Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 (PS2)

I always have to purchase a golf game every year to make up for my lack of playing it in real life. See, I'm still young enough that I get myself into a 150-game summer softball schedule, and I'm just too incompetent to maintain a golf stroke and a softball swing at the same time. Well maybe that's not entirely true - I mean, I figured I'd win the lottery sometime before my 23rd birthday, would tee off every morning in a new pair of khakis, hunt fox in the afternoon with my rather large pack of dogs and play in an exhilarating game of polo later that evening as my supermodel wife looks on thru a tiny spectacle telescope with the other snooty bitches along the sideline.

Alas, none of this happened even though I use words like "alas" to begin sentences. Sure, the sense of sophistication occasionally rises in my online persona, but then you take the time to talk to me over messenger, headset or phone and after the first few "fucks" out of my mouth you immediately begin to label me a bit more accurately. Fact is I drag my ass out of bed at 7:42am to get to work by 8, co-exist with people who if were any more stupid would need watered twice a week, then get home in the evening and blog my opinion about sports and video games to an audience countable by both of my hands and one foot while my wife screams at me to get my ass off the computer. I guess I'll just keep playing the lottery so that I can one day live that life I described, but in the mean time I'll try to fix that blog traffic thing and quit going off on crazy fuckin' tangents that have nothing to do with what I entitled this post in the first place.

gratuitous transition pic to help change the subject

Ahh yes, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 for the PS2.

As a blunt, overall statement - if you liked the 2005 version than you'll enjoy the 2006 version. The game has most of the same features with a few added in, with this year featuring new shot mechanics, a few new courses/golfers and other various improvements over past editions. If you're among the crowd that says that it is too easy and unrealistic - nothing's changed. The Tour mode is back again and improved, you can turn off power boost and spin, but with 11's across the board (formerly 110%'s) you can still shoot well below par regardless. Some despise that, but I'm largely an online player anyway - when the other golfer has 11's across the board as well, it plays like a real golf game would - every shot counts, and sometimes pulling up and setting up a shot is much more valuable than trying to reach the Par 5 in 2.

But yes, it is the typical EA exclusive licensing-rehash we've known and grown to love, however unlike Madden - this game doesn't suck.

you gotta click this pic and read some of this - great stuff

"Call out your rivals" is apparently the catch phrase this year, as the Rivals Mode has received a massive revamp into a more streamlined, interactive atmosphere. You still more or less beat several imaginary golfers before facing a past great, but instead of facing off with Ben Hogan or something - you face him in the time where he ruled the course, back when he got more ass than a toilet seat. Rivals mode has time travelling, with your objective being to become the No. 1 golfer of all time. You need to beat the "Turn of the Century", "Golden Age", "Baby Boomer" and "Modern Age" in your quest to become the best (that rhymes...noted*), so I really like the layout a lot better this time around vs. seemingly awakening the dead for a round of golf last year.

Tiger in a Jim Tressel-sweatervest and aristocratic pants

Online play is again anything but consistent as far as connection issues - if you've had problems hooking up to certain people in the past, you're going to have problems again. Not only this, but now some people actually cannot log into the Daily Tournament without jimmying a few things with system settings you're generally not supposed to have to do. The increased online pro shop items, mini games and every day event schedule gives the online portion of PS2 golf a good mark, however the fact you may not be able to log into it brings it back down to earth.

*If you're not online enabled, the Real-Time Events calendar is back with more events than ever to keep the game fresh all year long.

The Game Face feature I feel was perfected last year - I mean, it went from being able to adjust facial pore-size to adding a pimple into it. You could really tell the size, age and weight of my golfer by looking at him...well, that is if I didn't create him to look like I did when I was a stud athlete in high school. You know, perfect face, muscles embellished beyond my imagination and a tan that reflects the aforementioned life from the 2nd paragraph of this review.

They did include some unlockable features on the game if you play the PSP version, but I read that it sucked ass and haven't played it yet. I have no ending for this paragraph so I take a small bow.

The courses are again beautiful and well laid out. Doral, Pasatiempo, Pumpkin Ridge & Reflection Bay joins Bethpage Black, Cog Hill, Kapalua, Pebble Beach, Sahalee, Sawgrass, St. Andrews & Troon North as the authentic PGA courses. "Central Park" is the new fantasy course this year with a unique inner city design, joining Tiger 2004 favorite "Greek Isles" and 2003 favorite "Red Rock Creek" to make for 16 available courses to play on. To improve these courses which were really perfected 2 editions ago (with current-gen settings, naturally), EA has added more background noise - hopping rabbits, birds flying, ...caribou(?) grazing - it definitely does add another small dose of reality to the experience.

