Author Archives: jonrryan

So it looks like a pattern is beginning to emerge; the people that write for Who Gives a Hoot are more knowledgeable than those that talk on Who Gives a Hoot. Rich (who took “all or nothing” to heart last week) and I have already lapped Luke and Ben, and Ryan is not able toContinue reading “USL League One Predictions: Week 7”

Except for the fact that Union Omaha’s match took place on a Friday, last week actually felt like a normal USL League One kind of week.  Union Omaha and Greenville won their games, nobody scored more than two goals in their respective game, and we finally had our first draw of the season after 14Continue reading “USL League One Predictions: Week 6”

So we learned a few things from last week’s picks, and their corresponding results. We learned that sometimes a group of people think too much alike, that it doesn’t necessarily mean that they know what they’re talking about, and if it seems like they do, most of the time it’s because of dumb luck and/orContinue reading “USL League One Predictions: Week 4”

The season is starting in waves so we still don’t have a regular cadence going, but we are one step closer to normal this weekend. Not only does Union Omaha play live soccer in front of their fans in a friendly against Sporting Kansas City II, but we also have multiple league games for theContinue reading “USL League One Predictions: Week 2”

Who doesn’t love a predictions league?  I know, right?  If you’ve ever run a predictions or fantasy league, how often did you ask yourself why you volunteered to organize it?  At least once a week?  It’s like pulling teeth, I know.  But for this group I’m willing to run a USL League 1 predictions competitionContinue reading “WGaH Media Empire’s 2021 USL League 1 Prediction League”

I tracked Elo ratings across the league during the 2020 season.  Elo ratings are intended to go on in perpetuity, so I simply started with the 2019 season and worked my way forward.  Using personal liberties, I adjusted each team’s starting point in the 2020 season in hopes of finding a balance between recognizing theContinue reading “Adapt and Move On: a New Rating System for 2021”

Most soccer leagues have very simple schedules: you play a true round robin over the course of the entire season, and all you really have to look for is whether or not you have some stretches where you have a few easy games in a row or run a gauntlet.  However USL (like other AmericanContinue reading “A Breakdown of Union Omaha’s 2021 Schedule”