SPORTS

[GaryCooper]

https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/scoreboard/

[jamesjazzguitar]

What does this have to do with sports? Nothing.

Well, anything that distracts me from the Dodgers losing their 3rd walk-off run game in the last week is welcomed!

[jamesjazzguitar]

Third and final rubber game of the series between the top two teams in baseball so far. Baseball is a sport that gets under your skin and doesn’t come out. Texas at Tampa Bay, about to start.

Shout out to crabby Laffite!

My Dodgers have just won two shutout games in a row so hopefully that is something to look forward to (but they are still 4-6 in their last 10 games).

Arizona is a surprise to me and I assume most people, even the team. This is a very young team, but those youngers are playing some great ball right now. Hopefully they will come back down to earth (like most young teams do). AZ still may make the playoffs and I would welcome that if it helps ensure the SD Padres don't.

[txfilmfan]

Third and final rubber game of the series between the top two teams in baseball so far. Baseball is a sport that gets under your skin and doesn’t come out. Texas at Tampa Bay, about to start.

Shout out to crabby Laffite!

Went to a Rangers game a few weeks back - first time since they lost the World Series. Used to have a partial season ticket plan (27 games) back in the 90s, but it became such a hassle to get over to Arlington from where I live and worked, so I gave it up. It certainly has gotten expensive. The Rangers use dynamic pricing, so the price varies, but seats in the lower tier between 1st and 3rd (excluding the ones directly behind home plate) went for $200 to $600 at the game I saw (against the lowly Rockies). These do include access to various "clubs" where you can eat at a buffet, and typical ballpark snacks afterward, so at least there's no more outlay needed for food or drink. Was eye-opening.

[laffite]

The game of baseball has become decadent. it's difficult to watch when being continuously confronted by the innumerable errors made on balls and strikes. It is as if the normal unfolding of a game is being nullified by human error. And yet the broadcasts still insist on the dangling that infernal representation of the strike zone before our eyes. Better would be to do away with that and allowing us to return to the illusions of yesteryear when we thought that umpires were even remotely accurate. It is time for baseball be totally mechanized. Let technology take over. Technology has changed the workscape for decades, why not baseball? No more umpires ... at all. Not behind the plate, nor first base, nor third, nor anywhere. Out of baseball, completely. And what a boon to hitters who would be able to profit from a uniform strike zone. Batting averages would rise, more runs would score, pitchers will no longer reign supreme on their little ivory towers, they would have to learn to pitch to a strike zone, and no longer have the opportunity to deceive umpires. The playing field would be leveled, literally. Oh, would I be God so that I might restore this erstwhile wonderful game to a better place. //

[txfilmfan]

The game of baseball has become decadent. it's difficult to watch when being continuously confronted by the innumerable errors made on balls and strikes. It is as if the normal unfolding of a game is being nullified by human error. And yet the broadcasts still insist on the dangling that infernal representation of the strike zone before our eyes. Better would be to do away with that and allowing us to return to the illusions of yesteryear when we thought that umpires were even remotely accurate. It is time for baseball be totally mechanized. Let technology take over. Technology has changed the workscape for decades, why not baseball? No more umpires ... at all. Not behind the plate, nor first base, nor third, nor anywhere. Out of baseball, completely. And what a boon to hitters who would be able to profit from a uniform strike zone. Batting averages would rise, more runs would score, pitchers will no longer reign supreme on their little ivory towers, they would have to learn to pitch to a strike zone, and no longer have the opportunity to deceive umpires. The playing field would be leveled, literally. Oh, would I be God so that I might restore this erstwhile wonderful game to a better place. //

Tennis was able to eliminate line judges and, back in the 1990s, the net-cord judge, all replaced by technology. Tennis still has the chair umpire. Clay tourneys (e.g., the French Open) still use line judges, for now. But by 2025, all ATP (men's) tennis matches will be called electronically. No word yet from the WTA (the women's tour). The coronavirus pandemic also hastened the adoption of automated line calling, in an effort to keep the number of people needed on court to a minimum during the pandemic.

Back to baseball: Even if you automated calling balls, strikes, outs, fair/foul balls, and ground rule balls, you'd still need a human to be able to intervene in rhubarbs, and make decisions on ejections, until they come up with an android that could do it.

[laffite]

The game of baseball has become decadent. it's difficult to watch when being continuously confronted by the innumerable errors made on balls and strikes. It is as if the normal unfolding of a game is being nullified by human error. And yet the broadcasts still insist on the dangling that infernal representation of the strike zone before our eyes. Better would be to do away with that and allowing us to return to the illusions of yesteryear when we thought that umpires were even remotely accurate. It is time for baseball be totally mechanized. Let technology take over. Technology has changed the workscape for decades, why not baseball? No more umpires ... at all. Not behind the plate, nor first base, nor third, nor anywhere. Out of baseball, completely. And what a boon to hitters who would be able to profit from a uniform strike zone. Batting averages would rise, more runs would score, pitchers will no longer reign supreme on their little ivory towers, they would have to learn to pitch to a strike zone, and no longer have the opportunity to deceive umpires. The playing field would be leveled, literally. Oh, would I be God so that I might restore this erstwhile wonderful game to a better place. //

Tennis was able to eliminate line judges and, back in the 1990s, the net-cord judge, all replaced by technology. Tennis still has the chair umpire. Clay tourneys (e.g., the French Open) still use line judges, for now. But by 2025, all ATP (men's) tennis matches will be called electronically. No word yet from the WTA (the women's tour). The coronavirus pandemic also hastened the adoption of automated line calling, in an effort to keep the number of people needed on court to a minimum during the pandemic.

Back to baseball: Even if you automated calling balls, strikes, outs, fair/foul balls, and ground rule balls, you'd still need a human to be able to intervene in rhubarbs, and make decisions on ejections, until they come up with an android that could do it.

