In this episode of Cream City Calculations, Colleen, Frankie, and Sal huddle up to explore how artificial intelligence and data analytics are transforming the NFL and professional sports more broadly. From RFID chips in shoulder pads to Amazon Web Services processing over 500 million data points each season, the team breaks down the cutting-edge tech driving decisions on the field—and in front offices.

They dive into how real-time tracking, next-gen stats, and AI-powered film analysis are improving player performance, reducing injuries, and even changing how teams draft talent and manage contracts. Along the way, they discuss fan engagement, ethical questions about data in gambling and fantasy sports, and what AI might mean for the future of scouting and sports broadcasting.

With real-world examples like the NFL’s Digital Athlete system and a shoutout to Green Bay hosting the upcoming NFL Draft, this episode connects the dots between high-tech and high-impact sports moments. Whether you're a data geek, sports fanatic, or both, this episode offers a lively and insightful play-by-play of AI's growing role in the game.

In this episode, Colleen Hayes and Frankie Chalupsky interview their cohost, Sal Fadel. This series is designed for listeners to get to know us better as well as learn our best practices.

The Coding Train: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvjgXvBlbQiydffZU7m1_aw

Rajistics - data science, AI, and machine learning: https://www.youtube.com/c/Rajistics

Hosts:
Colleen, Frankie, and Sal

The Data Pulse:
Microsoft announces $3.3 billion investment in Wisconsin to spur artificial intelligence innovation and economic growth
https://news.microsoft.com/2024/05/08/microsoft-announces-3-3-billion-investment-in-wisconsin-to-spur-artificial-intelligence-innovation-and-economic-growth/

DeepSeek sparks AI stock selloff; Nvidia posts record market-cap loss
https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinas-deepseek-sets-off-ai-market-rout-2025-01-27/

What is DeepSeek, and why is it causing Nvidia and other stocks to slump?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-deepseek-ai-china-stock-nvidia-nvda-asml/

The Rise of DeepSeek: What the Headlines Miss
https://blog.heim.xyz/deepseek-what-the-headlines-miss/

Episode Discussion:
AI goes nuclear
https://thebulletin.org/2024/12/ai-goes-nuclear/

Hungry for Energy, Amazon, Google and Microsoft Turn to Nuclear Power
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/16/business/energy-environment/amazon-google-microsoft-nuclear-energy.html

South Carolina to Reboot Giant Nuclear Project to Meet AI Demand
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/ai-nuclear-power-south-carolina-57b7ad2a

Google turns to nuclear to power AI data centres
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c748gn94k95o

Microsoft Targets Nuclear to Power AI Operations
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/microsoft-targets-nuclear-to-power-ai-operations-e10ff798

Bill Gates’ nuclear energy startup inks new data center deal
https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/23/24350335/bill-gates-terrapower-data-center-sabey-nuclear-energy-ai

Zombie nuclear reactors could be revived thanks to AI data center demand
https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/22/zombie-nuclear-reactors-could-be-revived-thanks-to-ai-data-center-demand/

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy
https://earth.org/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-nuclear-energy/

Sal Fadel, Colleen Hayes, and Frankie Chalupsky interview Naveen Lalit Kankate about his success in using data in entrepreneurship. 

Interview References:

Naveen's profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naveenkankate/

StayThanks websites: https://www.staythanks.com/luvmke?target=e4ee6751719d49f482a4b9a6639cd71b¶ms=%7B%7D

Data Pulse Sources:

https://news.microsoft.com/2024/05/08/microsoft-announces-3-3-billion-investment-in-wisconsin-to-spur-artificial-intelligence-innovation-and-economic-growth/
https://www.reuters.com/technology/chinas-deepseek-sets-off-ai-market-rout-2025-01-27/ 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-deepseek-ai-china-stock-nvidia-nvda-asml/
https://blog.heim.xyz/deepseek-what-the-headlines-miss/

Podcast Notes:

****Sorry for the sound quality. We had technical difficulties, which should be much improved at our next show!****

Hosts:
Colleen, Frankie, and Sal
Guest:
Abbas Fadel, Olympic fencing coach and three-time Olympian

The Data Pulse:

• Can AI Compete with Human Data Scientists?
  OpenAI’s new benchmarking tool, MLE-bench, puts AI capabilities to the test against 75 real-world data science competitions from Kaggle. The tool evaluates AI on more than computational ability, focusing on its capacity for planning, troubleshooting, and innovation in machine learning engineering. With the support of specialized scaffolding, OpenAI’s model achieved medal-worthy performance in 16.9% of cases, although adaptability and creative problem-solving remain challenging for AI.
  (Source: VentureBeat)
• Meta’s AI Model that Evaluates Other Models
  Meta introduces a "Self-Taught Evaluator" AI model that can assess the performance of other models. Using a large language model (LLM-as-a-Judge), it identifies improvement opportunities through an iterative self-improvement scheme. This approach not only refines model accuracy but offers a glimpse into autonomous AI systems that could learn from their own mistakes.
  (Source: MSN)
• YouTube Creators Could Earn from AI Training Data
  Calliope Networks, an AI content licensing startup, proposes a “License to Scrape” program that allows YouTube creators to license their content for AI training. By negotiating a blanket license for large volumes of YouTube content, Calliope aims to make generative AI training more ethical and financially rewarding for creators. If enough creators participate, this could transform the way AI companies access and compensate for training data.
  (Source: Wired.com)

Podcast Description:

In this episode of Cream City Calculations, the hosts welcome Olympic fencing coach Abbas Fadel, who shares how data analytics is transforming the sport of fencing. Coach Fadel, a three-time Olympian, discusses how he uses data-driven insights to analyze competitors' strengths, track movement patterns, and optimize his athletes' training strategies. From identifying critical fencing metrics to customizing strategies for each opponent, he highlights how data provides a winning edge on the Olympic stage.

