Thursday, February 7, 2013
MLB 13: The Show just released a preview on Franchise Mode, my favorite mode in the series for the last five-plus years. As someone who doesn’t play a lot online, I’m happy to see them improve this area of the game--an area, that admittedly, had become a little cumbersome to navigate and full of features most players probably turned off.
Before I break down the list of improvements, there's a big caveat to any opinion I may have: this stuff better work. We’ve seen too many games “break themselves,” with features and additions that look nice, but ultimately screw up the simulation side of things. I have faith in Sony, though, and predict everything's gonna be alright.
Info Panel: Without actually navigating the menus, it’s hard to say how this will feel; but it looks nice. Any improvement to the menu is fine by me, as long as it doesn’t move to 2K’s archaic system.
Dynamic Budgets: I’m not sure how realistic it is, but it’s nice to be rewarded for a good season. Plus, if we are being honest, I’m not sure many people really want to play a multi-season franchise with no hope of clearing the red.
Acquisition Updates: This panel is only really as good as the trade logic allows. I hate seeing players who, in real life, would have no chance of being traded. I think I saw Pujols on in the rumor mill last year—just doesn’t make sense. Bringing this to the front end of the interface will be handy, but only if what’s on it is usable.
Project Free Agents: Again, nice to have this up front as you plan for seasons ahead. Will be even more useful at the trading deadline.
Ticker: A nice touch; I loved the in-game ticker last year.
Training: I’m guilty of setting it (to auto) and forgetting it, in previous versions of the game. I suppose the end results will be the determining factor if this revision is successful, but as is, it seems much easier to use. Love the bar charts across the top.
Varied Player Projections: Along with the new push/pull engine, this is a risky tweak for The Show; I feel like both have the potential to be overdone. I like what this is attempting, but I don’t want to see a ton of sub-25 year old superstars.
Scouting: The designers are correct when they state they are moving an “afterthought” to the forefront. I rarely messed with scouting last year; I didn’t see the need to navigate a ton of menus for little payoff. Now, however, there’s a lot to like, including varied scout abilities, the Top 50 icon, and specific assignments.
Final Thoughts
It’s really hard to guess how all of this will work as a cohesive whole. However, The Show has been good about making steady strides to consistently improve (as opposed to promising annual "back of box" features that soon disappear). It seems that these particular improvements are carefully planned and implemented in a way that makes sense. Hopefully, we’ll see it all payoff in March.
What new feature are you most excited about?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
08:32 PM - February 6, 2013. Written by jmik58
Apparently Bret Bielema and Arkansas will have a "D-" recruit-pitch rating for "Impression on Mom" in NCAA Football 14.
As if it wasn't already hard enough to recruit the nation's top high school football talent, apparently the key to winning over that future All-American isn't a sales pitch. It's mom.
Like any other high school senior with a Division I offer, Alex Collins inked his letter of intent today. His school of choice: the Arkansas Razorbacks. All that was left was a signature from his mother. Simple enough, right? Unfortunately for young Alex, his mom had a slight problem with his future plans -- she has refused to undersign his LOI, leaving the young man in quite the awkward position.
The document must be endorsed by a parent or guardian for anyone under the age of twenty-one, even though it is a legal contract like most others which would typically allow an 18 year old to sign. Mr. Collins is old enough to fight in a war, but not make an informed decision on his future athletic and educational needs according to current rules.
According to the ESPN report, Collins' mother -- who had hoped he would sign with Miami (FL) -- wanted her son to stay closer to home for shorter travel times from school and for family members heading to games.
Instead of enjoying one of the happiest days of his life with the support of his family, Alex Collins gets to spend it in a sea of confusion, anger, and most likely loneliness. His dream of being called an All-American or Heisman are off to a slow start. At this point, "Mama's Boy" is about the only title he's going to hear for quite a while.
Sound Off: What would you do in this situation? Follow your path and risk alienating your family, or follow their wishes and alter your dreams?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments or on Twitter: @long_snapper
04:09 PM - February 6, 2013. Written by kelvinmak
So, the fix was in, it looks like.