And no, you can't drill the caribou with the ball. Tried that. 8 or 12 times.

Aside from the noted birds and various nature sounds in the background, Gary McCord and David Feherty are back with one of the better EA broadcast teams, with McCord always the professional and Feherty always the smartass. This pairing has been a mainstay in the franchise for a few years now, and really helps to make this game an overall complete product. No feature of this game is left unrefined.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 has undergone some significant changes, however the ease of play has either drove you from it or it hasn't - simple as that. One of the more, if not the most complete EA product on the market, 06 has impressed me once again and I plan to be playing it well into 2006 - if not up until 2007 is released

Game Sites: EA Sports, Gamepro, Gamespot, IGN
Gaming Communities: EA Sports Forums, Shankers Unified Golf Association, Tiger Woods Online, Total Online Play

PSP Wallpaper, Vol. #2

I actually wrote a long review of Tiger Woods on Saturday morning, but my browser crashed and I haven't had the heart to post anything since. Seriously, that's traumatic shit - lotta work, and honestly that post didn't even suck.

Anyway, second round of PSP wallpapers - as usual, click the pics for the actual PSP size.

Shit On You 2 Times

You may or may not remember back in October when I defied all laws of physics and defeated the expert level at Minesweeper, but now I'm back and I beat my best time by 186 seconds.

Again, serving no purpose other than to stroke my own e-penis and piss off Swade should he still be alive (in the event of you know, dieing or perhaps moving to Canada or something), but it's a lameass post with a personal achievement but gives me a free day off as if I had a schedule in the first place.

Word.

Don't wanna say I told you so but....

FCUK SIRIUS!

Being a non-Howard Stern supporter, I have to say I told you so. While I may not have said it right here in flashing lights on Fmode (since i'm a shitty blogger and dammit I'm trying to change!) I've been saying since I heard that Stern was moving to satelite radio that it wasn't going to work and it was going to end badly.

I think Sirius has tied way too much effing stock into one guy and their success/failure is mainly around one guy who has absolutly no character, has even less talent and is basically an over the hill bachelor who is creepily on the verge of becoming a dirty old man. I just thought when I saw how much Sirius has invested in one guy it would end badly, kind of like the Pittsburgh Pirates signing ARod to a 175 million contract, it ain't going to freaking work.

Sirius radio's veritable Golden Goose has got to be developing a stress-induced bald spot when he got the news that Sirius is in the process of putting togther a set of rules that actually describe what words he can or can't say on air, what he can discuss and what he can expose.

Why would Sirius do this? Well, when they inked Stern to a big contract years/months back there was no threat of gubament regulations on satelite radio and they figured he could come into the studio and drop F-bombs and all the truck drivers and jackasses that actually enjoy Howard Stern would say "This is awesome! He can say Fuck on the radio! Give me another chew!"

Sorry Sirius, the government is currently developing similar FCC regulations for satelite radio broadcasts that I just don't feel like researching to explain (you can find more about it here). How this affects Stern remains to be seen but his free-for-all has ended as quickly as it began.

I enjoy his E! show as much as the next guy, mainly for the women made to take off thier clothes and jiggle around but even that is pay-per-view on-demand on cable now.

So what it comes down to is "I told you so, I was right, this will end badly" was prophetic advice. Thanks, props to Teebee.

THANK YOU NEW YORK! Yes I am a Tool!

It's almost time....

Saw this on MLB.com


Here are 20 reasons why spring is a beautiful thing:

1. Batter vs. pitcher: The hardest thing to do in sports is to hit a pitched baseball. It is that simple mano a mano act that has enticed most of us for as long as we can remember. The last one we saw was Bobby Jenks vs. Orlando Palmeiro at Minute Maid Park; now, the anticipation increases with each day.

2. Doubt before certainty: "If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties," said Francis Bacon. No camp will have certainty.

3. Viva la belle époque: Baseball's new golden age will roll on. It is as sure as the cherry tree that lost its leaves last autumn during the Chicago White Sox victory parade, only to soon unveil its dazzling spring blossoms like professional athletes at 30 Major League camps filled with hope anew. A different champion has been crowned each year in this decade, and long and laborious droughts have died. Because every team must have doubts, every team also must have hope.

4. Road trip! If you haven't already booked your hotels and mapped out the Spring Training schedule, then now is the time. MLB.com has partnered with Visit Florida to help you find your way with schedules, maps and special travel packages for your favorite team. Your ticket awaits.

5. Coppertone and 85-degree weather: You are that much closer to the prospect of basking under a blazing sun on the outfield berm grass of the Phillies' gorgeous Bright House Network Field in Clearwater, or points beyond.

