No surprises for Table Tennis
August 10, 2016 11:13 AM Subscribe
Why pinch the data to zero around the world wars? The slope, not the value, should be zero at these discontinuities, as is done for 2012.
posted by Mapes at 11:26 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Mapes at 11:26 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
It doesn't seem a horrible way to show trends. What other techniques would you use?
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:30 AM on August 10, 2016
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:30 AM on August 10, 2016
"Other Countries inNorth America" is less a category than a burn. It's not like there's 20 nations packed in there....
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:33 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:33 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
"Other Countries inNorth America"
My wife and I were in the Bahamas in 2012 when they won the gold in the 4x400 relay. It is the only time I've heard running broadcast on the radio. I'm pretty sure that America has won World Wars to less general popular excitement. That medal should count like fifty times.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:44 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
My wife and I were in the Bahamas in 2012 when they won the gold in the 4x400 relay. It is the only time I've heard running broadcast on the radio. I'm pretty sure that America has won World Wars to less general popular excitement. That medal should count like fifty times.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:44 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
It should probably have sharp cut-offs for the gaps rather than slope to zero and back.
posted by stopgap at 11:44 AM on August 10, 2016
posted by stopgap at 11:44 AM on August 10, 2016
It's not like there's 20 nations packed in there....
Well, actually...
posted by sparklemotion at 11:45 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
Well, actually...
posted by sparklemotion at 11:45 AM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's not like there's 20 nations packed in there....
Yeah, there are 23.
No idea how many enter the Olympics or have won medals, and this includes the U.S.
posted by stopgap at 11:47 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, there are 23.
No idea how many enter the Olympics or have won medals, and this includes the U.S.
posted by stopgap at 11:47 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hey, Canada shows up a few times. We used to be a powerhouse in synchronized swimming!
Still I'm reminded of this tweet I saw:
"World: Time for the Olympics!
Canada, slumbering: Hockey?
World: Not this time, Canada.
Canada: *returns to slumber*"
posted by Canageek at 11:52 AM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
Still I'm reminded of this tweet I saw:
"World: Time for the Olympics!
Canada, slumbering: Hockey?
World: Not this time, Canada.
Canada: *returns to slumber*"
posted by Canageek at 11:52 AM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
Derided as being neither graceful nor interesting to watch and for “placing the premium as it does upon blubber rather than upon speed, strength, endurance,” the plunge for distance event, where athletes plunged as deep as they could, did not make the cut for long:
As a possessor of much blubber, this confuses me. My ability to Plunge for Distance is more than made up for by my ability to Bob like a Cork to comical effect if you ever see me try to sink.
I do find fascinating the countries that dominated historically but are now mostly absent. Finnish wrestling? How unexpected.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:54 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
As a possessor of much blubber, this confuses me. My ability to Plunge for Distance is more than made up for by my ability to Bob like a Cork to comical effect if you ever see me try to sink.
I do find fascinating the countries that dominated historically but are now mostly absent. Finnish wrestling? How unexpected.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:54 AM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Jamaica has just less than 3 million residents. USA has more than 300 million. They have about the same number of medals in running over the past two olympics.
On a per capita basis, Jamaica is about 100x better than the U.S. at running.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:59 AM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
On a per capita basis, Jamaica is about 100x better than the U.S. at running.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:59 AM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
Jamaicans aren't 100x faster than Americans, that's just silly talk
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:01 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:01 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
On a per capita basis, Jamaicans can run faster than the speed of sound. But they're still no match for the greatest Olympic team of all time, Other countries in Europe.
posted by sfenders at 12:03 PM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by sfenders at 12:03 PM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]
On a per capita basis, Jamaica is about 100x better than the U.S. at running.
It would be interesting to scale all of these datasets by population! Cuba's boxing record would probably take up a big chunk of the page height.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:07 PM on August 10, 2016
It would be interesting to scale all of these datasets by population! Cuba's boxing record would probably take up a big chunk of the page height.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:07 PM on August 10, 2016
Some (old) analysis of per-capita and per-capita-per-appearance medal leaders. Finland and East Germany are tops.
posted by Etrigan at 12:17 PM on August 10, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 12:17 PM on August 10, 2016 [2 favorites]
If (American) football weren't a thing and athletes who played it were redistributed to other sports in a sensible way, I wonder how that would change the picture (and the per-capita medal leaders).
posted by dismas at 12:28 PM on August 10, 2016
posted by dismas at 12:28 PM on August 10, 2016
Jamaicans aren't 100x faster than Americans, that's just silly talk
Have you seen Usain Bolt run? DUDE IS FAST.
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:34 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Have you seen Usain Bolt run? DUDE IS FAST.
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:34 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
If (American) football weren't a thing and athletes who played it were redistributed to other sports in a sensible way, I wonder how that would change the picture (and the per-capita medal leaders).
Ditto for cricket in India (and to a lesser extent other Commonwealth nations), and Australian rules in Australia (which makes a point of recruiting promising athletes from other sports with the lure of professional-level salaries). Probably others too.
posted by une_heure_pleine at 12:40 PM on August 10, 2016
Ditto for cricket in India (and to a lesser extent other Commonwealth nations), and Australian rules in Australia (which makes a point of recruiting promising athletes from other sports with the lure of professional-level salaries). Probably others too.
posted by une_heure_pleine at 12:40 PM on August 10, 2016
OK, OK, I sit corrected, but I still think it's a burn.
