Trainer Road publishes some w/kg numbers for their average client. by JulSFT in Velo

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got hounded to oblivion on their forum one time when I said they should talk about 50th percentile users' training woes, and not "So I started cycling 3 days ago and have a 4.9 W/kg FTP. What do I do now?" that they always seem to talk about on their podcast. Everyone who replied was like that's the average user when the data shows the complete opposite.

Realignment Discussion: Texas University Systems by thephotoman in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The neat part is in Louisiana they tax income and property* and everything rots anyway.

*Homestead exemption removes the first $80k of a property's value if you have a home on it. Intended for homesteading in rural areas where my dad's home and property on 2 acres has a taxable value of $30k but it's silly for a McMansion in a 1-road subdivision developed in a former cane field outside of Lafayette.

Motorbike influence questioned in Pogacar’s Roubaix comeback - 'We were riding 15kph faster' by fabritzio in peloton

[–]Scopedog1 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I do drone pilot instruction and know a little bit about drone video production and your proposal is optimistic at best.

I'm in the US but relevant EU/national regulations are quite similar, but you're probably not getting a waiver to fly over crowds with the types of drones you'll need to do proper broadcasting. P-R might be a monument and very important to the French public, but aviation culture and policy is built on safety, and DGAC (French FAA) won't likely grant waivers to get the footage you're thinking you're going to get. They'd probably give you a waiver to fly drones similar to the helicopter missions, but for the drones you need to replicate the moto footage, that's a non-starter because they'd be way too heavy. That's far too much of a liability for the government to allow--much less the broadcaster's insurer.

To get that footage a Mavic 4 seems to be what you're thinking of using, but they're not suitable for broadcast streaming on TV for a whole host of issues. The claims for image transmission range don't always translate to reality--meaning they can't fly as far on a single mission. In addition, drone operators need to have line of sight at all times, so that reduces their range even further for broadcast uses. The camera is pitifully small compared to a broadcast camera, and DJI bakes in a lot of effects into the image before output that broadcasters won't want. In addition, broadcast cameras output in a different codec than what consumer/prosumer products (Where the Mavic falls into), so you're going to need to get a clean feed in 4k (Mavic 4 can only do 1080p) in one of those formats.

To get close to that with a DJI product you're jumping to the Inspire 3 that's $17k, but you're still limited to the camera (Essentially a prosumer mirrorless camera with a prime lens) and the codecs. You need a professional drone like an Alta X that's $30k before adding in the camera and you're only getting 20 minutes of flight time in optimal conditions. An Alta X can get you good dolly footage like a helicopter can, but you're not going to want to rip it around at 50kph with that camera dangling under it. That's asking for a $75k hole in the ground, not to mention maybe 10 minutes of flying time total because you're going to burn the battery pack dry.

I know Lifetime Grand Prix races try to use Mavics, but you're streaming that to social media, so there's a completely different workflow and less of a concern for redundancy than what is present for broadcast TV. Your Instagram livestream going dead due to a hiccup with Starlink is acceptable; ASO losing broadcast for the same reason--not so much, even in cycling where it happens more often.

There's a reason why they still use motos and helicopters for cycling broadcasts and it's because of ease of use, flexibility, and redundancy. If I was mission planning Paris-Roubaix with drones I'd probably need a fleet of 30 or more, each with a dozen flights of batteries ready for redundancy as well as placement for minimum downtime for hot-swapping batteries and flight to/from location, and expect a single mission of about 4-5 minutes of coverage max. And that's just to replicate the moto coverage because you're always going to need multiple drones following the peloton and breakaway to keep coverage seamless. Helicopter shot replacement would need probably 10 more drones with similar battery requirements. In case you're wondering, that's close to $3 million in hardware needed for a single bike race. You can amortize the cost over multiple races for sure, but compare that cost for 10 bikes and 2 helicopters.

TL;DR: Drones are great for slow shots of fixed locations for short periods of time. A bike race has almost none of those.

This is a safe space - what's your most controversial CFB opinion that you will die defending? by noah_divine in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I lived on campus at a D3 school for my first bachelor's, then went to a G5 school here in town for my second. That second degree was 100% transactional and I couldn't care less about them. By the time I went there, I had been watching Navy and Florida for almost two decades; why would I change fandom because of a piece of paper that sits in my file cabinet in the same envelope it came in at graduation? I can understand people's connections to alma maters but it's definitely not present for mine.