6. "Will you sign this, please?" There is no better time during a calendar year than Spring Training for the time-honored ritual of autograph hunting. How exactly did this tradition begin? Who signed the first autograph in mankind? Today, it is a fact of life to seek out the signature of a favorite celebrity, and the combination of small-park confines and relaxed player schedules equal greater opportunity for your calligraphic quest.

7. World Baseball Classic: This will be a Spring Training unlike any other before it. Fans who migrate south this spring can also double their pleasure by watching this inaugural event from March 3-20. It will feature 16 nations, many of them represented largely by their native Major League stars, and some of the early venues for this round-robin tournament include Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix and Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Anaheim. The Finals will take place at PETCO Park in San Diego.

8. Clothes do make the man: What will Nomar Garciaparra look like wearing Dodger blue around Vero Beach? What will Johnny Damon look like in pinstripes on Tampa's Legends Field? Spring Training is the annual runway for the newest models of baseball couture, and at this point on the calendar, you realize that you still have just enough time to order your new customized jersey to take with you.

9. Phenoms: Ryan Zimmerman, Lastings Milledge, Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver are the kinds of reasons many people can't wait for Spring Training. And with the WBC this spring, the phenoms in camp could get more visibility than ever.


10. Prickly pair of pronouns: We just love saying "Cactus League" and "Grapefruit League."

11. Fantasy cometh: The approach of Spring Training means that your annual fantasy draft cannot be far behind. Already, the wheels are spinning in the mind of the average fantasy owner, wondering if Bronson Arroyo's new contract extension means he'll start for Boston, and whether Roger Clemens will be back with Houston or at all.

12. Because you get tired of staring out the window: "People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball," Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby once said. "I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."

13. Fundamentals are fun: The only thing better than watching a bunch of pitchers covering first on slow rollers is seeing them execute the technique during crucial games later in the year. But there is a greater appreciation among those who actually saw them trying to perfect the play during those basic days in late February.

14. "Hey, Yogi, you got that insurance?" Spring Training is a chance to get close to baseball legends, whether it's a Yogi Berra in Tampa or an Ernie Banks in Mesa. It is a chance for those legends to be around their beloved game on a warm day, and to share in the relaxed setting with those fans who remember them.

15. The lore: Being at Spring Training conjures up memories of the past, when Pete Incaviglia once hit a line drive right through the outfield fence at the Texas Rangers' Pompano Beach ballpark, and when Michael Jordan once took the field for the Chicago White Sox in Sarasota. It was Spring Training that the Cincinnati Red Stockings first frequented in 1888, when manager Gus Schmelz convinced owner Aaron Stern that players and the club could split the cost while the team would meld into shape. It is the mindset that brought Cap Anson's fun-loving 1886 Chicago White Sox to Hot Springs, Ark., so they could "boil out the alcoholic microbes."

16. Thhhwoppp! It's that unmistakable sound of a high-90s fastball exploding into a new catcher's mitt. And that unmistakable crack of a bat's barrel connecting perfectly solid with a Rawlings baseball. Matt Williams once said that his only objective at Spring Training was "to get the head of the bat on the ball." That's where it will happen for many, and it's less than a month away.

17. Outfield running: As you watch players run along the outfield warning track after appearing in an exhibition game, you truly appreciate the informality of Spring Training. The casual mentality is transferred directly to the fan in the stands.

18. Reading time: Once pitchers and catchers arrive, all those new baseball books and preseason publications are sure to follow. It's the time when you head for the bookstore to find the new Baseball Prospectus or the Sporting News Register. Astros fans can already order "Inside the Magical Seasons" to relive the 2004-05 campaigns -- and then look it over while they sit in the stands in Kissimmee to see what awaits in 2006.

19. Fan practice: Face it, Spring Training is practice time for you as well. It's where you get into the groove of lathering ballpark dogs with just the right amount of mustard, kicking back in the perfect seat, filling out a scorecard and most important, getting into the flow of the action on the field.

20. It's the national pastime: It's as normal as the Earth rotating around the sun in 365.256 days. It's 1.000 in the won-loss standings for all 30 teams. It's pitch counts and "Play Ball!" It's stopping off at Disney World or the Grand Canyon on your way to see your favorite team. Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in less than a month, and it just feels good and reassuring to type those words.

Castellini the Great?

Talk about making an entrance. I mean, walking in the place, stepping up the mic, *ahem* - clear your throat and go, "Suck my balls, Fuckers!" Just 72 hours after new Cincinnati Reds owner officially took over the team on Friday, he fired 2-year GM Dan O'Brien in a press conference today at Great American Ballpark at 5:00pm.