Surprised? Don't be. Soccer, for a very long time now, has not been the innocent sport that it was once perceived to be.
Do you remember, say, fifteen years ago, major clubs being sponsored by betting exchanges? Today, Bwin is the kit sponsor of Real Madrid, and the "official online gaming and betting partner" of Manchester United. Because Lord knows soccer clubs need a betting partner.
Or do you remember live match odds being broadcasted and updated on adboards of that actual match? Catch a Premier League game this weekend, and there's a very good chance you'll spot them. And it's not just who wins the match and by how much-- you can bet on pretty much anything from the amount of sending-offs to which team gets the first throw-in.
All this is to say that, in its relentless pursuit to "grow the game", soccer will get into bed with anybody with big money, no matter how ethically questionable, as long as it's within the law. And in this case, once they opened the door to international gambling firms, organized crime followed. Gee, mobs and gambling, who would've thunk that?
Will this news affect the average fan's entertainment, in the big picture? Probably not. The amount of money spent in the top-tiered leagues means that the world's biggest and most-followed teams are a lot more resistant to match-fixing than those that toil a few tiers beneath them (unless the team plays a minnow in a continental match, as in-- allegedly--the case of Liverpool vs. Debrecen.) But that's where the problem is, as far as throwing matches is concerned-- the parity. The money and glitz and glamor of the big leagues don't extend too far down, and the temptation is rife for those players to participate in a fix to score a payday.
The other part of this is, surprise surprise, FIFA. Do you trust Sepp Blatter to do anything that actually cleans up the sport? When the technically legal part in all this-- the legitimate betting exchanges-- brought so much money into soccer, and increased its popularity (or at the very least, interest in it) around the world? Don't kid yourself, FIFA and the gambling firms' interests are very much aligned. Gambling is just one more way for the sport to lure in fans and their money, especially in the lucrative Asian market.
Sure, the fallout of this investigation will likely prompt FIFA into taking some sort of action (how much of it is mere window dressing, who knows), but the mantra of the sport's governing body has always been to stick its head in the sand, and failing that, sweep as much as possible under the rug. FIFA is more likely to do the bare minimum to defuse the controversy than getting to the root of it, because doing so would create a controversy. And since the top leagues are more resistant to match fixing, there's even less of an incentive for Blatter and Co. to clean it up-- hey, as long as the big cash cows are still healthy, that's ultimately what matters.
So make no mistake, all the money involved means that soccer gambling is here to stay. And as long as there's profit to be made, there will be those who try to beat the system. The more interesting part of this is to see how fans will react, from here on out, when a player fluffs a sitter, scores an own goal, or when an official makes a bad call. Instead of dropping copious amounts of f-bombs, fans may very well develop a second nature and automatically suspect that the person in question was paid off (and then drop the f-bombs.) In a way, this almost feels like when the steroids stories first broke in baseball-- from then on, every late blooming slugger who seemingly came out of nowhere had questions marks over them. Maybe in soccer we'll never look at blunders the same way again.
But, unlike the steroids stuff, don't proclaim this as some transformative moment, a loss of innocence thing. Nah, in soccer, that's been gone for a long long time.
(Photo via AP)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Just checking in on another Tuesday with some links for NHL 13 and the ongoing hockey season.
Still Time to Save Money
NHL 13 is now $20 off on Origin, and it's still cheap to pick up on Amazon as well.
http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...=1360101270738 for Canada
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...=operasport-20 for U.S.
Canadian Hockey Team Week
EA is giving away one 93-rated HUT player per day from a Canadian team up until February 8th. On the 9th they'll be selling a jumbo premium player pack that's got a bunch of goodies (only for 24 hours).
Details here.
Plays of the Week
Round 3 of the plays of the week videos from EA is up, and this week has some pretty sick dekes and saves. Check it out here.
