
Leeds 3-1 Middlesbrough: Daniel Farke's side show they are the best the Championship has to offer as they go top of the league - denting promotion hopes of Michael Carrick's men Leeds continued their imperious form at Elland Road with a narrow victory Dan James starred as Farke's men went two points clear at top of league LISTEN NOW to It's All Kicking Off! : Why can't Chelsea win the league? They made seven changes and still scored five. Do you think Liverpool could do that? By DAVID COVERDALE Published: 22:15 GMT, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 22:40 GMT, 10 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Daniel Farke can play it down all he likes, but his Leeds side further showed on Tuesday night that they are the team to topple in the Championship. Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder caused a stir at the weekend when he claimed Farke's men were 'miles ahead' of his own promotion hopefuls. But while Farke rubbished his rival manager's remark, his team went on to prove Wilder right on Tuesday night by beating Middlesbrough to return to the top of the table at the expense of the Blades. Late goals from Daniel James and Brenden Aaronson earned Leeds an eighth straight home win after Max Wober’s own goal had cancelled out Wilfried Gnonto’s early opener. And Farke's men are now two points clear of Wilder's United, who have a game in hand at Millwall on Wednesday, and three ahead of third-placed Burnley , who were surprisingly held at home against Derby. Increasingly, the Whites look poised for a Premier League return after two seasons away, while Boro's own promotion hopes took a hit as they dropped one place to sixth. Daniel Farke's Leeds showed they are the best the Championship has to offer on Tuesday Dan James stole the show with an impressive display and goal in his side's 3-1 victory The win means Leeds go top of the Championship table in their hunt for promotion this season Despite Leeds' formidable form at Elland Road in the Championship this season, home fans will have been nervous when they arrived given their previous result here against Middlesbrough. Back in August, Boro swept aside the Whites - who had that evening been rocked by the news Georginio Rutter was leaving for Brighton - 3-0 in the Carabao Cup. Carrick's men have continued to enjoy their travels this season and came here having not lost on the road since the start of October, form that had helped push them into the play-off places. As for Carrick himself, he has been enhancing his reputation in a division where ex-England internationals have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the dugout so far this season, with Scott Parker, Tom Cleverley, Wayne Rooney and now Frank Lampard all in head coach roles in the second tier. 'Michael Carrick, he's won more than you,' the visiting fans taunted their home counterparts about their beloved boss and former Manchester United midfielder. Carrick, though, will have known this would be his team's toughest test to date. And so it proved, with the travelling Teesside faithful soon silenced. First, James - making his 100th appearance for Leeds - gave an early warning when he raced forwards and dragged a shot just wide. Then in the 14th minute, Sam Byram sent James tearing down the right wing and his cross was diverted by Boro centre back George Edmundson – under pressure from Mateo Joseph - towards his goalkeeper Seny Dieng. Michael Carrick's side stay sixth but their promotion hopes were dealt a blow at Elland Road Wilfied Gnonto opened the scoring with one of the easiest goals he will score in his career Brenden Aaronson, meanwhile, wrapped up the points with his strike late into stoppage time While Dieng blocked his defender's intervention, the grounded Boro No 1's attempted clearance ricocheted in off the on-rushing Gnonto, who wheeled away in delight at one of the luckiest goals he will ever score. Still, it was the Italian's fourth of the season and the perfect response to surprisingly being left out of the team last Saturday against Derby. And Gnonto looked in the mood for more, as he continued to run the Boro backline ragged on the left, much like his fellow wideman James was doing on the opposite flank. Much of Boro's hopes rested on Emmanuel Latthe Lath, who bagged a brace in both Championship meetings against Leeds last season. MATCH FACTS Leeds (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Byram (Ampadu 85), Rodon, Struijk, Wober; Tanaka, Rothwell (Guilavogui 90); James (Schmidt 90), Aaronson, Gnonto (Piroe 69); Joseph (Solomon 69) Subs not used: Darlow, Crew, Ramazani, Bamford Booked: Wober Goals: Gnonto 14, James 74, Aaronson 90 +2 Manager: Daniel Farke Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1): Dieng; Dijksteel, Edmundson, Clarke, Borges; Barlaser, Hackney; Doak, Azaz (Conway 82), McGree (Burgzorg 81); Latte Lath Subs not used: Brynn, Ayling, McCormick, Howson, Jones, Hamilton, Gilbert Booked: Dijksteel, Edmundson Goal: Wober OG 54 Manager: Michael Carrick Advertisement Yet the Ivorian striker – who was back in the starting line-up for top scorer Tommy Conway – barely saw sight of the ball in the first 45 minutes. In fact, the closest Boro came to scoring was when home defender Pascal Struijk passed just wide of his own net. That brought groans from a crowd who always fear the worst and a similar sound greeted Aaronson when he scooped a bouncing ball over the bar at the other end. Gnonto, though, could do little wrong and he brought fans to their feet when he drew a diving stop out of Dieng with a long range strike on the stroke of half time. At 1-0, however, an