One man's opinion
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The date of this blog entry is August 30th, 5 months since the release of the latest installment of the MLB The Show series. (eh, give or take a day or so). Anyways, in that time I've been playing this game nearly everyday and playing multiple games on any given day that I can, which is mostly weekends. Now I know that may not come as a big or complete shock since, for those that don't know me that well, I'm an avid baseball fan and love the sport dearly. But more interesting could be the fact that I'm a diehard sports fan and on a yearly basis buy both NCAA Football & Madden. But while I did buy the games this year, I constantly find myself coming back to the Show to play baseball. Now, maybe thats not that big of a shocker to some, but for me, its a new thing.
You see, about this time every year, when the NFL preseason begins, the college football season is on the cusp of beginning, and the High School football games have begun, I quickly get out of baseball mode and transistion into football mode. Now, while that is happening to an extent this year, its not taking over my gaming. You see, I'm all ready to watch football on my TV, but I'm more excited to play baseball on my TV. Strange? Maybe...but not really.
MLB The Show '09 is afterall, in my opinion of course, the best sports game to date for any console. Sure, there are other great sports games out there and someone will have a game to promote over the Show, but for me, The Show is it. The combination of "realism" on and off the field just keeps this game high upon my gaming list. And while there are patches available for the Show, I passed on both of them, because for me, out of the box was "perfect". Which is a testament in itself, to how great this game is, at least by today's standards.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy both Madden and NCAA this year. I'm having fun playing each. The problem is, I'm having a hard time working them into the rotation, which is odd because the rotation only consist of one game right now, and thats the Show. Well 2 games, I play WSOP: Battle for the Bracelets quite a bit as well, but typically in the final hour of my gaming day. But the Show is eating up the majority of my daily/weekly gaming hours.
Now I'll admit, that when Madden first dropped, I took a hiatus from the Show to play Madden. But now that the "new" has wore off, I find myself drifting back to the Show. And NCAA, well, I just picked it up this week, and its still fairly "new" and has gotten some gaming love this weekend. But even as I write, the Show is waiting for me to confirm a save command that I just prompted it to do. I guess I'd better wrap this up.
Perhaps next weekend once the college season kicks off, I'm tailgating at the UofL game, and feeling that college atmosphere, I'll get into a huge football kick. And that feeling will only grow greater when the NFL season kicks off a week from this Thursday, and the Show will find itself in my gaming cabinet with the rest of my collection of games, only to be brought out once the MLB playoffs start up and I get that kick baseball buzz. But then again, maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, the title of this blog is true, and the Show '09 will truly be the game that stands the test of time.
-CB
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Freedom Isn't Free
by Cadet Major Kelly Strong USAF JROTC
I watched the flag pass by one day
It fluttered in the breeze
A young soldier saluted it, and then
He stood at ease
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many Pilots' planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No - Freedom isn't free
I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives
I thought about a graveyard at the
Bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No - Freedom isn't free!
by Cadet Major Kelly Strong USAF JROTC
I watched the flag pass by one day
It fluttered in the breeze
A young soldier saluted it, and then
He stood at ease
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many Pilots' planes shot down?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No - Freedom isn't free
I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives
I thought about a graveyard at the
Bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No - Freedom isn't free!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Louisville finished the season 5-7, after sitting at 5-2. The Cards finished with their first losing season since 1997. The Cards also missed out on a bowl game for the second straight season after going to a bowl game 9 straight years. The atmosphere surrounding UofL football right now is the lowest its been since Ron Cooper dismantled a program that was slowly starting to build.
As the season ended, thoughts turned to Kragthorpe and how he needs to go. How he has taken a program, that was one game away from potentally playing for a National Championship, a program that had just come off its best season ever(12-1 Orange Bowl victory), and a program that was considered one of the top programs in the country, and dismantled all and every success the program had before he had gotten here.
But as I listened to myself and fellow fans call for his job after 2 seasons, I began thinking, is this right? Does he deserve to be fired or forced to resign? We all know that he walked into a mess that Petrino had so thoughtfully left behind as he scampered off to the Falcons only to not complete a full season before returning to the college ranks. Had we gotten so spoiled by the success we had under Petrino that we will not accept "rebuilding" that we should only "reload"?
The Cardinal faithful hold Petrino on such a high pedastal because of what he brought and did for this program. But have we forgotten all the secret meetings, the lies, the two-faced coach that he actually was? Petrino never wanted to be here. It was evident from his secret meetings on airplanes to his denying rumors. Before he left, he signed a 10 year contract, told the fans this is where he wanted to be and a few short months later he left for the Falcons so that he could get to a different college job. Thats right CardNation, Petrino didn't want to coach the Falcons, he went there as a way to "get out of jail free" so that he could go to a different school to coach. We all know that Petrino wanted to be in the SEC, most notably Auburn, but he would basically take any job he could get. And now he's at Arkansas, but wants, once again, to be at Auburn after one year in Fayetteville.