Yakupov in NHL 13
Now that Nail Yakupov is actually in the game, EA is having some fun teasing his celebration. Of course, you can slide on your knees in the game, so it's fairly easy to recreate his absurd slide. I never have a problem with any of this stuff. It's better than the usual robotic responses players give most of the time.
Unstoppable
When the hell is Chicago not going to get at least one point in a game? They're closing in on ten straight games with a point (7-0-2).
Thursday, January 31, 2013
When the 20th Anniversary of Madden was released, most fans were excited. The inclusion of Madden NFL 93 was a sweet bonus. Head Coach 09 is still fantastic. Not much after that.
Madden NFL 09 is not remembered as one of the better Madden's. It's a shame, too, as the 20th Anniversary should have given consumers more. But here are a few ideas that would turn Madden NFL 14 into the true silver gift that it is destined to be.
1. Halftime Show
This topic has been bludgeoned to death ever since NFL 2K5. But it was such an amazing part of the immersion and excitement that NFL 2K5 brought to the table. Until EA finally implements an interactive halftime show (Chris Berman is not required), fans will continue to voice their displeasure. What better time to finally give everyone what they want?
2. Fix The Trade Logic
Trades don't happen often in the NFL, so it isn't a game killer when it's damn near impossible to complete a trade in the Madden series. But this is Madden, not the NFL. The whole point of Connected Careers was to create your own NFL. Improving the trade logic, and giving gamers more than three trade slots, could make Madden NFL 14 more enjoyable for those who want to see superstars swap teams. Everyone saw what it took to get Robert Griffin III; it was madness. But in Madden, that trade is literally impossible. Make it possible EA!
3. Custom Playbooks in Online CCM
If CCM is really the direction EA is going to stay with, then custom playbooks need to be added. Franchise junkies will have a heart attack. Hell, well we're at it, let us create plays as well. If it's our NFL, let it be our NFL.
3a. Commissioner Mode
C'mon, this would be awesome. It'd be boring, but I'd have a smirk every time I fined James Harrison. Obviously a joke here, considering Mr. Roger Goodell would not let this happen, but imagine the two days of fun before you got bored.
4. Improved Player Movement
This is getting nit picky, but it needs to be addressed eventually. Players can get zig-zaggy when running between tackles and avoiding defensive backs. With the Infinity Engine debuting last year, one can assume the gameplay improvements should be somewhat substantial. And those improvements should start with player movement.
5. Classic Teams
NBA 2K hit the jackpot when it added in classic teams. Licensing would be a huge issues, considering there are more players on an NFL team than an NBA team. But with certain Hall-of-Fame players already in Madden NFL 13, one could think it might not be as big a task as it seems. Maybe the 25 best Super Bowl teams?
6. Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football has become a weekly holiday during the NFL season. Even if you aren't a football fan, it's tough to not watch MNF at some point. But in Madden, MNF feels like just another game. This is where ESPN integration could do wonders. Hire Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden. Get Suzy Kolber on the sidelines.
C'mon EA, this is Madden NFL 14. It's the 25th time a Madden game has graced shelves. Make it count.
What do you want to see as the big change to Madden NFL 14?
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
11:14 PM - January 30, 2013. Written by jmik58
Is this Oprah or a football game?
Maybe I'm mistaken, but the last time I checked the Super Bowl is a sporting event -- not a spectacle where politics or reality t.v. sensationalism have a seat. Sports is a release from life and the tragedies that befall us from time to time. The greatest night in all of professional sports needs no supplement. It is as "reality" as it gets.
What could possibly be missing from the Super Bowl experience to make it even greater? According to the NFL, parading around traumatized children from Newtown, Connecticut, is just what the doctor ordered.
Twenty-six students from Sandy Hook Elementary School will sing during the Super Bowl pregame to honor the victims of the recent school massacre. If you need to know the significance of the number (26) or aren't familiar with the incident from just over a month ago, chances are you've been living under a rock or you are a child trying to live out your years of innocence.