air of apprehension swirled around this old ground and Boro came out all guns blazing after the break. With his team's first meaningful attempt on goal, Riley McGree won a corner when he stung the palms of Illan Meslier with a fierce left-footed drive. And from Daniel Barlaser's inswinging setpiece in the 54th minute, Leeds defender Wober flicked into his own net ahead of Neto Borges at the near post. It was a bitter blow for the Austrian, who had just earned some credit back with supporters with his goal against Derby having annoyed them last season by jumping ship on loan to Borussia Monchengladbach. Ben Doak had a chance to give the visitors a shock lead, only for his shot to be smothered by Meslier. And he was made to pay 16 minutes from time as Leeds sub Joel Prioe played in James, who made up for a miss moments earlier by lashing into the top left corner to send the home fans wild. Aaronson then added gloss to the scoreline in the second minute of stoppage time when he stroked into an empty net from Ao Tanaka’s ball, as an animated Farke punched the air on the touchline. Daniel Farke Burnley Middlesbrough Leeds Share or comment on this article: Leeds 3-1 Middlesbrough: Daniel Farke's side show they are the best the Championship has to offer as they go top of the league - denting promotion hopes of Michael Carrick's men e-mail Add commentHow can AI automate decisions and improve the employee perspective?‘Father time always wins’: Warren Buffett updates plan to give away his $227b fortune
Apple Kicks Off Black Friday: The iPad Mini Is Now 30% Off, Hitting A Record Low PriceThe entire inventory of a controversial retailer is set to be up for grabs, with some items starting at as little as $1 after the firm collapsed. T & R International collapsed into liquidation early in October, with Shumit Banerjee of accounting firm Westburn Advisory appointed as liquidator. Lloyds Auctions is attempting to sell every item from the company's showroom and warehouse "as fast as possible", with tens of thousands of items worth millions in total available for Aussies. "Introducing the Multi-Million Dollar National T&R Sports Liquidation Auction Series, where you’ll find thousands of high-quality sports equipment up for grabs, including treadmills, exercise bikes, scooters, and much much more," the auction's page advertised on its website. "A rare opportunity presents for all Aussies to secure top gear, at liquidation prices, just before Christmas." Sales are being facilitated online by Lloyds Auctions, over a 30-day national auction across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne warehouses. Lloyds Auctions' Chief Operating Officer Lee Hames said it was the "shortest time frame" the firm had ever had to liquidate the amount of goods for sale, and said buyers could expect up to 80 per cent off the recommended retail price. “With the festive season just around the corner, this event provides Australians with a rare opportunity to capitalise on incredible deals while helping to clear these massive inventories," Mr Hames said in a statement. “The short 30-day sale window and all items starting at $1 with no reserves ensures that all inventory is cleared ahead of Christmas." According to the auction website, payment is due 48 hours "after the fall of the hammer" while all sales are to be collected in person only. The Lloyds team will be on hand to assist in moving larger items where needed. Pool and ping pong tables, fitness equipment, mobility scooters, massage chairs, camper tents and surfboards are also on sale. The announcement of the liquidation auctions come months after warnings were issued to Australians over the retailer following reports consumers had been left in the lurch. NSW Fair Trading said it had received complaints of "unreasonable delays" in receiving goods ordered and "false and misleading representations" about the goods and services. The Queensland government issued a press release, warning shoppers to avoid the retailer. "The Fair Trading Commissioner is warning consumers to avoid dealing with Shanshan Han and their company T&R International Pty Ltd, after a number of Queenslanders claim they’ve been ripped off by the online retailer," the statement read. "The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is currently investigating over 50 complaints from Queensland consumers who purchased a total of over $52,600 worth of furniture and household goods from T&R International that was never supplied, supplied late or did not meet the advertised quality standards."Ways To Invest In Gold & Silver: Bullion, ETFs & Mining Stocks Guide Released
NEW YORK , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global home services market size is estimated to grow by USD 6.54 trillion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 40.34% during the forecast period. Increasing influence of digital media is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing number of startups entering the market. However, high competition among vendors poses a challenge. Key market players include Amazon.com Inc., Angi Inc., AskforTask Inc., Frontdoor Inc., Gapoon Online Consumer Services Pvt. Ltd., Helpling GmbH and Co. KGA, Home Depot Inc., Home Reno Pte. Ltd., Johns Lyng Group Ltd., MyClean Inc., Oneflare Pty Ltd., Paintzen Inc., Porch.com Inc., SC Pointer Systems Srl, Super Home Inc., TaskEasy Inc., Taskrabbit Inc., The ServiceMaster Co. LLC, Urbanclap Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., and Zauba Technologies and Data Services Pvt. Ltd, Amazon Home Services, American Home Shield, TruGreen Limited, Chemed Corp, The Maids International, Inc. Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF Home Services Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period - Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 40.34% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 6541.8 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 28.93 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 47% Key countries US, China, Germany, India, and UK, Canada, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea Key companies profiled Amazon.com Inc., Angi Inc., AskforTask Inc., Frontdoor Inc., Gapoon Online Consumer Services Pvt. Ltd., Helpling GmbH and Co. KGA, Home Depot Inc., Home Reno Pte. Ltd., Johns Lyng Group Ltd., MyClean Inc., Oneflare Pty Ltd., Paintzen Inc., Porch.com Inc., SC Pointer Systems Srl, Super Home Inc., TaskEasy Inc., Taskrabbit Inc., The ServiceMaster Co. LLC, Urbanclap Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., and Zauba Technologies and Data Services Pvt. Ltd., Amazon Home Services, American Home Shield, TruGreen Limited, Chemed Corp, The Maids International, Inc. Market Driver The home services market is experiencing significant growth due to an increase in seed funding for startups. For instance, Urban Company and Housejoy, both tech-enabled home services marketplaces, have raised substantial investments in recent years. Urban Company secured Series F funding of USD255 million in June 2021 , while Housejoy raised USD35 million in 2020. These funds are being used to expand their business operations. Startups are attracting consumers with attractive offers and interactive platforms. Airtasker, Askfortask, and Housejoy are some startups offering general services, connecting consumers to service providers for short-term, non-professional projects. Handy, Helpling, and MyClean are examples of startups providing on-demand home cleaning services through online booking. Houzz Inc., The Porch Company, and Pro.com help consumers connect with professional contractors for various household improvement projects. The rise in the number of startups is a major factor driving the growth of the home services market. These companies are offering innovative solutions, making it more convenient for consumers to access home services. The availability of a wide range of services under different categories is also contributing to the market's growth. Overall, the home services market is expected to continue growing due to the increasing number of startups and the investments they are receiving. Home services market is witnessing significant trends with the rise of virtual versions of physical entities on platforms like Microsoft Azure. This includes maintenance, repair, and improvement activities for homes, covering cleaning, landscaping, plumbing, electrical work, remodeling, and more. Homeowners, renters, and property managers prioritize safety, comfort, aesthetic appeal, and energy efficiency. Ageing housing stock and DIY trends call for technological disruptions, regulatory difficulties, labour shortages, and price wars. Seasonal variations impact demand for services like plumbing, electrical repairs, HVAC maintenance, appliance repairs, home improvement, renovations and remodeling, carpentry and woodworking, and cleaning services. Environmental considerations are a growing concern, with eco-friendly practices and energy-efficient solutions gaining popularity. Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution! Market Challenges Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now! Segment Overview This home services market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Home care and design- The home care and design segment generates revenue through services including interior designing, pest control, deep cleaning, sofa cleaning, laundry services, glasswork, woodwork, waterproofing, masonry, and carpentry. This market is fragmented with numerous small and large players offering various home care and design services. For instance, TaskRabbit Inc. Provides house cleaning and furniture assembly, Helpling offers cleaning and furniture assembly in multiple cities, Cleanly specializes in laundry and dry-cleaning, and Serviz offers a wide range of cleaning services. Amazon also entered the market with offerings in deep cleaning, carpet cleaning, tile cleaning, grout cleaning, and gutter cleaning. The market's growth is driven by an increasing number of vendors and their business expansions in the segment. Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics Research Analysis The Home Services Market is experiencing significant growth in the digital age, with the rise of online platforms and cloud-based solutions transforming the industry. Services such as home cleaning, landscaping, maintenance, repair, and improvement activities are now easily accessible through non-cellular and m-commerce platforms. The Internet and digitalization have made it possible for consumers to book appointments, track progress, and manage their homes more efficiently. Homeowners can now avail of services like plumbing, electrical work, and remodeling through e-commerce platforms, offering convenience and transparency. Companies have embraced cloud-based solutions like Microsoft Azure to offer virtual versions of their services, allowing for remote consultations and virtual assessments. The physical entity of home services is being complemented by these digital offerings, providing a more comprehensive and convenient experience for consumers. Services like Ginger, One Medical, and Zimmber, among others, are leading the charge in this digital transformation. They cater to various needs, from