Visual Concepts and 2K

What is a list of these teams doing here?

1985-86 Chicago Bulls
1989 to 1992 Chicago Bulls
1994 to 1998 Chicago Bulls

1985-86 Boston Celtics
1989-90 Atlanta Hawks
1989-90 Cleveland Cavaliers
1989-90 Detroit Pistons
1990-91 Los Angeles Lakers
1991-92 Portland Trailblazers
1994-95 New York Knicks
1995-96 Seattle Supersonics
1996-97 Utah Jazz
1997-98 Utah Jazz

2K is blowing the doors off... These teams have been confirmed as playable teams in 2K11's NBA game this year. They will be part of a Jordan "be a pro" like feature in the game. There is rumor of more coming out. I'd like to see them go a little further back in time and add more teams from the 80s. It is pretty amazing that the 86 Celtics are on here. They are quite possibly the best team in NBA history. Man, and the "Bad Boys"? and Riley's Knicks? Could it be Starks, Ewing, Oakley, Mason teaming up again? Those guys loved being Knicks. Talk about a trip down memory lane. That team played with more heart then any other in NBA history. That's right.

This falls in line with more teams the better theory that I have. Classic teams is a start, but I'd like to see the inclusion of the NBA's D league and international leagues as well. I'll say it again, EA's FIFA has it right with all the teams and leagues. MLB 10: The Show gets it too with AAA and AA ball. Madden is falling behind here. Football may be limited because it is mainly and American thing, but why not just include NCAA with the NFL? Why make it a different franchise? Okay, that may be a bit much.

The Entire World

So... At work I have to manage a plethora of employees and manage quite a bit of inventory and analyse how well we use that inventory. It's great fun, let me tell ya. Our merchants were musing recently about large format framing. So I went over the top. Above is a rare picture of work. I can't thank my team enough for putting that bad boy together.

Anyway. The analysis is carrying over to other parts of my life. Namely; tracking who I play online during FIFA 10 matches. Not sure why I do it, just do. Below are the games that I have finished. I say finished because I have strict rules about who I play with. Stoke or Crew. I find that often times when I'm playing with the Crew and winning the opposing player drops offline thus giving me the 3-0 win. I've eliminated those games in the stat tracking below.
Safe to say I've played many a half against Barcelona that has been dropped. Bums that drop out and can't stand loosing to the mighty Crew!

#1 Stoke City fan (in the USA)

Maybe not, but until I meet another one I'll claim the number one spot! Finally, a win! Phantom call at the end of the game, but I'll take it. Gotta say, I've put in more games with Stoke on FIFA 10 then I care to mention. I'm not sure how exactly I became a fan other then picking a team with a friend based on my simple rules of the following:

1. No famous teams (not sure why, I pull for Liverpool and teams with American players)
2. Interesting team name (Potters)
3. Underdog
4. Heavy on the English born players (pride I guess)

Stoke Upon Trent isn't that far from Kettering, in American terms. But in England I may as well be on the other side of the planet.On a side note; my jersey from Toffs.com came. Customer service was very nice. Jersey is probably for framing really. Too large. But I love it. Maybe should have gone for a Malsbury or Howard on the back, but Johnson will do!

Go Stoke! Vis Unita Fortior! United Strength is Stronger!

Redskins, Long in the Tooth

Bleeding Green Nation put together an impressive list and analysis of the ages of all players in the NFC East. I always take note when such homework is compiled.

Redskins are the eldest this year. By far.

Only interesting to me

Peter King of Sports Illustrated has a topic buried in his Monday NFL column called "Factoid of the Week That May Interest Only Me". Love him or hate him his column is excellent. So I'm going to rip him off here and go on talking about things that I find interesting as I settle in Ohio's "gray season" (autumn and winter).

(and most of Spring).

1. JMU beats Virginia Tech in Lane Stadium? Yes!

In the world of college football it doesn't get any more embarrassing then this for the Hokies. I had lots of friends go to VT. I've visited the school a couple times. I like where it is and like that good engineers come from there... I've just never liked their athletic teams or fans. Loud, boastful, arrogant. They are always ranked high to start the season but find ways to drop down like loosing to JMU. Maybe I just don't like them because they were allowed into the ACC. They belong in that dirty conference full of "known for sports only" schools. The Big East.

Another thing I have mixed emotions about is that they enter the stadium to a Metallica's Enter Sandman like some pro wrestler. It seems to be what they are known for these days. Nice work Hokies. This VT tradition dates way back to the year 2000 when a vote was taken. It was Sandman or Welcome to the Jungle. I wish the students choose neither. But, they did.