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:50 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:50 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Jamaica is the Spiders Georg of running.
posted by AFABulous at 1:27 PM on August 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by AFABulous at 1:27 PM on August 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
Is that best way to convey the data?
It does look funny when you get to the smaller sports like triathlon, where Australia is MASSIVELY DOMINANT ...because they've won at least one medal for each Olympiad that it's been included. Granted, that's out of six total (men's 3, women's 3), but still.
posted by psoas at 2:42 PM on August 10, 2016
It does look funny when you get to the smaller sports like triathlon, where Australia is MASSIVELY DOMINANT ...because they've won at least one medal for each Olympiad that it's been included. Granted, that's out of six total (men's 3, women's 3), but still.
posted by psoas at 2:42 PM on August 10, 2016
Canada, slumbering: Hockey?
Not their preferred kind, anyway. The Canadian men's field hockey team did qualify for Rio, but were summarily eliminated in the group stage (2-6🇩🇪)(1-3🇦🇷) (0-7🇱🇺).
posted by zamboni at 3:32 PM on August 10, 2016
Not their preferred kind, anyway. The Canadian men's field hockey team did qualify for Rio, but were summarily eliminated in the group stage (2-6🇩🇪)(1-3🇦🇷) (0-7🇱🇺).
posted by zamboni at 3:32 PM on August 10, 2016
water polo is related to rugby, the name is a coincidence
Related how? Water polo is basically handball in a swimming pool and shares almost no characteristics with rugby other than a ball (of a different shape) being handled in both.
posted by Dysk at 3:58 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Related how? Water polo is basically handball in a swimming pool and shares almost no characteristics with rugby other than a ball (of a different shape) being handled in both.
posted by Dysk at 3:58 PM on August 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Pretty light article. They don't even mention the art medals.
posted by ckape at 4:08 PM on August 10, 2016
posted by ckape at 4:08 PM on August 10, 2016
Related how?
History of water polo:
History of water polo:
The rules of water polo were originally developed in the mid-nineteenth century in Great Britain by William Wilson. The modern game originated as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland with a ball constructed of Indian rubber. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti word for ball... Early play allowed brute strength, wrestling and holding opposing players underwater to recover the ball; the goalie stood outside the playing area and defended the goal by jumping in on any opponent attempting to score by placing the ball on the deck.posted by zamboni at 4:26 PM on August 10, 2016 [3 favorites]
I will grumble about the visualization!
I would have used a stacked histogram rather than a density plot, since there is only data every 4 years. With the density plot, you get a gradual drop off to zero between 1936 and 1940, which...doesn't reflect reality. It's not like there were a few medals handed out in 1937 and 1938.
/grumble
posted by quaking fajita at 5:52 PM on August 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
I would have used a stacked histogram rather than a density plot, since there is only data every 4 years. With the density plot, you get a gradual drop off to zero between 1936 and 1940, which...doesn't reflect reality. It's not like there were a few medals handed out in 1937 and 1938.
/grumble
posted by quaking fajita at 5:52 PM on August 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
History of water polo
Huh. The more you know. Thanks, zamboni!
posted by Dysk at 6:47 PM on August 10, 2016
Huh. The more you know. Thanks, zamboni!
posted by Dysk at 6:47 PM on August 10, 2016
I think we should bring back the poetry, sculpture, and painting competetions.
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:57 PM on August 10, 2016
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:57 PM on August 10, 2016
With the density plot, you get a gradual drop off to zero between 1936 and 1940, which...doesn't reflect reality.
Good point, but a stacked histogram is kind of choppy by virtue of showing discrete data points, so it doesn't communicate flow as well. A density plot with smoothing perhaps tells the story of a country's progression or regression over time, which is perhaps more about what the original news article is about — more about a country's Olympic program improving or worsening over time, and less about reporting the actual numbers of medals won at one particular event.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 1:45 AM on August 11, 2016
Good point, but a stacked histogram is kind of choppy by virtue of showing discrete data points, so it doesn't communicate flow as well. A density plot with smoothing perhaps tells the story of a country's progression or regression over time, which is perhaps more about what the original news article is about — more about a country's Olympic program improving or worsening over time, and less about reporting the actual numbers of medals won at one particular event.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 1:45 AM on August 11, 2016
zamboni: Not their preferred kind, anyway.
It is rather silly that they play on grass in the summer. Every kid in Ontario can tell you the best place to play hockey in the summer is on a road or parking lot with a hard plastic ball, usually bright orange.
posted by Canageek at 12:36 PM on August 11, 2016
It is rather silly that they play on grass in the summer. Every kid in Ontario can tell you the best place to play hockey in the summer is on a road or parking lot with a hard plastic ball, usually bright orange.
posted by Canageek at 12:36 PM on August 11, 2016
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posted by jedicus at 11:26 AM on August 10, 2016 [5 favorites]