Tune in to learn how data is not only changing sports but also empowering athletes to perform at their peak!

Podcast Notes:

Hosts:
Colleen, Frankie, and Sal

The Data Pulse:

• A New Group Is Trying to Make AI Data Licensing Ethical
  As the first wave of major generative AI tools used publicly available data, now the Dataset Providers Alliance (DPA) is pushing for an opt-in data system, which could reshape how AI models are trained and licensed.
  https://www.wired.com/story/dataset-providers-alliance-ethical-generative-ai-licensing/
• California Governor Newsom Vetoes AI Safety Bill
  Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes a bill that would have held tech companies legally liable for AI model harms, citing concerns that the bill was too focused on large companies and stifled innovation for smaller AI startups.
  https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5119792/newsom-ai-bill-california-sb1047-tech
• Oracle Designs a Data Center Powered by Modular Nuclear Reactors
  Oracle plans to build a new data center requiring over a gigawatt of power, driven by three small modular nuclear reactors, a next-gen design for clean, carbon-free energy.
  https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/10/oracle-is-designing-a-data-center-that-would-be-powered-by-three-small-nuclear-reactors.html

Thank you to our sponsor, Continuus Technologies, for providing us use of their space and technology.

Podcast Description:

In this episode of Cream City Calculations, the hosts dive into the evolving relationship between data and democracy. They explore how political campaigns leverage data on over 200 million Americans to target voters with personalized strategies. Discussions touch on how campaigns use voter registration data, combined with information from firms like Experian, to build detailed profiles for precision targeting. The episode also looks at the rise of data-driven political ads and the ethical questions surrounding the use of personal data in elections.

Tune in for insights on how data is shaping the future of politics and how to protect your privacy. Stay informed, and stay data-savvy!

If you’re concerned about data privacy, check out our episode notes for helpful resources and tips on protecting your information.

• How political campaigns use your data
  https://www.reuters.com/graphics/USA-ELECTION/DATA-VISUAL/yxmvjjgojvr/
• Applying Big Data for Political Success
  https://gspm.gwu.edu/applying-big-data-political-success

On this month's episode, in our installment of the Data Pulse, we chat about a candidate for mayor from Wyoming who's suggesting a chat bot could run the government.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/wyoming-mayoral-candidate-promises-let-openai-bot-govern-capital-city-faces-backlash-from-tech-giant

We then go on to chat with Ron Hockersmith of Amorphic Beer about the unique ways his company uses scientific data in the brewing process. If you're in the Milwaukee area, be sure to check them out!

https://www.amorphicbeer.com/

Thank you to Continuus Technologies for use of their space and equipment!

Podcast Description:

In this episode of Cream City Calculations, Colleen, Frankie, and Sal explore the fascinating intersection of beer and data. They discuss how breweries are using data-driven insights to improve business operations, capture market share, and enhance customer satisfaction. The episode also touches on Tesla’s hidden autopilot data, privacy concerns in AI, and industry trends like the rise of non-alcoholic beers. Whether you’re a beer enthusiast or a data aficionado, this episode offers a refreshing take on how analytics are shaping the brewing industry. Sponsored by Continuus Technologies.

Podcast Description:

In this episode of Cream City Calculations, Colleen, Frankie, and Sal delve into the fascinating world of data analytics in the music industry. They explore how big data is being utilized to enhance everything from playlist recommendations to tour planning and music production. The team also discusses how platforms like Spotify use algorithms to shape your music experience and the broader implications for artists and the industry. Sponsored by Continuus Technologies, this episode sheds light on the powerful intersection of music and data, offering insights into how your favorite tunes are curated. Tune in to discover how data is transforming the way we listen to and create music.

Podcast Notes: 

Matt’s educational content recommendations: 

1. Unabated. The site is built and run by winners. Their articles/videos/podcasts cut through a lot of noise and buzzwords and give true signal. They stay away from giving picks while trying to educate users on how to use tools to win.  
2. For those wanting a book, the logic of sports betting is the best relevant piece of material around. 

The Data Pulse: 

1. https://www.wsj.com/video/series/wsj-explains/ai-is-fueling-a-data-center-boom-can-the-power-grid-keep-up/A7059830-C06B-47A8-97CD-D08031EF84CC?mod=Searchresults_pos3&page=3 
2. https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/reddit-signs-data-licensing-deal-with-openai-14993757?mod=Searchresults_pos11&page=1 
3. https://www.wsj.com/articles/paypal-is-planning-an-ad-business-using-data-on-its-millions-of-shoppers-cc5e0625?mod=Searchresults_pos4&page=1 

Thank you to our sponsor, Continuus Technologies, for providing us use of their space and technology. 

If you are struggling with a gambling addiction, find help at https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/ 

Podcast Description: 

This episode discusses another unique way analytics can be used in our everyday lives: sports betting. 37% of the US has placed a bet on some sport in 2024 (https://www.shu.edu/business/news/sports-poll-finds-slowed-growth-for-sports-betting.html#:~:text=Among%20the%20general%20population%2C%2037,2022%20it%20was%2041%20percent). Because it’s so popular, we wanted to discuss how analytics can be used to improve sports betting with someone who has been extremely successful due to his analytical mindset. Matt Montgomery shares his insights on how he uses analytics, his betting history and thought process, and some great tips to be successful and have fun. 

Unabated Sports: Your Direct Path to Intelligent Betting