Monday, January 7, 2013
Who has the best defense, quarterback, linebackers, or head coach?
The answers to these questions have been analyzed from hundreds of different perspectives in hopes of finding the edge in who will win the 2013 BCS national championship between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama.
But the answers to these popular questions may not be as important as you think. So what should we really be asking?
How about this: Which team has the best kicker?
History may not support such a focus on special teams -- of the fourteen BCS national championship games only two have finished with a margin of three points or less (2005 and 2010) -- but rarely have two squads faced off for the title game representing the top two defenses in all of college football.
The Fighting Irish gave up a stingy 10.3 PPG defensively while the Crimson Tide ranked just behind with 10.7 PPG allowed. Both teams also rush and pass for over 200 yards-per-game. With a lack of common opponents, few objective arguments can be made. So much for differences -- we may be in for a mirror-image matchup.
So with some precipitation in the near future (rain likely will be out of the area by the start of the game) and two teams so heavily reliant on running the ball and stopping opponents short of the endzone; that leaves us with one focus: The kickers.
So who has the edge?
Alabama's tandem of Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster bring guaranteed points each time the ball crosses the twenty-five yard line. Shelley is 11-11 on field goals (all inside of forty yards) and has hit all sixty-three of his extra points this year. Foster, who is the long-range boot for 'Bama, is 4-9 on his attempts -- all coming from 40-plus yards -- with a long of 52 yards.
Likewise, Notre Dame has had similar success from range with Kyle Brindza nailing 4-8 from over forty yards with a long of 52. But it's the lack of consistency from close range that could be the undoing of the Irish. Brindza missed three out of eleven on kicks of 30-39 yards and was true on only 74% of his field goals (including those from 40 and beyond).
Whether they rack up touchdowns or not, Notre Dame must find ways to tease the red zone in order to guarantee points from the leg of Brindza. Both squads have a bend-but-don't-break aspect to their defense, but the Crimson Tide's advantage in the kicking game means the Irish must get the Alabama defense to bend a little more for them. Don't count on it.
BCS Championship Game Prediction: Alabama 18 - Notre Dame 16
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Give him hell in the comments section or on Twitter: @long_snapper
To some, Trent Richardson is a hero. Two-time NCAA champion, No. 3 overall NFL draft pick, the next great running back. He sees himself as a football player with everything to prove in the NFL before he can be considered a hero. But to Richardson, his heroes come from a different breed. They don't suit up every Sunday, they suit up every day.
His heroes are the men and women who serve this country, the same soldiers that Richardson went to play Xbox with in Afghanistan this past year. It was something the Browns were setting up in the background, but Richardson knew he had to be a part of it once he caught wind.
You see, Richardson's great-grandfather, whom he's very close to, is a Vietnam war veteran. And he was one of the few who returned home and would share his "crazy" stories. I guess you could say that Richardson's great-grandfather was his first hero.
"The soldiers overseas are fighting a real battle," Richardson said. "They're heroes to me, to the whole country. The closest I'll ever get to doing what they do is when I play Call of Duty."
So it's no wonder as to why Gatorade chose Richardson as one of 11 NFL rookies to spotlight in their XBOX Live series Everything to Prove, which chronicles the rookies' inaugural NFL season. Just another connection that he has to gaming.
"I need to prove to everybody that I was that guy on two championship teams (at Alabama)," Richardson explained. "When it comes down to drafting a running back in the draft, you want a type of guy to build your franchise around.
"But I'm still just a gamer, always have been, ever since I was four," he continued. "It kept me out of trouble a lot when I grew up. A lot of people don't realize gaming keeps you safe."
And he doesn't want to upset you, but the Madden NFL series isn't his first choice, even though he admits it's "big for him" to be featured in the game. Call of Duty is on the top of his list, but NBA 2K is always challenging for the top spot.
Heck, he was 5 minutes late to the interview because he told me he was playing the campaign of Black Ops 2.
Gaming is something that he does. It keeps him in touch with his old Alabama teammates, and he plays a bit with Robert Griffin III. But deep down, Richardson knows there is another reason as to why Call of Duty has become his favorite game.
"I don't know or not if I would ever join the services, but playing Call of Duty, well that's the closest we will ever get to (war)," Richardson said. "(The soldiers) are the real deal, they should be everyone's heroes because they are the ones out there fighting the real battle.
"For me, I just go out there and give it all online. 'Hey, I'm here, I'm ready to win and ready to take you down.'"
01:00 PM - January 7, 2013. Written by VisceralBishop
Hello to all, Bishop here. You may know me from my various reviews for racing games like Forza Horizon and NASCAR the Game: Inside Line. Well, even though I considered myself the "racing games" guy for OS anyway, it is now official. I have written various NBA features also, like Six Best Role Players for Your Association in NBA 2K13 , but my new writing job is to cover everything related to racing games. That is something I will be glad to do for Operation Sports and its community. Last year we had a vast array of titles to choose from if racing was your genre of choice. This year, we don't seem to have as many, but I have a hunch some will be announced in the coming months.
