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Artificial Intelligence to Predict Sports Injuries

nakhla writes "MSNBC.com is running a story on how an Italian soccer team is using artificial intelligence to predict sports injuries. The team is working with Computer Associates to develop neural network technology that can be combined with daily tests of the athletes to determine patterns which occur right before a player gets injured. Of course, one has to assume that it wouldn't be able to predict a player getting kicked in the head in the middle of the game, resulting in a concussion." I was wondering how to tie a World Cup story into Slashdot. Congratulations to Senegal.

200 comments

  1. Actually... by NitsujTPU · · Score: 1

    Depending on the nature of the neural net, it might be able to predict patterns that let it guess when someone will get kicked in the head.

    1. Re:Actually... by kidyomo · · Score: 0

      Start to apply this to real life and then you can get a system to predict when you get hit by a bus.
      I think these guys have just invented some kind of a deathclock!

      --

      - posts may be recorded for legal or training purposes. Thank you for your co-operation.
    2. Re:Actually... by Buggernut · · Score: 1

      How about developing an algorithm to predict the likelihood of David Beckham kicking another player in the calf?

  2. That's Scary by G0SP0DAR · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Do you think that could predict my driving patterns and tell me the next time I will most likely cause an accident? I think the focus should be more on prevention, but what the hell, they're Italian...

    --


    Calm down, it's *only* ones and zeroes.
    1. Re:That's Scary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I think the focus should be more on prevention, but what the hell, they're Italian...

      A imas kaj prot' 'taljanom, ti Gospodar?

      Gospodar cesa pravzaprav, ce smem?

      A bomo kmalu vid'li fusbalsko Italijo preigrat Slovenijo.

    2. Re:That's Scary by G0SP0DAR · · Score: 1, Informative

      Ja nemam nista protiv Talijana, ali dok zivim u Americi, ista da se radi onde nije moja briga. :) Prema mi, fudbol je dosadan.

      --


      Calm down, it's *only* ones and zeroes.
  3. Senegal Rocks! by efuseekay · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    France just sucks.

    I love african football (it's football, not soccer dammnit!). They are so much more playful and entertaining than the rest...

    (Then there's brazil....)

    --
    Mode (3) smart-aleck mode. Press * to return to main menu.
    1. Re:Senegal Rocks! by AdmrlHale · · Score: 0

      France does play some good football. Watching there victory over Brasil last time was quite impressive. I respect them at the least. Way to go Senegal though. Also, I'm from the US, so I feel as though I must cheer for the national team. Go USA. Please stop laughing.

    2. Re:Senegal Rocks! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it's football, not soccer dammnit!
      No, it's fagball.

    3. Re:Senegal Rocks! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      No, it's fagball.

      Yeah....soccer is so queer. Watching a bunch of 140 lb. Mexican guys run around for six hours to win a game 1-0 is not my idea of a good time.

  4. Problem? by qslack · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What if the computer predicted that Michael Jordan would break his leg if he played one more game? It is certainly not 100% correct, so what would happen? Would the coach let him play and take the chance, or would they listen to the computer? What if they didn't heed the computer's warning and MJ broke his leg? Would he have grounds to sue?

    Technology is supposed to solve problems, not create them. :)

    1. Re:Problem? by SirSlud · · Score: 2

      > Technology is supposed to solve problems, not create them.

      At the risk of getting flamed, most analysis' of social patterns and technology suggests that any given technology is garaunteed to create problems as well as solve them. Of course, since we're talking about the future, while you might know what you're solving, you can never be 100% sure you know what problems you'll cause.

      Please tell me this isn't news. ;)

      --
      "Old man yells at systemd"
    2. Re:Problem? by reschly · · Score: 1

      You just make a movie about the situation, then collect all the profits.

      --


      I believe that the existence of women is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy
    3. Re:Problem? by optikSmoke · · Score: 1
      Of course, since we're talking about the future, while you might know what you're solving, you can never be 100% sure you know what problems you'll cause.

      But you could always make a neural net to tell you what problems you'll cause :)
    4. Re:Problem? by BagOBones · · Score: 1

      These systems usually work on trends and patterns that a normal human usualy doesn't see.. Its not that the software is going to say Michael is going to take a fall next game but it may find a pattern that saies someting like.. Michael has a X higher point average in games where he has had X number of days off.. or Michael jump shots are X percent poorer when he misses X number of practices..

      This can be usefull information in the right hands..

      --
      EA David Gardner -"... but the consumers have proven that actually what they want is fun."
  5. Trying to find out who get injured? by Soul-Burn666 · · Score: 1

    Give me their funding and i'll tell you who will for sure get injured... Give me enough $$ and i could tell you who will win the games!

    "Make them an offer they can't refuse"

    --
    ^_^
    1. Re:Trying to find out who get injured? by SEWilco · · Score: 1

      On weekends, train that AI to try to predict dice, blackjack, poker, and ... sports betting. Then its injury predictions have interesting new influences...

  6. Americans and soccer by Ryne · · Score: 4, Informative

    an Italian soccer team

    ah gawd, AC Milan is one of the most famous teams in the world, maybe the name could be included in the article, not just an Italian soccer team.

    1. Re:Americans and soccer by martissimo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      i'm guessing that at least 9 out of 10 non-football fans wouldn't have a clue who AC Milan is. Almost anyone can recognize the meaning of "an Italian soccer team"

      besides what is intersting about this article is not the team itself, its the way they are using the technology to attempt to predict future injuries.

      PS wtg Senegal, go Azul!!!

    2. Re:Americans and soccer by RvonG · · Score: 2, Interesting

      No. As a non-football fan I know exactly who AC Milan are. Their president is one Silvio Berlusconi.
      What has always seemed weird to me about the club (and their otherwise excellent website doesn't seem to explain it) is that their name uses the English language version of their home city's name. Around the days of big matches it is not unusual to see signs on the autostrade around where the final "o" in "Milano" has been painted out by fans.

    3. Re:Americans and soccer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I dont know about that, but I know the "AC" part stands for "AC Slater" from the hit show "Saved by the bell".

      Rumors of the AC meaning Anonymous Coward are totally bogus.

    4. Re:Americans and soccer by Ryne · · Score: 1

      I think very many people in Europe would know about Milan even though they don't like soccer. And it wouldn't exactly hurt to put the name of the team into the article.

      I find it interesting to know which team it is. If it is a team as well-known and with as much money as Milan then it is likely to be well executed, unlike if it was some unknown team that hired the coach's son because he had taken an AI-class in school.

    5. Re:Americans and soccer by SerpentMage · · Score: 2

      While I agree with your comment, it is just...

      For example lets say I said Montreal Canadians, Philly Flyers, Boston Bruins? What would you say? Probably nothing since they most likely mean nothing to you. Or lets say I say The Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe, Ken Dryden, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Clark, etc. These names are legendary in ice hockey...

      My point is that while the name AC Milan may mean something to you and me there are a lot folks that it means nothing.

      And who said it best? When in Rome do as the Romans do... North Americans understand Italian soccer team not football team AC Milan.

      --

      "You can't make a race horse of a pig"
      "No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
    6. Re:Americans and soccer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
      their name uses the English language version of their home city's name. Around the days of big matches it is not unusual to see signs on the autostrade around where the final "o" in "Milano" has been painted out by fans.

      sorry you are totally mistaken

      Milan is the correct spelling in most (all?) northern Italian dialects. It's therefore the native spelling of the city Italians know as Milano

      . (just as Trst is the native spelling of Trieste :-).)

