Ep 26 Our 'Running Backs Don't Matter' Economist Friend - Why Some Models Are Useful ft. Ben Baldwin

This week George and Wyatt are honored to be joined by the living embodiment behind the podcast’s ethos, Ben Baldwin. He is an economist who in his spare time is also a leader in football analytics and the meme lord behind Running Backs Don't Matter. Together they discuss football analytics, what needs to be done to repair the despairing Lions, and why - whether they admit it or not - everyone is using a model (some are just more useful than others). In addition, the guys reach into the mailbag and of course, discuss at length why running backs do not in fact matter. You can find Ben and his writings at The Athletic and on Twitter at @benbbaldwin. He also operates the website https://rbsdm.com/, which allows users to create all sorts of interesting graphics using the types of advanced stats we discussed on the show in a way that’s accessible to anyone. As a reminder, you can follow us on Twitter at @NobodyDismal or email us at NobodyExpectsTheDismalScience@gmail.com. We promise to always respond, whether on-air or off.