Hey everyone, my name is Andrew Kennedy, but most of you probably know me better by the user name crusaderhoops10. Welcome to the first installment of my new column -- The Franchise Man -- which will be all about delving deep into the franchise modes of all games while hopefully shedding some light on what it takes to get the most out of your franchising experiences.

I started out playing video games at a very young age, but it was not until the introduction of the Franchise mode in Madden that I truly fell in love. Since I do not get very much satisfaction out of beating some random "cheeser" online, these long-lasting single-player modes give me a reason to play sports video games. A franchise mode lets you create your own world in a sense, and it also lets you see what the future of sports could be if you were somehow given the ability to impact it.

In 2005, I began to take my franchise experiences to the next level, sharing them with the online community via MaddenMania and now here at OS. My main inspiration was seeing a NCAA Football 2005 Michigan Wolverines dynasty on MaddenMania that was run by a user named BDawg35. After seeing his dynasty, I wanted nothing more than to create something just like it and receive the community's feedback (especially since my friends shockingly began to get tired of listening to me talk about my franchises once we entered high school).

Since that point, I have spent a lot of my time posting on the message boards and creating mock storylines for my teams in each new addition of NCAA Football and Madden. That being said, on the current-gen systems, it has been somewhat hard at times to find a game that contains a solid franchise experience.

However, there is one game that has definitely passed the current-gen test, consumed my life for over 900 games -- that is around 675 hours spent just playing games if my math is right -- and brought me into the 2030s in virtual dynasty years: College Hoops 2K8.

So here are the top-five reasons why College Hoops 2K8 will always live on as one of the best sports games for franchise mode fans:

1. Realism

It is no surprise that realism is extremely important in every simulation game, but I have not found a match for the results I have gotten in College Hoops 2K8. There is nothing more rewarding for a franchise fan than to look at your team’s stats at the end of the season and say, "Yeah, that looks about right."

2. Controls and Gameplay

The simplicity of the dribbling system makes for the best type of experience. If you are not good with the sticks, there are still no accidental spin moves or unwanted hesitation dribbles. But while simple, the amount of different moves you can pull off is still very deep, which allows gamers to see new and fresh situations even 20 years into Legacy mode.

3. Recruiting

The ability to scout a player for years and even play with him at the high school level makes recruiting an ongoing and interesting experience. It also keeps users focused on looking forward to the next season, especially if they have some top prospects that are going to be ready to sign. Basically, this recruiting system gives users a personal feel for their players, and gamers feel a sense of accomplishment when they land a recruit that they been going after for a couple of years.

4. Learning Curve

While the controls and mechanics are pretty simple, if you want to improve over the long haul, there are still tons of things to learn along the way. I am a hundred times the player I was when I first began my legacy. You can’t say that for many other games.

5. The Randomly Generated Names

I am not kidding about this (well, at least not entirely) when I say that I love the fake names in College Hoops 2K8. When you are in a tight game in the NCAA tournament, you still have to laugh when you hear Bill Raftery say, "W.M. Mendoza for three!" This does add to the Legacy mode because it gives your legacy a personal touch. I guarantee no one else's legacy had stars with names like Martin Iti, Janko Castro, O’Neal Liberty and Rwehabura Montague.