Hopefully, however, you don't live in Newtown, Connecticut -- or go to Sandy Hook Elementary -- because for the rest of your life you won't allowed to be normal, be innocent, or hide under any kind of rock. Most children that survived the unthinkable tragedy from that horrible day will be forced to relive it for the rest of their childhoods and probably adult lives. Not from memory, however, but because the sensational make-a-buck media won't let them forget.
They'll be toured through television shows more than an Iowa mom with septuplets. They'll be written about in books, movies; some may even write their own. Many will be supported through mental health evaluations and treatment -- while certainly necessary in some cases -- but to what point?
"Tell me, young seven-year old; why are you sad? You don't think you are or don't understand -- well it must be due to the traumatic events we want you think you suffered which we'll shovel down your throat for the rest of your existence."
Oh but we're not done of course. Let's not forget the reunion shows; the anniversaries. Oprah, Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, TMZ. Rinse. Repeat.
The NFL is no different apparently. These kids aren't being healed by performing in front of millions of people around the world, and neither are these people cleansed by witnessing these children perform America the Beautiful. Invite some of the children and their families in for the game, but who is the spectacle -- this parade of victims -- really benefiting?
I expect this type of covert exploitation by TMZ or Dr. Phil, but not the NFL. The greatest game on the biggest stage doesn't need the fluff. The Super Bowl can handle itself, it can stand alone. You know, alone -- the place where innocent children should be left to live their lives.
Sound Off: What is your reaction to the NFL's decision to have a pre-game Super Bowl performance by Sandy Hook Elementary School students?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments or on Twitter: @long_snapper
05:35 PM - January 30, 2013. Written by Wiggy
While Ken Burns is known for his various works on war-time America and other pockets of U.S. history, one of his lesser-known but equally impressive works is Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. It aired as a two-parter on PBS almost a decade ago, and it's available in various formats, including through Netflix. In fact, someone still has the whole thing on youtube (Part I is here, and Part II is here.)
If you have an appreciation for the sweet science, past or present, you owe it to yourself to see this documentary. In fact, I think fighting fans of any stripe (or anyone interested in a fascinating personality profile) would get something out of this story.
Besides the usual level of craft that is present in Ken Burns' work (awesome detail, interesting voice-overs for the characters, great sense of place), this piece resonates especially clear because the real Jack Johnson of 100 years ago is pulled through the keyhole, warts and all. This is a man who was truly self-aware and self-assured, and he projected an image of defiance and confidence that bucked the deep racial intolerance of the time.
Contrary to the era of Muhammad Ali, who dealt with racism but also a different form of "othering" due to the Vietnam War and his religious beliefs, Johnson was a man who was dealing with crowds of 25,000 white men who wanted to see him lose at all costs. There were those in crowds at his fights who would have been willing to kill him, and everyone knew it. Johnson was routinely denied title shots because the white champions of the time refused to fight a black man. He had to literally chase his would-be white opponents around the continent, winning fights and making his case.
His boxing style is also an interesting part of the piece, and it's fascinating to watch this ancient footage (crazy that they still have it) of a defensive fighter that would frustrate his opponents with selective counter-punching and tireless defensive boxing. He defied the side-to-side defense of the time by staying "in the train tracks," moving forward and backward, and not paying the price for it. One match is especially amusing, as he was sparring in an exhibition with a friend and training partner who decided to take some liberties and try and knock him down. The result of this "breaking of the script"? Well, you'll have to see for yourself.
Still, Jack was his own man. He openly frequented bars and travelled with prostitutes (mostly white), and he liked to drive fast cars and wear the fanciest clothes he could buy. This was a man who almost seemed to ignore the realities of the time and just lived his life to the fullest, whatever the cost to himself or those around him.
I can't recommend this documentary enough, and I hope you seek it out.
The NCAA may soon be forced to share revenue with players from men's college basketball and football.
What do you want to be when you grow up? How about a professional college basketball or football player?
According to an ESPN report, an NCAA motion was denied in court that sought to end the progress of a class-action lawsuit which seeks licensing revenues for men's college basketball and football players from advertising dollars and other income associated with each respective sport.
