National Brawl Association

On December 16th the Denver Nuggets were up by 19 points in the fourth quarter with about one minute remaining against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Nuggets guard J.R. Smith got the ball on a one-on-one breakaway against Knicks reserve Mardy Collins. What transpired after that recalled images of the “Malice at the Palace” in Detroit two years ago, also known as the worst brawl in sports history. Collins wrapped his arms around the driving Smith and threw him to the ground, a blatant flagrant foul. Smith was understandably upset and got in Collins’ face. Knicks guard Nate Robinson (all 5’7” of him) came to his teammate’s aid and shoved Smith away. Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and a host of New York Knick players enter the fray. Smith and Robinson tackled each other into the first row of cameramen.

After things had seemingly cooled down, Anthony ran back up to Collins and connected with a punch to the face. Anthony was chased by Knicks forward Jared Jeffries as he backpedaled away. All 10 players on the court were ejected from the game. Each team was fined $500,000. Anthony was suspended for 15 games. Robinson and Smith both got 10 game suspensions. Collins was suspended for six games. Jefferies was hit with a four game suspension. All in all, seven players from both teams were suspended for a combined 47 games.

This story has been on every news and sports talk show for the past 48 hours and will continue to be for weeks. There are just so many sub plots, angles, blame games and power plays to analyze. The coaches, George Karl and Isiah Thomas, have been in a war of words over who is to blame. NBA Commissioner David Stern has had to flex his muscle in an attempt to eliminate violence from his game. And the whole “hip-hop” stigma the NBA has upon it, rears its head again.

George Karl “swears on his children’s lives” that he was not running up the score on the Knicks. He pointed to various games over the past two weeks in which teams had blown double digit leads late in games. He said he was trying to teach his young team how to win. I don’t buy it. Being up by 19 with 1:24 left is a lock. Denver could have taken six ten-second backcourt violations and allowed six Knick three-pointers and the Knicks would still be down 1 with less than 20 seconds remaining. Teaching your team to win? How about teaching your team sportsmanship? This is an early season game with little significance. Your team is up by nearly 20 with less than ninety seconds left to play. I am not saying roll over and let the Knicks make it close. But how about taking out the NBA’s leading scorer in Anthony? Or tell your team to run out the clock instead of run down the court for open lay-ups? George Karl deserves some blame for what happened Saturday.

Karl makes no secret of his relationship with former Knicks coach Larry Brown. Brown had one of the most miserable coaching stints in NBA history last season with the Knicks. Many think that Isiah ran him out of New York before he had time to get his type of players, a feel for the team and adjust to coaching in the pressure-cooker that is the Big Apple. Could it be that Karl was sticking it to the Knicks and Thomas to exact some sort of revenge on his best friend’s former boss? I don’t know Larry Brown, but I find it hard to believe that he was proud of what happened Saturday.

Isiah Thomas allegedly said to Carmelo something to the effect “you better not go into the paint” near the end of the lopsided contest. So did Thomas order Collins, a 10th or 12th option on the team, to hard foul Smith? We will probably never know the truth. What we do know is that Thomas was a member of one of the most intimidating teams ever, “The Bad Boys” of Detroit in the 80’s and 90’s. Thomas was a notorious “take no B.S.” kind of player and it isn’t hard to fathom him ordering retaliation as a head coach.

Call it old school mentality or machismo, but I feel that hard fouls are a part of the game and most sports in general. Not full scale, immature and unnecessary brawls. But if you feel like you are being made a fool of during a game, a degree of retaliation should not be condemned. Having a score run up on your home court qualifies as being made a fool. Did it go too far in New York? Without question. Emotions were running high, including egotism and pride. But I cannot find fault in hard fouling a player driving to the lane to take a lay up when his team is up by 19 with less than minute left. If I was head coach, I probably would have done the same thing.

