Bryce Harper, a Vegas native, unhappy about prospective Athletics move
The Las Vegas Athletics just doesn't have the same ring to it. Oakland is soon to be without a baseball team, and Sin City native Bryce Harper feels for fans.One would assume that if any player were in favor of the Athletics move to Las Vegas, it would be Bryce Harper, a man who was raised ...
2023-06-16 00:18
Milton leads No. 23 Tennessee in 45-14 win over UTSA
Joe Milton III threw for 156 yards and ran for 89 in the first half, leading No. 23 Tennessee to a 45-14 victory over UTSA
2023-09-24 07:45
Bellingham earns lofty comparisons on Madrid hot streak
Jude Bellingham's sensational start at Real Madrid, which continued in Naples on Tuesday night with a superb goal to earn Los Blancos another Champions League victory, has sparked comparisons with club...
2023-10-04 18:47
AI scouting app gives players chance to be noticed in the professional game
Artificial Intelligence can help talented players who might never normally be noticed get a chance in the professional game. Premier League clubs Chelsea and Burnley – as well as a host of MLS teams – are using an app, created by ai.io, that allows footballers around the world to complete specifically-designed drills and upload match footage of themselves. Using computer vision and deep-learning machinery, which can recognise and evaluate a player’s movement, each user receives a score and then scouts are alerted to anyone that matches set criteria. The aiSCOUT platform is the only digital scouting product invited into the FIFA Innovation Programme and already has several success stories, with Burnley signing Jez Davies and Chelsea handing a 10-week trial to Ben Greenwood, having discovered them on the app. Not every budding footballer will be visited by a scout, but almost everyone will have access to a smartphone and that provides the player with a unique opportunity. “It gives the power to the player,” ai.io COO and director of sports science Richard Felton-Thomas told the PA news agency. “You are always waiting for a scout to come and watch you, you can’t just ring them up and ask them to come. “This just puts power into the players’ hands. “We are really democratising that scouting process. Normally you go and watch and then go and collect more information afterwards, which is just inefficient. “You can’t replace the fundamentals a scout brings of going to a game, seeing how a player deals with adversity, how they transfer those raw skill sets to a match and taking instructions from a coach. “Our tech is there to do the early talent detection but then scouts have to ID that talent with the traditional method. “We give them the efficiency of enough information to say, ‘Don’t wait until the weekend to watch them’, because someone else might be doing that already. “We don’t make the future decision of the player. The scout and the recruitment do that. I don’t think anyone wants AI to decide their fate. We are there to say on certain metrics, players are worth a look.” Davies joined the Clarets when he was spotted on the aiSCOUT app shortly after being released by Tottenham and they quickly signed him up. This just puts power into the players' hands ai.io COO Richard Felton-Thomas Greenwood had a 10-week trial at Chelsea before earning a permanent deal at Bournemouth, going on to feature in the Carabao Cup and represent Republic of Ireland at under-19 level. There has also been huge success in India as players using a shared community phone have been scouted. “We have had players trial and sign for Chelsea and Burnley and in India players who have downloaded our app from a shared community phone are now in football programmes,” Felton-Thomas added. “If it wasn’t for a mobile phone they would never have the exposure. They were not playing registered football so a scout would never have found them but we are changing those lives through those opportunities with a phone. “Jez Davies signed at Burnley. He was released at Tottenham. We didn’t know about him but he entered our app uploaded his reels and you can imagine being 18 and just coming out of Tottenham, his drills were incredible. Burnley saw that and within two weeks he was signed. “The first player we trialled was a player called Ben Greenwood. He had brilliant stats, he was at a football college and had never been scouted by any team, he lived two miles away from Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham and they thought if he was that good, how come our scouts had missed him. “They brought him in for a day, just to validate our data, but he ended up staying for 10 weeks. He scored on his under-19s debut but he didn’t get a contract. “He was signed by Bournemouth and is on his second contract and played in the Carabao Cup for them. This is a player who had never once been scouted, so that was a huge success story.” Read More Josh Magennis determined to keep giving his all for Northern Ireland Andy Farrell feels Ireland are becoming better at handling pressure Charlie Savage impresses Rob Page during his Wales debut Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme
2023-10-12 16:18
Vlatko Andonovski insists 'rankings mean nothing' at 2023 FIFA World Cup
United States head coach Vlatko Andonovski insists the recent Women’s World Cup results indicate the growth of the sport on a global stage.