You may remember previous posts of mine (likely not, but maybe) about our owner Carl Lindner and Dan O'Brien - so my opinion has already been stated on what needed to happen. Now that it has, I gotta say I'm more ready for baseball than I've been since the 2000 season when I thought we'd actually repeat our lightning-in-a-bottle performance of 1999 (ok, it may have to do with the Bengals first round playoff exit as well).

"We're buying the Reds to win, anything else is unacceptable. We will not rest until we are putting a contender on the field, year in and year out" said Castellini alongside partners Thomas and Joe Williams.

Castellini is a lifelong Reds fan who became so disenchanted with the organization 2 years ago that he elected to not renew his luxury stadium box (rough life you know). "It's real evident that he's genuinely passionate and really cares about this team and this city," O'Brien said. "That can only mean good things for this franchise."

What does this mean for the Reds? Well, for starters, Castellini was spotted having dinner with exiled Reds Manager Lou Piniella shortly following last season. It was widely rumored that Castellini wanted Lou in the worst way to help assist this venture, and that sentiment was confirmed today when Castellini stated that Lou was going to take a year off from managing baseball to work the announcer's booth for Fox.

Second, Castellini removed O'Brien because he wanted a guy he'd chosen for the GM position. Manager Jerry Narron was brought in solely by O'Brien because of their ties in Texas, and with O'Brien out...just how long will Narron last? He did admirably with the team last season, but honestly - I or Teebee could've done better than Dave Miley following the massive collapse around the all-star break.

Free agent signings? Well, none, largely because their are none. The blueprint seems to be to put together 3 solid pitchers in some fashion, and Castellini knows he has the young position players to get what he wants. "We're out there looking every day. Most of these people are not available anymore. We'd have to do it through trades. Most of the teams want our good young position players. It's going to be difficult, but it's not for lack of trying."

So with a month until pitchers and catchers report, I gotta say it's been a fun 3 days so far of a new era in Cincinnati baseball.

Battlefield Double Dash

While I'm forming my opinion on MVP 06 NCAA Baseball, figured I'd share a funny I found on another blog.

Someone took BF2 and lined up some armored vehicles and raced them Mario Kart style, and hilarity ensues. They used the original soundtrack as well, and when one vehicle falls into a hole with the Yoshi sound coming out I almost shit my pants. Ok, but I did laugh.

Site comes from here, a Battlefield stats server that features a ton of other videos as well. The videos require the Xvid plug-in into your media player (which can be found here), or if you're just lazy you can view the google link here.

WBC Provisional Rosters

Yesterday evening, MLB.com announced that the provisional rosters for the upcoming World Baseball Championships has been set. Sixty players from each nationality was placed on a team of their corresponding countries, and as of March 3rd the roster will have to be narrowed down to a 30-man squad.

Quite a few contenders as well. Australia, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, the United States and Venezuela will duke it out for worldwide supremecy on the first Friday in March as I'm sure I prolly listed last time I posted about the WBC). Some notable names are P Jung Bong/Korea, Ken Griffey Jr./USA, Yoni Lasso/Panama, Felipe Lopez & Javier Valentin/Puerto Rico, Frank Menechino/Italy, and Wily Mo Pena/Dominican Republic. Ok, so the Reds stand to effect the WBC very little, but here's the listing in .pdf form.

Rosters

For some reason should you not have Adobe Reader to view .pdf files then crawl out of your cave and pick it up here.

PSP Wallpaper, Vol. #1

I've began customizing what little amount I could on my PSP with a 32mb stick, and naturally my first objective was to get a background to replace the base color options. Now, if you've learned anything in FM's 9 month history, you know damn well what's coming. Behold:

Now, directions. To download a wallpaper to your PSP, first click the thumbnailed image shown on this site to bring up the PSP-sized version (480 x 272), press the Triangle button to open the browser menu, and then select File -> Save Image. The image will now be saved in the Photo section of your PSP, which can now be viewed from the main menu.

I'll archive the images in a zip file to the right in our downloads section, and when the mood hits me right I'll create another version. I may have not reviewed Liberty City Stories or Fireteam Bravo yet, but by god I'm doing my part for the PSP community.

The Ultimate Showdown

Yesterday, Boz brought you an epic showdown. A battle of attrition between 119 football teams colliding for the right to be named college football's best on a website staging the imaginary winner-take-all championship.

Today, I bring you another epic showdown. A battle of attrition between 119 past super heroes, video game giants and cult heroes for the right to be named - uhh, something - on a website staging the imaginary winner-take-all final battle.

