Not So PC
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Currently Colorado sits at 8-0 and ranked #2 with arguably the most talented team in the country. Having beaten Oklahoma in the toughest game on the schedule, this team has an excellent chance of going undefeated again but the fans are nervous in Boulder. While Coach Rudy has a 16-1 record against his rivals, that doesn’t mean much considering Colorado State and Kansas State are typically easy wins for this powerhouse program. Critics point to his lousy 1-4 bowl record and wonder if he can get this team over the hump.
The team’s success has largely been fueled by the defense and running game. The defense is rated 94 and has solid players at every position on the team with the worst starter an 85. The young running backs are led by nimble Chad Reid who has over 1000 yards on the season and a young thumper in Darren Williams who gets plenty of goal line touches. The offense is overly conservative but they lack any playmakers at wide receiver. The receivers lack both height and speed and this team struggles to come from behind. Very few big plays downfield have been created this season. The offensive line is very good as is senior quarterback Neil Herron although he tends to force too many throws and has a negative TD/INT ratio for his career.
No question Coach Rudy has done a great job of building this program but that has also led to constant rumours of him leaving for greener pastures elsewhere. Each year programs come calling and so far he has stayed. This team should get to the Big 12 Championship game but after that all bets are off. They need to do a better job in the big games and we don’t know if that will happen.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Ian Cummings has made himself available on Operation Sports. He is posting blogs and taking a ton of feedback from this large community. This feedback has already led to improvements and changes in the game. The community events EA has sponsored have also gone a long way. And yet a few jerks out there slam Ian at every turn with remarks that will have no positive effect on the process. Ian is doing a lot of work on OS off the payroll. It’s clear he’s passionate about what he does even if the end result hasn’t met the expectations of many posters.
I for one want the EA guys to remain here. The majority of posters are respectful and I think Ian, Phil and Adam see this. But there have been some recent threads that have turned ugly. Post your criticisms and questions but be respectful. You don’t have to kiss their *** but there is no point in being an ***hole either. If your goal is to drive these guys away and prevent any further communication, how would that be considered a good thing?
There is a 99% chance that the only NFL and NCAA football game made in the foreseeable future will be an EA game. Good or bad this is reality. These guys are here and accepting feedback. You can either help out and provide constructive criticism or leave and please don’t come back.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Myth #1: OS Posters are Dumb
Assuming the average OS poster wasn’t intelligent enough to understand your point the first three times you wrote it, you continue to post thinking that eventually they will see your brilliance and everyone will agree with you. The truth is that most people are intelligent and may have a different opinion.
Myth #2: It’s Necessary to Reply after Every Comment
After each one of your complaints has been laid out, people still don’t agree with you and state their point. Rather than just accept it, the repetitive troll regurgitates his argument after every single reply or quote that disagrees with his thought process.
Troll: “The pass rush is broken in NCAA Football. Here are 17 reasons why…”
Poster 1: “I don’t think it’s that bad.”
Troll: “How can you not see how bad it is? Let me go over reasons 12 through 16 to clarify this for you.”
Poster 2: “The pass rush could be better but I’m having fun.”
Troll: “Are you out of your mind? Did you not read reasons 3 through 8 on my thesis? Let me re-explain…”
Rinse and repeat.
The truth is that there may have been no intended trolling involved. But it clutters up a thread to the point that people want to strangle you.
Myth #3: If You Keep Repeating Yourself, People Will Agree With You
The world is round damn it! No matter how much you may be right or think you are right, there will be people who disagree with you. The truth is that whether you are arguing the world is round or flat doesn’t matter. Respect those who disagree with you and move on. You’ve made your point already.
All of us have done this at some point. Our intentions are good and our criticisms are often warranted. But there comes a time when we just need to back away. If you don’t know when that is I’m sure another poster will point it out to you. If you still aren’t sure then count what percentage of posts are yours in the last couple pages of the topic. If you are the number one poster and each post is stating the same thing – you are a troll. Move along.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Some marriages just seem destined for failure. The two people may be very nice but something just isn’t right with them together. That’s my feeling about Rich Rodriguez and Michigan. This whole thing has been an uncomfortable union. It started off rocky with the botched coaching search that was supposed to land Les Miles. It ended up with Rich Rodriguez who wasn’t a Michigan man who didn’t run a Michigan offense. Then Rich Rod was trashed by West Virginia and sued. Most of the offense left for the NFL. Players transferred out criticizing Rich Rod for swearing too much and not providing a family atmosphere. He failed to land Terrelle Pryor. It was one negative thing after another even if some things were overblown or flat out untrue.
All of that stuff takes a distant back seat to winning. Even a down year of 7-5 or 6-6 would be acceptable in his first year. Instead, the worst season in the history of Michigan football unfolded. They are going to lose nine games with five at home and one of those against Toledo! There is still no quarterback on the current roster that can run his offense. Without one, the offense will struggle badly again. Two highly touted freshmen are coming in but can you rely on a true freshman quarterback to bring back the winning tradition? How long will it take? Instead of one step back and two steps forward, we are seeing two steps back and Rich Rod praying he gets the time to take three steps forward.