There is just an unwritten code of sportsmanship when you are winning by a large margin. Don’t take unnecessary 3’s. Instead of passing, just run the ball and then kneel on it. Don’t steal bases when you are up by more than 5 after the 7th inning. Had J.R. Smith just dribbled the ball around for 20 seconds instead of driving in, this brawl may not have occurred.

Carmelo Anthony, one of the league’s rising young stars and all-around nice guy, got the stiffest penalty for throwing a punch during the melee. There is no way he should be alone in serving his 15-game suspension. Nate Robinson, who without question escalated this into a full-scale brawl, deserves the same amount of games Anthony received. Smith, who may have sparked this with his flashy dunk in the 4th quarter with four minutes remaining, also is as much to blame as Robinson. I believe all three of these players should have been suspended for 10 games each. The Nuggets (and to a lesser extent, the Knicks) don’t deserve to lose this season on a heated mistake.

Stern, try as he might, will never ever get rid of fighting in the NBA. It is not because of this so-called “hip hop” mentality or the rampant egotism and pride that NBA players exude. It is because it is human nature for these athletes to go for the throat. That is what makes them great athletes, killer instinct. That is what earns them millions of dollars and the adoration of millions of people the world over. I am not condoning athletes fighting and doing things they will regret. Far from it. But it is ridiculous to expect these kids to play with so much emotion and have it not spill over sometimes. Should they have been disciplined? Of course, what happened was clearly against the rules and unforgivable. But these kids are not robots who can turn their emotions on and off with the flick of a switch.

Being tough is a trait that all successful sports figures possess. Jordan, Bird, Clemens, Pedro, Favre and a laundry list of all major sports stars are all tough. That is what makes them great. As kids we grow up idolizing these guys. I am sure Carmelo idolized Jordan, every young basketball player did. Being soft is a label that all sports figures will try to avoid at all costs. It is a proven fact; you have to be tough to win. Suspending players will not change their views on manhood, toughness, brotherhood and pride. I would bet anything that if the same set of circumstances happened when Carmelo’s 15 game suspension is up, he would react in the exact same way. Same goes for Robinson, Smith, Jeffries and everyone else involved. But part of being an athlete is controlling yourself, which these young men failed to do. There is a difference between being tough and being stupid. Hopefully these young athletes will learn from their mistakes.

The Picks: Week 15

Cincinnati Bengals (+3-1/2) at Indianapolis Colts
Two teams headed in different directions. The Colts cannot stop the run or the pass and their offense has been suffering for it.

Houston Texans (+12-1/2) at New England Patriots
Pats are not playing well as of late. The Texans aren't good, but won't get blown out.

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (-8-1/2)
The Chargers are some good, on offense and defense. KC is playing for it's life, but have looked inept on offense last week.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (+3-1/2)
Vince is the new golden boy of the NFL. Let's hope he doesn't flame out like a certain Vick.

Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints (-10)
That onside kick when NO was up against Dallas was great. The surprise onside should be done on a more regular basis. Brees is having an MVP type season and the Skins are terrible.


Last Week: 3-2
Season: 28-33-4

Red Sox Christmas comes early

That cool breeze you just felt? That was Red Sox nation breathing a collective sigh of relief. A deal has been reached with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, a six-year 52-million dollar deal, to be exact. Add that total to the 51 million the Red Sox paid his former team, the Seibu Lions, just to talk to him, and the deal nears 104 million dollars. The deal was completed earlier this evening, roughly 24 hours before the scheduled deadline.

Just a few days ago it seemed as though Matusaka’s agent, super agent Scott Boras, would be content taking his client back to Japan if he didn’t get what he thought was a fair deal. But in a move of true courage, the Red Sox brass held their ground and ended up paying what they were comfortable with. Boras has shown in the past he isn’t afraid to hold out his clients (see young JD Drew) and the Red Sox came out winners by not paying the 100 million dollar mega-deal Boras alluded to.