The force and volume of the typical Chuck Norris ejaculation has been observed to pierce the female uterus, kevlar body armor and Brawny paper towels

Ok so maybe there's not 119 people in the video, but by Xenu a bunch come up at the end and I just can't count that fast. Plus, in my own mind it equalled out into quality journal-err, blogger...ism (?). Anyway, Mario & Sonic are in it so it justifies video games, thus justifies its place on FM.

The Ultimate Showdown

Its Ultimate National Title Time

Now that the season has ended for the Buckeyes and the Utes (victorious) and the Eagles (quickly) and the Bengals (quicker), its time for one of my favorite non-espn fictional stories of the year, the Ultimate National Title on collegefootballnews.com

This is basically a regionally based ranking of every Div-I college football team and a fictional mock tournament to finally set to rest all the arguments that NCAA football does not crown a "true champion". Last year, my fiesta bowl champion Utes lost in the championship to the USC Trojans.

This basically feeds the frenzy that is "we don't have a real champion in college football" hype that usually overshadows the national championship. I don't know how you argue that the Texas Longhorns aren't the champs, but how would they have held up to a 8-team NCAA football showdown for the ages.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out but you can find out how the first round went by clicking on the following links for each region:
East West North South

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon

I don't really make an attempt at being the first to report something related to ....well, whatever the limits are that we write about on here, so if you haven't seen it yet today then there's a four-page feature in issue #154 of Game Informer magazine.

Be sure to click the pics and attempt to read the magazine, pretty cool stuff. Well I take that back, I'm not naive and I know you won't do anything but look at the pictures - so here's your synopsis.

(it's fake, but that's Motaro on the left)

• It says "all the characters from Mortal Kombat fighting history." Now I've been checking out a few forums as well, and it appears as if Motaro may be an exception.
• You can now create a kombatant, well, probably "Kreate Kombatant" knowing Midway.
• Air combos - not sure if that's juggling or what, bet it's cool though.
• Fatality system reinvented.
• You can now control where you throw a victim, which I assume helps contribute to special stage Fatalities.
• Konquest Mode is apparently good (or at least big) enough to be it's own stand alone game, and it appears as if it's taking from MK: Shaolin Monks.
• Appears as if it's coming out on current-gen systems (PS2 & Xbox) in October of 2006.

More news as it becomes available.

Tecmo Super Bowl

I was surfing around Deadspin this morning and found the above Super Tecmo Bowl simulation of this weekend's playoff game between the Colts & Steelers. Being no stranger to entertaining people with fictitious, video game results (I always put OSU games on NCAA when I host the game), I must say that I found it impressive that Super Tecmo is still going strong with roster updates some 3 years after I last checked into it and discovered "Tecmo Super Bowl Heaven" (now dead).

Now if you're like me, seeing updates to the game you can probably contribute your gaming habit to in the first place makes you want to investigate. Over the years I've seen multiple online leagues pop up and go with the same lifespan as a current-year Madden leagues (short, for those not in the know), but their are a few that are stocked with a great community and are ran really well. The amazing thing to me is that they pass the same ROM around between the league that records all the stats right there. Somehow, and I'm not 100% on this process (and too lazy to look it up), you play a season game online so that all stats are recorded & you email them someone designated to enter them into the main ROM, and then every week as you progress in the schedule you can view the League Leaders & Standings as if it was your very own season.

Remember how you failed to defeat your first online football opponent 84-0 in either Madden, ESPN or NCAA? Ya, it was a whole new world online - no more easy mode. Well, everyone was a legend in their own minds on Tecmo, so suffice to say there's probably some serious skill involved in these leagues. To think, I once made it as far as week #12 or #13 without surrendering a single point with my vaunted Chief's defense with LB Derrick Thomas recording more sacks in a single game then most pass rushers record in their careers (shouldn't go without mentioning an unheralded Percy Snow either).

memories, eh?

Anyway, for those of you reading for the hell of it (all 10 of you) and those that find me via Technorati/MSN/Yahoo (since Google refuses to link us with anything) on Tecmo searches, here's an assload of Tecmo links to give you your fix.

Fan Sites - Console Classix, Leonardite.com, Simpleprop.com, Tecmo Super Bowl Heaven, Tecmo Super Bowl.com, TSB Buddy Icons & Wallpaper
Getting Started - Tecmo Player's Circuit
Message Boards - Gamefaqs, Knobbe.org
Online Leagues - Bermudian Tecmo League, OTFL, Puretecmo, SOIS Tecmo League, Tecmophile, Tecmo World,
ROM Hacking - Emuware.com

NBA 2k6 vs NBA Live 360 Review

Having played both games now extensively (well, 2k I've only played one night but about 5 or 6 games including 2 online) I have to say the bar gameplay wise is about as close as it has ever been for Live vs 2k.

