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Omega's tech is the unsung hero, capturing history with 40,000 frames per second. As Alex Prewitt (crazy to see an American Legion Baseball teammate continue to crush it!) reports: "For 28 agonizing seconds, Lyles, Jamaica's Kishane Thompson, and millions of television viewers were not sure who won." Drama. Precision. Legacy. This is peak human performance meets cutting-edge Swiss engineering. A partnership older than sliced bread (literally - Omega's been timing the Olympics since 1932). The future? AI-powered biometrics. We'll know a javelin's launch angle before it leaves the athlete's hand. Lesson: In business and athletics, victory is often decided by the slimmest of margins. The differentiator? Superior tools and relentless preparation.

Sometimes, the simplest moments carry the most powerful messages. This year, my favorite photo is one that shows North and South Korean table tennis players taking a selfie together on the medal podium. It’s a picture that has captured the hearts of many, symbolizing a rare moment of unity between two nations that have been divided for so long. In the photo, you can see South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon holding up his phone, smiling alongside his North Korean counterparts. They had just finished competing in a mixed doubles match, with South Korea winning bronze and North Korea taking silver. But in that moment, it wasn’t about who won or lost—it was about coming together, even if just for a brief moment. This image reminds me of another story from history. In 1974, during the FIFA World Cup, East and West Germany—two parts of the same country that had been split by political differences—faced each other in a soccer match. The tension was high, but when the players stood on the field, they realized that they were more alike than different. The crowd chanted "Germany! Germany!" and for a moment, the idea of a divided nation seemed absurd. These stories, like the photo of the Korean players, make us think about the walls we build between each other—whether they’re physical borders between countries or mental barriers in our minds. They show us that, despite our differences, we’re all part of the same human family. It’s easy to get caught up in what separates us, especially in today’s world, where divisions seem to be everywhere. But this photo is a reminder that unity is possible, even in the most unexpected places. It challenges us to look beyond the labels and borders and see each other as people first. Imagine a world where we focused more on what we have in common than what sets us apart. What if, instead of building walls, we built bridges? The selfie of the North and South Korean players is a small but powerful example of what that could look like. It’s a snapshot of hope—a reminder that no matter how deep our differences, there’s always a way to connect. So, as we go about our lives, let’s remember the lesson in this simple photo. Let’s be open to the moments where we can reach out, take that metaphorical selfie, and connect with others, even those who might seem the most different from us. Because in the end, we’re all on this journey together, and the more we focus on unity, the brighter our world can be.

What's the buzz in the sports realm? You guessed it. It's the thrilling showdown of England versus Spain in the 2024 European Cup. As fans, we naturally have thoughts, predictions, and emotions about this highly anticipated faceoff. So, why don't we toss these ideas around together? Let's kick things off with England. With their robust line-up and potent mix of experience and youthful energy, England radiates promise. They have shown that they're not just participants but potential victors. Remember their epic performance in recent games? It was clear evidence of their tactics, precision, and ability to seize control of the game. But let's not forget: football is unpredictable, and while England is sculpting a dream run, there are twists and turns ahead that could challenge their cruise. Spain, historically, has been a giant in the football universe. Their past success is a motivational pedestal, reminding them of their capabilities. Plus, their style of play, fueled by impressive technical skill across all lines, makes the opposition pause. But let's not get too carried away. Despite their reputation and skill on paper, the field will be the ultimate decider, testing their adaptability and resilience in real time. So, who will lift the trophy? It's all out in the open. This game isn't just about victory. It's a testament to both teams' resilience, strategy, and firepower. Honestly, it's impossible to gauge the outcome with sheer certainty. But that's where the magic of football lies, in its unpredictability. So, let's sit tight, enjoy the ride, and cheer our hearts out for our beloved teams.

💷 Success can not simply be "bought." Not meant to be a reference to Harry Kane - also pretty often applies to companies and economies. 👨🎓 Strategic #talent management pays out. 🥇 Successful team building - including looking into diversity and ultimately the right "chemistry" - is key for success. Brilliant article in the current issue of DER SPIEGEL - here`s a short excerpt which also deals with the question in how far the support of Bayer has been essential for this season`s awesome success of the #werkself. "For Simon Rolfes, work on the master plan began four years ago. At that time, Leverkusen sold the highly talented attacker Kai Havertz to London for an estimated 80 million euros. The club brought in a whole range of young talents in 2020 and 2021, including the high-flyer Florian Wirtz, now a national player, and planned their blossoming three years in advance. Last summer, striker Moussa Diaby went to Aston Villa for a reported €55 million. Rolfes says: "Kai Havertz's sale ensured that we were able to lay the foundation and build the ground floor; with Moussa it was then the roof and cladding. Of course, Leverkusen always benefited from support from the pharmaceutical company Bayer, which meant the club got through the Corona years better than many other clubs. But the football club owes the composition of the current squad primarily to its own foresight. In the past four years, Bayer 04 Leverkusen generated a transfer surplus of almost 15 million euros. Bayer 04 observed potential players to see how they behaved during training and warming up. Rolfes phoned those who had accompanied her on her journey. There were players who were a perfect fit physically, tactically or technically - but not personally, he says. In these cases, the club refrained from making a commitment." #teambayer https://lnkd.in/ei7rAxCS