    7. Re:Americans and soccer by RvonG · · Score: 1

      Milan is the correct spelling in most (all?) northern Italian dialects. It's therefore the native spelling of the city Italians know as Milano


      Interesting theory. Milan is not a spelling I have ever seen in Northern Italy, but you did force me to do some research aka a Google search.


      The club was originally the Milan Cricket and Football Club. Unless you can come up with an Italian dialect meaning for cricket, I don't think your theory can be sustained.

    8. Re:Americans and soccer by Quixote · · Score: 2

      lets say I said Montreal Canadians .... ? What would you say?

      I'd say they are Montreal Canadiens, and not Canadians
      A bit different to some people. Just like "InterMilan" and "AC Milan".

    9. Re:Americans and soccer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's Internazionale. Get it right, dammit.

  7. Handicapper's dream by L.+VeGas · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How much you think that data is worth to bookies?

    1. Re:Handicapper's dream by e5z8652 · · Score: 1

      Potentially quite a bit. Obviously the World Cup has a similar system in place to predict the outcome of matches as seen in this quote:

      "Portugal's first game in the World Cup finals will be a Group D tie against the United States on June 5."

      Of course now sports loving Portuguese and US hackers get to fight over turning a tie into a win...

      --

      null sig

    2. Re:Handicapper's dream by e5z8652 · · Score: 1

      Er, apparently I didn't enter the URL correctly.

      It is here:

      http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/020522/1/jdy.ht ml

      --

      null sig

  8. How can this be -1 Offtopic ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    read the post Mod!

  9. I see it already. by gTsiros · · Score: 2, Funny

    -Ok, jim, my computer says you will break your right kneecap on the 35 minute. So, try to be still around then.
    -Ok
    (at the 35th minute jim stands still, at which point a brick from the fans smashes his head).

    The coach returned the brogram cause it was bugged.

    --
    Looking for people to chat about multicopters, coding, music. skype: gtsiros
  10. Il calcolatore predice le lesioni di sport by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    La centrale elettrica italiana di soccer osserva ad intelligenza artificiale per il bordo sul campo

    Robert Pires dell'arsenale riceve il trattamento sul suo ginocchio di destra ferito durante l'azione di soccer della tazza di FA in marzo. La ferita Pires forzato dal gioco.

    L'inchiostro era a mala pena asciutto sul contratto del dollaro di multi-million di Fernando Redondo con il CA Milano della centrale elettrica di soccer quando il giocatore ha saltato verso l'esterno il suo ginocchio appena tre minuti in un workout sistematico su una pedana mobile. Il suo dolore è stato ritenuto acutamente dai proprietari della squadra, che sono stati lasciati a wonder come questo potrebbe essere previsto -- e sono stati evitati.

    PER GLI ANNI i medici e le vetture della squadra hanno cercato le sfere di cristallo che mostrerebbero le lesioni di ACL nel fare, soothsayers che potrebbero tenere avanti sui tendini del ginocchio che potrebbero saltare, genies che potrebbero avvertire di un polsino del rotore circa per esplodere nella spalla del nuovo prospetto caldo.
    Il CA Milano può trovare un tal oracolo: un calcolatore abbastanza astuto riconoscere i segni di un atleta che si sfascia. Il randello italiano renowned di soccer -- che ha quattro giocatori competere in tazza relativa a quest'anno del mondo -- ha teamed in su con i soci del calcolatore internazionali per verificare la possibilità di usando le reti neurali, una forma di intelligenza artificiale, predire le lesioni ed ottimizzare il condizionamento per ogni atleta, forse persino aiutare prescelto che giocatori da firmare.

    RETI NEURALI
    Le reti neurali sono differenti dai calcolatori tradizionali in quanto "imparano" riconoscere i modelli invece di essere dato un insieme delle regole sotto forma d'un programma destinato all'elaboratore. Così, nel caso delle lesioni di sport, la rete neurale "è indicata" molti casi degli atleti che sono stati feriti. Il calcolatore è alimentato i dati sulle prestazioni di ogni giocatore e le abitudini nelle settimane e nei mesi prima della ferita. Nella teoria, dopo che il calcolatore sia esposto a molti casi, "vedrà" che cosa ha portato alla ferita e può da avvisare istruire il personale la prossima volta che riconoscerà un modello simile in un altro giocatore.
    I soci del calcolatore non è acuti sul dare verso l'esterno i particolari del sistema destinato per dare a CA Milano il bordo. Matteo Aliberti, responsabile di progetto per il calcolatore si associa, ad esempio che i giocatori sono esaminati ogni 15 giorni. Ma ha rifiutato esattamente all'opinione come gli atleti stavano controllandi. "stiamo guardando la idoneità dell'atleta," Aliberti detto. "stiamo guardando come reagiscono agli stimoli esterni; come si muovono; come addestrano; che cosa mangiano."

    Jean Pierre Meersseman, la testa del gruppo di medici di CA Milano, se un ancora un poco visione del processo. I giocatori sono chiesti di portare i sensori -- circa 18 - 24 di loro -- sui loro corpi durante i workouts. I sensori trasmettono le informazioni di nuovo alla rete neurale via i radiowaves. Questo senso il calcolatore ottiene le risposte mentre l'atleta gioca il soccer, fa funzionare un precipitare 40-meter o risolve sulle macchine in ginnastica di CA Milano.
    Il calcolatore inoltre è alimentato i dati psicologici, così come le informazioni su che cosa ogni giocatore mangia.

    RISULTATI PROMISING
    Una prova di 18 mesi del sistema ha fornito risultati promising, secondo Aliberti. "potevamo fare funzionare la prova perché [ CA Milano ] il a.lot avuto dei dati sui relativi atleti già," lui ha detto.
    Il programma pilota ha indicato che la previsione di ferita era una possibilità, Meersseman detto. "abbiamo avuti informazioni da più di 5.000 prove sui nostri giocatori fatti durante gli ultimi quattro anni," lui hanno spiegato. "abbiamo messo questo nella rete per vedere se determinati parametri cambiassero prima che un giocatore fosse ferito."
    Infine la rete neurale ha predetto correttamente le lesioni 84 per cento del tempo, Meersseman detto. "i matematici ritengono che possano ottenere a questo numero fino a 96 per cento," lui abbiano aggiunto.
    Il nuovo sistema potrebbe essere un aiuto grande alle vetture che provano a predire quali giocatori sono al rischio, ad esempio il Dott. Arthur Bartolozzi, capo della medicina di sport all'ospedale della Pensilvania a Filadelfia. "il a.lot dei fattori può contribuire alla ferita: condizionando, l'affaticamento, l'apparecchiatura, le condizioni atmosferiche, condizioni di superficie, "Bartolozzi ha detto.