Since 2009, more than $20 million has been spent on legal fees building the case on behalf of college athletes, and the pay-day could be astronomical for players -- and potentially detrimental for the NCAA and fans. Should the case go to court and players win their case, payouts would make a significant dent in the revenue pocketed by the NCAA and its business partners, which could then lead to graduated costs passed on to consumers of merchandise, fans who buy tickets at games, and even corporations who wish to sponsor televised events.
But the larger -- and more philosophical -- question remains: Should college athletes be payed for their performance?
On one hand, athletes are compensated with scholarships (which are not guaranteed for renewal on a yearly basis). The other side of the coin, however, sees the amateurism of the athletes being exploited by the NCAA who rakes in billions of dollars at the expense of the participants.
And then there's the legal side. Should the NCAA profit from the image or likeness of college athletes?
The NCAA won't allow video games to bare the name or likeness of their real-world counterparts, but they have no problem airing contests through live media which rake in advertising dollars.
More than three years have been invested into the case and it likely won't see the light of a court room until the summer of 2014 at the earliest. But for our children there is no hurry as Careers class is still several years away -- plenty of time for the text books to add one more job title to the list: Professional College Student-Athlete.
Sound Off: Do you believe college athletes are entitled to their fair share of NCAA revenue?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments or on Twitter: @long_snapper
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The NHL season for 2013 is chugging along, and it seems like teams are slowly shaking off the rust (and the summer hamburgers) and getting back into game form.
Just checking in with some Tuesday links for NHL and the hockey world in general.
Deals on NHL 13, etc.
* NHL 13 is on sale at Future Shop and Best Buy in Canada right now. It's only a $10 savings, but if you haven't picked it up, now is a good chance. The Future Shop link is here, and the Best Buy link is here. The deal ends on January 31st.
* Americans can save money by checking out Amazon, where you can save $20 on the 360 or PS3 version of NHL 13.
http://www.amazon.com/NHL-13-Xbox-36...=operasport-20
* For Americans, you might want to save some money on an Xbox Live Gold subscription in order to play NHL 13 online. Best Buy has a deal, and Amazon is matching it (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Mont...=operasport-20). It's $5 more for a digital code. (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Mont...=operasport-20)
Custom Jersey from HUT
* EA is still running a contest where you can create a HUT team in order to have a chance to win a custom jersey. Everybody also gets a premium gold jumbo pack for free, so there's that. The contest ends February 26th.
Plays of the Week
* EA has posted another plays of the week video. Check it out.
P.K. Stays in Montreal
What do you think about P.K. Subban staying in Montreal? Seems like he had to take a lot less money than he wanted (contract term as well), and he's probably damaged his relationship with the team and the brass on top.
Do you think this will help or hinder the Habs going forward?
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Magic of the Cup
Yes, the "magic of the Cup", along with "a game of two halves", is probably one of the most overused cliches in British football. But there really is something about watching lower league teams who supposedly have no business beating their Premier League counterparts throwing everything out there for 90 minutes. Giant killings in the FA cup, there were aplenty.
Norwich 0 - 1 Luton Town
Oldham 3 - 2 Liverpool
Leeds United 2 - 1 Tottenham
QPR 2 - MK Dons 4
And for more "normal" results:
Brentford 2 - 2 Chelsea (at least they didn't lose)
Brighton 2 - 3 Arsenal
Man Utd 4 - 1 Fulham
Stoke 0 - Man City 1
Transfer Happenings
Holtby will now join Tottenham before the transfer window shuts
Manchester United officially signs Wilfried Zaha, loans him back to Palace until the end of season
Wesley Sneijder joins Galatasaray, did he take a step down?
Everton signs Leroy Fer
Liverpool signs Coutinho
Ian Holloway's column in The Mirror has some interesting tidbits about the machinations behind a transfer. For example, multiple agents calling up and suggesting they can "guarantee" Wilfried Zaha a move to Man Utd.
