Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: yowolabi
Originally posted by: mugs
Well it's not like they were basing the rankings on their opinions, it's based on the coach's performance (winning percentage and post-season wins) compared to their predecessor.
Which isn't a reliable way to measure. I think if you polled writers or other executives in the sport, you'd get a more reliable list than using their method.
It's not really an easy thing to measure. Opinions can be based on biases or incomplete information. The Forbes methodology certainly has its flaws. It penalizes a GM who was preceded by a good GM and rewards a GM who was preceded by a poor GM. It ignores the fact that the coach has a pretty big impact on team performance as well.
I knew I didn't have to spell out what I meant for you, even though I should have for the other people who quoted me. It also ignores how luck can be a bigger factor than skill in your team improving. For instance, the GM who picked Lebron James. He was simply lucky to get the first pick in the draft, and then picked the person who everyone knew was the best person. Kevin McHale at number 1 on the list, benefitted from several lucky circumstances. Not many who follow basketball would put him in the top 10 for the NBA, not to mention for all professional sports.
The cyclical nature of sports, where the bad teams get first pick at the good players and usually have more money for free agents, makes it too easy to have a better record than your predecessor through sheer circumstances.