This blog post is short and sweet as I just wanted to introduce myself to all those who may not know me. If you are a fan of racing games then this blog will definitely be for you. I hope to engage and entertain you all with my content. My first post goes up just later this week. I will be posting the top five racing games of this console generation since we are near the end of said generation. If there is anything you want me to write about, let me know in the comments.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
03:42 PM - December 19, 2012. Written by VisceralBishop
Forza Horizon released back in late October and in our review we praised the both the gameplay, structure of the career and the atmosphere surrounding you. One thing we did dislike, though, was the fact that there were not a huge amount of event types. Now, Playground Games has released an all-new DLC pack featuring Rally cars and stages, adding some variety to the mix. Since ex-Codemasters employees -- the makers of the fine DiRT series -- worked on Forza Horizon, it makes since for this to exist.
Rally Festival:
Gone are the wristbands and in their place is a brand new rally car for you to use on numerous dirt roads. You do still earn points that help you reach the Rally Championship, but there are no A.I. rivals trash talking you prior to a race now.
When in the Horizon Rally races, you can not drive in the open world, as this new DLC is a separate option on the main menu. You now choose what events you want to compete in very similar to how you choose the street races in the main single player. The service area provides you with the autoshow, garage, paint shop, etc. instead of you driving to it or fast traveling.
Five cars are included; the 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi, 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR, 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth, 1982 "Group B" Lancia 037 Stradale, and the 1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four RC ST185. If you are a season pass holder you also get the 2003 Ford SVT Focus. You can easily tell the developers tweaked the handling of the cars to make sure racing in these rally events felt right, and they definitely achieved that. You never feel as though you don't have control of the car when going over a jump or around a corner. There are also no other cars on the track when racing, which is in just about every other rally game due to the narrow roads. The times of each A.I. driver will show up on the bottom of the screen, with positions being on the right-hand side.
For those that listen to music and not the game when playing Forza Horizon, you might not want to do that this time around. You now have a spotter, or co-driver, and he does a pretty good job at letting you know what type of turns and objects are coming up (such as rocks, ditches, etc). He is obviously not needed as you can win without him, but he does a little more than the spotters you hear in the DiRT games.
Rivals mode does carry over to the Rally Festival. If a friend has bested your score on a particular stage, you don't have to replay the whole event to defeat their time. By just hitting "X" on the event lanyard, you can easily do that and show them who the best rally racer is.
Not as many new cars as we hoped for with only five, but there are plenty of stages to keep you occupied. Not to mention the gameplay is still smooth and insanely fun. Add in the improved handling for the rally races and you get some great additions to Forza Horizon.
Multiplayer:
Not only can you race in rally stages offline in single player, but you can also compete in them via competitive online multiplayer. Two different playlists are available online -- Social Rally and Veteran Rally. In Social Rally everybody plays with default difficulty settings. Veteran Rally allows you to choose what assists and difficulty settings you want to enable and disable.
Unlike in the Rally Festival, you do see your competitors cars, but don't worry, collisions are always turned off in rally events online. You will simply see other people's ghost car so you know exactly where they are on the track. The developers also give you a little more leeway if you are behind in an online race. The usual 30-second timer that is given to you to finish before you get a DNF is now set to one minute during rally races.
The multiplayer is still as solid as ever, with no real connection problems. With no collisions, that means that the occasional car jumping all over the place on the track is gone, which was rare to see anyway. There were also plenty of lobbies for the new DLC online, even though it is in a separate playlist. So there are plenty of people participating in rally races online.
Final Thoughts:
We do wish more cars were available -- but still -- there are plenty of events to compete in. They are delightful to play. If Forza Horizon is a game you still enjoy playing, then this is something you must pick up. It adds more hours of entertainment to an already stellar game. As previously mentioned, more cars would have been nice, but most people will find one car they fancy and stick with it anyway. When it comes to the new stages, they all provide something a little different, so you never feel disinterested. It's always nice to see DLC for a racing game that doesn't just add cars, and of course, it's also great when it's just as fun to play as the main game.
Learning Curve: It does take a few races to get used to hitting the brake just a tad more than you normally would, but other than that not a huge learning curve for the new DLC.
Visuals: Those same vibrant, colorful environments, this time with a little more dirt than pavement. The game says it early on and it is true, expect still see some stunning scenery as you continue racing in Colorado. Some of the tracks will have roads that will look and feel similar, but you do race on roads that were inaccessible in the main game.
Value: Asking 1600MSP ($20) means it better be a satisfying and entertaining experience when playing through this new DLC. Luckily, it is. This new expansion adds enough new things to be worth that high price.
