We have all been there. You find an opponent to play against online, then right before the game begins, he makes a few changes in the coach settings (blind to you). You figure, “Hey, I understand the sport well enough to overcome whatever strategy my opponent is cooking up.” Then, five minutes later, you are highly perturbed. This frustration is the result of two things:

1. Your opponent has found a cheap exploit in the game that he uses over and over. There is nothing you can do about it and it makes for a LONG game. Whether you win or lose, the game is usually lopsided either way.

2. Your opponent’s over-reliance on a superstar player’s overall big-play ability or in some cases, a role player’s “special” ability. Even if you win, it’s disturbing for sports enthusiasts to read some of the box scores resulting from these games.

Constant abuse of an exploit is also commonly referred to as "cheesing."

When playing a sports game of any type, the objective is to win the game. I understand the human nature of winning at all costs, but at some point, that person is sacrificing his or her online dignity and reputation for the sake of the W. "Cheesers" usually end up with poor player feedback and are avoided because of that. However, I do not fault the cheesers for finding gameplay bugs and abusing them. I put the majority of the blame squarely on the developers.

Approximately 15 years ago, I was introduced to the John Madden Football franchise on the Sega Genesis. I found that in this game, if I had a good running back -- my preferences were Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith -- I could do a “sweep right” all the way to the goal line. There was also the “end around” play that almost always guaranteed a touchdown if you had a speedy wide receiver. Plays such as these were integral in spawning the now ever-so-popular term in online communities: “money play.”

I doubt it will ever be possible to eliminate cheesing altogether (humans are just too clever), but it does not have to be as prevalent as it is...

While Madden was, and is still to this day, notorious for the cheesing caused by these "money plays," it was still one of the most critically acclaimed sports simulations you could buy.

I confess. I abused the “money plays,” but I offer this excuse: I was a kid. I didn’t know any better.

While I’m grateful those days are over, unfortunately the cheesing persists. I doubt it will ever be possible to eliminate cheesing altogether (humans are just too clever), but it does not have to be as prevalent as it is -- especially when you consider the strides that have been made in the video-game industry.

It seems as though the developers want to cater to the casual sports fan, despite marketing their product as simulation sports. This means implementing over-the-top plays, powerful offensive attacks, and trying to squeeze in one-too-many features, which sometimes leads to not checking the games thoroughly enough for bugs before they are shipped out. With alternative sports titles geared towards the casual gamer, one would think the simulation-sports developers would focus on making the truest representation of their respective sport possible, but that is seemingly not the case.

Any hardcore sports fan knows that highlights are not something that occur at every turn. They are few and far between, which is why they are called “highlights.” However, when these games come out, they tend to showcase these “in-game” highlights in commercials, which in turn, appeal to casual sports fans who typically choose to watch SportsCenter instead of the actual game. The fans that see these highlights immediately try to emulate this in the video game, and the game allows it. The problem with these highlights is that they tend to be offensively oriented. Game developers simply do not place enough emphasis on defense.

But, what bothers me is not so much that your opponents deliberately try to achieve 400 passing yards, it’s the way they go about doing it via deep routes.

Brett Favre could throw for 400 yards on Sunday, and casual sports fans would immediately jump online in Madden 09 and try to do the same thing. They ignore the fact that NFL games are 60 minutes, as opposed to the online default of 20. Also, 400 yards passing is not something that is done every week, but the casual gamers don't care. But, what bothers me is not so much that your opponents deliberately try to achieve 400 passing yards, it’s the way they go about doing it via deep routes.

The only reason this is allowed is because game developers do not place an emphasis on defense and fatigue. Defense is somewhat nonexistent in Madden 09. Your only hope is to force a turnover via an interception or Hit Stick fumble. You know it’s bad when QB sneaks guarantee positive yardage, and second string Bears quarterback, Rex Grossman, can throw off his back foot (while the defense is in full pursuit) to either of his wide receivers, and the pass is on the money. These are the reasons why the Dallas Cowboys, in all their offensive glory, are the most popular team for online gamers.

Also, the offense is not penalized for playing unrealistic football. Constant streaking routes should result in exhaustion for the receiver; but for some reason, the defense seems to get tired at a much higher rate than the offense.

Football is not the only sport where cheesing can occur. One example is the NBA 2K franchise. NBA 2K has gained a favorable reputation over the years, but even it is not without faults. Dunking machines like Atlanta Hawks' Josh Smith and former Milwaukee Buck, David Noel (yes, David Noel) have a dunk rating of 99. This is probably due to the fact that Smith is a former NBA Slam Dunk Champion, while Noel is a former College Slam Dunk Champion. Noel is certainly not on Smith’s level, but they can be equally effective in the game offensively, due to their dunk-in-traffic ability.

I have no scientific proof of this, but this is a view shared by many who have played this game regularly.

While dunking is a major weapon, there are several other methods of cheesing that occur in video game basketball. I once got lit up by Jason Terry for 92 points (mostly from behind the 3-point line) and there was nothing I could do about it. I tried double teaming, putting a taller defender on him, denying him the ball, but nothing worked. As true as it was that I was playing a cheeser, Jason Terry scoring 92 points in a 28-minute game should never occur. Let’s not even get started on superstars like Kobe Bryant (who has no weakness) and LeBron James (who can drive to the hole at will).

Another thing I have noticed in the NBA 2K game is the frequency of buzzer beaters. It doesn’t matter if it’s the end of the quarter, end of the game, or that there's a hand in your face -- buzzer beaters tend to go in a majority of the time. I have no scientific proof of this, but this is a view shared by many who have played this game regularly.

Boxing is another sport that video games have butchered. It is called the “sweet science” for a reason. While brutal in nature, there is a lot of strategy involved in the sport. In Fight Night Round 3, fights rarely ever go the distance due to the focus being on knock outs. Pugilists will slug it out like mad men with no repercussions. Not only that, this game actually allows you to fight online with a maxed out fighter. Imagine the frustration of fighting someone who is stronger and quicker, and never gets hurt or tired.

At times, developers will release a patch for the game that fixes some bugs and exploits, but you have to ask yourself, “How come they didn’t check this before the game was released?” The Oakland Raiders "direct snap glitch" where the ball magically transported to the wide receiver was inexcusable.

Gamers who grew up on 8-bit and 16-bit consoles expect more now. We DESERVE more now.

We should not have to resort to playing “sim ball” in an attempt to not disrespect the sports we love. As for the cheesers around the world, forgive them and their ways. Instead, pass the blame onto the developers (as harsh as that sounds), for they are the ones truly at fault for the cheesy lifestyle many live.