    Se un sistema potesse essere sviluppato per prendere tutte queste cose in considerazione, potrebbe permettere che i medici della squadra tirino i giocatori prima che ottenessero feriti, lui ha aggiunto. "ora have.got gli attrezzi rudimentali graziosi per predire le lesioni con," ha detto. "sarebbe piacevole avere attrezzi che permetterebbero che noi vediamo le anomalie più sottili."
    Il programma potrebbe anche risparmiare il a.lot di CA Milano di soldi, lo ha avuto stato intorno quando la squadra stava facendo un'offerta per Fernando Redondo. "abbiamo speso un importo enorme di soldi che compra un giocatore che ha ottenuto il hurt dopo tre minuti sulla pedana mobile," Meersseman detto. "forse avremmo pensato due volte a comprarlo. Forse il prezzo sarebbe stato differente."
    E se la squadra fosse andato comunque attraverso con l'affare, la rete neurale potrebbe averla detto a come evitare la ferita grande. "una volta che compriamo un giocatore che dovremmo possiamo controllarlo per vedere se il suo stato sta declinando," Meersseman detto. "allora potremmo adattare il programma di addestramento."
    Se la nuova tecnologia risulta essere tutto promesso, potrebbe rendere le cose più esatte -- e così correttamente -- per gli atleti, Bartolozzi ha detto. Ora, prima della sign del giocatore nuovo, i medici e le vetture fanno il loro la cosa migliore per predire se un giocatore rimarrà in buona salute.
    Ma la valutazione è "in molti sensi non scientifici," ha detto. Il nuovo sistema ha potuto permettere che le squadre facciano una determinazione più esatta di idoneità futura del giocatore, lui ha aggiunto.
    Oltre il quel, Bartolozzi detto, "è molto intrigante potere da studiare i giocatori in tempo reale."
    Bartolozzi vede altri usi possibili di nuova tecnologia. "potremmo potere usarlo per calcolare verso l'esterno le differenze nei tassi di ferita fra maschio e gli atleti femminili," ha detto. "ora che più ragazze stanno giocando il soccer ed altri sport, stiamo vedendo loro più che strappano il loro ACLs. Ciò ha potuto aiutarla a spiegare la differenza del sesso."

    Quando viene alle lesioni di predizione, infine, le reti neurali possono dare semplicemente la validità a che cosa i medici della squadra conoscono spesso intuitivo. "se lo penso veda male qualcosa con un atleta e non può dire esattamente che cosa è, esso è duro da dire alla vettura di non usare un giocatore," Meersseman detto. "desidera il giocatore giocare se ci è realmente male niente. Spero che ora abbia i numeri per dire quanta possibilità là è che questo giocatore sarà ferito. Darà una poco più alimentazione a che cosa dico."

  11. Artificial intelligence and sports by BluedemonX · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought artificial intelligence as it relates to sports is either

    1. Grade inflation so that the jocks won't miss the big game for the state championships

    OR

    2. Jocks buying term papers on the internet or beating up the liberal arts students to get them to do it for them so that they don't get considered unable to play by the NCAA and therefore miss the upcoming national championships.

    --

    --- Jump!! Fire!! Bullet time!! - Lego version of the Matrix
  12. Could be a timesaver by elocutio · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Think of the injuries that could be avoided by just have the AI figure out how the score will turn out. No need to play the game; just sit back and enjoy the simulation.

    Isn't the sustaining of injuries one of the cases that player agents make for multi-bizillion dollar salaries?

  13. Birdie! by NanoGator · · Score: 2
    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:Birdie! by BlowCat · · Score: 1
      Heh I wonder if that bird that got hit by a baseball pitch is considered a 'sports injury'.
      Nope. It's a 'sports kill'. Read the article. The bird didn't survive.
    2. Re:Birdie! by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      I'm aware of the bird dying. Sheesh. 'Heh I wonder if that bird that got hit by a baseball pitch is considered a sports kill' wouldn't have made as much sense, keeping to the topic of this post.

      Interesting how humans automatically believe other humans are misinformed. I wonder if Occam considered that. Heh.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
  14. Forget injuries...replace the officials by shaldannon · · Score: 2

    We need AI that can properly officiate, by golly! AI that can tell when someone is diving to the ice or pretending to be fouled. Once we don't have to worry about humans making bad calls, Shaq won't be able to gripe...the Toronto Maple Leafs won't be able to get boarding calls...Superbowl playoffs that have fumbles will really be called fumbles...

    You get the idea...

    By the way...Go 'Canes!!

    --


    What is your Slash Rating?
    1. Re:Forget injuries...replace the officials by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nooooo....don't go canes ;-) Montreal or Ottawa should have won this year, but since they're both out...Go Colorado, hey in my mind they are still Quebec!!!

    2. Re:Forget injuries...replace the officials by entrager · · Score: 0

      Too bad the 'Canes will go down to either Colorado or Detriot (hopefully Colorado, I live in Denver :).

  15. Better Bet -- AI Refs/Umps by ackthpt · · Score: 1
    Aside from all the alleged artificial muscles (hint: Steroid use can fubar your body, re: Mark McGwire) AI detection shouldn't be all the necessary, just get people to play clean (unlike that ridiculous body block in today's FRA/SEN match) and work out within reason. When $$$ incentives encourage overdoing (or drug abusing) you're going to get injuries.

    Of course some injuries are most commonly associated with certain sports (torn ACL == football, broken collar bone == cycling) and you're not going to do much to stop that, aside from some absurd contrivance like the old OSHA Approved Cowboy was wearing.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  16. Soccer is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and so are you.

    1. Re:Soccer is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      This is a glorious post. If it only were broadened to include every single sport on the face of the earth, but especially soccer which is incredibly, astonishingly gay, I'd be raging for it to be modded up.

    2. Re:Soccer is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Soccer is ghetto. All you need is a ball... umm that's it.

      If the 5 billion people who think soccer rules all, had the financial captial to play a more complex game such as hockey, baseball or american football, you'd find soccer at the bottom of the global list for popular sports.

      Soccer is cheap, and ghetto. F soccer. Long live hockey.

    3. Re:Soccer is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeh! And what about those dumb cunts who confuse real hockey and ice hockey, like ice hockey's a real game or something! hahahaha!

    4. Re:Soccer is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ha ha

      yeah

      i like american sport where the players all have on more protection than your soldiers

      yet they still wear lycra shorts so we can see their fat butts wiggling about

      why do american world series offer no interest to the rest of the world outside the US

      oh i like the comments about what would happen if MJ could predict if he was injured .... wow almost implies he might fix a game

      ha ha

      you lame bastards

  17. that has "markov matrix"... by AssFace · · Score: 1

    ...written all over it.

    (as does my forehead)

    --

    There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
  18. World Cup by Edward+Teach · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'd watch the World Cup but I don't really care for yahting.

    --

    Setting his threshold to 5, Sparky eliminated most of the trolls on /.

    1. Re:World Cup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yahting (fullback for Sunderland FC) didn't make the England team so isn't playing in the World Cup.

    2. Re:World Cup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I would watch yachting, but I don't really care for Larry Ellision

  19. funny semantics by datastew · · Score: 3, Funny
    genies that could warn of a rotor cuff about to explode in the new hot prospect's shoulder.[emphasis mine]
    Unless their "new hot prospect" is a helicopter, I think they mean rotator cuff.
    1. Re:funny semantics by Peyna · · Score: 1

      I had a serious rotator cuff injury a few years ago from swimming. Sucked majorly, but physical therapy feels good, especially when the person helping you looks so nice.

      I'm not quite sure how bad such an injury would effect a soccer player, but obviously this is limited to soccer.

      --
      What?
    2. Re:funny semantics by martissimo · · Score: 2

      genies that could warn of a rotor cuff about to explode in the new hot prospect's shoulder

      also impressed that they have employed genies, was wondering when Barbara Eden would find gainfull employment again, she's still got a sexy torso at like the age of 60 or something ;)

    3. Re:funny semantics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So I guess that the injury was on your backup hand then?