Bottom Line: Forza Horizon is one of the best racing games this year. Add in the Rally Expansion DLC, and you get a vast array of content for you to play through. It's just as gratifying as the main single player experience and that's something we absolutely love.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
01:25 PM - December 15, 2012. Written by jmik58
The opportunity for a public relations disaster is enhanced each time a large-scale tragedy occurs in our country or world.
ESPN is well aware of this and has decided not to refer to the Pistol formation as such for today's Gildan New Mexico Bowl between the Nevada Wolfpack and Arizona Wildcats. Instead, they will refer to it as the "Nevada formation." This, of course, coming on the heels of the horrific mass killing of people -- many children -- in the town of Newtown, Connecticut.
It's a respectable move to make every effort not to insight further emotional response from a hurting nation, but does it go too far?
Human beings are intelligent enough to know that the Pistol formation is contextually unrelated to violence. Just as the shotgun formation or "rifling one in there" on a pass play is a part of football, so too are hyperbolic phrases and war-like comparisons connected to the sport's production value.
Today would not be the easiest day to call a game on the radio or television for a color commentator. But is removing a phrase like "Pistol formation" an insult to our intelligence or our ability to move on? We come to sports as spectators to get away from life, and decisions such as this create awkward moments that force us to think about "why" the decision is made.
Each time I see the Pistol formation and hear it called something different, I'm going to think of the violence. Had ESPN decided to carry on without making such an exception I likely would never have made the connection between the formation and the tragic events of yesterday. But I also understand the public relations standpoint and the care that must be taken when a wound is so fresh to an entire nation.
Sound Off: What are your thoughts on the decision by ESPN to refer to the Pistol formation as the "Nevada formation" following yesterday's tragedy?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
01:14 PM - December 12, 2012. Written by jmik58
It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game. That is, assuming you don't win by a score of 107-2.
An Indiana girl's high school basketball game resulted in just that as Bloomington South demoralized Arlington High School, prompting plenty of emotional responses.
Naturally, plenty of fans and parents were enraged, but Ebony Jackson, the coach of the losing team had a barb for the Bloomington South head coach Larry Winters, stating, "If that's how they want to carry themselves, that's fine. I'm focused on me and mine and we'll just keep going."
Winters stated that he played all nine of his players throughout the game -- not just starters -- and decided to allow his players to compete as usual because backing off would be more embarrassing for Arlington High's players.
From personal experience, I can recall playing in a freshman level baseball game where the score was 21-0 after two innings. Our coach instructed us to bat from our non-dominant side from that point on until the game was stopped after three innings due to the mercy rule. I have no idea if it was more embarrassing to the opposing team that we did this, but the mercy rule put an end to the charade fairly quickly.
Unfortunately, in this instance that wouldn't have helped. There is no mercy rule in Indiana for high school basketball that would stop a game early due to a blowout.
So should we just chalk it up to a rare occurrance between two athletically disparate squads? Or should heads roll? And if so, is the coach more at fault or is the state athletic association to blame for not protecting teams and players with a mercy rule?
Sound Off: Have you had a similar experience as a player or coach? How would you react from either side of the situation? Who is most at fault, if anyone?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Monday, December 10, 2012
A misperception exists in some pockets of American culture that sports and life are somehow disconnected. To these folks, sport is looked upon as a release from life, an activity of leisure and great pleasure that is to be completed apart from the daily grind.
In most instances this is very true, but like anything in our world it takes proper perspective to judge the merits of playing on despite tragic life events.
The murder-suicide involving Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher was enough to shut down any future activities of normal living for anyone within two degrees of separation from the families affected -- including the Chiefs family. Despite this, the organization decided to move on and play the following day against the Carolina Panthers.
Likewise, the Dallas Cowboys took the field following the recent death of practice squad player Jerry Brown, who died as a result of a traffic accident at the hands of an intoxicated Josh Brent -- also a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
Like the Chiefs, Dallas played and won their next game, but the biggest victory of each circumstance for the teams involved was simply that they chose to play at all.
Some may be angered, mystified, or saddened by the choices of a team to take the field, court, rink, etc. after such tragic events. But let's not forget, we aren't talking about rec league bowling. The word "sports" stands for something much bigger to the lives of some young men and women, and that doesn't change if we're talking about high school student-athletes or professionals.
As a teenager playing high school football, baseball, or other sports, the time spent with teammates and coaches is nearly equivalent to that of our blood-relatives at home. Those friends, teammates, and coaches become a second family. And more so than the light-hearted bowling league matchup on Tuesday nights, athletes from high school through the pros suffer through physical pain as they prepare, practice, and compete -- few would call it a leisure activity. It's skill-building for life.
