Three Points #1
Hitting a ball really fucking far is somehow more brilliant than hyper-realistic video created by robots at unimaginable scale.
Game 7 and game design
All the pieces came together for one magic moment. Game 7, two on base, two points behind, setting George Springer up for the series moment - a go-ahead homer to secure a first Blue Jays World Series appearance since 1993.
The variable reward of a home run to occasionally take a team from losing to winning in a single hit is such a fantastic aspect of baseball that most sports cannot replicate. Wrap this in the playoff format and you create a genuine sporting spectacle.
These moments aren’t designed by accident. The gauntlet for all challenger competitions is game and competition formats that increase the likelihood of great moments without cheap gimmicks.
AI slop and peak social
The next wave of generative video models has crossed the ‘scroll believability’ threshold - content that easily seems believable and entertaining at a passing scroll. Not helped by OpenAI’s model presenting itself as a TikTok clone.
The AI slop floodgates open at a time where younger users may have reached peak social media use.
Infinite AI content will turn some further away from platforms, and for others strengthen their addiction. The lack of moderation or oversight should frighten anyone that is watching.
AWS and the end of days
Unlike for most of the world, Monday morning isn’t the worst time for sport if the internet’s backbone is going to collapse. That said, there were enough casualties to give a hint of the disruption the next time this happens.
Premier League resorted to legacy VAR systems, teams delayed ticket sales, betting services were disrupted.
A warning for everyone that it didn’t affect at a key moment. What is your contingency next time this happens? What if it happens on a big day for your fans?
Get out of the blocks, run your race, stay relaxed.
- Carl Lewis