The pastor at my old church moved away after over 15 years of service. One of the things they did to help transition a new pastor was to hire an interim pastor before they hired his successor. They have often found that after a long relationship it is just too hard for a congregation to accept the new guy without constantly comparing him to the old guy. Bridging that gap can help ease the congregation into accepting change and a new face. While Rich Rod was hired to be the long-term answer I think he will end up the interim one.
Watching Michigan trying to run the spread option offense without a capable quarterback is like watching my kid trying to stuff a square block into a round hole. Unfortunately, that’s what Michigan tried to do by hiring Rich Rodriguez to be the head football coach. It still may work out but the early prognosis is not good.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Soccer fans will tell you that you should give it a chance. Once you learn the sport you will appreciate it. Why should I watch a bunch of pansies fake an injury every time they get breathed on? Why should I watch a sport wear uniforms resembling a NASCAR vehicle? When scoring two goals in a game is exciting count me out. Offense is fun to watch. Soccer is not.
The soccer lover will tell you it’s the most popular sport in the world. Of course it is. Nobody in the third world can afford to play anything but soccer. You just need a ball or large tumbleweed to kick around a dirt field to play. That’s not evidence to suggest it’s a great sport. It’s simply a cheap sport played by a world that hasn’t been exposed to something better.
Rest assured the next time a soccer player is rolling around the ground, grabbing an ankle and praying for a yellow card (you won’t have to wait long) I will have missed it. I don’t need soccer to disappear from the planet to enjoy watching football. So the soccer fan shouldn’t get mad when I say soccer sucks. Just riot and attack each other. It’s your right as a soccer fan.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
But who really prefers a downloaded game when you can actually own a disc, the instructions and the packaging that comes with it? Publishers might prefer to cut out the middleman by selling you a download directly. You will probably get a discount as well. While this may look good initially the long-term value of this game is zero unless you continue to play it. Many gamers buy new games knowing that in a couple months they might sell it after they get bored. I look at buying the latest action or shooter game not as a $60 purchase but rather an extended rental for $30 after trade-in. I can’t do this with a download, which will quickly clutter up my hard drive.
I just don’t see full digital games sales becoming the wave of the future. My future still includes the old fashioned buy, sell and trade options. Maybe the video game industry will start offering rentals as part of the digital download future. Everyone is trying to squeeze more money out of an industry that gets more and more expensive to make games. For now I will continue to enjoy having real instruction manuals and a real disc I can always sell down the road. My bandwith agrees with that and so does my old school personality.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
USC jumped on me early. I went three and out, punting from my 10-yard line. On their first play from scrimmage their small and fast RB broke to the outside for a 40+ yard TD run. I clawed back and was down 7-3 when I threw an interception they returned for a TD. Suddenly I’m down 14-3. Following a 55-yard field goal with no time left in the half, I was down 24-3 at half time and embarrassed. My team was not built to come from behind and I failed to run the ball at all.
I fought back in the second half and was down 24-12 at one point (I got a safety after a failed 4th and goal situation) but the interceptions never stopped. I threw four of them and my young wide receivers failed to make any plays for me. Final score 31-12.
I am now 1-4 in my bowl games and despite some lucrative offers from three other schools I will remain at Colorado and fight for my first Big 12 title as well as a shot at the title game again! Maybe the 6th season will be the charm.
My team looks good next year although I’m losing three of my starting linebackers (two were impact players) in my 3-4 defense. I’m very deep at linebacker so that should not be a huge concern. Two players have also elected to jump to the NFL early (starting RG and SS). But my biggest concern is WR. My top two returning wide receivers were true freshman (5* prospects) but neither is big or fast. Not a single receiver was rated higher than 84 at the end of this season and that receiver has graduated. They need to make big strides in the off-season to take pressure off my QB. I think this team could be better next year but only time will tell.
Monday, November 17, 2008
One OS member, roswell47, is now suffering from carpal tunnel. After posting many blogs and screenshots from his Warhammer collection, his wrist became so sore he hasn’t been able to paint his miniatures. He had to pull out of a highly anticipated battle at the end of the month and his dungeon cred has fallen to hobbit. He is suing for physical and emotional damages.
Two other members of the site became so obsessed with obtaining the highest overall scores in the new ranking system that it actually led to a physical confrontation between these old neighborhood friends. One of the members suffered a broken arm and is suing OS for physical damages as well as asking his overall score be frozen until he can resume posting.
Owner Steve Noah has directed all questions to his lawyer Arthur Vandelez. Mr. Vandelez angrily defended his client. “Unlike Rosie O’Donnell at the buffet table, these kids need to show some restraint. Get out of your mom’s basement and go get some fresh air!”
We will keep you updated on any further developments.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Unfortunately, the great Buffalo defense failed to stop Oklahoma. They scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions with only an endzone INT preventing a 4th. Colorado was down 21-3 at the half. Then the coaches subbed in injured All-American running back Cameron Scales for the second half. Out almost all year he provided a spark to the offense and finished with 11 carries for 81 yards.