On the other hand, here's Kragthorpe, in the midst of all this pressure and hatred. He could've easily, easily, taken the easy way out and left the program. He could've held that press conference yesterday and said I'm done. After 2 years, I'm walking away. But he didn't. Why? Because he wants to be here. Petrino was loved here and he didn't want to stay. He took the first easy way, under the shadows route he could find to leave UofL. He did the same in Atlanta, and I'm sure he'll do the same at Arkansas. Thats who Petrino is, a self center egotistical, snake in the grass.
I understand that Kragthorpe isn't liked. I don't like him much right now. In fact, I wish that he would've walked away yesterday. But lets say he had. Who would we get? To tell you the truth it wouldn't matter, because no matter who the coach for UofL is over the next year or two, they are going to have some major work ahead of them. Its going to take several recruiting classes to get this program back to where Petrino built it, before he destroyed it.
And if Kragthorpe had left and we'd hired in someone else, would we hold them to the same level of expectation that we held Krathorpe? Would the new coach be compared to Petrino or Kragthorpe? Would he have to be as good as Petrino for us to support him or just better than Kragthorpe? My heart wants to believe that we'd hold any coach to the same level of expectation, but my brain tells me otherwise. If a new coach came in and went 6-6 but to a bowl game, we'd be praising him in the same manner as Petrino and saying he's a lot better coach than Kragthorpe. How's that fair?
I'd like to thank the CardNation is a better group of fans than we've shown over the last 20 months or so. I'd like to think that we are understanding and supportive of whomever is coaching our beloved Cards, but recently we're not. We're no better right now than the fans we strive not to be that live down in and around Lexington and belong to the Big Blue Nation. We all mocked them, how they wanted Rich Brooks to leave after his first season or two. We acted as if we were better than them, but truth be told, we're not. At least right now we're not. I mean, I'm hearing people on the local radio airwaves are auctioning off their season tickets because they will no longer support the team. And that pisses me off. A fan is a fan rain or shine, good and bad. A fan supports the players first and the coaches second. If you're one of these fans, then I don't want to ever see you in PJCS again. I don't want to see you wearing red and black when the team gets things back on track. You sell your season tickets you sell your loyalty.
We all know, including Kragthorpe, that things must change and now. And that next year will be his last if he doesn't improve. Do we root for the team to lose so that he'll leave? Do we not fill the seats and hurt the chances of a stadium expansion that could hurt the replacement of Kragthorpe? I sure hope not. We're better than that CardNation, a hell of a lot better.
Two things before I go. One, I'm embarrassed to be a Cards fan right now and even more embarassed that I acted like a fool and forgot that the players matter more than the coaches.
And two, I am pissed that I let Petrino do this to myself and CardNation. He spoiled us. But he did more than that. He stole our dedication and our passion for Louisville. We seem to only be passionate now when were winning. Thats got to change. And what pisses me off even more is that we're more supportive of a guy who wouldn't think twice to stab us in the back, and he did, than of a guy who really wants to be here and is under incredible pressure and enduring incredible hate right now. He could've left. But he didn't. That should speak volumes about his character.
So as the season ends and the recruiting begins for UofL football, I am ready and willing to say, come on Kragthorpe. Recruit your but off coach. Have a great spring camp, and I'll see you next fall.
Oh, and one more thing coach. Thank you for your dedication to the program, even if some of the fans have ended theirs.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
I figured I'd have the sink done this morning and have a good start on the shower. Then I could finish it next weekend. I'm in worse shape now then before I even started.
Why did I even bother?
Its just a guest bathroom anyways.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Man, I hope I don't have a lot of hungry people leaving my house this evening.
Happy Thanksgiving fellow OS'ers, may today be a day of happiness, family, friendship and memories.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Posted on November 16, 2008 at 12:00 PM.
Let me first start off by saying that Madden on the next gen has been underwhelming at best. Yes, Madden '09 was a step in the right direction, but yet, it still leaves something, or maybe a lot of things, to be desired. Still one too many bumps in the road for it to offer long term enjoyment for a majority of its players and even for some of its most diehard fans, myself included. And let me also say that we all know that Madden is under new management for 2010. Ian and Phil have taken over the reigns of a horse and buggy that is barrelling out of control and are going to try and get it back on the right path. Their mindset, passion, and determination give a spark to what seemed to be a flame that was seemingly burned out.
But as I read through the various threads within the Madden forum, I find myself wondering is there anything they can do for 2010 that would have people do a complete 180 in regards to their attitude towards the Madden franchise and where its been recently. I'm not talking about the folks that will hate Madden no matter what because its not 2k, I'm talking about those who have bought Madden faithfully, only to become disgusted with how the series has unfolded on the next gen hardware.
Read through any thread in the Madden forum whether it be started by Ian, Phil, or an OS'er and you'll find skepticism from some, if not all, of the community. It seems that nowadays, anything that is talked about or said to be implemented into the next installment of the series is taken with a grain of salt. Crushing people's expectations and letting people down has a way of doing that I guess.