  20. Hey geeks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stop having sex with your operating system!

  21. genetic headlines by graveyhead · · Score: 2
    I was wondering how to tie a World Cup story into Slashdot. Congratulations to Senegal.

    Well, Michael, I can create you a genetic program for this situation. You can tell it "I want /. to feature xxx-flavor-of-the-day", and it will come up with a snappy headline, and a nice semi-controvertial article. So what if the links it makes up are fabricated, I mean no one actually follows them anyway, right?

    The best part is, I can build it for you at the rock-bottom price of just $5,000,000!

    --
    std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;
  22. preventative medicine by happyclam · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One thing that everyone seems to be missing is that being able to predict injuries implies the ability to prevent them. Not through inaction but rather through preventative medicine such as physical therapy to strengthen certain muscles around a particularly dodgy ligament or something.

    Such AI would also be useful in correcting improper training--if someone is slowly degrading their ankle/rotator cuff/lower vertebrae/what have you by doing something slightly wrong, such tests and analysis could predict the injury before it happens, allowing the coach/trainer to stop the athlete from doing that bad thing any more.

    --
    He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
    1. Re:preventative medicine by Edward+Teach · · Score: 1

      Posters on /. miss the point? Impossible! Ignoring the point though, probable.

      --

      Setting his threshold to 5, Sparky eliminated most of the trolls on /.

    2. Re:preventative medicine by Beryllium+Sphere(tm) · · Score: 1

      Which points toward a much bigger market.

      Professional athletes are already getting top-flight trainers. Imagine this kind of software (IF it works) deployed at every health club

    3. Re:preventative medicine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're inputting the data into the computer that says you're doing something wrong, why do you need the computer? Really, this whole thing seems rather rediculous.

  23. Frink by sharkey · · Score: 2

    "And now, the Gamble-Tron 2000 will tell us the winner, nyahey .... Cincinnati, by 200 points!?!? You stupid piece junk!"

    --

    --
    "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    1. Re:Frink by graveyhead · · Score: 2

      Apu: Could it be used for dating?

      Professor Frink: Well, theoretically, yes. But the computer matches would be so perfect as to eliminate the thrill of romantic conquest. Mw-hurgn-whey.

      --
      std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;
    2. Re:Frink by sharkey · · Score: 2

      And the secret ingredient is....LOVE! OK, who's been screwing with this thing?

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    3. Re:Frink by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice Frink-ese... I wonder if we could get Google to add a Frinkanese language to their repertoire a la Swedish Chef...

  24. *laughs* by RalphTWaP · · Score: 2
    Blockquoth the poster, evermore (from here until the ending blockquote tag):


    Ultimately the neural network correctly predicted injuries 84 percent of the time, Meersseman said. "The mathematicians think they can get this number up to 96 percent," he added


    This is about the funniest line I've read today (and today they almost gave the coding staff control of the functional requirements specifications....). Of course the mathematicians think they can get the beast more accurate. Everyone knows

    The statisticians believed the odds quoted because they thought them to be grounded in theory established; the physicists believed the odds quoted because they thought them to be grounded in observation.... Only murphy knew the truth.

    1. Re:*laughs* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't laugh. If you look at the accuracy of predictions generated by neural networks when applied to areas such as credit card and insurance fraud, you might be surprised. The broader story here might be that as neural networks are properly trained and tuned, that they have significant potential for prediction of broader health problems. Medicine and healthcare will eventually move from being reactive to proactive. This might be a novel first step.

  25. Nah by Em+Emalb · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As someone who has (believe it or not) played sports his whole life (baseball, basketball, football, basically any sport except soccer cause eye foot coordination ain't my bag) I don't think this will work. Sports are just too damned random. Even as the example in the article showed, ole Renando or what ever the hell his name is, blew out his knee on the treadmill. So, what happens when you get 9 fielders and a runner or two on the field and the guy running to first tries to avoid the tag and rolls his ankle severely, or hits a foul ball off his leg, lands on another players foot going for a rebound, gets blind-sided by a 300+lb lineman, etc? This may work in the example listed about treadmills, but will not work in the actual field of play. So, the only real tie-in to sports here is that this soccer (ok, ok, futbol) team has a multi-million dollar investment that was hurt in a mundane activity (treadmill running) and wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. Until it can predict when a player will be hurt before he is in the field of play, come talk to me.

    Semi-OT now:

    What's up with the silly little cards used in soccer? (futbol) It's rather silly. How did it develop? DO people really care? Oh no, I got a piece of plastic pulled out on me, I'm so scared. Yes, I know that it is serious when someone gets red-carded, but the actual act of being penalized is lame as hell. Thoughts? What would be a better system? Everytime a foul is committed the opposing player who was injured gets to power-slam the offender? Sounds good to me. Would make soccer more fun to watch ;-) (tongue in cheek, mods, so pull that ruffle back out of your panties :)

    --
    Sent from your iPad.
    1. Re:Nah by drsquare · · Score: 1

      Oh no, I got a piece of plastic pulled out on me, I'm so scared.

      Tell that to Gazza in the '90 World Cup semi-final.

    2. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, two yellow cards means an automatic red card, so that's pretty serious. People do care, football is a gentlemens sport, you're only supposed to go for the ball. Maybe that's why not many yanks play football.

    3. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and football's yellow hankies are really that much better?

    4. Re:Nah by wilhelm · · Score: 1

      Everytime a foul is committed the opposing player who was injured gets to power-slam the offender? Sounds good to me.

      Damn dude, you had me laughing for a good couple minutes with that one. I can just picture it... <laughs some more>

    5. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it's a fruit's game. That's why so many limeys play soccer, fagball, whatever.

    6. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why the fuck do faggy americans insist on calling it "futbol"?

    7. Re:Nah by fliptout · · Score: 0

      Guess it is time to work on that foot-eye coordination to see where all the action is at ;)

      --
      A witty saying proves you are wittier than the next guy.
    8. Re:Nah by softsign · · Score: 1

      I have never seen somebody do this in any other sport. American football included. Though I have seen a dislocated hip in American football. This is still nastier.

    9. Re:Nah by manofherb · · Score: 1

      spanish class in high school

    10. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Once in a hockey game I broke a rib, I said "fuck that, ribs are for children" and whent back into the game. In another game I got a blow against my leg, no one notised, not even me, until 30 seconds later whereas my leg stoped working. It wouldn't move! And thus, I was bounded to bed for two weeks. I can't see how AI would make any different in any of those cases.

    11. Re:Nah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yeah stupid plastic

      what is needed is a referee who waves his arms about like he's trying to land a plane

  26. The fall and decline of common sense by pongo000 · · Score: 2

    I question the wisdom of engaging CA to predict sports injuries when it has a tough time predicting the outcome from doctoring the company books.

  27. Source Code Excerpt by apg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here's a portion of the AI code that was leaked:

    if (player.runWith == "scissors") {
    player.injury.type = "puncture wound";
    }
    else if (player.christmasGift = "Red Rider BB Gun") {
    alert("You'll shoot your eye out.");
    }
    1. Re:Source Code Excerpt by sfmarco · · Score: 1

      That is not an example of a Neural Network, but of Business Logic. Don't mix these technologies.
      With neural network there will not be an obvious relation ship between the input and the output. It's based on data input.
      I wonder which team provided the training data.