Simple. The money saved by no umpires can be used for security specialists. We can call them peacekeepers. Without umpires there will be fewer ejections anyway. Or we can train specialists who be a press box member to make those decisions. The idea is not to trash the human element, per se, but to rid of those that are no longer needed.

[jamesjazzguitar]

The topic here is now about AI and how that will be replacing all types of jobs, which is going to become THE issue between management and employers and their unions in the coming decades. The WGA strike is all about this, as well as strikes and lawsuits by the musician union for use of sampling are pre-recorded material that is being reused.

Don't be surprised that the next time the Umpires union and MLB have to negotiate their next collective bargaining agreement, that the union insist in protection from AI type applications that reduce the needs for umpires. (Just like the WGA is doing now). Note that others in the movie and TV industry, like actors, are supporting the WGA. (And looking at the WGA demands, I don't see how the two parties come to terms).

The WGA is taking a hard-stance because AI software still requires the use of number of professional writers. In another 10 years that might not be the case and thus there would be around a 90% reduction in the needs for writers.

Will the ML Players Association support the umpires in the same way actors etc. are for writers?

[jimimac71]

I suppose AI could teach FOX how to run the audio at a horse race.
My hearing is modestly impaired as an age related thing. I was not abusive in my youth.
FOX also had the SF Giants game and messed up the audio there too.
I've had nothing but trouble with TV sound for 15+ years.
Those who run TV only concern themselves with the picture, as if the sound is a necessary evil.
My opinion is "up with your rules," to quote "Smokin' In The Boys Room." (Brownsville Station)
All these changes are going to ruin baseball, but that's probably just me.
If you want the games shorter, make them 7 innings.
Charge less for the beer and more for the bathroom. <grin>

[laffite]

I suppose AI could teach FOX how to run the audio at a horse race.
My hearing is modestly impaired as an age related thing. I was not abusive in my youth.
FOX also had the SF Giants game and messed up the audio there too.
I've had nothing but trouble with TV sound for 15+ years.
Those who run TV only concern themselves with the picture, as if the sound is a necessary evil.
My opinion is "up with your rules," to quote "Smokin' In The Boys Room." (Brownsville Statio
All these changes are going to ruin baseball, but that's probably just me.
If you want the games shorter, make them 7 innings.
Charge less for the beer and more for the bathroom. <grin>

The NHL playoffs jack the sound of the crowd so high (they want us to imagine that, you know, we're there) the sound of the announcers are barely audible. I have taken to extensively using the mute button and turning on The Ride of the Valkeries using auto repeat instead.

[jimimac71]

I live too far away from SF to hear Giants baseball on their FM station.
Things will have to become unbearable before I listen to the AM station.
Besides, I do want to watch the game, not just listen.
This year, MLB TV changed their radio service name to “At Bat.”
What’s different is you can stream (video) the Minor League games.
We do have two of the best radio guys right here in San Francisco.
Dave “Bucket Head” Fleming and Jon “The Big Kahuna” Miller.
The TV guys are good too.
I’m spoiled and won’t watch a game on a different channel.
The Dodgers (sorry James) have one of the loudest crowds in baseball.
With MLB TV, local games are not allowed until after the game has ended.
On the other hand, I’d probably enjoy games from outside my area more, plus they don’t last until 10 PM.
Love the weenie (sausage) races with the Brewers.
MLB At Bat doesn’t have restrictions on local games.
You get the home or away announcers in English or Spanish.
But I still want to watch.

[txfilmfan]

I suppose AI could teach FOX how to run the audio at a horse race.
My hearing is modestly impaired as an age related thing. I was not abusive in my youth.
FOX also had the SF Giants game and messed up the audio there too.
I've had nothing but trouble with TV sound for 15+ years.
Those who run TV only concern themselves with the picture, as if the sound is a necessary evil.
My opinion is "up with your rules," to quote "Smokin' In The Boys Room." (Brownsville Statio
All these changes are going to ruin baseball, but that's probably just me.
If you want the games shorter, make them 7 innings.
Charge less for the beer and more for the bathroom. <grin>

The NHL playoffs jack the sound of the crowd so high (they want us to imagine that, you know, we're there) the sound of the announcers are barely audible. I have taken to extensively using the mute button and turning on The Ride of the Valkeries using auto repeat instead.

The teams pump in fake crowd noise in NFL games in their stadiums and the networks sweeten it for broadcast. It's all about production values...
Wouldn't be surprised if other leagues did the same.

[jimimac71]

I think the fake noise is a byproduct of Covid.
Nobody was in the stands at SF Giants games, the only sport I tolerate.
There were cardboard cutouts, which fans paid for, at the Giants games.
I enjoy ladies volleyball for obvious reasons. <blush >
Ladies softball is crazy fun.

[txfilmfan]

I think the fake noise is a byproduct of Covid.
Nobody was in the stands at SF Giants games, the only sport I tolerate.
There were cardboard cutouts, which fans paid for, at the Giants games.
I enjoy ladies volleyball for obvious reasons. <blush >
Ladies softball is crazy fun.

COVID certainly brought it to the forefront, but the networks have been doing it for years.

Back around 1980, NBC did an experimental AFC game (I want to say the Dolphins/Jets in Miami?) with no announcers at all. So all you got was the ambient stadium noise and the stadium PA. Instead of the constant roar you normally hear, there were moments of quiet. The crowd would get louder during the execution of a particular play, of course, but there was no constant cheering, etc. that you normally hear on broadcasts. Crowd noise naturally waxes and wanes with the game, but you can't tell it from watching it on TV. The advent of surround sound broadcasts only made it worse and more noticable.

[GaryCooper]

Is he the G.O.A.T?

G.C.