2014: 94-95. Print.

 

 

Oilers4Life

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Source: Edmonton Oilers

Source: Edmonton Oilers

Derek Zona of Copper and Blue posted an interesting question for Edmonton hockey fans: Why haven’t you quit the Oilers?

It’s a fair question that I’m sure most Oiler fans have thought about. The team last won the Cup in 1990. It’s been eight years since the team made the playoffs. And since Daryl Katz took ownership of the club, the Oilers have been the worst team in the entire NHL.

For an outsider who may not value sports fandom, this may seem like a bizarre scenario: sports team keeps losing, yet the fans keep coming back for more. So here’s my response to Derek’s question.

Being a fan doesn’t follow the same traditional model of consumption that other products rely upon. It really functions in a unique ecosystem that has all sorts of weird norms and values. It’s tough to rationalize a lot of what happens in a cartel like the NHL and compare it to other consumable products.

A key element of being a fan of sports teams is continuously extending the product, before, during and after any game. Think of the conversations you’ve had about the Oilers with others, the articles you read, the stats you’ve glazed over, the digital artifacts you may have created (i.e., blogging, Youtube, etc). I don’t think there’s any other product for humans to consume that involves so much time and effort.

All of this continuous extension really engrains the fans deeper into their team. Quitting the team means you leave behind the continuous extension, a lot of which is spins off some extremely positive stuff that probably gives fans some relief from the losing. A lot of the positive relationships built, whether it’s at the game or online, keep fans following the shared product. And having a shared product like the Oilers also gives us a vehicle to connect with others and share our own ideas and values….all the stuff that’s critical for community building.

Trying to calculate your sunk costs like they do in the Freakonomics podcast (“The Upside of Quitting”) Derek links to is tougher for sports fans who consider quitting their teams. It’s tough to put a number on the emotional and intellectual investment you put into following the game and extending the content.

So good luck to the Oiler fans who want to quit now. Especially the bloggers and hockey analytic folks who have made valuable contributions to the game. Your creativity and intellectual contributions have you got you all in too deep. 😉

Related: Hockey Gossip and Blogs (2012, February 1)

Alberta Hockey Analytics Conference

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Source: Ice Nation UK

Source: Ice Nation UK

Had the chance to meet up with a group of people interested in hockey analytics this past Saturday in downtown Edmonton. The event was hosted by Rob Vollman, author of The Hockey Abstract, and featured presentations covering the different sides of hockey analytics.

Here’s a quick recap of what we covered.

Sean Solbak of Frozen Pools talked about hockey analytics in the realm of fantasy league. Sean gave some insight into the algorithms used to predict points based on things like ice-time, shots, passes, possession and shooting percentage. Of course, capturing luck is always a challenge, but there’s definitely value in the models used by Sean to predict performance.

Next, Justin Azevedo of FlamesNation gave a presentation on possession stats like Corsi and some of the work he has done this past season tracking the Flames. Justin shared some of the patterns he found in the data he collected manually and also provided some insight into applying those findings to actual game situations.

Continue reading →

Importance of Hockey Analytics II

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Source: Zimbio

Source: Zimbio

Originally posted at Hockey in Society.

It’s been remarkable to see how quickly the field has developed over the past few years. The amount of new information being derived from hockey analytics has grown and continues to be discussed across a large and diverse online community. And while the focus has rightfully been on the hockey data and extracting meaningful patterns, it’s important to assess some of the foundational concepts that have supported the development and growing popularity of hockey analytics.

Analytics in any industry is a continuous process. Regardless of what patterns are found, new questions will arise to continue advancing the discussion initiated by analytics. Hockey analytics is no different as it really is a never ending process to uncover, share and build upon new information. Because it pertains to professional hockey, there is new data available almost every day and involves analysis from anyone that’s interested in the topic. The game itself, including the off-ice business (i.e., trades, free agency, draft) is highly chaotic and at times unpredictable.

Related: Importance of Hockey Analytics – Hockey in Society (2012, June 11)

What makes hockey analytics, or any sports analytics unique, is that it’s being done in an open environment that allows for anyone with basic analytic and communication technology tools to join the discussion. Using blogs and Twitter, participants have created a very collaborative environment that supports discussion and the continuous extension of ideas and information.

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Alumni Council Meeting – Volunteer Summit, Visit from Steve MacDonald

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U of A Quad

U of A Quad

Below are a few notes from our final Alumni Council meeting of the year.

The Alumni Association will be hosting a Volunteer Summit in May. It’ll be a free event, open to the public, and will take place at the Alumni House on campus. Brief description:

Be a part of the U of A Alumni Association’s amazing 99-year history of volunteerism by participating in the first Alumni Volunteer Summit. The Volunteer Summit provides an opportunity to connect, enrich and educate the great U of A Alumni volunteers. Each session will feature an inspirational U of A alumnus to discuss community engagement, motivation and the ever changing role of social media.

Date and Time: Saturday, May 10, 2014 (8:30a.m. – 2 p.m)

Location: Alumni House (11515 Saskatchewan Dr.)

Cost: Free

Speakers include Fiona Cavanagh of the Centre for Public Involvement, Chris Tse of Blitz Conditioning and Joyce Yu from the U of A’s  Office of Advancement. More details, including the full program, can be found at the Alumni Association website.

Continue reading →