When horrible things happen we don't have to choose between mourning and sports. Both can and do coexist. Continuing on with life is as much a tool of healing as is sobbing in the solitude of our own homes.
So for these athletes, playing on in the moments following a tragedy isn't about putting the sport before real life. Instead, it's a statement that sports are a part of life, and like life -- sports must go on.
Sound Off: Is it disrespectful for teams to play immediately following the death of a teammate?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
"If you want something done right around here you've got to do it yourself."
While that may not be the exact thoughts of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, his decision to coach the Badgers against Stanford in the upcoming Rose Bowl is something I can relate to -- at least on a much simpler platform: Fatherhood.
It's that moment when your son drops the glove and heads for the house, sets down the hammer after helping with a project for five minutes, or unbuckles his chin-strap and says, "This game just ain't for me, dad." The disappointment and shock on our faces at that moment probably isn't as graphic as the ice cold chill we feel locking up our souls, but it hurts.
How do we handle such situations? It's one thing if we're just another guy living in Anytown, USA; hyping a moment that our children likely won't ever remember. But as father's we invest so much time and energy into teaching our sons the skills they need to build a shanty dog house or to throw a sixty-yard post route.
But what if we nurtured an entire football program into a Big Ten powerhouse? What if we groomed our "son" for such a position and then he just walked away for a more lucrative job, forsaking the family name?
Barry Alvarez is and will always be a hall of fame coach, the man who built the Wisconsin Badgers into the respectable college football program they are today. When he stepped aside after the 2005 season, he plugged his protege, Bret Bielema into the machine and sat back with the grin that only a proud father could appreciate. But as news broke yesterday of Bielema's interesting move to take over as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Alvarez was left staring at a program that was missing it's leader -- the ship was in fine shape, but who would be the admiral?
While most programs would grab up a current assistant to serve as interim head coach or seek out a future replacement to be named as soon as possible, the move by Alvarez to step in for the Rose Bowl is neither expected or shocking. It's a unique move because no one else would think of it, but it's the right move because Alvarez knows the structure of the team considering little has changed since he built it and handed over the keys.
Perhaps the departure of Bret Bielema stings a little for Barry Alvarez, but the hall of fame coach hasn't forgotten how to swing a hammer or throw a curve. The dog house will get finished without his son's help. The helmet will get picked up from the ground and put back on the shelf for another day.
Sound Off: What do you think of the decision by Barry Alvarez to coach the Wisconsin Badgers for one game in the Rose Bowl?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
08:10 PM - December 4, 2012. Written by jmik58
"Old Man" football or a high-flying spread attack -- what is the best method to recapture SEC dominance?
Arkansas and Auburn hope they've found the answer in the wake of tumultuous campaigns in 2012 that saw varying degrees of off-the-field coaching issues combined with pathetic performances between the lines. According to ESPN reports, the Arkansas Razorbacks have hired away Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bret Bielema while the Auburn Tigers have taken on Gus Malzahn, current Arkansas State head coach and former Auburn offensive coordinator.
Bielema's Badgers defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers to earn the Big Ten championship this past Saturday earning the third straight Rose Bowl appearance for Wisconsin. Arkansas suffered through a rough offseason that saw their head coach Bobby Petrino's dismissal due to a scandal involving an affair with a team employee. The regular season followed suit for the Razorbacks as the squad went a disappointing 4-8 despite returning key players from a team that finished 2011 ranked No. 5 in the country.
At Wisconsin, Bret Bielema was known for running a program focused on dominant offensive linemen and big bruising running backs. But Bielema's' philosophy won't be anything new to the conference. Instead, his approach will be one reminiscent to that of Nick Saban and Les Miles in Alabama and LSU respectively -- power running, play action, and strong defenses based around dominant linemen.
The biggest boost for believers in the future of Arkansas under Bielema may come simply in the move to the South. While the coach did a wonderful job of bringing in solid talent in Wisconsin, his skills should take him even further in the recruiting hot-beds of the south. Is the problem in the Big Ten and with Midwest teams really the programs or is it the disparity in available talent?
Regardless of the potential of Bielema, don't crown the former Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz understudy just yet. There's a new-yet-old face in town that has a different way of doing things -- and he's been here before; literally.
Gus Malzahn, the former offensive coordinator of the Auburn Tigers, has been brought on as the next man after Gene Chizik was canned. Many chided that Chizik was a one-hit wonder who benefited from a once-in-a-lifetime player like Cam Newton who led the program to a national championship two years ago. But as good as Cam was, don't forget the mastermind behind the offense that turned this around in Auburn -- and subsequently how far the team fell once Newton and Malzahn left town.
Apparently the brass in Auburn realized that they had a grasp of one of the greatest football minds in college football. Considering Malzahn's sidewise move to Arkansas State and the failure of Chizik this season, this was one of the most obvious elephants in the room for imminent coaching changes.