health and welfare to home cleaning and maintenance. Timesaverz and similar platforms are making it easier for homeowners to manage their homes and schedules, while healthcare providers are leveraging technology to offer telemedicine and remote consultations. The future of home services is a blend of physical and digital offerings, providing consumers with greater convenience, accessibility, and value. Market Research Overview The Home Services Market is a dynamic and growing industry that caters to various needs of homeowners, renters, and property managers. This market includes a wide range of services such as home cleaning, landscaping, plumbing, electrical work, remodeling, and maintenance activities. With the increasing trend of digitalization and e-commerce, the market has seen the emergence of mobile and m-commerce platforms, cloud-based solutions, and virtual versions of physical entities. Non-cellular devices like smartphones have become essential tools for booking appointments and managing services online. The market serves diverse customer segments, including homeowners, renters, and property managers, who seek to ensure safety, comfort, aesthetic appeal, and maintenance of their homes. The Ageing Housing Stock and DIY trends present opportunities for growth, while regulatory difficulties, labour shortages, and technological disruptions pose challenges. Environmental considerations and price wars are also significant factors influencing the market. Services offered include plumbing, electrical repairs, HVAC maintenance, appliance repairs, home improvement, renovations and remodeling, carpentry and woodworking, and various cleaning services such as house cleaning, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, and gutter cleaning. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/home-services-market-size-is-set-to-grow-by-usd-6-54-trillion-from-2024-2028--increasing-influence-of-digital-media-boost-the-market--technavio-302314928.html SOURCE TechnavioNone
TORONTO — When Geoffrey Hinton strode across the Stockholm Concert Hall stage Tuesday to receive his Nobel Prize for physics from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, he was beaming. It has taken decades for many beyond the science community to realize the British Canadian computer scientist's life's work was so significant it eventually formed the foundation of artificial intelligence. But on Tuesday, as he accepted the Nobel diploma and its accompanying gold medal with co-laureate John Hopfield, there was no question about the importance of Hinton's discoveries nor how he has shaped history. Instead, there was only pride for the affable 77-year-old, often called the godfather of AI — and that pride stretched from Stockholm to Toronto. A crowd of about 100 students and colleagues at the University of Toronto, where Hinton is a professor emeritus, gathered at the school's downtown campus to watch the Nobel ceremony. Two other watch parties took over the school's Mississauga and Scarborough campuses. Any mention of physics or a sighting of Hinton, clad in a dark suit and white bow tie, generated rousing applause at the Toronto gathering. When the man of the hour headed to retrieve his accolade from the King, a few former students and colleagues wiped tears from their eyes. "There is, at least for me, this sense that Prof. Hinton created the whole ecosystem here, where there are thousands of people who are working on his ideas," Michael Guerzhoy, one of Hinton's former students who went on to teach a course Hinton had once led at the university, said before the ceremony began. The idea that earned Hinton the Nobel dates back to the 1980s, when he was working at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and AI was far from the buzzy technology it is today. It was then that Hinton developed the Boltzmann machine, which learns from examples, rather than instructions, and when trained, can recognize familiar characteristics in information, even if it has not seen that data before. "It was a lot of fun doing the research but it was slightly annoying that many people — in fact, most people in the field of AI — said that neural networks would never work," Hinton recalled during a press conference on the October day he was named as a Nobel laureate. "They were very confident that these things were just a waste of time and we would never be able to learn complicated things like, for example, understanding natural language using neural networks — and they were wrong." Neural networks are computational models that resemble the human brain's structure and functions. When Nobel physics committee chair Ellen Moons presented Hinton to receive his award, she said these networks are good at sorting and interpreting large amounts of data and self-improve based on the accuracy of the results they generate. "Today, artificial neural networks are powerful tools in research fields spanning physics, chemistry and medicine, as well as in daily life," she said. John DiMarco wasn't surprised that Hinton's work paved the way for such possibilities, but the IT director for U of T's computer science department was taken aback that Hinton's Nobel came in the unlikely physics category. DiMarco met Hinton roughly 35 years ago in a job interview and quickly took note of his proclivity for humour and the quirks in how his mind works. "He is quite insightful and he goes straight to the core of things," DiMarco said. "He would sometimes come out of his office and share some new idea. We didn't always understand what he was sharing, but he was very excited about it." Many of those ideas required lots