After another OU TD near the end of the 3rd quarter to put them up 28-13, Colorado returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD with 6 seconds left. On the very next play from scrimmage, an OU receiver muffed a ball into my DB's hands who returned it for a TD with 1 second left in the 3rd. I punched in the two point conversion to tie it at 28!
Down 31-28 in the 4th quarter, I drove inside the Sooners 20 yard line. I actually reached the one yard line but was called for holding. On third down I tried to hit a corner pass in single coverage but was picked off! So stupid! A field goal would have tied it with just over two minutes to go but I wanted to be aggressive. I gave up another TD and only a late TD by myself and a failed onside kick resulted in a gut wrenching 38-35 defeat.
Oklahoma's 96 rated offense was 8 for 13 on third down and also converted 2 of 3 fourth downs. They only punted once all game. My defense just wasn't good enough today. I brought extra DB's in the second half to help slow them down but I'm crushed. But we can't stay down too long. I'm still #5 and have a date with A rated #3 USC in the Rose Bowl! Ohio State and Virginia Tech are both undefeated and playing in the Title Game.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The owner, William Clay Ford Sr., wants to win. He has spent money to do it. But he is so absolutely clueless on how to run a football team that it’s simply mind-boggling. He’s loyal to an incredible fault. Even the bimbo at the end of the bar knew Matt Millen should have been fired long ago. The entire organization is so full of losers that everything needs to be changed. Since we can’t fire the owner, the best we can hope for is that he steps down and he gives control to his son Bill Ford Jr. His son was so frustrated that he finally spoke out against Millen, which ultimately got Millen fired.
At least the fans have finally woken up and have stopped coming to games. For the first time in Ford Field history, games were blacked out. Voicing displeasure by calling the local sports radio stations had done nothing. Maybe hurting Ford Sr.’s pocket book a little more will do the trick.
From lousy draft picks to lousy contracts to lousy coaching, this organization needs to change in every way possible and it all starts at the top. I can only hope an 0-16 year will bring that kind of change. But knowing how Ford Sr. operates, it might not make a difference.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The kids don't normally wake up until after 6 so that gives me the perfect time to get a dynasty game in. Why lie awake in bed or surf the internet when I can be playing a meaningful game? I always have a lot of energy in the morning and this morning Nebraska paid the price. I pummelled them in my final regular season game to take the #1 spot in the BCS. Apparently they are night people.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Is the BCS perfect? Nope. Strength of schedule is too weak in the current formula. Going undefeated in a weaker BCS conference might actually be less impressive than finishing with one loss in some of the bigger conferences, particularly those with conference championships.
The BCS still has the potential of an undefeated team being denied a chance for a title. I don't care if it's from a non BCS conference (I'm biased - sue me) but if Penn State had gone undefeated and been denied a shot at the title it would have been terrible.
My main love for the BCS is the sheer pressure of going undefeated in the regular season. The regular season is so important - more than any other sport. One loss at any time can doom you. No other sport can claim that. That's why I left the LSU-Alabama game to tune into the end of the Iowa-Penn State game. In an 8+ team playoff, would anyone have really cared? The loss wouldn't have hurt Penn State much.
Many want playoffs because everyone else does them. If everyone jumped off a cliff would you do that to? I personally think a 4 team playoff is the best of both worlds. It still puts tremendous pressure on the regular season, keeps the bowl system intact and only adds one game instead of creating a playoff system that can drag.
This issue is so divisive and everyone's minds are usually made up long before a discussion begins. But it's my blog so I can post all the crap I like!
2K5 is one of the most over-rated games I have ever seen. I don't even have to compare it to Madden to say this. After truly loving NFL 2K4, 2K5 took many steps backwards. It has bad DB AI, bad stamina, horrible momentum animations, they wrecked the screen passes and counter plays and the franchise AI got even worse. The biggest sin was the QB AI. They made the QBs in NCAA '08 look good. Way too many interceptions. I really wonder if all those that fell in love with 2K5 had actually played 2K4. It had issues but so many things were better in that game.
Flying Finn created a roster editor to help correct some of the flaws in 2K5. But the sheer slider tweaks and roster tweaks never saved this game for me. I went out and bought Madden '05 and was happy for a little while. Then the sheer boredom of playing defense and terrible presentation killed that game for me. Both 2K5 and Madden 05 were subpar.
The good news was that it pushed me into trying NCAA Football. Being a Canadian, this game wasn't allowed to be sold in Canada until NCAA '07. I ordered NCAA '06 online just to take a chance on something different. I LOVED IT! The gameplay and dynasty mode were addicting. My love for college football and the NCAA game series grew rapidly. I no longer play any professional football games like Madden or All Port Football 2K8 and I don't care.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Win or lose, this will be my last year with Colorado. I will move on to another challenge and I'm thinking Iowa in the Big 10 with a current roster set in a brand new dynasty.
Rudy
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