No NCAA on release day for first time in at least ten years - thescoop's Blog

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No NCAA on release day for first time in at least ten years

Posted on July 10, 2013 at 09:52 PM.

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As I sit here tonight on the Eve of my copy of my game being delivered, I think back to the last time release day came and I didn't have a copy.

Honestly I can't remember the last time. It was at least ten years ago, most likely longer. I'm sure it was either while I was living in a dorm without a car or just didn't have the money. As I've gotten older, I've always had it on release day. Sometimes I even went to a midnight release of the game.

But this year my streak broke. No, it wasn't because I didn't want to have it on release day. No, it isn't because i was trying to save a dollar or two or like the preorder offer better with ordering it. (Although not paying extra for day one delivery was a factor after ordering.)

Why might you ask am I currently without NCAA 14? Why would a guy who has had it on release day every year for at least ten years chose to do a mail order instead of showing up at his local Gamestop and picking it up day one?

The answer is simple: My car is broken down and finding a friend that is going to the local Gamestop 15 minutes away isn't as easy as it may have once been. So i decided late Monday evening to order it from Amazon. I did think about waiting until my car is running again, but since we haven't fully figured out what is going on with it I have no clue when it will be running again.

Getting a ride to and from work hasn't been an issue because I don't live far from work. But finding a ride to Gamestop would have been. So I decided to order it and wait for it to arrive in my mailbox.

Here's the shocking thing: While I'm really looking forward to playing it, I didn't really miss not having it on release day. I didn't. I know the rosters I want to start my dynasty with aren't ready yet anyway. My favorite team, Southern Miss, is going to be horrible due to being horrible in real life last year. (But I actually am excited about rebuilding them). I'm 38 years old so maybe, just maybe, video game release dates don't mean what the once did to me.

But there is one reason I didn't miss having it opening day. It is a reason I didn't expect. The reason? The message boards here. I've truly enjoyed reading peoples thoughts on the game. I've enjoyed the blind praise, the unreasonable complains and the well thought out reviews that have the pros and cons of this year's version laid out for those of us without the game.

This is something that I usually don't get to enjoy. Usually I'm either playing the game or I'm on the board posting my own bias opinion of the games greatness or flaws. I was maybe one of the ones arguing a flaw or defending something I didn't view as a flaw. I was checking in on rosters while defending the editors against those who think they should be ready in five minutes.

But this year I got to sit back and be an observer. I got to sit back and watch how the roster editors handle with class and grace the impatient masses waiting on their creation. I've got to read some of the debates on the merits of the game. I've got to some of the debates on what's wrong with the game.

All and all this has been fun and I thank Operation Sports Community for making the wait easier. While I can't say I'll adopt this approach from now on, it has been a fun few days reading the posts here.

Tomorrow I become one of the zombies playing his game. Tomorrow I start messing around with my copy. Finding a roster set I like till the roster set I want is ready. Learning some of the new ins and outs of the game. But tonight, for one more night, I am on the sidelines as an observer. And I have to say, my OS family entertained and for that I my say thank you to all who have posted. Even the bad posts were entertaining.

Thank you, OS family. But tomorrow, I become a part of the NCAA 14 Zombie Nation.