of computing power the school's systems didn't have, so DiMarco's team patched together a solution with graphics processing units from video game consoles. DiMarco brought one of Hinton's GPUs to the watch party, which was also attended by Joseph Jay Williams, the director of U of T's Intelligent Adaptive Interventions Lab. Williams took one of Hinton's classes and said the Nobel winner "changed the course of my life" by encouraging him to go to grad school, which then led him to win the XPRIZE Digital Learning Challenge, a global competition aimed at rewarding people who modernize learning tools and processes. Other notable mentees and alumni of Hinton's classes include OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Cohere co-founders Nick Frosst and Aidan Gomez. With his Nobel win and so many esteemed protege, Williams said Hinton has become a "reluctant celebrity" who is hounded for photos every time he's on campus. Hinton, however, has taken a much more humble approach to his recent win, which he learned of on a trip to California. He initially thought the call from the academy that gives out the Nobel was "a spoof," but later realized it had to be real because it was placed from Sweden and the speaker had a "strong Swedish accent." The award the academy gave him comes with 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.4 million) from a bequest arranged by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Hinton and Hopfield will split the money, with some of Hinton's share going to Water First, an Ontario organization working to boost Indigenous access to water, and another unnamed charity supporting neurodiverse young adults. Hinton has said he doesn't plan to do much more "frontier research." "I believe I'm going to spend my time advocating for people to work on safety," he said in October. Last year, Hinton left a role he held at Google to more freely speak about the dangers of AI, which he has said include bias and discrimination, fake news, joblessness, lethal autonomous weapons and even the end of humanity. At a Stockholm press conference over the weekend, he said he doesn’t regret the work he did to lay the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. “In the same circumstances, I would do the same again,” he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has demanded more from his team after they battled to a 1-0 victory in the Champions League and said he was "far from happy" with the performance. Liverpool looked some way from their best at the Estadi Montilivi, but secured the win thanks to a Mohamed Salah penalty in the second half after Donny van de Beek was deemed to have fouled Luis Díaz inside the area. Editor's Picks Player ratings: Salah scores but Alisson's saves keep Liverpool perfect in Champions League 4h Adam Brown Champions League as it happened: Madrid win thriller against Atalanta, Villa snatches winner 3h ESPN The victory means Liverpool continue their perfect record in Europe, having won all six of their Champions League games this term, but Slot insisted performances must improve if his team have ambitions of going all the way in the competition. Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, the Liverpool boss said: "If you ask me about all the six games I am really pleased with all the results and the performances in the five games. "I am far from pleased about the performance tonight. Especially two things. If you play against a team that has such a good idea about football, knows how to bring the ball out like teams we have played recently in Real Madrid and Manchester City , you need to be so intense. "But if you are waiting to press and are so easily outplayed, this team can cause you problems. This is what they showed throughout Champions League except [against] PSV. "I feel sorry for them because they deserve more than three points. We have an incredible goalkeeper. When we lost the ball we were not aggressive enough. Hardly any control at all of the game. Maybe the second half was a bit better." One major positive for Liverpool was the return of Alisson to the starting lineup, with the goalkeeper having been sidelined since Oct. 5 with a hamstring injury. The Brazilian made a string of saves to preserve Liverpool's fifth clean sheet in Europe this season, and Slot was quick to dub him "the best goalkeeper in the world" after the match. "He definitely didn't look like he'd been away," Slot said. "I said as a bit of a joke the players wanted to test his fitness today [giving up chances]. "He showed today what I said so many times that he's our first goalkeeper. That's nothing to do with Caoimhin [Kelleher], who did well, but [Alisson] showed today he's one of the best, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world. Let's hope he can keep these performances going and stay fit." Slot also defended striker Darwin Núñez , who spurned a number of chances against Girona and has just three goals in 19 appearances for Liverpool this term. Asked whether the Uruguayan is low on confidence, Slot said: "What I can agree on is that he missed a few chances; then it is a question if he's low on confidence. "I think every striker has a moment when everything goes in and then a period where try so hard and don't score. But the good thing is we have many players who can score. He was a threat but unfortunately he couldn't score." Regardless of the results the rest of the day, Liverpool is guaranteed to finish the sixth of eight league phase rounds in first place on 18 points. The final two rounds will be played at the start of 2025. ESPN's Sam Marsden contributed to this story.Adani Group