2023-08-02 21:54
NFL Players Association calls on NFL to switch all fields to natural grass
The NFL Players Association wants the league to switch all its fields to natural grass, calling it the easiest decision the NFL can make to protect players
2023-09-13 22:57
Bowl projections and predictions 2023: What bowl game is Ohio State playing in?
It's nearly impossible that the Ohio State Buckeyes are going to see a repeat of the 2022 season wherein they lost to rival Michigan but still snuck into the Co
2023-11-27 06:49
Dabo Swinney's lack of urgency alarming after huge upset loss
Dabo Swinney didn't seem concerned enough about one of Clemson's biggest issues in their upset loss to Duke,
2023-09-08 01:26
Arsenal vs Aston Villa LIVE: Women's Super League latest score, goals and updates from fixture
Follow The Independent's live coverage of all the action in the FA Women’s Super League today. The WSL is the top tier of English women’s football with international players from all over the world plying their trade in one of the most competitive and entertaining leagues around. Chelsea have won three of the past four titles and Emma Hayes’ side will be right in the hunt again, with the likes of Arsenal - champions in 2018-19 – and Manchester City, who have been runners-up for each of the past four seasons, among their competitors. With the top three sides qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League, all 12 WSL teams have plenty to play for, although some clubs’ main ambition will simply be to avoid the drop. The side who finish bottom will be relegated to the FA Women’s Championship – a fate that befell Bristol City in 2020-21 – and newly-promoted Leicester City, competing in the top flight of the women’s game for the first time, will be eager to avoid an immediate return. We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:
2023-05-27 22:19
What next for Kylian Mbappe? Real Madrid, Man Utd and other options for PSG forward
Who doesn’t love a little transfer speculation, Kylian Mbappe, arguably the world’s most valuable footballer, finds himself yet again amidst transfer rumours worldwide. PSG miraculously managed to keep the star after it looked all but guaranteed that the speedy Frenchman would be taking his talents to Madrid. Mbappe was granted more than money in Paris as he was awarded a seat at the so-called table; given the power to help decide on manager, sporting director, and squad decisions. The Parisians believed this three-year deal would be more than enough to keep the World Cup winner happy in Paris. A letter Mbappe recently sent to the club stating his intention not to sign a contract extension after the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season shattered any dreams that PSG ownership or fans had of the starboy prolonging his stay in Paris. What was originally believed to be a three-year contract extension signed last summer has turned out to be a two-year deal with the option lying with Mbappe to extend after that 2023-2024 season. With Mbappe’s intentions now clear, PSG must enter scramble mode as they risk losing their prime asset, one which they bought for €180 million, for free after the conclusion of next season. The situation presents the Parisians with two clear options for dealing with Mbappe: sell him this summer to the plethora of suitors, or convince him just as they did last summer of the advantage of staying in his home city. Here we look at the likely options for Mbappe this summer: Real Madrid Real Madrid appears to be the obvious choice for a player who has long been tied to the historic club. After trying endlessly last summer to secure the rights to the star Frenchman, Madrid came out with nothing but false hope. For months it felt as though Mbappe lighting up the Bernabeu week after week would be a guarantee but Mbappe saw the Parc Des Princes as having too much to offer at that time to leave. One summer later the Madridistas believe they have found solace as they become yet again the frontrunner to sign Mbappe. Coming off a slightly disappointing season by Madrid standards that included a Copa Del Rey trophy, a second place La Liga finish, and a semi-final defeat to eventual champions Manchester City, Real Madrid are also set to lose legendary No 9 Karim Benzema. This represents a perfect transition period for Madrid as they look to bring in the hyper-talented Mbappe to replace the lost goals from Benzema’s departure. Saudi Arabia A mere few years ago the idea that a player of Mbappe’s caliber in the prime of his career would go to a league such as the Saudi’s would seem