    2. Re:Source Code Excerpt by softsign · · Score: 1

      Oh man, thank you for this one... you can never have too many references to "A Christmas Story"... particularly in late spring. =)

  28. Senegal suck by Maquis196 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Not the best place to scream this but senegal SUCK theyre such flukey bastards. we will have our revenge!! yes im french supporter! Maquis196

    1. Re:Senegal suck by happyclam · · Score: 2

      Too bad France didn't have this AI, or they might have held Zidane out of the last match to rest him.

      And I say "pppppptttttthhhhpppppt" to France.

      The really valuable AI would be to predict player personalities... not only would it have helped the Irish to avoid losing Roy Keane, but it would be invaluable for the 49ers, nearly any NBA team, etc. The stress test case could be to set it to work on Mike Tyson's personality.

      --
      He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
    2. Re:Senegal suck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Though I am a France supporter, I can't say that Senegal sucks, especially since most of the team is French! Do you follow French football? All these Senegal guys play for French teams, while most French players seam to play for English teams, go figure...

    3. Re:Senegal suck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Senegal was a French colony.

      It's hard to say how much, but I guess France sucked whatever it could out of it until 1960.

      Senegal deserves more from France, not just football victories.

      Go Senegal!

  29. footaball by Ironfist_ironmined · · Score: 1

    it's football dammit, not soccer! Get your own name for a game invented a long time after football.... hummph americans.

    --
    0xC3
    1. Re:footaball by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I don't understand is why yankee's call running around with a ball in their hands, seldomly kicking it, football? Wouldn't handball be more appropriate? Or maybe sissyball? I mean, we use our hands in real football more often than yanks use their foot in 'football'.

      What was that joke after the elections about the Queen renouncing american independence, making them spell words properlly, and letting their best 'footballers' play rugby with the young british girls?

  30. The choice of input data seems a little strange by pjp6259 · · Score: 1

    They don't say exactly what they are measuring with the sensors on the players body, but in addition to those sensors they use "psychological data, as well as information on what each player eats" as input.

    I would think they could quantify MRI/CT scans of the relevent areas of the body, and use those as inputs to the NN. Frankly I'm very suprised that it has shown 84% accuracy, but I guess without knowing what the sensors measure it's hard to say.

    --
    Computers don't make mistakes. What they do, they do on purpose.
    1. Re:The choice of input data seems a little strange by happyclam · · Score: 2
      I guess without knowing what the sensors measure it's hard to say.

      They're measuring the amount of nunocloreans, tiny creatures that live in symbiosis with all living beings, preventing injuries, particularly during athletic events and hand-to-hand combat. People who have many nunocloreans are very forceful and have few injuries. But the nunocloreans decrease with age, leading to things like broken hips.

      --
      He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
  31. Spelling and grammar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Hi there.

    They've been doing this for years to monitor baseball pitcher's

    Just to repeat one of my many earlier statements:
    pitcher's: Something that belongs to the pitcher.
    pitchers: The plural form of pitcher.

    Please learn to use the language or else people might completely misunderstand you. You're welcome. :)

  32. English for Americans. Tip #46 by jasoncart · · Score: 1

    Unlike the World Series, the World Cup actually contains teams from around the world

    1. Re:English for Americans. Tip #46 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is because the rest of the world BLOWS GOATS at baseball; Japan is getting better.

      Do you really think ANY other International baseball team has a chance to beat a professional north american baseball team?

      aaaaa no.

    2. Re:English for Americans. Tip #46 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Cuba. Oh, that's right, you don't want to play them...

      Although, oddly enough, half of the ML is from Cuba.

    3. Re:English for Americans. Tip #46 by UncleFluffy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Unlike the World Series, the World Cup actually contains teams from around the world.

      I think the best version of this comment was given by John Cleese on US TV in an interview around the Clinton/Lewinsky newsfest. It went something like "There are three differences between the English and Americans. 1) We speak English, you don't. 2) When we host a world championship, we invite other countries to join in, and 3) When you meet our head of state, you only have to go down on one knee, not two."

      --

      What would Lemmy do?

  33. Good prediction algorithm: by shrikel · · Score: 1

    Right. For example, if they shave their head and paint it like a soccer ball and bury themselves up to the neck in the middle of the field just before practice, yeah, they'll probably get kicked in the head.

    --
    Any sufficiently simple magic can be passed off as mere advanced technology.
  34. Re:soccer sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hockey rulez them all

  35. HAL by daeley · · Score: 2

    I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.

    --
    I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
  36. Buggy code by Pekka+Lampila · · Score: 1

    In line four there is = instead of == If the quality of the actual code is like that, I wouldn't bet for the Italian team.

  37. See other comment about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  38. Scary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    With the track record that the AI discipline has, the predictions are likely to be amazing.

  39. Re: World B-cup by distributed.karma · · Score: 1

    What about Miss Universum?

    --

    --
    If you moderate this, then your children will be next.

  40. Fifa worldcup website by WildBeast · · Score: 2

    I've noticed that the official site of Fifa 2002 - fifaworldcup.com - runs on Yahoo. Has anyone else experienced a slowdown of the website? Especially in the morning, it gets unusable. Can't they afford more bandwidth?

    Don't they have an AI to tell them "We're going to need a bigger boat" ?

    1. Re:Fifa worldcup website by jasoncart · · Score: 1
      With accumulated audience of 41 billion on TV - its fair to say that the website should be fairly popular.

      They should outsource it to Akamai

  41. Uhhh.... by smoondog · · Score: 2

    technology that can be combined with daily tests of the athletes to determine patterns which occur right before a player gets injured.

    Wow, and do you know what the computer is going to say? That people are most likely to get injured when taking RISKS! More risks, more likely injured. Big surpise, next we are going to try and predict who is likely going to get injured in a shootout based on information relaying where the guns are pointed!

    -Sean

    -Sean

  42. haha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey, Canada's another country, right? And really, Queens is too.

    1. Re:haha by jasoncart · · Score: 1

      The country next door? Wow!

    2. Re:haha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Really it's the 51st state. But we let them pretend.

  43. soccer vs. football by fetta · · Score: 1

    "it's football, not soccer dammnit!"

    Soccer is an abbreviated form of "Association Football"

    --
    ** The opinions expressed here are my own, and do not reflect those of my employers - past, present, or future**
  44. Soccer!! by changos · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    What's with them calling soccer football. Your ever watch soccer, not that's a boring game man. I'll tell you what soccer is, soccer is for little girls. Football now that's an american sport, it teaches good wholesome american values, like stealing other peoples land by force, and wearing tight pants while you do it. I'm talking about being a man, Laslo.

    1. Re:Soccer!! by SerpentMage · · Score: 2

      Version A:
      Lets see game played with foot hitting the ball. Oh yeah lets call this football.

      Version B:
      Man gives odd squished shaped ball to other man via the way of the crotch and then passing said ball by throwing. At that point other man holding ball runs like mad avoiding other running like mad men (always holding ball in hand). Oh yeah lets call this game football.

      Hmm, what is more logical Version A or Version B. I think Version A....

      --

      "You can't make a race horse of a pig"
      "No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
  45. Re:soccer sucks by William+Fold · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why do Americans hate soccer so much? I'll admit here in Canada it's not as popular as everywhere else in the world, but most Canadians have a great respect for the game.

    In fact, everyone that I know is pumped about the World Cup. We even worked our work project schedule around it, as we realized productivity will be low this month.

