When you pick a topic for The Enten Scale, what comes first: the data or your own curiosity?
I'm very, very rarely going to do a topic I don't have a lot of interest in. But the key is to find the areas where:
1. I have interest.
2. The audience has interest.
3. There is data.
You need the three of those to come together. Obviously, sometimes there's a little more in one category than another, but you hope to hit where all three levels are high. I think the swimming episode is an example of that!
Has there been a topic that sounded silly at first but ended up producing serious insights?
I don't know if it sounded silly, but our tailgating episode and the idea that tailgating at sporting events (mainly football) is something we should be doing more of. I feel like the stereotype is that of drunk people hanging out with other drunk people, but we found that it really brings people together. Given how lonely a lot of people say they are today, it's a great antidote.
Ahead of the midterm elections, are there any key areas of interest you look at to understand the context and stakes?
One state is Texas. You tell me what the Dems/GOP do in that Senate race and Governor's race... I think we know where things are going.
In the era of people “doing their own research,” what do you wish people knew about interpreting data?
On a personal level, I feel like I'm continuously learning. I'm shocked how many people think they're definitely right, and other people are definitely wrong. I certainly have my beliefs based on the data, but those beliefs can change when presented with new evidence.
Two weeks into the NFL season, the Bills are 2-0. What are you seeing and how’s it feeling?
The offense is number one in the league by most metrics. They won in week one thanks to long passing... week two was short passing and rushing. It's a diverse offensive plan, and an offense that keeps defenses guessing is going to win a lot of games.
We actually have a defender who can get to the quarterback. The Bills' biggest problem, historically, is a defense that can't make the big stop. Week one we saw them do that, even if the defense gave up points. Greg Rousseau, who already has four sacks, is leading the league in edge defender pass rush win rate.
Combine 1 and 2, and you got something.
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