High-Tech Balls 👀 Cristiano Ronaldo Looking Like🤑

Hey, this is Matter of Sports, the newest newsletter that should be in every ex-jock's inbox.

What's the Matter?

• FIFA, KINEXON, and Adidas teamed up to make the World Cup ball high-tech

• Offer to Cristiano Ronaldo is INSANE!

• Russell Wilson is getting clowned

You ever seen balls like this before?

First came the idea of using cameras for offsides, instant replays, and other game-enhancing feats. This was years ago. There were some soccer purists around the globe (the purists call it football... but you know... it's called soccer) who hated that the game wasn't the lifelong experience they knew. Then calls went in favor of who those purists supported so the tech was accepted.

So here we are a bunch of years later and now there is a technology inside the ball. This tack comes equipped with a 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor inside the ball that knows exactly what’s going on with the ball. Crazy to say this, but within seconds of movement, the ball is telling Video Match Officials what’s happening with the ball via transmission.

The world cup ball is basically a cyborg with a sensor (14 grams heavy), a tiny battery that lasts for 6 hours of nonstop play or up to 18 days when not even in use. I have no idea how to charge it but that’s probably dope too. I imagine they have a charging rack?

In the center of the ball, Adidas added a suspension system to stabilize the hardware.

This tech was a collab between FIFA and KINEXON all with the ambition of making the game purer than ever with the use of data. Basically, they are eliminating the concept of not knowing who the last player to touch the ball was. The referee's decision-making is easier and clearer.

One more crazy thing about this damn ball, when a new ball is put into play the entire system is made aware of it and starts tracking the new ball in play. NUTS!

It's just plain cool. But you know like all things, some fans still hate it. LOL, "purists"

Cristiano Ronaldo is basically on Shark Tank

Okay, no fluff as promised, this freaking guy was offered $207,000,000 per year to play for Al Nasir, a Saudi Arabian club.

Let’s look at his other contracts for perspective by looking at his net worth of half a billy! $500,000,000 in net worth between playing soccer and endorsements.

The poster child for soccer for at least the past 15 years has easily been Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi is well-known sure, but Ronaldo is “the guy” that everyone knows. He’s one of the most followed athletes of any sport on social.

Ronaldo has been an elite player for Elite teams across Europe for years: Manchester United, Juventus, and Real Madrid. Even American’s who don’t know anything about soccer know at least one of these teams.

The thing about this is, an no offense on my fact, Ronaldo playing in this league will be like me playing on the U9 team I coach. He would be a shark in a fishbowl. Sure it takes 11 player to win, going undefeated is unlikely, but he would be relatively unstoppable.

At 37 years-old, maybe this is what he needs as he enters the decline of his career?

Let me know what you think.

Russell Wilson is getting ripped on the Internet

Time for the other football.

Russell Wilson was signed by the Broncos. His contract made him the second-highest paid QB in the NFL. He is locked up until 2028 with Denver. The total estimated value of the contract is $245,000,000.

His performance has been terrible. From poor play to screaming out Seahawks play calls during games, it’s been downright embarrassing.

Apparently, Ciara threw a birthday party for Russell Wilson and less than half of the Broncos showed up. He's the QB1... supposed to be the leader of this team... the heart... and half of his team would rather be anywhere else in the world than his birthday party?! That's messed up.

2022 has got to be the worst year of his career.

And man… is the internet crushing him right now! I’m laughing while I write this but I just feel bad. Laughing in disbelief I guess?

Just look:

and this next one is just messed up:

Look I can go on for days but after everything that went on between Wilson and the Seahawks, and then how his signing to the Broncos was such an expensive deal and media hoopla... you need to perform, Russ.

Pretty simple, that contract created an expectation.

Post-Matter

So no cards today. Do you want them in here? Let me know!As for what I got going on, I'm enjoying writing this. I woke up today looking forward to writing this. That's a good thing. I'm working on my Twitter presence to expand my reach. Have friends interested in reading? Tell them about Matter of Sports! Read MoS, together! Are they on Twitter? Follow me @SALBshow. This leads me to that user name, "show" because I'm getting ready to produce a podcast to complement this newsletter. One thing at a time though, right? But for now...That's All I Got,Sal B

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