The big question on Malzahn will be his ability to lead a big time program, something Bielema has proven he can handle. While Gus has shown his genius for crafting an offense, being a head coach carries recruiting oversight and player relationship management skills that transcend a weekly game plan.
There's no reason to think that both men can't grow their respective programs into winners, but with the likes of Alabama, LSU, and now Texas A&M; the space at the top is becoming extremely crowded.
Sound Off: Who will have the bigger impact on the SEC: Bret Bielema (Arkansas) or Gus Malzahn (Auburn)?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Monday, December 3, 2012
03:39 PM - December 3, 2012. Written by jmik58
The end of college football's regular season has come to a close (I didn't forget about you, Army and Navy) and the set up for bowl season has a little bit for everyone to love.
Traditionalists can revel in the BCS national championship matchup between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama. Proponents of the current BCS system point to the phenomenal SEC championship game and how it served as a natural semifinal matchup -- no need for playoffs. Yet, the BCS haters and contrarians among us will laugh our way into the new year as some pretty boring BCS matchups are in store -- and then there is Northern Illinois.
It's hard to sort out the chain reaction of winning and losing without running head-first into ourselves, but here is my best attempt at five winners and losers from week fourteen of the college football season.
FIVE ON THE RISE
#21 Northern Illinois (12-1)
Week 14: vs. #17 Kent State, won 44-37
- This spot was supposed to be reserved for Kent State -- and when the Huskies won the MAC, the Oklahoma Sooners. But the BCS standings are kind and the Northern Illinois Huskies are set for an Orange Bowl matchup with #12 Florida State -- thanks to a clause that allows non-automatic qualifying conference champions to earn a BCS birth if they are in the top-16 while an "AQ" champion finishes below them. Woefully, Wisconsin and Rutgers obliged as did the BCS computers.
Week 14: #3 Georgia, won 32-28
- It almost seems like the Crimson Tide are playing with us. They always find a way to win when they need to and when they lose it doesn't have much of an impact. The only thing standing in their way is undefeated Notre Dame, who hasn't looked dominant but they also have just found a way to win.
Week 14: #16 UCLA, won 27-24
- One of the hardest things to do in sports is to beat the same twice -- especially in back-to-back weeks. The Cardinal did just that in taking down the Bruins and are destined for a bruising matchup with their Big Ten mirror-image, Wisconsin Badgers. Throw the records out the window, however, as the Badgers were a few points away from a ten-win season (or better) themselves.
Week 14: #18 Texas, won 42-24.
- Not too long ago the Wildcats were the worst college football program in FBS but now they're champions of the Big Twelve. Bill Snyder has done phenomenal work and Collin Klein will get one more chance to showcase his talent against the No. 4 Oregon Ducks in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Week 14: #12 Nebraska, won 70-31
- Most people have a hard time looking past win-loss records to see the big picture of how good a team is. The early-season loss by the Badgers to the Oregon State Beavers seems more respectable than it was made out to be at the time and the fact that Wisconsin lost all of their games by single digits shows how their season could have gone a completely different direction. Sure, they shouldn't have been here considering that Ohio State went undefeated but slid out of the way due to NCAA sanctions, but Wisconsin is here and they will compete with Stanford. A Rose Bowl win for the Badgers is a real possibility.
#3 Georgia (11-2)
Week 14: #2 Alabama, lost 32-28
- The Bulldogs are a very talented squad but once again they are forced to play second fiddle to the Crimson Tide. To make matters worse, Georgia not only loses the SEC title and a chance at the national championship, but must also sit out of a BCS game as the Florida Gators slide in.
Week 14: TCU, won 24-17
- The Sooners did what they had to, but there is no magic wand to make the Big East a more formidable conference by BCS standards -- or to make Northern Illinois so beloved by the computers. Going into their game Saturday there was a chance that Oklahoma could come out as Big Twelve champs (if Kansas State lost). That didn't pan out and then their rug was pulled as the MAC champions took advantage of the "back door, little guy moves in when the big guys aren't good enough" BCS rule [see, Louisville and Northern Illinois].
Week 14: Wisconsin, lost 70-31
- If the Cornhuskers could have eliminated just their horrible first quarter perhaps things would have gone differently. No, actually it wouldn't have mattered. The Badgers notched twenty-one points in each of the first three quarters en route to an embarrassing blowout. Barely anyone showed up to see the game in person, and it's probably a good thing, as most Big Ten fans would like to forget this season even existed.
Week 14: Louisville, lost 20-17
- All the Scarlett Knights had to do was win and they were Big East champs headed for a BCS bowl game. They had the Cardinals at home and on a Thursday night, including a 14-3 halftime lead. But of course it didn't finish as planned; few things have this year in one of the conferences responsible for letting Northern Illinois into the party.