rooted in fantasy. Yet, as we have all learned money talks and the Saudi League sure has a lot. The PIF, or Public Investment Fund, is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund that has been largely investing in sport over the past few years. This has seen them creating LIV Golf, purchasing 80 percent of Newcastle United in the premier league, and now, purchasing four of their home nation’s 16 Saudi Pro League teams. With the wealth that these teams now possess and the high-profile names that have gone to Saudi Arabia in the past year, there seems to be at least a chance that Mbappe could venture to the Middle East. Al Hillal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahil represent the four clubs that the PIF has taken over. Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, while Lionel Messi was recently connected to Al-Hillal, which reportedly offered a three-year 1.6 billion euro deal to the Argentinian. Madrid’s Benzema and Mbappe’s Les Bleus teammate N’golo Kante have signed with Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahil has just ventured up through promotion to the Pro League. If Mbappe were to venture to the Persian Gulf, Al-Hillal seems like an obvious choice with the empty spot and money left behind when Messi chose Miami over the Saudis. While the money for both PSG and Mbappe would be abundant it still seems a little far-fetched that a player of Mbappe’s level, who still is in the beginning of his prime, would sojourn to one of these clubs. Recent history has taught us not to underestimate the lure of Saudi money; yet again there always remains a chance that the Saudi’s offer a deal neither PSG nor Mbappe could refuse. PSG While Mbappe has made his intentions clear that he does not want to renew his contract into 2025, PSG still have the opportunity to convince their star to stay on yet again. Mbappe has enjoyed much success in Paris domestically, finishing as the league’s top goal scorer in five straight seasons as well as securing five of six Ligue 1 trophies with the club. Yet, with PSG entering each Ligue 1 season as massive favorites, this domestic success does not seem to be enough to keep Mbappe happy. Success in the illustrious Champions League which defines Europe’s best seems to be the next step for Mbappe who has seen his club flame out in back-to-back Round of 16’s. How can PSG convince Mbappe of their future in this tournament with a jettisoned Messi and an aging Neymar must be the No 1 question in Paris. While it seems to be quite clear Mbappe has no intention of staying on, this same sentiment was echoed repeatedly just a year ago. One thing we can trust is that Mbappe will do what he sees as best for his future whether that is financially or on the pitch. Manchester United or the Premier League? Should a takeover of Manchester United be completed in the near future, the new owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe or Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim, would surely be interested in a statement signing. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has denied any involvement in the takeover process at Old Trafford, yet an existing relationship could help any potential deal. Chelsea would surely be interested with Todd Boehly eager to make an impact in the market once more, yet the figures involved in such a deal might prove beyond the Blues with so many other areas of the squad to address. Read More Kylian Mbappe alerts Premier League clubs with surprise announcement about his future How Jude Bellingham can become the anti-Haaland for Real Madrid Liverpool’s must-add midfielder and Haaland 2.0 to Man Utd: Transfer targets for every Premier League club Kylian Mbappe alerts Premier League clubs with surprise announcement about his future Lionel Messi confirms he will sign for US side in shock move Messi agrees ‘in principle’ on next move after PSG exit
2023-06-13 21:20
Packers schedule: 4 games Aaron Rodgers would win, but Jordan Love won’t
The Green Bay Packers are transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love as the quarterback.For better or worse, it is the Jordan Love era of Green Bay Packers football, now and going forward.After 30-plus years of hall-of-fame-level quarterback play, the Packers decided to move on from the...
2023-05-15 23:16
Sebastian Aho scores twice as Carolina Hurricanes cruise past Buffalo Sabres 6-2
Sebastian Aho scored two goals and the Carolina Hurricanes cruised to a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres
2023-12-03 11:19
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