All that meanness said; the environment this song creates out there in the mountains, especially on a cool and soggy night, has probably made a few opposing players piss their pants (note: no JMU player wet their pants yesterday. **Nor do the blue bloods over at UVA ever soil their britches**). Their entrance has it all. The song is like catnip for Hokies. I have to admit - seeing Virginia's flag run out on the field with tens of thousands of fans going nuts to a backdrop of fire works gives me the duck bites. Sic semper tyrannis!


I like how people spill onto the field. It's one of these things that blurs the line between sporting event and battle field. I know that I shouldn't, but I love that it exists.

2. Ohio State is having trouble with special teams.
2a. Terrelle Pryor is a "weapon" not a QB.

I am expecting the Buckeyes to run the table this year and meet up with a school like Alabama (if they can survive the SEC). Bama is a much better team.

3. "Let's show these northern boys how Southern Boys play football!" - McElroy, Alabama Quarterback before their game against Penn State.

McElroy of Alabama is a Rhodes Scholar applicant, Sigma Alpha Epsilon member, his father is a VP in the Dallas Cowboys organization and he hasn't lost a game he has started since the 8th grade. I stood up when ESPN rolled that quote clip of him stating the above quote. They ended up stomping Penn St in a game where they pulled up in the 3rd quarter (out of respect for Penn State, if I may be so bold).

4. I hope ESPN removes the "crawl" of sports updates at the bottom of the screen during games soon.

It's not necessary. It's a hangover from days before the internet me thinks. Also, while I'm at it employ the "less is more" theory of design with time and score graphics that are ever present at the bottom of the screen. I'm looking forward to the day when I have the option of dropping that and watching a clean feed and only pulling it up when I want it and where I want it. So called on demand statistics during games is where a sport like baseball can be become king again. It'll happen so says I.

**My thoughts on the difference between a Hokie fan and a Wahoo is thus: VT fans feel they have to win. When they don't, they get all pissed off and down. UVA fans? Pretty even win or loose.**

The Wild West of Video Games

Finally ventured online to play some FIFA 10 games this weekend. It's about what I expected. Each opponent picking Real Madrid or Manchester United. I stay strong with either Stoke City or The Crew. I've actually won one legit game. Well at least I thought I did, the guy I was playing jumped off right at the end thus giving me a 3-0 win. Bittersweet.

A couple notes about playing online:

1. EA has a pretty good match making system
2. You'll play Real Madrid
3. You'll play a guy who is a huge fan of Newcastle United, and he will work you

All in all, it's fun. I'm not a huge online video game player but FIFA is good. Looking forward to September 28th when I can set up a league. In the meantime I'll be sharpening my skills against Real.

As for the Wild West of gaming online? My game of choice is Call of Duty. Sports games never seem too fair, but FIFA is good. Looking forward to starting something up!

Legend has it...

Here's something you'll never read anywhere else: According to my father, Campbell University once had football but cancelled it due to a death on the field. I'll have to follow up with him on the date that happened, but if I recall it was around WWII. My dad claimed that the powers that be at the time made a solemn vow never to carry a football team ever again.

In 2008 Campbell University broke that alleged vow and started playing football once again. I was curious this morning about how they were doing so I checked the scoreboards on the usual sites. Nothing. So I went over to the CU website to see what I could find. Turns out they are playing in the Pioneer Football League with the likes of Davidson, Jacksonville, Butler, Dayton, Drake, Valparaiso, Marist, San Diego and Morehead State.

I had mixed feeling when I found out a few years ago that CU was entering back into the football world. I liked that Homecoming was marked by a soccer game. However, I read the the Pioneer League is the only non-scholarship football league in Division-I. There is something I really like in that.

I didn't know there was a D-I non-scholarship league. Nice work Campbell.

Nice win yesterday too.

50 Degrees

It is 50 right now. Ohio isn't messing around this year. Jumping right into the best time of the year. Kinda saw it coming over the past two weeks. Warm during the day in the high 80s but dipping down into the 60s at night.

Brother In Town

It was great to have Jim in town for a little bit. A rare visit out here. It is rare for me to go back to she him as well. Too rare both ways. It was much needed and helped very much. I don't air out a whole lot of what is going on in my life here on this journal bloggy thingy, but I am very grateful to have the things that I have. Thanks Jim, you helped more then you realize and I hope to be in Virginia soon.

Enjoy the Bahama Momma Brats, tell Trish I said hello and thanks for coming out and listening to me and all of that. Your sage advice will go far.