Week 14: #21 Northern Illinois, lost 44-37
- What a furious fourth-quarter comeback to force overtime by the Golden Flashes. It was the type of effort that solidified their fairy-tale run in 2012 and they could only dream they might get a chance to face off in a BCS bowl after winning the night. Unfortunately they didn't earn the victory and -- even more painful -- they now know they would have qualified for the BCS as they must now sit and watch the MAC champion Huskies dance in Florida.
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Friday, November 30, 2012
10:46 AM - November 30, 2012. Written by JohnDoe8865
This year I am thankful for some really amazing sports games, both new and old.
Let's start with the new.
I am thankful for NBA 2K13, especially in the absence of competition. I'm thankful that 2K Sports and Visual Concepts has given NBA 2K13 the care and attention that a proper NBA simulation deserves; and in the process have made a sports game of the year candidate.
I am thankful for WWE '13 and it's amazing community of creators. WWE '13 is a good game, but it's made great by the ability given to users to create. Whether it be the created wrestlers, created finishers, created storylines, created arenas, or any of the other number of creation options, the community effort really makes this game worth owning. The ways that you're allowed to customize your experience are unmatched in sports gaming today, whether you consider a pro wrestling a sports or not.
I'm also thankful for UFC Undisputed 3 and Forza Motorsports 4, two games that are still in my rotation many months after being released. These two games in particular have stood the test of time for me so far in 2012 and I'm grateful for the amount of enjoyment I've gotten for my $60 with each title.
Now on the old.
I'm thankful for College Hoops 2K8 and the amazing undying support of roster editors for this game. 2K8 was the last great college basketball game in my opinion and to see the dedication of a few continue to push it forward year after year is a testament to the community that we are all a part of as sports gamers.
I'm thankful for All-Pro Football 2K8, MLB 2K11 and Madden 10 just to name a few of the older titles that I still enjoy. The gameplay within each of these titles are still relevant to me, even while new iterations of some exist.
I'm also thankful for quality niche sports titles such as Top Spin 4, Jonah Lomu's Rugby Challenge. In this age of fewer and fewer sports gaming options, these games are gems in my opinion.
But as I alluded to earlier, I'm most thankful as a sports gamer for our community. The Operation Sports community and the sports gaming community at-large represent the best of what can be accomplished when gamers put their heads together. Slider sets, roster updates, mods, and creativity of all manner thrive in our community. Without the community of hardcore sports gamers that we all belong to, none of the games we talk about on the forums or in reviews would be nearly as much fun.
Finally, I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays from myself and OS.
It seems impossible that we've arrived at this point in the college football season already.
No longer this year will our Saturdays be loaded with an abundance of games to watch. This weekend, conference championship weekend, signals the final calendar day of more college football than we can possibly view at once. In a matter of days we'll be forced to quit cold-turkey until the middle of December arrives. At that point we'll be teased back into our addiction but only one game at a time, one day at a time as bowl season ignites.
So relish this final weekend of exciting games. The bridge to January is built this weekend as national championship hopes are on the line as well as BCS appearances. How will the games turn out? Here's a look at my predictions for conference championship weekend -- 2012 edition.
MAC Championship Game
#21 Northern Illinois (11-1, 8-0) vs. #17 Kent State (11-1, 8-0)
- If you thought this was just another "who cares" MAC title game, think again with this Friday-night contest. If you're a fan of the little guy wrecking the BCS parade then get your Kent State party hats on right now. The Golden Flashes are one spot away from BCS eligibility (16th) and would receive an automatic bid should another AQ (automatic qualifying) conference champion be ranked lower than they are. At this point, no team from the Big East (an AQ conference) is ranked in the top twenty-five of the BCS. For the sake of novelty and cheering on Cinderella...
Prediction: Kent State 24, Northern Illinois 21
#16 UCLA (9-3, 6-3) vs. #8 Stanford (10-2, 8-1)
- It's hard to imagine the Bruins suddenly finding the secrets to rebound following their home-loss last week to this same Stanford team, 36-17. The title game will be played at Stanford -- as if the Cardinal needed more of an edge -- but could it be possible that UCLA was holding back, knowing they may have to play the same team two weeks in a row? Expect more of a competitive game on the scoreboard, but not a different outcome.
Prediction: Stanford 28, UCLA 20
UCF (9-3, 7-1) vs Tulsa (9-3, 7-1)
- Only two weeks ago these same teams battled in Tulsa where the home team was victorious 23-21. UCF is looking for redemption and the conference title but must overcome their road demons in what could turn into an overtime thriller. In fact, I'm calling for exactly that -- only this time the Golden Knights get the last laugh.