Madden has over promised and under delivered in each of the past 4 years. And it seems that there is always something major that prevents it from being fun ('07 broken fatigue, '08 turnover fest, '09 franchise lockups) and add to that a lot of little hiccups and you have a receipe for disaster. These major issues and the build up of so many little ones, has left people almost no choice but to view Madden in a negative light. So what is Ian & Phil to do?
I know folks are going to say that all they have to do is release a game that isn't "broken". Well, define broken? And lets be honest here. Its evident that since Madden is the only game in town, its held to such a higher standard that it can do nothing else but fail. Even if Madden 2010 releases without a major game crashing bug, there will undoubtedly be little bumps and bruises that prevent it from being perfect and will undoubtedly be deemed broken by someone or some group. Its going to happen. No company has ever released a "perfect" game even if its reviewed that way. Some where along the lines there is going to be something that people wish was better, and thats how it should be. But for Madden, it seems that it has no other choice but to release a "perfect" game.
So what is Ian & Phil to do? Seems to me, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
-CB
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I grew up with the Atari, NES, and Genesis. My adolescent years were spent on Space Invaders, Mario, and Sonic. Man those were the days. Losing countless of summer hours involved in those games. I can remember my parents always yelling at me to go outside for a change, get some fresh air. But I didn't want to. Outside was reality. And to escape that reality, I had to come up with my own game. But inside, with my gaming system, I didn't have to think up nothing. I could concentrate on being entertained and having fun. Oh how I miss those days. Not because I'm older now(I'm still the same age at heart
), but because back then, I didn't care about the stats of the sports game I was playing at the time, or that I shot a guy in the head and he didn't die, or this or that. I had fun with whatever it was that I was playing. And I miss those days because the systems were simpler, the games were simpler, and I was simpler. Ok, maybe I haven't advanced that much in my years, but the gaming industry sure has, and so to have our expectations. As people became more advanced, the gaming industry has become more advanced, and so have our expectations of them. No more settling for fun, we now wanted realism. No more playing games to escape reality, games had to be reality. And it can't be just a sense of reality, it has to be a perfect representation of reality. And it seems that in this quest for perfected reality, we've lost the fun factor. We've lost our ability to escape reality. We've lost our desire, to escape reality.
Games are no longer games anymore, they are simulations on the aspect of life in which they represent. War games have to be real life war, driving games have to be exactly what it would be like in that car, and sports games have to be an exact simulation of the sport they represent. And the moment something isn't reality, we race to our nearest gaming forum and vent our frustration. We start making bugs/glitches tracking threads. We start reading everyone elses ideas of what is unrealistic about the game.
And in the midst of the quest for all this simulation and reality, we lost fun. And thats too bad, because fun and games went well togehter. We quit playing games because they are games. We quit looking to play games to escape reality. We quit letting games be games. We have forgotten that they are games.
Ahhh, but I can remember the days when it was just a game. And from this day forward, I'm not going to let myself forget.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Veterans day has always held a special meaning to my family. My Father, Grandfather, and Uncle are all vets. My Father served in the Coast Guard, my Grandfather served in the Navy, and my Uncle was a marine. Growing up I was always taught to say thank you to each of them, and I was always explained why I was doing so. But as with most kids, I only viewed the day as a day off from school. A day of freedom, only I didn't understand exactly how precious that freedom was. I didn't understand the sacrifices that each endured. I didn't understand the sacrifice that my Mother and Grandmother had endured. I didn't understand that I was lucky growing up, as my family that was sent to fight for this country I love, actually came home. Sure, my parents would always try to explain to me exactly what war actually was. I can even recall my Grandfather telling stories of the friends he lost during his tour of duty. I was just a kid, and later, just a teenager that viewed his stories the same as I viewed a war movie or a book, it wasn't real, just a story. That would change.
In the war that followed the 9/11 attacks I lost 2 of my closest and most dearest friends. I saw the horror side of war. I saw the agony, I saw the pain. I saw how quickly life could change as I viewed the faces of each of their family members on the day they were saluted for paying the ultimate sacrifice for the families they cared for, the freedoms they enjoyed, and the country they loved. My heart broke a little more each time one of the 21 guns saluted them. I cried everytime I remembered our past.
I finally understood what my Father, Grandfather, and Uncle had been through. I finally understood the sacrifice that my Mother and Grandmother had endured. I finally understood that feeling, that each had on Veteran's Day.
Veteran's Day isn't about being off from work or school, it isn't about watching news reports on services or watching war stories, and it isn't just saying thank you to the Veteran's for their service. Its about understanding why you are saying thank you. Our Veteran's went through hell so that we can be where we are today. The families of our Vets endured the same type of hell as they didn't know when their loved ones would return, or even if they'd return.
Tomorrow, when you are doing whatever it is you do in your "free" time, please take a moment to understand and reflect as to why you have this free time and the other freedoms and liberties you have. Take the time to attend a service, shake the hand of a Vet, or visit a memorial. Take the time to say a prayer for those fighters and families who are separated right now. Take the time to send up a prayer to the ones who paid the ulitimate sacrifice. Take the time, to say thank you.
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