If anything they are morphing into each other, the pace of 2k6 is much much faster than the pace of Live 360, in fact, I'd be compelled to say that it is closer to Live's of past where you had to turn the speed down a little bit. Overall, they really do feel so close gameplay wise that its going to be the other things that push the respective game over the top. Other things like game features, graphics, rosters, online features.

Graphics: 2k just isn't even in the same class as Live. Live's characters/player models look so far beyond 2k's that it seems like 2k is on the PS2. I played a Bucks game and the Andrew Bogut in the 2k version has one color black hair and his skin is all one color as well with not much muscle definition. I popped back in my Live and played a Bucks game and Bogs has long hair that has frosted tips :), blended skin and beautiful, errr, eyes. Overall, the player models just look like the players in 80% of the cases. Here are some pics of Dwyane Wade in Live and Dwyan-O in 2k6. Maybe not the best comparison but its all I could find!

*Sidenote, Brian Scalabrine looks nothing like his fire-crotched self in either game, a favor I think worth noting on both games packaging*

I know, I know, my online buddy (damn that sounds gay but that's what our society comes down to, buddies online with no real names but surnames) Bucfan concurs that I do notice every single difference between the two games, albeit I'm somewhat more biased to harp on 2k's weirdness when their players flex after every basket. The replays after each play in 2k are awesome, very smooth, I remember one instance where Mike James had a sweet azz no looker on a 3 on 1 fast break to Jalen Rose and it looked amazing in the replay, just really really smooth.

The smoothness of animations in 2k are a bit better than Live but that is to be expected as 2k 's engine is a few years old and Live's is about 6 months old. I like how different animations would pop up here and there and some random hijinks would happen from time to time. I can see that over a course of a 82 game season you play you'll see some pretty cool stuff.

Control wise, I just can not enjoy 2k's controls. I feel like I have no control honestly. I'm using alt B so its more like Live's controls and it seems like the right stick is a useless contraption that I keep hitting and throwing up shots accidentally :). Only did that a few times honestly, but man , I miss the freestyle, just being able to use the stick to spin, cross, go behind your back so easily and naturally, I've said it before and i'll say it now, "the single most greatest control addition to any video game is Freestyle control by Live", added in 2003.

I'm slowly getting down the controls ,but 2k needs to admit their system blows and go with what Live has, unless Live has exclusive rights to the right stick. The way they have it is completely unnatural and just downright goofy.

Online, 2k has a lot of features, including one feature that Live doesn't: A challenge opponent button! How clever! Playing Live online is a nightmare because its impossible to challenge anyone you want to play, you just have to hit quick match and hope you get connected with whomever you want, which usually isn't' a problem as there is hardly anyone online when I've been online but just enough to piss you off when I can't connect to anyone you intend to online.

My 2 games with Bucfan included a game with the Jazz vs Magic and Rockets @ Celts, and I must say, I'm pretty damn good at this game to begin with, I dismantled Bucfan (sorry Buc :) ) with the Jazz and was hammering him with the Celtics when I froze on yao's ugly mug, so I did get a disconnect online that froze up the game for some reason, damn buggy 360.

One thing I noticed online, maybe we weren't playing at the right settings, but there is absolutely no defense and the AI help defense is non existent. If your guard gets in the lane, he's hammering it home, no center comes over to slam him or put him on his back. This my friends , is where Live kills 360, I'm sorry if you don't believe it, but the non controlled players in Live far exceed what I've seen so far in 2k.

Buc and I ran a few plays to try it out and the lane is just unprotected, a major problem when that is usually where you go to score points

My review is too long, but if you read just bits and parts of it, hey, enjoy, I'm enjoying both games, 2k is easily the more polished finished game at this point and deserves all the praise it gets, its a full game.

Live is a demo at this point, but what screams out to me is the fact that Live is becoming more like 2k, 2k is more like Live, soon, we're going to have 2 legitimate choices for NBA games. If you haven't tried Live out, rent it or trade some stuff in to get it when it gets cheaper.

If I had to give scores, I'd give NBA Live a 7.5 and NBA 2k6 a 7. Nothing extremely impressive about either game other than NBA Live's amazing graphics. If I had to make a prediction I would guess that most 2k people will be jumping ship next year when a full version of Live comes out with the ESPN presentation and all the bells and whistles, nothing will be able to touch it.

Lifestyles of "New" Mexico

What a difference a week can make.