Prediction: UCF 44, Tulsa 38 (OT)
#6 Kansas State (10-1, 7-1) vs #18 Texas (8-3, 5-3)
- It's not an official conference championship game but a victory for the Wildcats would solidify their spot in a BCS bowl. Like Oklahoma State from 2011 and their surprising slip-up versus Iowa State, so too did Kansas State against Baylor. Each failure kept the Big Twelve's best out of national championship contention, but like the Cowboys of last year I expect the 'Cats to close out strong.
Prediction: Kansas State 38, Texas 28
#13 Florida State (10-2, 7-1) vs Georgia Tech (6-6, 5-3)
- This is one of the most one-sided BCS conference title games on paper but the Yellowjackets and their option attack have the ability to sneak up on anyone who is ill-prepared. The only issue is that they could score forty points and still lose by double-digits.
Prediction: Florida State 45, Georgia Tech 21
#12 Nebraska (10-2, 7-1) vs Wisconsin (7-5, 4-4)
- It would be a disastrous ending to the Big Ten season if Wisconsin somehow won this game. They didn't exactly earn the rights to their own division but were able to move up as Ohio State (12-0, 8-0) was ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA violations. Nebraska is carrying the torch for the B1G and any self-respecting fan of the conference not living in the state of Wisconsin should be hoping for a Cornhuskers win and subsequent BCS victory as well. But as troubling as the record of the Badgers is at 7-5, they lost four of their games by three points and the other by only seven (the last two in overtime). They played Nebraska tight before but I see no reason for the heartbreak to end this Saturday.
Prediction: Nebraska 34, Wisconsin 30
#2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1) vs #3 Georgia (11-1, 7-1)
- This contest features the two best teams of the day in a pseudo semifinal matchup where the winner likely earns a trip to face Notre Dame for the national championship. Each squad features one of the top defenses in the nation (Alabama No. 1 and Georgia No. 16) and both score just under forty points per game. Don't expect an offensive shootout, however, but look for a close three quarters of ball-control and field-position battles before the victor pulls away in the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Alabama 23, Georgia 16
Sound Off: What teams will win on conference championship weekend?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
10:24 AM - November 27, 2012. Written by jmik58
College football playoff proponents and BCS loyalists are looking at the same example but telling two different stories as we close out the 2012 regular season.
On paper, we have the number-one team in the nation -- Notre Dame -- who is also the lone squad eligible for the BCS with an undefeated record (Ohio State at 12-0 is ineligible for postseason play). The Irish took down the eighth, tenth, and eighteenth ranked teams throughout the course of the season, capping their schedule with a victory on the road against the USC Trojans -- a team once believed to be national champion contenders.
With their resume', Notre Dame would have easily earned the top rank in a four-team playoff format slotted by a selection committee similar to what we will see starting in 2014. Likewise, their position as the lone undefeated BCS-eligible squad places them at the top under the existing BCS format. Under the current system, Notre Dame is finished with their fight to the top and have earned their spot in the national championship game. But under the future playoff format, the Irish would still have one contest to win -- presumably against a number-four seed -- before appearing in the national championship game.
It's exactly what fans have screamed for, but is that fair to Notre Dame? Should the lone team to carry an unblemished record have to prove their worth in a semifinal matchup or have they done enough -- is this something the BCS gets right, something we'll actually miss once playoffs roll around?
Chances are we'll spend less time defending the top-ranked teams and most arguments will be about spots two, three and four; and rightfully so. The BCS never had a problem picking the top eligible team, it was the contender spot that seemed to squeeze out the little guy.
I can only hope that the selection committee will do their best to put a premium on conference champions for the sake of equal opportunity. A team such as Kansas State (10-1) -- should they finish with a win to stay at one loss -- could carry a very tough Big-12 conference but many may argue that a one or two-loss SEC team would deserve to be slotted ahead of them. Likewise, the Oregon Ducks (11-1) are a dangerous squad merely a field goal away from being in contention for the BCS title game. But because their loss came at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal, such a selection committee would be stretching to place the Ducks in the four-team playoff when they didn't even win their own conference division.
And then there is the SEC and, perhaps more importantly, what people aren't talking about should so many teams from one conference be smashed at the top of the rankings in 2014 and beyond. In our current system the winner of No. 2 Alabama versus No. 3 Georgia will take on Notre Dame for the grand prize. But in a four-team playoff -- in 2014 -- the pyramid of power that the SEC has stacked this year could prove controversial.
The SEC champion would be the number-two seed in a playoff should the future playoff format exist now -- that's not much of a risk to state. But what happens with the other two spots, seed three and four? If Kansas State closes out with a win they would likely take the third spot -- but what if they somehow lost? And taking a step back, who gets the fourth spot or even third if the Wildcats lose?
Do we dare put the loser of the SEC championship back into the mix? Surely not, because then the importance of a conference title means less. And once the Kansas State dust settles, number-four Florida (11-1) has a legitimate argument as does LSU (11-2). But where do you draw the line for a single conference? If we don't allow the loser of the Georgia/Alabama game back in, how can we justify letting LSU or Florida into the picture? If either was selected, the flood gates would instantly be open with Oregon standing front and center -- arms raised and brows lifted in disbelief.