Harry Redknapp compares the transfer window to gang warfare.
Miscellaneous Reads
Rafa versus Chelsea fans, part III
Graham Poll explains the rules to Craig Burley
Simon Kuper, co-author of Soccernomics, gives his opinion on Wenger's austerity.
In Spain, "the emphasis is 'the ball is your friend'. In England, it's 'get rid of it" -- The Daily Mail interviews Stephen Constantine, an English coach who has managed all over the world.
Time Wasters
Somehow Glenn Whelan escaped without any consequences:
So this tiki-taka thing is fun to watch
My girlfriend and I were watching the Stoke - Man City game when I brought up the fact that Stoke's "song" is Delilah. She found the idea of 20000 fans bellowing out a Tom Jones ballad in unison a little hard to believe, even if Sir Tom is Welsh. So of course I had to find it on Youtube
Photo via The Guardian
Friday, January 25, 2013
Would you put your own wife or girlfriend into the wall if you had the chance?
Rubbin's Racin' just took on a whole new meaning for NASCAR drivers Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The two drivers, who will compete on the same tracks for Sprint Cup rookie of the year honors while steering 3,400 pounds of sheet metal at 200 miles-per-hour, announced today that they are in a relationship off the track.
While the couple's togetherness is something I couldn't care less about, the "what if" scenarios have been racing (no pun intended) through my mind considering how heated NASCAR drivers can get on and off the track.
I vaguely remember an ESPN "This is Sportscenter" type of commercial (likely from the 1990's) where an NHL player was faux-interviewed and asked the question, "Would you check your own mother into the boards?" The defenseman/enforcer promptly replied, "Of course...but I'd keep my elbows down."
So if your own girlfriend -- or wife -- put a dent in your rear quarter panel and sent you sliding through turn three; how do you retaliate? And what if Kyle Busch (or Kurt for that matter) decides to mess with your head a little by roughing up the back-side of your significant other's car?
The couple claim that nothing will change for either of them; they'll both race each other with the same respect they've always done. But I have to imagine the good ol' boys of NASCAR will have a little fun with this one, pushing the buttons of Patrick and Stenhouse Jr. off the track, and quite possibly, all the way around it as well.
Sound Off: Would you rough up your significant other if competing against each other? What possible outcomes do you envision for Patrick and Stenhouse Jr. for the upcoming Sprint Cup season?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments or on Twitter: @long_snapper
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The NHL 13 roster update just dropped, and there have been a good deal of changes to mull over. The new blood for this shortened season has been shuffled onto their NHL rosters, and below is a breakdown of who is on which team as well as their overall ratings. A few of these guys have been on and off these teams before, but a good portion of these guys have been down in the minors until now.
As usual, these ratings seem the same as for these rookies as they were on their minor and international teams, but EA will likely adjust the overall ratings as these players log some regular season games.
Anaheim
Peter Holland (C) - 72
Rickard Rakell (C) - 59
Boston
Chris Bourque (LW) - 74
Anton Khudobin (G) - 70
Dougie Hamilton (D) - 67
Lane MacDermid (LW) - 65
Buffalo
Marcus Foligno (LW) - 73
T.J. Brennan (D) - 73
Mikhail Grigorenko (C) - 64
Calgary
Leland Irving (G) - 73
Sven Baertschi (LW) - 72
Blair Jones (C) - 71
Carolina
Bobby Sanguinetti (D) - 74
Drayson Bowman (LW) - 72
Jeremy Walsh (C) - 64
Chicago
Brandon Bollig (LW) - 63
Brandon Saad (LW) - 62
Colorado
Tyson Barrie (D) - 74
Columbus
No rookies.