"A football team⚽ is, above all, an idea", according to César Luis Menotti; a successful and influential Argentinian player, coach and philosopher, who passed away last month. The photogenic, "cool", chain-smoking opponent of his nation's military junta (nicknamed El Flaco, "Slim") also once proclaimed: "There's a right-wing football and a left-wing football. Right-wing football wants to suggest that life is struggle. It demands sacrifices. We have to become of steel and win by any method... obey and function, that's what those with power want from the players. That's how they create retards, useful idiots that go with the system."* With that political slant on The Beautiful Game deeply engrained in Menotti's mental armoury, then, what might he have made of today's news story on this small "band of brothers", in 'some corner of a foreign field / That is for ever England'** - in their fervid dreams, at least (see the BBC News story, at link shared below)? It feels an especially topical subject, on a day when the English economy may grind to an almost total standstill from c. 4pm (Scotland's ground to a halt about a week ago!). But I come at this topic largely from the angle of #EffectiveCommunication. What does chanting intend to #Persuade us of, exactly? I'm particularly interested in the views of friends and acquaintances here on LinkedIn. Rather than any self-appointed, so-called experts - or those with particular, football-related agendas. Disclosure: I may be said to "have a dog in this fight". But it's not a bulldog, in a union jack waistcoat. I was lucky enough to watch England play in Nuremberg, during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. That location, of course, added historical and political "juice" to the occasion. Then, my friends and I skirted the edges of the usual mass assembly of England "fans" (already well refreshed by c. 10am, in warm Bavarian city-centre sunshine). Bare-chested and enjoying taunting the locals, whilst trying to pick fights with the attentive, heavily-armed police. We went in search of a quiet bar in a shady Nuremberg nook. Luckily, these were welcoming and readily available to anyone who cared to look, rather than sunburn themselves in a sodden, communal, violent frenzy. But I digress. If a football team truly is an idea, above all, then what do the massed ranks of their supporters - and THEIR #Communication - represent? Is it: Humorous irony? Power? Politically-charged aggression? Plain "unsavoury and unnecessary"? As ever, different audiences will likely perceive and receive different #KeyMessages from the same piece of #Communication. I point out, for the record, that German authorities were quick to clarify: 'singing the song is not a criminal offence'.🎵 *Jonathan Wilson's 'Inverting The Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics'. Wilson goes on to clarify that, in fact: '[Menotti's] sides were always rather more systemised than he cared to admit'. **from 'The Soldier', by Rupert Brooke (1915)

📢 When your favorite podcast meets your business idea...how cool is that... What would you like to see from data...as a coach...as a fan...? 👉Let us know in the comment section 👈 🎧 Tune into the podcast to hear my co-founder Martin Rumo dive into our start-ups philosophy in the context of ice hockey (starting Min 32) 🚀 Our mission is clear: To enable sports organizations to become truly data-empowered, enhancing player development, player selection, and tactical decision-making like never before. ⚡ Yet, the challenge remains - in an industry often skeptical of data analytics solutions, how do we bridge the gap between raw data and actionable insights? 🔍 Our approach isn't about selling another app; it's about integrating and interpreting data in a way that speaks the language of sports organizations, offering them the insights they need, when they need them. Let's push the boundaries of what's possible. Join us in this journey towards a more informed, strategic, and successful future in sports. Wait for more to come soon... Big round of applaus to SRF - Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, Tanja Eder, Reto Widmer, Romano Caviezel, ZSC Lions Special Thanks to you Sven Körner #sportsanalytics #dataempowerment #sportinnovation #startupjourney #podcastinsights

*Innovators’ Legacies* A few days ago Franz Beckenbauer, the "Kaiser”, a legend of world football, left us. Rather than celebrating his achievements (3 Champions Cups, a World Cup and a European Championship with Germany, 2 Ballon d'Or, just to mention a few), we like here to recall his contribution as an innovator of the sport. Indeed, Beckenbauer redefined the role of the sweeper (or no. 6 in some countries), enriching it with creativity and tactical acumen. The Kaiser did not simply disrupt opposing attacks, but contributed to the construction of the game from the defense, giving rhythm to the action and creating numerical superiority in the midfield and ahead. His interpretation of football was total, modern and anticipatory of many future tactical developments. Beckenbauer did not merely apply the schemes of his time, but, through his talent, elegance, and intelligence, managed to bring a breath of almost visionary innovation. Even though Beckenbauer is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the principles of contemporary football: the creation of positional advantages, control of game timing, numerical superiority, and ball handling. The theme of athletes "changing" the sports they compete in, as Beckenbauer did, fascinates us and we dedicated a blog post to successes and failures of these innovative sportsmen that you can check again at this link: ➔ https://lnkd.in/dPnABExT Picture: www.imago-images.de

