There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics. It’s one of the most apocryphal quotes in history, attributed to the likes of Mark Twain, Benjamin Disraeli, the Duke of Wellington, Thomas Huxley, and President Bartlett. That’s an incomplete list, but you get the point, the quote has gotten around.
Just as it is nearly impossible to ascertain who said it first, it’s somehow possible to look at a box score with entirely open eyes and a clear head, and be lead astray to incorrect conclusions. Because taken a gander at the Troy-LSU box score, the first thing that hits me is… it’s not that bad.