Dallas
Colton Sceviour (RW) - 71
Jordie Benn (D) - 68
Brenden Dillon (D) - 66
Reilly Smith (RW) - 64
Detroit
Brendan Smith (D) - 77
Gustav Nyquist (LW) - 75
Brian Lashoff (D) - 67
Edmonton
Justin Schultz (D) - 81
Nail Yakupov (RW) - 62
Florida
Drew Shore (C) - 72
Michael Caruso (LW) - 69
Jonathan Huberdeau (D) - 69
Los Angeles
Andrew Bodnarchuk (D) - 69
Minnesota
Mikael Granlund (C) - 75
Matt Kassian (LW) - 67
Montreal
Brendan Gallagher (RW) - 66
Alex Galchenyuk (C) - 63
Nashville
Richard Clune (LW) - 67
New Jersey
Stefan Matteau (LW) - 59
New York Islanders
Thomas Hickey (D) - 75
Brian Strait (D) - 71
Casey Cizikas (C) - 71
Joe Finley (D) - 65
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider (LW) - 68
Ottawa
Jakob Silfverberg (LW) - 73
Ben Bishop (G) - 73
Patrick Wiercioch (D) - 71
Mika Zibanejad (RW) - 69
Philadelphia
Eric Wellwood (LW) - 68
Scott Laughton (C) - 60
Phoenix
Michael Stone (D) - 73
Pittsburgh
Simon Despres (D) - 75
Robert Bortuzzo (D) - 72
San Jose
Matt Irwin (D) - 70
Frazer McLaren (LW) - 68
St. Louis
Vladimir Tarasenko (RW) - 81
Jaden Schwartz (LW) - 65
Tampa Bay
Cory Conacher (LW) - 71
Pierre-Cedric Labrie (LW) - 67
Toronto
Korbinian Holzer (D) - 72
Ben Scrivens (G) - 71
Vancouver
Jordan Schroeder (C) - 72
Aaron Volpatti (LW) - 71
Washington
Mathieu Perreault (C) - 74
Braden Holtby (G) - 73
Winnipeg
Paul Postma (D) - 72
Mark Scheifele (C) - 70
Zach Redmond (D) - 68
Anthony Peluso (RW) - 65
Chris Carrozzi (G) - 52
It would've created an interesting conundrum for EA to have all three licenses, as they'd have to cobble together three different teams to handle three uniquely distinct fighting products, and they'd have to schedule them in such a way to not cannibalize their own products. I'd say 2K getting the license is probably a good thing for the industry as a whole, as we all know how monopolies in certain sports franchises can frustrate gamers and stifle creativity.
What does 2K do with the WWE license? Well, hopefully the put their best foot forward and focus on the changes that THQ was starting to make in the series, getting away from the concept of wrestling as some sort of weird "fighting" game, because honestly, that's not what it is. You can't predict the swerves, pageantry and general insanity of professional wrestling by staging virtual fights in such a controlled way, with life bars and heavily structured rules. The concept of momentum and "the show" needs to be emphasized, and the "Attitude Era" mode in WWE '13 was a great prelude into what a future wrestling game could be.
People care about the stories and the characters as well as their flashy moves and overall style. Sure, people get into gimmick matches and try to compete against others, but this isn't some complex sim of feints, jabs, stamina management and counter-striking like you get in UFC games or Fight Night.
The most obvious idea comes from NBA 2K13's MyCareer mode, as the ability to "role play" as your favorite WWE star -- inside the ring, outside the ring, backstage, away from the arena -- could be incredibly compelling, and the heel/face personas of wrestling would lend perfectly to a procedurally generated story that would have much more focus than what the universe mode currently offers.
I'd be interested to see how 2K's servers would stack up as compared to THQ for online play and content downloading/uploading, as both companies have had their fair share of problems when it comes to this space.
You can see why 2K would go for this license, as it's a brand that is selling quite well right now, and they'd have a couple of solid sports brands -- with NBA -- to try and build their own stable around. I'm really interested to see what their first game ends up bringing to the ring.
How about you, OS community? What would you want to see from a 2K WWE product?
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
12:14 PM - January 23, 2013. Written by jmik58
Read option quarterbacks should master the slide if they want to last in the NFL
Running quarterbacks are a financial time-bomb waiting to explode on any gullible NFL franchise willing to invest.