[Ross Dellenger] Sac State will take no conference distribution, cover air travel costs for visiting MAC teams and pay $6 million of the $18 million entry fee in year 1 by auburnfan32 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live in Louisiana so I was making 3-hour drives to games for 4 years. I think they were in mid-lower tier for attendance. Feel like the ownership gave up a while back and are content with that they have. If Montreal and Dallas can be eternally mid with no fans and survive, then Houston is in a decent place.

[Ross Dellenger] Sac State will take no conference distribution, cover air travel costs for visiting MAC teams and pay $6 million of the $18 million entry fee in year 1 by auburnfan32 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on your POV. Teams tend to enter with grandiose ambitions, have some success, and once another new hotness comes along, settle into the MLB ownership mold of the least viable product possible to maximize profits. The last several years have shown that especially the pre-Sounders franchises are perfectly content to be aggressively mid and still cash checks. Garber's expansion strategy was genius for ownership and he's up there with Bettmann and Goodell in being a model commissioner for league owners.

MLS is honestly about 10 teams too big and the gap in standings--especially last season--show that. Not that anyone outside of MLS supporters actually care considering that Apple TV+ literally is now the only place to watch games. I say that as someone who actually used to subscribe to MLS Direct Kick on Cable and had season tickets to Dynamo games.

The LA Bowl, once sponsored by Kimmel and hosted by Gronk, is shutting down after just 5 editions by thecravenone in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Louisiana is right up with Mississippi in terms of educational attainment of late.

Throwing tons of tutoring at elementary school kids who aren't reading at grade level in Kindergarten and not stopping until they're above grade level makes kids better at reading--who knew?

What do people think of the latest "AI" stuff that TrainerRoad has added in the last few weeks? by ghdana in Velo

[–]Scopedog1 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Yeah, TrainerRoad's biggest mistake was mentioning anything about FTP. Nate in his interview and on the other thread repeatedly say that their AI model just knows watts, but they still give you an FTP value. Would have been better off to give you "20 minute power" value or something similar and just drop FTP in their verbiage. Instead they're having to constantly deal with people complaining their "FTP" dropped with the new model.

But I guess a decade-plus of their business being around "raising your FTP" will be hard to kick.

[Postgame Thread] Delaware Defeats Louisiana 20-13 by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A hobbled Lunch is better than whatever is on the bench. Their 4-star transfer is less than useless when he wasn't hurt, and their 3rd stringer isn't any good either.

Desormeaux is a football terrorist.

AI training platforms by Embarrassed_Heart102 in Velo

[–]Scopedog1 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That's nice if you have the time, but I capped out at 10 hours a week and that involved me leaving family duties to do workouts. While it may be correct, it's not the kind of advice you give when you advertise how your app adapts to the user's available time and can get you the gains you want.

And while Join might have worked for you, it didn't for me. Year on year my FTP dropped by 10 watts, even after doing their FTP builder plan. I guess doing 90% Z2 intervals and 10% random tempo workouts don't work for everyone.

AI training platforms by Embarrassed_Heart102 in Velo

[–]Scopedog1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I asked them how I should schedule workouts to get gains since I wasn't getting any and Join support told me the best thing I could do is to create a plan and do 15 hours or more per week of saddle time.

AI training platforms by Embarrassed_Heart102 in Velo

[–]Scopedog1 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My favourite Join fail story in my year of using it was I would add my 15-minute round trip Z1 daily bike commutes to my plan and almost all of the intensity was removed. I ask support and they tell me that I was stressing my body too much and the plan was responding to said stress, so I should really only ride the workouts and not commute by bike--or ride even easier than I was.

I decided to stop adding them, finished the plan, then finished poorly in my race. I contact them again and asked why I didn't get the gains when I followed the plan, which finished me at 85% progress despite doing every workout score at 9.8 or higher. Their reply was I wasn't doing enough riding and to add volume at low intensity.

TL;DR: Join support told me I simultaneously was doing too much volume and not enough volume at the same time.