Perhaps this problem will be eliminated with the implementation of a playoff. One of the biggest injustices of the BCS era has been a tendency to evaluate matchups based on hypotheticals. The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Stanford Cardinal were overlooked in 2011 for the BCS title game because their losses weren't as impressive as Alabama's. While that fact was hard to argue, the qualification for playing to be a champion was never about judging and comparing your worst moments. The fact is that the best way to evaluate and compare top teams is to let them battle on the field -- our best versus your best.
The SEC may have the toughest teams at the top, but how will we ever know if the rest of the nation is caught up if we don't force them to play the best of the rest of the nation on a yearly basis? Until that happens, every SEC schedule only solidifies their perceived advantage and each loss means less, each win weighs more.
This is where the playoff format will get it right, in theory. But before we get to the playoffs a bigger obstacle stands in the way -- something that can screw up the dream; the whole reason we pushed for a playoff in the first place. Will the same conference biases stand in the way of equal opportunity? Will the selection committee be another BCS or will they finally get it right?
Sound Off: Which format would work best to crown the 2012 champion: BCS or playoffs?
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
Monday, November 26, 2012
02:17 PM - November 26, 2012. Written by jmik58
If you want a taste of what playoffs will feel like for the 2014 FBS college football season, look no further.
Notre Dame has done their part, after playing a brutal schedule as an independent, finishing the regular season undefeated and an all-but-guaranteed spot in the BCS title game. Their opponent will be decided with the conclusion of the SEC championship game between the nation's number two and three teams, Alabama and Georgia.
This season certainly has had it's highs and lows, but few points in the year are as full of each as the final week of the regular season. Championship games are settled, teams earn or are denied bowl eligibility, and floundering coaches are told to pack their bags and fill them with large amounts of cash thanks to lucrative buyouts in their contracts.
Here are five winners and losers from week thirteen of the college football season.
FIVE ON THE RISE
Gene Chizik, HC -- Auburn
Week 13: Fired after a 3-9 season (0-8 in the SEC)
- How is it possible to be a "winner" after being fired? It's relative, of course, but in his short time in Auburn, Chizik claimed a national championship but struggling through a disastrous coordinator change with the departure of Gus Malzahn. Despite the ups and downs, it's hard to be a loser when your buyout clause of your contract calls for you to receive over $200,000 a month -- per month! -- through the rest of his previously signed extension.
All Chizik must to do claim his "unemployment check" is to actively seek a coaching job elsewhere, and once hired his new contract would stop payments from the buyout. For some reason I don't see Gene in a big hurry to find a new gig.
Week 13: USC, won 22-13
- The Irish are the last BCS-eligible undefeated team and are headed for a BCS championship contest. All they needed to do is win. Mission accomplished -- for now.
Week 13: Auburn, won 49-0
- Taking down your rival (and their head coach) en route to a de facto BCS championship semifinal isn't a bad way to spend the week.
Week 13: Georgia Tech, won 42-10.
- Like the Crimson Tide, the Buldogs destroyed their rival and move on to the SEC championship game. The winner likely moves on to face Notre Dame in the national championship game.
Week 13: Ohio State (12-0), Penn State (8-4)
- It's hard to tell if things would have been different had each team been playing with more on the line this year. The Buckeyes finished an unblemished record while the Nittany Lions blew away expectations by finishing with eight wins.
Auburn (3-9)
Week 13: #2 Alabama, lost 49-0
- They got stomped by Bama, finished the year without a single win in the SEC, and will pay the man responsible six-figures on a monthly basis until he finds work elsewhere. War-nothin'.
Week 13: Pittsburgh, lost 27-6.
- Does anyone want to win the Big East? Better yet, does anyone really want to watch the Big East champion (it could be Syracuse) play in a BCS game?
Week 13: #10 Florida State and #11 Clemson
- The Seminoles -- and the ACC -- just can't turn the corner. This was their signature moment to show that they were legit as national championship contenders but their defense disappeared -- especially in the fourth quarter (24 points surrenderred).
Like their ACC brethren Florida State, the Tigers desparately needed to make a statement in the Carolinas with a win over the rival Gamecocks. It wasn't to be, however, but who expected a defensive battle?
Week 13: Memphis, lost 42-24
- It had to happen to someone, right? A totally defeated season -- not something to brag about.
2012 Season: Transfered from Penn State
- Who would have thought that Penn State would finish with a better record (8-4) than the USC Trojans (7-5)? Redd departed from Happy Valley for a chance at a national championship with the Trojans. Sorry Silas, Lane Kiffin has a way of ruining things.
Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper
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