Merely days after declaring his eligibility for the NFL draft after being booted off the Virginia Tech football team for "cumulative effects of numerous legal problems and his unsportsmanlike conduct in the Gator Bowl," where he was caught on tape stomping on the calf of Louisville's All-American Elvis Dumervil -

- Marcus "New Mexico" Vick held 3 teenagers at gun point at a local McDonalds following an altercation. Vick would later surrender to authorities and was released shortly after on a $10,000 bond, however if convicted on all 3 counts Vick could be sentenced to up to 3 years in jail and a $7,500 fine.

We tried explaining to him that McDonald's didn't "supersize" value meals any longer as a result of the documentary, "Supersize Me", and that he would instead have to ask for two orders of fries to fulfill his hunger

said one of the teens in an imaginary state of bironm's mind.

Vick, you may remember, was also removed from the Virginia Tech football team in 2004 for contributing to the delinquincy of a minor by providing her with alchohol. The initial charge alleged Vick also had sexual intercourse with the 15-year old, but you know how secretive them Vick boys are when it comes to that (I wouldn't want my name getting out either, Señor México).

This could spell the end of the Vick brother who allegedly could pass, who comes off a successful 2005 season in which he was named the ACC's Top QB and finished runner-up to Wake Forest's RB Chris Barclay for ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Now it certainly seems that he may never earn the chance to prove his talents (uhh...the ones that don't involve dealing with teens).

You just know that somewhere, Maurice Clarett is saying, "damn, stay away from this Vick dude - he's trouble."

Wow, That Was Quick

First thing, I'm not going to sit here and cry like Roethlisberger did following the last matchup about low hits. However, anyone who says Kimo von Oelhoffen was clearly blocked into Carson Palmer's left leg is full of shit. Was the hit intentional? Likely - I don't know about you, but I rarely wrap my arms around someone's leg to brace my fall. Did he mean to tear his ACL? Not at all. Oelhoffen played as a Bengal from '94-'99 and still maintains respect in the community, in no way did he intentionally mean to end his season and he even offered an apology after the game.

However, the Bengals/Steelers matchup took on a new face yesterday, as now the rivalry has definitely reached a boiling point that compares to the best of former Bengal/Browns rivalries in the past. Following the game that involved numerous displays of excessive trash talk, the Steelers chanted "We-dey" to mock the Bengals famed "Whu-dey", as in to say, "We dey put their ass out of the tournament", which apparently makes sense to the Steeler collective.

QB Jon Kitna again proved why Palmer was drafted. Kitna has always been a quarterback that wouldn't necessarily beat you, however the aspect that every Bengal fan knows is that when he tries to make plays - he fucks up. Always has, and when facing adversity in the second half he proved it again...he fucked up. After LS Brad St. Louis botched his first snap in 3 years (imagine that, during the only playoff game), the depleted Bengal team needed a savior - and unfortunately he was sitting in the MRI machine underneath the stadium.

Kitna scrambled every play unable to adjust to the increased Pittsburgh pressure, he couldn't hold onto snaps and even fumbled the ball running away from defenders. I mean, lacked serious poise in the pocket and even offered up 2 passes that my grandmother would've picked off. At any rate, it was the typical less-than-stellar play we came to expect pre-Carson - you know, back when every non-Bengal fan screamed at the franchise that Kitna was the answer because he filled in admirably for their fantasy team.

Point is, there's been 353 players to come and go in this organization since the last time the Bengals have made the playoffs, and none is more important than Carson Palmer. Let's hope to god recovery goes smooth and he's back in time to lead us into the playoffs again.

Stunned Silence in Cincy

MVP NCAA Baseball, Damn, wish it was MLB

For those of you excited about the new MVP NCAA game coming out, some really cool new videos are now on IGN. Mainly a quick game between Clemson and GT in the ACC, Mike Patrick and Kyle Peterson with the Play-by-Play (and yes, take Patrick away from Joe Theeeesman and he is possibly the best PBP voice in sports).

Honestly, the game looks a lot better than the MVP 2005 for PS2 I've been playing nonstop for the past year. The pitcher on the mound is exceptionally smooth, the overall look of the game just screams play me till you have cock burn (you know, the lack of skin you get on the shaft of your skin when you watch, errr, have to much sex, basically it literally takes days to scab and regenerate, just a pain. Anyways, I'm on a tangent here.

Another paragraph starting with Honestly (and some may not like it), but Honestly, I'm not going to buy a NCAA baseball game. I have no desire to spend any time getting addicted to yet another sport and with life already revolving around baseball, I have all that I need dealing with minor league ball and the Major League season less than 3 months away.