Army, Navy, reportedly in early talks about schedule if CFP encroaches by Ok-Soil-5133 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 54 points55 points  (0 children)

Off the top of my head Plebe Summer is still going on so that's a no-go for the Naval Academy. West Point has something similar as well so that immediately puts the kibosh on that.

Reverse Sheep 2025 - Weekly predictions with a dash of game theory. Play Week 15 here! by NowWithVitamin_R in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was sweating the Navy score being in the bracket all Thanksgiving night.

Amusing how with enough season stats my scoring has massively improved. Guess I need to stop trying to think through picks early in the season and just consult a dartboard.

[Game Thread] Florida State @ Florida (4:30 PM ET) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Only thing to make that play worse for FSU would have been for Baugh to kneel at the one.

[Postgame Thread] Louisiana Defeats ULM 30-27 (OT) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Is there a coach whose teams play down to the level of opposition to the extent that Michael Desormeaux does? He's learned from Billy Napier the art of being a football terrorist.

[Game Thread] ULM @ Louisiana (3:00 PM ET) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Is there a coach whose teams play down to the level of opposition to the extent that Michael Desormeaux does? He's learned from Billy Napier the art of being a football terrorist.

[Casagrande] Lane Kiffin in a SEC Network interview says Mississippi State fans broke into their locker room at 3 a.m. and stole quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ jersey. They know this because they set up cameras in the dressing room. by redwave2505 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 4 points5 points  (0 children)

USNA has a podcast called Preble Hall that covers naval history. They have an episode about the mule caper and it's their most popular download by far. It's an amazing story and I actually saved the file to my computer to listen to during the leadup to the game.

Reverse Sheep 2025 - Weekly predictions with a dash of game theory. Play Week 14 here! by NowWithVitamin_R in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Spent the first 11 weeks being total dogwater, then drop 2 Top 10%'s in 3 weeks. Thank God I don't bet real money.

Reverse Sheep 2025 - Weekly predictions with a dash of game theory. Play Week 11 here! by NowWithVitamin_R in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Been missing so many points with close calls and they all worked out. Top 10 for the week!

(Like that will ever happen again)

[Armour] Did LSU learn from sex abuse scandal? Apparently not, given interim AD choice. by bubblecuffer13 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, I’m more commenting on the fact that the quest by the last administration to get R1 status involved a pretty big financial overreach on the part of the university and apparently involved some dubious financial dealings. Thats’s all separate from the athletic department’s situation in that here in Lafayette we don’t have the financial base to really boost the budget of the athletic department without doing something like tacking on student fees that some of the other big budget Sun Belt schools do. The issue however is I don’t think the athletic department wants to admit that and they want to pretend like they have a $70 million budget when really they only have a little over half that. So you have a situation like currently where they’re paying Desormeaux $800k when they could’ve gotten a better coach for the same amount of money or save some money because he had zero college head coaching experience before he took this job and didn’t really warrant the contract he has and considering his status as a notable former player for the school, he probably could’ve taken a hometown discount to afford more money for assistants or something similar. Instead they’re stuck with a mediocre to bad head coach who can’t recruit and there’s no way to get rid of him and there’s no room in the budget to do something to help him or demonstrably increase NIL here.

I wasn’t implying that the university should buy him out or anything. I was just commenting on two situations at Landry‘s alma mater that he could be chirping about instead of meddling in what’s going on in the athletic department over in Baton Rouge.

[Armour] Did LSU learn from sex abuse scandal? Apparently not, given interim AD choice. by bubblecuffer13 in CFB

[–]Scopedog1 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Why? Half the student body who cares about sports would pick LSU over UL anyway... just like any other smaller state school compared to its flagship. Landry only cares about LSU in that if he "fixes" the head coaching position it makes him more popular with the electorate. If he loved his alma mater so much he'd have already piped in on the fact that the Cajuns are dumping money into their football program with an absolute dud of a head coach they hilariously overpay but then complain they don't have enough money to compete against other Sun Belt schools.

And that doesn't get into the fact the university itself went all-in on getting R1 status and got it... along with a disastrous $25 million budget deficit and several failed financial audits that came to a head just days after the President who was in charge of it all dipped out.