Football is a hi-tech sport. ⚽ The ball for the current Euro 2024 championship is another great example, how technology can be applied in innovative ways in sports. 💻 The ball (embedded in a system of sensors, cameras and analytics systems in the background) collects data during matches and enables tracking of movements and player interactions. This allows real-time analytics, the long-term utilizatio of match data, and decision support (for referees, teams and organizers). The use of advanced (data driven) technology and AI in football is not new – see e.g. player performance analysis, personalized training, wearables for monitoring physical data and tactical forecasting. 📈 🏆 But now, that technology is increasingly applied on the field and during matches (like at the Euro 2024), I‘m very curious to see, how this will change the way players and teams approach the game, und eventually how the technology will impact game/sport football as a whole. ❓ 💡   #euro2024 #uefa #football #connectedball #ai #innovation #technology #analytics #AI #artificialintelligence https://lnkd.in/dMUGJXim

As a football fan I’m enjoying watching the Euros 2024 tournament. The athletes, the quality of play, and the energy in the stadiums are all amazing. Check it out and you might discover a new type of "football". I do, however, find myself thinking back on the 2020 tournament and how it ended...with ugly racism: England vs Italy in the Championship match was decided in penalty kicks. Three Black players -- Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka -- all bravely stepped up to take penalty kicks with the weight of a country on their shoulders. They all missed. England lost, and the commentators on social tore these three young men apart. It was hard to watch as the brutal racism so unfortunately associated with sports went wildly ungoverned across social media. It’s not fair to the athletes, who although they’re labeled as superstars are also humans with emotions and insecurities like the rest of us. One must also consider the millions of young fans constantly exposed to such hate. How could this not normalize it for them? Incidents like this are why my team and I do what we do at Respondology – operate a platform that removes hate and abuse from social comments. Since we were already working with NFL, NHL and NBA organizations, I walked into our office the next day and told the team we were going to use our technology to help global football. We could do something about this. I’m proud to say that three years later, we have football clubs and athletes around the world on our platform that we’ve successfully been able to protect from abuse. The hate has been muted (and action taken on those making racist comments). Change is possible, and tomorrow, I’m going to walk into our office and see who else we can help... #TechnologyForGood #SafeSocialaMedia #Euro2024

New Post: ‘EA Sports FC 24’ Hugo Lloris End Of An Era SBC solution - https://lnkd.in/gavm-KS5 - After an 11-year stint, Hugo Lloris has moved on from Tottenham and EA is giving you the chance to earn an exclusive card for the player with the EA Sports FC 24 Hugo Lloris End of An Era SBC. READ MORE: The 20 best games of 2023 The SBC is a one-time completion and is available until January 25, 2023. So, you have a good few days to get it completed and earn enough Coins to buy some players. To complete the Hugo Lloris End of An Era SBC you need: One Premier League player & Team Rating of 85 (Premier League SBC) One French player & Team Rating of 86 (France SBC) Completing these will net you a Premium Electrum Players Pack, Jumbo Premium Gold Pack, and the End Of An Era Hugo Lloris card. Thankfully, these both are fairly straightforward compared to some of the other SBCs that require chemistry thresholds to be met or have more requirements. Thanks to EasySBC, you can come up with some pretty easy and simple solutions to this. However, FUTbin suggests that players will need to invest around 120,000 – 125,000 to purchase the cards needed to complete this SBC. But, for easy solutions to both, you can find suggestions below: EA Sports FC 24 Hugo Lloris Premier League SBC Solution GK – Murphy (1,100 Coins) CB – Dudek (2,300 Coins) CB – Thiago Silva (2,200 Coins) RB – Marta Torrejón (2,200 Coins) CDM – Oberdorf (13,500 Coins) CDM – Fabinho (2,200 Coins) CDM – Højbjerg (2,200 Coins) CM – Kroos (8,000 Coins) RM – Mahrez (8,000 Coins) LW – Foord (2,200 Coins) ST – Haller (1,000 Coins) This will just put you at the Team Rating requirement and cost you around 45,000 Coins based on current prices. If you don’t want to spend the Coins or want to see how you can build your squad of current players to meet these requirements, EasySBC allows you to do just that and test lineups here. EA Sports FC 24 Hugo Lloris France SBC Solution GK – Maignan (13,750 Coins) CB – Smalling (2,300 Coins) CB – Škrinar (2,300 Coins) CB – Süle (2,300 Coins) RB – Marta Torrejón (2,200 Coins) CDM – Fabinho (2,200 Coins) CDM – Højbjerg (2,200 Coins) CAM – Ødegaard (13,500 Coins) CAM – Magull (13,750 Coins) CF – Dybala (8,100 Coins) ST – Martinez (3,750 Coins) This SBC is the more costly one, coming in at around 76,000 Coins. But, it’s a small price to pay for the End of An Era card. As with the Premier League SBC, if you want to use your cards, you can do so on EasySBC. Thankfully, as with previous SBCs in EA Sports FC 24, things are a bit easier this year as players can slot into other positions without needing a modifier. If you are hopping on to complete this SBC, then be sure to check out the EA Sports FC 24 TOTY voting which is live right now. The post ‘EA Sports FC 24’ Hugo Lloris End Of An Era SBC solution appeared first on NME. - Downl