For the rest of ya, hey! Go nuts! Talk about your favorite moment or the most memorable ping!! I'm not gonna insult your intelligence and say NCAA Baseball isn't a sport and that it isn't real baseball but a video game played out on the field, its the same sport I played in High School (badly at that) and I continue to attempt to play in Central Park every Wednesday April-August.

It's just that if this game was a Major League Baseball game, it might just be the most spectacular game in the history of western civilization. It really does look that good graphically and this is from a guy that hasn't turned on a last gen system since December 5 when I got my Xbox 360.

So semper fi, celebrate a successful sac bunt laid down perfectly in the bottom first with a dogpile and generally just overreact to every 6-3 groundout, that's College baseball!

In other news, I just got back from a trip to the homeland, Mormon Mecca SLC and damn, did I have some adventures, from chatting up Andrei Kirilenko in the Jazz locker room, to sitting behind the bench at the amazing matchup of the Utes vs High Point panthers topped off by getting a haircut at possibly the best dog gam invention since double penetration, Bikini Cuts.

I walk in, Cassy my stylist with ridiculously false D-cups finishes up my haircut by saying "Ok follow me, its time for your happy end....(you think I'm that lucky), its time for your head/scalp massage".

While I'm getting that done (and it was effing amazing) good ole Jen the receptionist started in on my hand massage that came with the haircut. I swear to Xenu, I didn't think it was possible, but after a few minutes of the hand massage, my index finger ejaculated all over her chin.

If ever in the beehive state, do your best to get into bikini cuts, just a great spa-like experience. Here's some pics of Jen to keep the USC fans from cutting their Dangling Carrolls off:

ESPN's Rose Bowl Debacle

Texas QB Vince Young needs to say, "Fuck ESPN"

What an unbelievable game. The defending BCS Champion USC Trojans were defeated 41-38 on a touchdown run by Texas QB Vince Young with just 0:19 remaining on the clock, in a game that featured 3 of the biggest marquee players to ever lace up a collegiate uniform.

I have a vendetta with ESPN stemming from this game that I've managed to keep bottled up for the last 2 weeks. I've cut my Sportscenter watching down from 7 times a day to about 1.5, and I'm even penalizing my own self by not watching Around the Horn & Pardon the Interruption every day after work (P.S. - "Home Improvement" is still funny on TBS). Why? Because of ESPN's continued fall from grace into becoming the armpit of sports journalism.

How many times did you flip to channel 32 (or whatever ESPN is to you) only to find a college football analyst struggling to enunciate multi-syllable words, and in the end failing miserably because of the giant USC donkey dick flopping around their mouth? The entire self-concocted "05 Trojans vs. ESPN's Top Ten" was a farce - complete and utter bullshit. When they ranked '02 Ohio State as #9 as greatest of all-time and I watched Kirk Herbstreit and Mark May both speak of how they thought USC wins, I called bullshit right then and there and immediately discredited every remaining ounce of hype generated by the ESPN propaganda machine.

First of all, last year's USC would smoke this year's USC. Now, because I'm an OSU homer (I still tell it like it is though) I have to defend my champions and question...does anyone realize that '02 Miami is essentially '05 USC with a defense? I really don't think '05 USC defeats '02 Miami for that matter, much less the '01 version that ESPN rated (I think*) #3 and had a split analyst opinion on who'd win. However the ridiculousness of the remaining 8 teams didn't get any better, but in the interest of not writing forever I'm going to leave it at that.

Now I was a bit urinated off at the way I felt Vince Young represented himself in New York at the Heisman presentation, as I felt he appeared a sore loser. Being invited is an honor in itself, however because of Reggie Bush's ESPN-led Heisman campaign Vince had to know going in that he had no prayer. Well, last night Vince showed he was the best player in college football (something Buckeye fans could've told you a few months ago) by rushing for 200 yards and throwing for 267 more, essentially taking his Longhorns on his back and carrying them to their first national championship since 1970.

Now - did anyone catch Sportscenter afterwards? How Vince went from Heisman candidate playing alongside 2 former Heisman winners before the game to one of the greatest college players of all time? Are you serious? My god how the tides have turned. No longer are there outstanding games by outstanding players, now it seems that any feat deemed worthy of national attention automatically places said entity into elite status. Someone along the way must've decided that no one will watch sports without the ongoing assumption that you're watching history that will be talked about well into the 22nd century.

So where do we go from here? I dunno. If Tom Brady breaks Bart Starr's consecutive playoff win streak this Saturday I'm sure ESPN will be quick to jump in front of the proverbial money shot, and after Brady makes the "we don't get any respect" comment that is sure to follow, we'll again hear all week about how we're watching one of the greatest teams of all time. Such is life.