Soccer Analytics and the Impact of the Glocal

"In a series of studies... [Roland] Robertson successfully challenged simplistic views of globalization... [He] offered a much more nuanced analysis in which he demonstrated that global and local actually merge into a new entity that he coined 'glocal'... Robertson observed an intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole. But he also argued that global cultural flows can reinvigorate local particularisms."

Gaming the World, pp 43-44

The authors of Gaming the World do a good job of extending the glocal concept, introduced by Ronald Robertson, to the world of sports in general and soccer in particular. It's this concept - the intensification of the local and the subset of the population that uses that intensification to lash out at the global - that came to mind when I read this post by Chris at Soccer By The Numbers. Chris offers up some rational criticisms of his recent guest post at the NY Times' Goal blog, and answers each of them with a balanced response. I've certainly run into a number of these criticisms myself throughout my brief year of blogging about soccer statistics, and have answered them in much the same way. Practicing statistics in a professional environment, I am also sensitive to not succumbing to "Superman syndrome" - swooping in to a situation that would benefit from statistical analysis, imposing my statistical knowledge on a subject where I have limited technical understanding, and then leaving as soon as the challenge is solved and getting most of the recognition. Thus I try to strike the right balance in my own analysis and writing, recognizing my own limitations of understanding the game of soccer.

While I am sensitive to such concerns, I think there's actually something deeper at work in a number of persons critical of Chris's work and others engage in similar endeavors. Before I launch into such analysis, I must make a disclaimer.

Chris and I know each other through our common interest in blogging about soccer statistics. We've exchanged data, co-posted on each others sites, and send each other emails on a semi-regular basis. We've never met face to face, but we are friendly on internet terms. I will also say that Chris has not spoken to me once about his experience regarding the reactions to his guest post, nor has he asked me to write anything about it. However, I've seen such reactions like those documented by Chris too many times not to comment on the topic.

I believe what Chris has seen is the intersection of two "glocalizations" - the internet and the global soccer community. And he's not the only one. Whether it's Paul Tomkins getting flamed to the point of quitting Twitter or Tim from 7AM Kickoff having to defend himself against/embarrass those who criticize his ability to write about the Premier League because he's not English, it seems attacking successful soccer writers is in vogue with a subset of readers. I see this coming from the intersection of three themes:

1. An intense dislike for the globalization of what was England's game, especially when it gets "Americanized" via applied statistics
2. An intense dislike for the intelligence required to blog about soccer analytics. There's always some tension when the nerds from high school end up becoming the "it" thing in a sport formerly dominated by former practitioners of the sport who may have been the jocks that disdained such nerds earlier in life. Who's to tell the successful practitioners that they may be missing something key on the pitch by ignoring some obscure and convoluted statistic?
3. An intense dislike of anyone successful in the Internet age. It seems like we love to make ourselves feel more secure by tearing down those who are more popular, more successful (however you want to define success), or have more money than us. In the Internet age, everyone is special yet we're not content to actually respect or recognize greatness.

All of these have a similar theme that was touched on by Chris's response to the first major criticism he faced ("You Can't Quantify Soccer") - it's all about power. Lashing out based upon any of the three themes above is based upon an insecurity one feels due to the actions of those being criticized because the power base of those making the criticisms is threatened. Instead of recognizing the benefits of globalization, the improved match play that comes from a team built on statistical player evaluation, and great internet content worth paying for, those threatened by such emerging trends lash out and attempt to delegitimize such contributions. All in the false hopes of stopping an emerging trend that will likely contribute positively to the game we all love, and in the same time empower and reward a subset of people within the game.

To be fair, a good bit of criticism we bloggers face is based on facts and of honest intent. I am also the first to criticize unsound statistical analysis, and also subscribe to the theory that "no one ever liked the smartest kid in class." Garbage analysis is garbage analysis, and empowering people who pedal garbage analysis or are simply jumping on the soccer analytics bandwagon only serves to cheapen the game. I am not intending to paint anyone who disagrees with the globalization of soccer, the increased use of statistics within it, or finding ways to be monetarily compensated for soccer writing as having ill intentions. Anyone who reads my Friday Night Links knows that I often point out blog posts with views contrary to mine and are often non-statistical in nature, especially when they are well thought out and well written. What I am saying is that a subset of those who have such disagreements are motivated by what can best be described as soccer and internet nativism - a philosophy that says analysis and commentary is garbage if it's statistically based, not from England/Europe, or someone has the audacity to charge for their content. The game and the words written about it would benefit from such motivations of criticism being marginalized.

Ultimately, I approach sports much like I approach life: live-and-let-live. If Gaming the World taught me anything about global sports culture, it's that the concept of "glocalism" means such a philosophy is not very prevalent. Such visceral reactions as those documented above won't ever go away because of glocalism. I just hope that such reactions are further marginalized as the global soccer community, and the role filled by online soccer commentary via statistical analysis, both continue to grow. Otherwise, we may just continue to live under the tyranny of goals and miss out on the other, possibly more important, contributions from players during the remaining 88 minutes of match time.