--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whether baseball or football, we're…" description: "\"Whether baseball or football, we're tasked in front offices with making decisions under uncertainty. How do you corral that uncertainty in a way to mak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/paul-depodesta-16632_baseball_whether-baseball-or-football-we-re-taske_911253.png" --- # Whether baseball or football, we're tasked in front… ![“Whether baseball or football, we're tasked in front offices with making decisions under uncertainty. How do you corral that uncertainty in a way to make more consistently better decisions? That's very similar.” quote by Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/paul-depodesta-16632_baseball_whether-baseball-or-football-we-re-taske_911253.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/paul-depodesta-16632_baseball_whether-baseball-or-football-we-re-taske_911253.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/paul-depodesta-16632_baseball_whether-baseball-or-football-we-re-taske_911253.png) > “Whether baseball or football, we're tasked in front offices with making decisions under uncertainty. How do you corral that uncertainty in a way to make more consistently better decisions? That's very similar.” [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decision makers must structure uncertainty with data, models, and scenario planning to improve consistency. **In simple terms:** Structure uncertainty with data and planning. Key Takeaway Use data-driven frameworks. Themes decision making uncertainty analytics leadership Mood analytical strategic Type advice practical When to use this quote - sports management - investment decisions - product development - policy planning Key Concepts probabilistic modeling scenario analysis risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance data with intuition? - What scenarios are most often ignored? A Different Perspective Models cannot capture every human factor; overreliance may stifle intuition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Making decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decisions/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [“A good decision cannot guarantee a good outcome. All real decisions are made under uncertainty. A decision is therefore a bet, and evaluating it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-edwards/a-good-decision-cannot-guarantee-a-good-outcome-all-real-decisions/) Ward Edwards > [“If you drop assumptions, and can anticipate the possibilities, you can master the art of strategy. However, if you can only manipulate probability, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/if-you-drop-assumptions-and-can-anticipate-the-possibilities-you-can/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [“The interesting question to me is: Can you go on and live a hopeful life in the face of intractable uncertainty? We must find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-interesting-question-to-me-is-can-you-go-on-and-live-a-hopeful/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You will learn to make better decisions in life with experience and time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-tew/you-will-learn-to-make-better-decisions-in-life-with-experience-and/) [Robert Tew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-tew/) > [When you open to the whole of your experience, you have more information and can make better decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/when-you-open-to-the-whole-of-your-experience-you-have-more/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [In disciplines as disparate as baseball, financial services, trucking and retail, people are realizing the power of data to help make better decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/in-disciplines-as-disparate-as-baseball-financial-services-trucking/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [We need to stop spending so much of our time trying to make the right decisions and instead start spending our time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-vaden/we-need-to-stop-spending-so-much-of-our-time-trying-to-make-the-right/) [Rory Vaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-vaden/) > [Emotional Literacy means being able to recognise what you are feeling, so that it doesn't interfere with thinking. It becomes another dimension to draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-orbach/emotional-literacy-means-being-able-to-recognise-what-you-are-feeling/) [Susie Orbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-orbach/) > [I'm scared of one man, one vote because it suggests that everybody has an equal ability at making decisions, and I think that's dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-m-scared-of-one-man-one-vote-because-it-suggests-that-everybody-has/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [The key to culture is it's a framework for making decisions. And if it's baked into your culture, people learn how to make decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-rabois/the-key-to-culture-is-it-s-a-framework-for-making-decisions-and-if-it/) [Keith Rabois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-rabois/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/to-invest-successfully-over-a-lifetime-does-not-require-a/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## More by Paul DePodesta > [We have to make judgments on the individual players and we're not always going to be right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/we-have-to-make-judgments-on-the-individual-players-and-we-re-not/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Scouts, by and large, are very industrious, very passionate and very loyal guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/scouts-by-and-large-are-very-industrious-very-passionate-and-very/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [I think there are definitely things over the last year-and-a-half we would have done differently, ... I think we've at least learned as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/i-think-there-are-definitely-things-over-the-last-year-and-a-half-we/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [We need to be humble in the face of uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/we-need-to-be-humble-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Baseball ultimately is a drama without a script. It's the original reality TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/baseball-ultimately-is-a-drama-without-a-script-it-s-the-original/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [There are a lot of parallels between being a mutual fund manager and being a general manager. Both in the financial markets and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/there-are-a-lot-of-parallels-between-being-a-mutual-fund-manager-and/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Look, I loved working in baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/look-i-loved-working-in-baseball/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [There probably isn't another position in all of team sports that I can think of that has the same level of import as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/there-probably-isn-t-another-position-in-all-of-team-sports-that-i/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Even teams that win 110 games have stretches when they don't play well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/even-teams-that-win-110-games-have-stretches-when-they-don-t-play-well/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [The nice thing about baseball is that all of the possible outcomes are known - it's not quite as messy as the real world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/the-nice-thing-about-baseball-is-that-all-of-the-possible-outcomes/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Circumstances change and you have to be proactive about changing with those circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/circumstances-change-and-you-have-to-be-proactive-about-changing-with/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [I played football in college and what I really wanted to do was be a football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/i-played-football-in-college-and-what-i-really-wanted-to-do-was-be-a/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [I have a little experience in doing things that are unpopular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/i-have-a-little-experience-in-doing-things-that-are-unpopular/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [Are there things you can do with the rest of your personnel or are things you can do schematically to help a quarterback? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/are-there-things-you-can-do-with-the-rest-of-your-personnel-or-are/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) > [I got into baseball, and everyone just started calling me a geek, like, 'There's the nerd from Harvard.' Then it took 20 years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-depodesta/i-got-into-baseball-and-everyone-just-started-calling-me-a-geek-like/) [Paul DePodesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) [Explore all 39 Paul DePodesta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-depodesta/) ## More Baseball quotes > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [Spring training means flowers, people coming outdoors, sunshine, optimism and baseball. Spring training is a time to think about being young again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-banks/spring-training-means-flowers-people-coming-outdoors-sunshine/) [Ernie Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-banks/) > [Pitchers pitch differently. Hitters, hardly anyone has the same stance. That's just how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-zimmerman/pitchers-pitch-differently-hitters-hardly-anyone-has-the-same-stance/) [Ryan Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-zimmerman/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [I don't want the electronic strike zone. I like the element of sometimes pitches don't get called. Guys don't receive it well or whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/i-don-t-want-the-electronic-strike-zone-i-like-the-element-of/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I was going to make one rule change, I would bring the DH to the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/if-i-was-going-to-make-one-rule-change-i-would-bring-the-dh-to-the/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-caray/i-ll-tell-you-what-s-helped-me-my-entire-life-i-look-at-baseball-as-a/) [Harry Caray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-caray/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/) [Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/) > [“I can buy baseball cards to view an entire career on the back of a little square of cardboard. But nobody sells major league…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg-jr/i-can-buy-baseball-cards-to-view-an-entire-career-on-the-back-of-a/) [John Ortberg Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg-jr/) > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) [Browse all 7,461 Baseball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whether baseball or football, we're tasked in front offices with making decisions under uncertainty. How do you corral that uncertainty in a way to make more consistently better decisions? 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