could find funding harder after US indictment as banks review creditThe Chicago Cubs, in an ongoing effort to strategically reconstruct their offensive lineup, have signaled openness to potentially trading outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Suzuki, respected for being one of the top bats in the league following a top-20 offensive season , finds himself at the center of trade speculation despite his full no-trade clause. Joel Wolfe, Suzuki’s agent, communicated a surprising willingness from his client to consider waiving his no-trade clause under certain scenarios. "Seiya has an open mind," Wolfe disclosed to reporters, shedding light on recent conversations with Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. This openness stems from an understanding that, while a trade is not actively sought, circumstances might align making a move beneficial for all parties involved. This revelation springs from Cody Bellinger’s recent decision to opt into his 2025 player option, creating a repeat scenario where Craig Counsell juggled outfield positions. Despite Suzuki’s disinterest in continuing as a designated hitter—a role he assumed in 59 of his 131 starts last season—his exceptional .365 weighted on-base average and .848 OPS reflect his immense value at the plate. However, his defensive game, marred slightly by routine fly ball misreads, underlines his preference for outfield play. In fact, Bellinger's return likely forces Suzuki into the DH role on a more consistent basis with Pete Crow-Armstrong playing Gold Glove-level defense in center field. It's clear the Cubs are approaching a crucial junction. With Suzuki's contractual commitment standing at two years and $36 million, the organization is balancing the desire to retain his bat and the potential benefits of leveraging his current trade value. The situation complicates further when considering Cody Bellinger, whose defensive prowess makes him another valuable asset for the Cubs to possibly retain or trade. There is no clear answer, but a lot of what-ifs to reach an answer. The strategic calculus for the Cubs involves not only player statistics but also future team composition and the cultivation of new talent like Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara. Trading Suzuki might disrupt the Cubs' efforts to nurture a pipeline of Japanese talent, yet it remains a contemplative direction should the right deal emerge. This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel sparked discussion this week when he took to social media to address the narrative that he is struggling offensively. Rather than accepting the criticism, Samuel pointed to a lack of opportunities as the reason behind his limited production. On Monday, Samuel posted, " Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!" The comments drew mixed reactions. Critics argued Samuel was deflecting responsibility for failing to live up to the lucrative contract extension he signed two years ago. Since his breakout 2021 season, Samuel has not surpassed 900 receiving yards and is on pace to fall short again this year. Samuel has totaled just 553 receiving yards and two touchdowns—one rushing and one receiving—so far this season. On Tuesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked if his polarizing wideout has expressed frustration with his usage on offense. "Deebo and I talk every day, so I understand Deebo saying that," Shanahan said. "Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he helps us out is getting the ball more. And we'd like to get it to him more, and we'll continue to work at that." When asked on Tuesday about his social media post, which has since been deleted, Samuel said, "You read what you read. I was frustrated for sure." While Shanahan admitted there are better ways to express frustration, he downplayed any notion that Samuel's comments had created a distraction within the team. "We'd always love things to stay in-house," Shanahan explained. "That's probably why I don't mess with social media. I'm sure I'd get worked up and stuff, too, if I was reading stuff about myself all the time. Then, I'd maybe make a tweet or something. But is it a distraction in our building? No. We gotta answer questions about it. It's the first time I've talked about it is right here. "But Deebo and I see each other every day and talk about stuff every day, so my advice is to not let outside [noise] frustrate you because just answering those things isn't gonna help you in any way. It usually only hurts you. But as far as what we deal with in our relationships and our team, it's water under the bridge." Quarterback Brock Purdy also weighed in, expressing his admiration for Samuel and understanding of the receiver's perspective. "Deebo and I talk all the time, and he's like one of my best friends on this team," Purdy shared. "I absolutely love Deebo and what he's done for me and helping me out." Purdy also weighed in on Samuel commenting that limited opportunities are restricting him. "I think he's right," Purdy said. "He's doing great right now with what we ask of him in the offense, and he's not struggling. ... There's just moments, I guess, throughout seasons where guys just don't get the ball, just depending on scheme or what the defensive scheme is, and them taking guys away. "I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could. I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things, and we all do in this building. So, that's just how the games have gone. But I love my guy, and I'm going to do everything I can to give him the ball." This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.