    Seriously, what is it? Is it not manly enough for you? As if baseball is a real physical sport...

    North America's view (excluding Mexico) of soccer really sucks. It's an amazing sport -- funny that the rest of the world seems to think so too.

  46. This would have been a Good Thing® by Zen+Mastuh · · Score: 2

    ...to predict fatal accidents on the last turn of the last lap of the last Daytona 500.

    --
    "What is the sound of one belly slapping?"
  47. Re:soccer sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If us American's wanted to watch a bunch of Latino's run around a field pell-mell, we'd just head down to Brownsville, TX and watch them try to slip across the border. No need to do it any way else, capice?

  48. world cup stories by Roadmaster · · Score: 2

    "I was wondering how to tie a World Cup story into Slashdot. Congratulations to Senegal."

    Well taco, given how topical a lot of stories are (and don't even get me started on Ask Slashdot), i guess you could just post match scores on the front page.

    This is a good place to start a flamewar on slashdot's US-centered-ness, since it looks like the US is one of the few countries where the soccer world cup isn't a completely paralyzing event (what with matches airing at 1 and 3 AM central US time, i bet a lot of sports fans across the continent will show up at work late and half-asleep, if at all, for the next month).

    1. Re:world cup stories by happyclam · · Score: 2

      Well, From June 19 through the 25th, we can have a daily article or three on World Cup as long as we tie it in to RoboCup stories. What I'd like to see on the front page are the daily scores and stats from THAT. (I'll get my soccer stats live and from sources other than /. thankyouverymuch.)

      --
      He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
    2. Re:world cup stories by lkaos · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      World Cup? That must be why Google has a goofy soccer logo on there site..

      Yup, noone in the US gives to shits about soccer. In fact, a lot of folks here, well, kind of consider soccer to be a homosexual sport. There's just something really gay about running around in short shorts.

      --
      int func(int a);
      func((b += 3, b));
    3. Re:world cup stories by fliptout · · Score: 0

      I'm willing to bet most slashbots don't have any athletic skills to begin with.

      --
      A witty saying proves you are wittier than the next guy.
    4. Re:world cup stories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I would think there's more homoeroticism involved with continually patronizing a site broadly known for its copious promotion of particularly nasty sodomy.

      But I guess, as chair-bound fatasses, you can fairly criticize highly-skilled athletes who play and promote a gentlemanly sport (what a concept!).

    5. Re:world cup stories by Planesdragon · · Score: 1

      Yup, noone in the US gives to shits about soccer. In fact, a lot of folks here, well, kind of consider soccer to be a homosexual sport. There's just something really gay about running around in short shorts.

      I'm an American, but...

      Look at our OTHER so-called sports. Golf? (dress up in funny cloths and hit a small ball.) Baseball? (Dress in PJs, whack a ball, and run around four bases). Football? (Dress in tights, slap the other player's ass, and get rough and dirty with lots of other guys.)

      Ok, so I admit to not being a sports fan--but I really don't see how Soccor is any more "gay" than the rest of the national sports. (Bowling! Hockey! Track & Field! Frisbiee Golf!--er, scrap that last one.)

    6. Re:world cup stories by UncleFluffy · · Score: 1

      "Yup, noone in the US gives to shits about soccer."

      Yup, you folks still haven't realised that you're supposed to play football with your *feet* ;-)

      --

      What would Lemmy do?

    7. Re:world cup stories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Athletic games are for children and adolescents.

      The constant obsession with grown men who play children's games for large amounts of money is pathetic.

      It's part of our cultural obsession over youth.

    8. Re:world cup stories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Spoken like a true, aging fatass! Keep stuffing those twinkies!

  49. Rather Have The Reverse by undecidable · · Score: 1


    I think I'd rather read an article in which athletes present their predictions on the future of AI.

    --
    "The only rights you have are the rights you are willing to fight for."
  50. Sorcerers responsible for Zidane's injury by Monsieur_F · · Score: 1

    In the case of the victory of Senegal over France, there is no science : French masterplayer Zinedine Zidane got his injury a few days before this match, without obvious reason.

    Many people in Senegal, and in Africa more generally, pay sorcerers in order to put a curse on the rival team, and its best players. This article (in french) explains that : all teams that played against Senegal saw their best players injured for their round against Senegal !

    So the scientific method to predict injuries must take into account the power of sorcerers ! Can artificial intelligence really know this information ?

    --
    McCartney fans pay bus tickets. [...] Lennon fans too, with discretion.
  51. Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by dmouritsendk · · Score: 1

    First im danish, were grouped with both france and senegal. I hate the french team, mostly because a. they are xtremely good, and denmark is grouped with them. B. They allways seem to kick our but when we meet them, only time i can remeber us winning was in Euro 92(but we had a awsome team back then, and we won the entire tournament). And ofcource C. They are french..

    BUT, i HATE the fact senegal won. I know everybody loves a underdog win and everything, but jessus! never had i seen such a boring soccer game.They way they won was one of the ugliest things ever seen in football. , they played 4-5-1. But using prettymuch ALL their midfieldser as defenders. So in reality they played something like 8-1-1, which is about as defensive as it gets. The French played all the ball, since only one senegal player seemed to want to leave his own side of the field. But it worked, they won.. But it was one of the most boring VM matches ive ever seen.. The French had possesion (65 france 35 senegal), all they did was running around trying to find a hole in the abnormally big wall of a defence.

    In basket terms, if one of the teams desides to not wanna play the game. And everybody just stands under their basket proctecing it, letting only one guy attack once in a while(hoping for a lucky punch).

    Teams like this kill soccer...

    1. Re:Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by Compuser · · Score: 2

      Do you remember when Argentina beat Brazil
      a couple (?) of World Cups ago in semis.
      That was an awesome game even though it
      had the same dynamics you just described.
      (IIRC Battistuta was the only one to venture
      out of the Argentinian half, he scored his
      one goal and that was enough).
      Just because it is strong/lucky defense vs.
      strong offense doesn't mean the game is
      boring.

    2. Re:Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It looks like you don't like soccer at all.

      I loved the game. First, because I hate France (Yes, I'm brazilian and I'll not forget the last WC easily). Second, their team sucks. They have no creativity, all they have is Zidane. Without him, they're a bunch of technically good players, nothing more. France thinks they are the best soccer team in the World... What a joke

      Senegal is a happy team, with a happy soccer, doing its best to show to the world what they can do.

      The game itself was not that bad. Most of the soccer games are like that. I enjoyed it a lot, and everyone I talked today here enjoyed it also (well... a French coworker didn't) :PPP

    3. Re: Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by asr_br · · Score: 1

      Yes, it was in 1990, the WC was in Italia...

      Brazil was playing much better (if you can define what 'better' is when we are talking about soccer).

      Soccer is an amazing game. I can't explain why, it just is.

      BTW, Viva la Fran^H^H^HSenegal!!!! :P

    4. Re:Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by dmouritsendk · · Score: 1

      Trust me i like soccer :) Ive played in a club from age 10-17, now I just love to play for the fun in it. And I love to watch it to, BUT i hate defensive football. The system/way that senegal played is well know in modern football, its Norways last national coachs, "Drillo", work. Its wide know as the most defensive way to play football. Its based on the idea that
      its easier to destroy than create. And i dislike that.

      Maybe because I usally play an offensive midfielder , i dont know.