If you want proof, look no further than the disgusting distortion of Robert Griffin III's right knee from Washington's Week 16 game versus the Baltimore Ravens. Limbs aren't supposed to bend that way, but I guess that's why they make knee braces that look like post-surgical traction devices.
Due to the changing play-styles expected of the new wave of running quarterbacks, players such as Cam Newton, RG3, Colin Kaepernick, and Russell Wilson are dialing back the time-stamp on their expiration date in the league each time they take yet another hit down field. Could we be looking at a revolving door for these players, one that turns in short cycles closer to that of NFL running backs?
Perhaps one might think; mobile signal-callers have been scrambling for years and haven't lost out on meaningful careers. There's truth to this, but the happy-feet quarterbacks of the past don't quite equate to the new movement of the NFL: The Quarter-Running Back.
Steve Young, one of the greatest scramblers of all time, has discussed this very issue and related his early years to that of players such as RG3. Young faced a realization early on that there are two different kinds of scrambling quarterbacks: Those that run to gain yards, and those who run to pass. The former San Francisco star understood that he had to develop into the latter if he wanted to stay around long enough to have a purposeful legacy in the NFL. But do today's read-option quarterbacks have that luxury?
The list of men with the most career rushing yards at the quarterback position is filled with solid players such as Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, John Elway, and even Jim Harbaugh (coach of the NFC champion 49ers). All took plenty of hits along the way, but it's the type of hits and their ability as passers that helped prolong their careers. John Elway was sacked over 500 times, while others such as McNabb (394) and Cunningham (484) took their share of blind-side smacks.
But sacks and knockdowns tend to deliver blows to the torso, not the legs. When the traditional pocket passers scramble for yards the purpose is to avoid the sack (negative yardage play) and then gain as many yards as possible without taking a serious hit -- often times ending in a feet-first slide.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson employed this give-up tactic quite well during his first year in the league. Instead of taking punishing hits on run plays, he sacrificed a few extra yards on multiple occasions for the chance to play another down. It's just one decision that today's Quarter-Running Backs have at their disposal, but it's a tough sell for young competitors who are a part of a designed running attack.
When RG3, Newton, Wilson, Kaepernick or other similar QBs see the crashing defensive end and pull the football to run around the end, they aren't scrambling. They're running backs carrying out an assignment to get upfield as part of the ground attack. There is no option to run-to-pass on these designed run plays.
For teams willing to invest in read-option attacks with running quarterbacks, short-term rewards have been bountiful for teams in 2012. Some call it a fad, but the NFL's newest offensive model carries plenty of potential to survive in the league for a significant amount of time.
"Long-term", however, is a fluid concept as the physical exposure and demands are raised on this new wave of players. The offense should last, but what about the quarterbacks?
Sound Off: What kind of careers are quarterbacks in read option offenses facing? Do they have a shorter shelf-life than traditional pocket passers?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments or on Twitter: @long_snapper
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
HUT
* Creating a HUT team between January 23rd and February 26th will get you a chance at winning a custom jersey. Check it out.
(EDIT: The info I had previously provided for HUT in regards to free puck packs and the weekend competition was for last weekend. Disregard that information. It's now been removed.)
Plays of the Week
* EA has put up a nifty "plays of the week" video that showcases some of the cooler stuff from the community.
If you want to enter your own videos for one of these EA reels, here's how.
Get rid of intimidation?
There's a good thread on the EA forums about removing intimidation and enforcing the rules in NHL 13. Several users have cited examples and posted videos. I definitely hear where they're coming from, as the lack of interference calls and blatant catering to bullies in the game can get pretty agitating.
EASHL
* Played some EASHL with my "old" team, Lando Commando, the other night. I say "old" because our team had actually been disbanded (by EA) since we hadn't played enough. That certainly wasn't the case up until recently, as we have played this mode A LOT over the years.
The action is still pretty fun in the EASHL, and I still say it's one of the best co-op experiences of this generation.
How are you folks in the OS community finding the EASHL these days?
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