      Btw. i disagree on the notion that all france have is Zidane. Trezeguet , Henry and Pirés springs to mind. Zindane is important, no doubt. But, France dominated the match yesterday anyways. Henry and Trezeguet both hit the woodworks, u dont get closer than that.

    5. Re:Congratulations to Senegal - omg! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice troll danish neo nazi.

  52. Re:soccer sucks by AKA+da+JET · · Score: 1

    I hate it when people stereotype Americans. I'm American, that sure as heck doesn't mean I hate soccer. Now CANADIANS, they are fun to stereotype, just because you really can't. :)

  53. RIGHT ON BRUTHA!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    GAME 7 ... Av's/Red Wings coming atcha!!!

    1. Re:RIGHT ON BRUTHA!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LETS GO RED WINGS!!

  54. Americans and Cycling by ackthpt · · Score: 2
    an Italian soccer team

    "ah gawd, AC Milan is one of the most famous teams in the world, maybe the name could be included in the article, not just an Italian soccer team."

    Yeah, that's not all that's happening in Milan, either

    Go Tyler!!!!

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  55. Re:soccer sucks by SerpentMage · · Score: 2

    I do not think that Americans really think it is sucky. For example take some rugby men in the UK and France and ask them if football is cool. Most likely the answer will be football is for wusses!

    The problem with the US (not really a problem) is that the US has way too many sports. Whereas in the rest of the world sports are focused in a few. The rest of the world simply does not get excited about umpteen sports. Hence football simply does not get the frame of mind.

    Also realize that Americans do not get as excited and emotional about their sports. Consider the world cup and how France and Italian companies are letting people go home earlier to watch the games. No way that would ever happen in the US or Canada. Could you imagine Jean Chretien getting excited about Team Canada in Ice Hocket? Not really and have not seen it.

    When Germany won the World Cup highways in Germany simply shutdown and people got out of their cars to chear for them. It is quite a different intensity. Me at that time I was in Canada and driving through Kitchener Waterloo honking my horn with other Germans.

    --

    "You can't make a race horse of a pig"
    "No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
  56. Re:soccer sucks by Monsieur_F · · Score: 2, Informative
    The only people who play soccer are those who can't play any other real sport like football or baseball.


    Most people who play soccer are actually playing football as it is under this name that they play it.

    Maybe you find it hard to understand that a sport with this name consists mainly in kicking a ball with your foot, rather than a sport in which you take something called a ball, but that is not even round, and taking it in your hands...

    --
    McCartney fans pay bus tickets. [...] Lennon fans too, with discretion.
  57. Like ? by iramkumar · · Score: 1

    we could have prevented seles gettin stabbed ?
    nothin can beat human unpredictability

  58. Finially an answer by dmouritsendk · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Damn, u simply couldnt be more wrong..

    Seriusly, half the players playing football (the entire, oftenly very FAT defensive line springs to mind) could never be even ½ good at soccer. Because its a game not filled with 20something breaks to make room for all the commercials, no you have to actually RUN the entire game, 45*2 minutes. That why u need to be fit, not a fat football paying fuck.. That couldnt catch a retired old lady if she was to steal his crotch strap.

    Oh, yeah btw. "football" is ruby for sissies.. did'nt you know?

    1. Re:Finially an answer by tlhf · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I always thought Python was Ruby for sissies.

      tlhf
      xxx
      Sorry...

    2. Re:Finially an answer by Sri+Lumpa · · Score: 1

      no you have to actually RUN the entire game, 45*2 minutes.

      Actually, football (soccer) is 2*45 minutes. Its more (American) football taht is 45*2 minutes to accomodate for the ad/breath-catching breaks.

      --
      "The obvious mathematical breakthrough would be development of an easy way to factor large prime numbers." Bill Gates,
    3. Re:Finially an answer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So to you the only people that can be athletes are 5'6" guys that can run a marathon? Wow, I'm so impressed that they can run around so long and kick a ball.

  59. English for non-ARe:English for Americans. Tip #46 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Unlike the World Series, the World Cup actually contains teams from around the world

    could anyone explain to me what a World Series is, and why should it not contain teams from around the world?

    Is it just a numerical sequence, like the Fibonacci series of numbers?

    Or is it one of those kind-of-boring-to-watch-if-not-for-the-commercials sports people play in the USofA?

    I still think it's better to play than to watch sports. But I guess most /. may disagree...

  60. Re:soccer sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is there some law that all people must watch and like soccer? If so, then I want a law that all people must watch and like baseball or basketball or (shudder) stock car racing. Baseball not physical? I'd like to see you hit a 90mph+ fastball a few hundred feet right past a few fielders.

  61. Logic Error by undecidable · · Score: 1


    This is damn funny.

    Small logic error, though: Seems reasonable that a player could potentially both be running with scissors and have received the Red Rider BB Gun as a Christmas gift.

    --
    "The only rights you have are the rights you are willing to fight for."
  62. In Other (slightly related) News... by happyclam · · Score: 2

    The Supreme Court overturns today's CIPA ruling, so people can no longer go to the library to see this photo of a young woman, shirtless, on a soccer field. It was deemed pr0nographic by the government censors^H^H^H^H^H^H^H officials.

    --
    He looked at me and said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send your fingerprints off to Washington."
    1. Re:In Other (slightly related) News... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that is plainly a man

  63. StarWars vs WorldCup by asr_br · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    "I was wondering how to tie a World Cup story into Slashdot"

    What about:

    "StarWars opening was delayed in Brazil because of the WorldCup. It's going to open there only in July, 11, almost two months after the rest of the World"

    Yes, that sucks. I would watch both, of course, and I'm sure everybody would also, but the attention in the last weeks (news, talks and so) was going entirely to the WC. Too bad that marketing and money drive the world... :(

    Well... at least there was SpiderMan :)

    BTW, viva la Fra^H^H^HSenegal!!!! :PP

  64. My contribution.... by decipher_saint · · Score: 1

    if (szPlayer == "Eric Lindros")
    {
    RaiseInjury("Concussion");
    }

    --
    crazy dynamite monkey
    1. Re:My contribution.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hey FUCK YOU BUDDY!

    2. Re:My contribution.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very funny... Lindros is such a prick. I remember when he first came to the Flyers and everyone loved him. Unfortunately, it went to his head and he sucked after about a year.

      Bastards still haven't gone to the Stanley Cup... It's so hard to be a Philly sports fan.

    3. Re:My contribution.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Struck a nerve did I? Heh

  65. unless... by iramkumar · · Score: 1

    Unless this some phenomenal new thing, this is the kind of stuff for bookmakers and betters..once it was horses now its jockz...

  66. Re:Problem? (Offtopic) by heartstab · · Score: 0

    Michael Jordan owns the damn team. He'd do whatever he damn well felt like, and the coach would _like it_.

  67. Re:English for non-ARe:English for Americans. Tip by wilhelm · · Score: 1

    The baseball "world championship", and it doesn't contain teams from around the world, just the US and Canada. The game is all stats, man, nothing more. Don't let anybody tell you different. It's much more boring to watch than, oh, about anything else on TV. Hell, it's mostly boring when you're there.

  68. predict this! by madenosine · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    how many goals will the red wings win by?

    Red wings / Avalanche for game 7 in the stanley cup semifinals. it does not get any better than this

  69. Re:I think it went something like this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Brits are queer.

    Yeah, "sissyball" my ass. NFL players are some of the most finely-tuned athletes on the planet. Wonder how many of those faggot ass SOCCER players can bench press 700 lbs., like Larry Allen can. Allen is shooting for 800 lbs. this year. Soccer homos wouldn't last 30 seconds on a FOOTBALL field.

  70. Drink your milk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Great. Now the company that milks your company for those ER-Win and DISPLAA licenses will be teaching the Italians how to milk their injuries for advanced placement. I find it hard to believe they came up with their own work on this one. The artifical intelligence algorithm is (in perl):

    while(<>) { push @opponentNames, $_ };
    $idx=int(random($#opponentNames));
    @names=qw/pig bully cheater sneak creep/;
    print "News quote: \"We lost because " .
    $opponentNames[$idx] . " is too aggressive " .
    "and is known for being a " .
    $names[($idx % $#names)] . ".\"";
    #P.S. I do not play golf.

  71. This is ridiculous by Pedrito · · Score: 2

    Who is the witch doctor that sold the Italians on this idea? Sorry, but sports injuries don't follow a pattern, and neural nets look for patterns. The only pattern it would spot is a guy who gets regularly injured.

    Sports injuries happen because of "accidents." Neural nets aren't crystal balls. Hell, the stock market is more predictable than a sports injury, and getting a neural net to predict that is still a rough problem.

    1. Re:This is ridiculous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey dumbass... read the article... this isn't a crystal ball, it's a medical diagnosis aid. Also known as preventative medicine.

    2. Re:This is ridiculous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How would you know if there are patterns to injuries without studying it? The purpose of the program is to find out what factors contribute to injuries and help players avoid them.

  72. Prediction answered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They won't. Avalanche will crush them.

    1. Re:Prediction answered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ouch! wheres your statue of liberty now?

  73. Let me get this straight... by jazman · · Score: 1

    So now instead of just employees skiving to watch the footy, we'll have the computers watching the footy as well?

    What next, a peripheral to test the various qualities of beer and curry?

  74. Re:soccer sucks by lkaos · · Score: 2

    Now CANADIANS, they are fun to stereotype, just because you really can't. :)

    If you want some good-ole canadian bashing, just watch the South Park movie. "Blame Canada, Blame Canada"

    --
    int func(int a);
    func((b += 3, b));
  75. Too busy to be good! by kevinvee · · Score: 1

    Why do Americans hate soccer so much?
    ...
    It's an amazing sport -- funny that the rest of the world seems to think so too.


    Our sports thoroughly cover the year already, with each sport's season ending nicely as the next begins. Soccer tends to overlap a lot of these, and American teams are for the most part much much less fun to watch than international clubs like AC Milan or Parma or Man U. Without satellite TV most people have a very limited selection of international (read: quality) games to watch, which won't help the popularity grow, which won't help the skills of our teams grow, which won't help the popularity grow. (As much as we like, as Americans, to see ourselves beaten by third world countries.)

  76. Real footballers don't wear padding by Ravenn · · Score: 1

    Why is it that all these big, strong men need so much padding? And why do they have to keep stopping every three seconds?

    When Australian rugby players go to America for "football", they have a great time, and usually win. When the Yanks come over here, they usually take one look at how the game should be played, and say "No way in hell am I going out there without any padding". And then there's the whining about how the game goes on for the entire session, without any breaks. Except for half time.

    But even rugby and AFL get called "football", so I suppose that the soccer freaks will still jump on me for that :-)

    Personally, I gotta wonder about a group of guys who like to watch another group of guys grapple and feel eachother up, and go on about how fit these athletes are, and have their favourites. And yet they proclaim to be straight? Admit it. If you like watching guys..... :-p

    --
    Of all the things you can accomplish by screwing up your face and swearing into a dark room, sleep is not one of them.
    1. Re:Real footballers don't wear padding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is it that all these big, strong men need so much padding?

      =Because= they are so big and strong. American football players are bigger, stronger and faster that rugby players and there huge differentials in those areas as well. I know of only one Australian Rules player who has come to the US to play professional football and succeeded. His name is Darren Bennett and he is a punter. The single least contact-oriented position on the field. European ruggers would =never= survive American football. If they could, they would certainly be here earning NFL-sized salaries.

  77. Detroit 7 Colorado 0 :) by shaldannon · · Score: 2

    Guess you'll just have to root for Detroit then...

    --


    What is your Slash Rating?
  78. msnbc poll: by uigrad_2000 · · Score: 2
    26% have voiced their opinion that "neural networks used to help pick players" should be banned.

    That would be one interesting rule. What counts as a neural network? Most current neural networks are either heavily centralized or mildly useful. I'm sure they would stretch the definition to cover most "computing devices"!

    And, how would they know? It's hard enough trying to find out which players use steroids. Are computing devices going to become contraband?

    Lastly, what would be the point of the law? Is it to give bad prospects better chances? Is it the first step in outlawing meticulous stat keeping?

    Really, I'm not too surprised. Remember, the average poll taker is probably a MSN subscriber.

    --
    Free unix account: freeshell.org
  79. USA are crap at soccer, I wonder why..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Football (soccer, not the american stolen word) is the sport with most supporters in the world.
    It is said that 4000 million people will be watching the world cup.
    You have to be very fit to play it. You need much more skill then basketball or hockey.
    The thing is that the average yank is too patriotic to play a sport they didn't invent/dominate.
    And too stupid/fat to beat any third world country team.

  80. Different types of injuries by karb · · Score: 1
    There are a lot of types of injuries (in fact, most sports injuries) that happen as the result of physical trauma.

    First of all, this type of program would help prevent all sports injuries that weren't the result of physical trauma (which may only be 5 or 10%).

    I think the biggest thing, though, would be to keep people from keeping bad habits. Mario Lemiuex, for example, was plagued by back problems through the best years of his career. Finally, a few years ago, he went to some specialists who hooked him up to a computer that told him he had bad posture. He fixed his posture, and he's suddenly (miraculously) healthy. Well, except for the hip problems now (heavy sigh of a pens fan).

    The problem with these bad habits is that I believe they aggravate the physical trauma. Some bad behaviors could outright lead to a greater chance of an injury, e.g. if you weren't always keeping your head down when making a tackle in american football. And some other bad behaviors (like mario's previously mentioned bad posture) can either transform routine contact into an injury, or aggravate an injury (if the area in question is already messed up from poor form).

    I would actually like to see football players wearing little electrode suits, hooked to cameras watching the field, that would send muscle impulses to appropriate players if a potential life-threatened injury was imminent. :)

    --

    Jack Valenti and the MPAA are to technology as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone

  81. Maybe it can predict stock price fluctuations..... by purpledinoz · · Score: 1

    If it can predict soccer injuries, I wonder if it can be modded to track stock prices and predict stock prices...

  82. Injuries -vs- accidents by Quixote · · Score: 2

    People here appear to be a bit confused between the two. I think what they (CA?) are saying is that they can, with some certainty, predict when a spontaneous injury may occur to an athlete. These "injuries" are not of the get-hit-in-the-head/collide-with-opponent type; of course you can't predict those! But there are some injuries (like a torn ligament or a fracture) that can occur while the player is just playing. These you may be able to predict with some certainty, because the body may have given signals earlier about the existing weakness (maybe some antibodies are created, or some other such tracers can be found). Of course, not having seen what kind of inputs the system uses, it is a tough call to say whether this is real or just witchcraft.

  83. Yes very informative by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    if you have the PGP key to unscramble it!