Matsuzaka will be under immense pressure this season. The Boston media will eat this guy alive (and the front office for over paying him) if he does not perform impossibly well this season. Former National League ace Josh Beckett looked like a lost child pitching against power American League lineups last season. Dice-K (I detest the nickname “D-Mat”. I think I stole Dice-K from Bill Simmons) will probably have similar woes against deep AL lineups. From his numbers and performance at the World Baseball Classic, Dice-K is almost a sure thing to be a very good major league pitcher but it will take some time. I plead the Boston media not to rip this guy for going 12-12 with a 3.75 ERA in his rookie season.

The Red Sox have been the most active team during the winter free agent meetings. JD Drew cashed in to the tune of five years and 70 million dollars. And if there is joy surrounding the Dice-K deal, there is an equal amount of “Oh God” surrounding the Drew signing. Drew is the poster boy for Spoiled Sports Star magazine (they had to break up all the T.O. covers). Coming out of college he was drafted by the Phillies number one, but when they wouldn’t pay him enough, Boras decided it would be best to hold out and re-enter the draft next year. Ever since then he has been one of the most over paid players in baseball.

Drew has earned 10 million dollars a year or more ever since his rookie season. He has only hit 25 home runs twice (2004 and 2001), only hit over .300 twice (’01 and ’04), only had 90+ RBI’s twice (’04 and ’06) and has averaged just over 103 games played per season. Now his on-base percentage numbers are good, always around .375-.400 and he plays solid defense. But Drew is injury prone, reclusive and doesn’t seem totally devoted to the game. Hitting behind Ortiz and Manny means he will have plenty of chances to knock in runs. There are no more excuses. Also having those guys ahead of you means you will see a lot of pitches to hit. In Boston you have to produce, but it you don’t, you have to hustle. Trot Nixon always played hard. He may not have become the player we all wanted him to, but he never quit and consequently the fans loved him. Drew will get booed if he does not give his full effort. The problem is I don’t think Drew has ever given his full effort.

Julio Lugo is the other high-profile free agent the Red Sox have signed thus far. About a week ago Lugo signed a four-year, 36 million dollar contract to fill the shortstop gap in Fenway. Compared to the other deals the Red Sox have made this off-season, Lugo seems like a steal. Lugo is a solid top of the line-up guy who can steal, run, get on base, and has some pop in his bat. He is a little error prone (19 last season) and will be a defensive downgrade from Alex Gonzalez. But the Red Sox are all about offense and Lugo has that. He has also played in the AL East with the Devil Rays so he knows the park and what it is like to be in a high profile division.

The biggest boon to this signing may be Lugo’s Dominican heritage and personal relationship with David Ortiz. Lugo has said that he and Ortiz are good friends and have often talked about Lugo coming to Boston. This creates a solid comfort level that will help Lugo adjust to playing in the pressure cooker that is Boston. Lugo seems like a friendly and outgoing guy, which is a characteristic that is a must in being successful in Boston. Look at Edgar Renteria; he was somewhat of a recluse, rarely speaking with the media. He never seemed comfortable in Fenway. That is why the Red Sox are paying him to play for Atlanta. Lugo seems like a good fit for the Red Sox.

I give the Red Sox a B+ for their off-season moves so far. The Dice-K deal could go either way; he could be a historic steal or a historic bust. But for not bending to Boras, that is commendable. Julio Lugo will hopefully stop the revolving door that Nomar has left at shortstop since his departure. Lugo and Crisp will be fun to watch on the field and the base paths, bringing much needed speed to the roster. I really don’t like the Drew deal but here is to hoping he figures out how talented he is and finally starts playing like it.

Why video games are not art

Video games are the fastest growing medium of entertainment in the past 20 years. Going from a simple child’s toy to a multi-billion dollar industry in such a short time is fairly remarkable. But are video games art? This is one of the hot questions surrounding the video game industry as it gains more and more mainstream acceptance.

Encyclopedia Britannica Online defines art as “the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.” By this defeintion video games are absolutely art. Video games take immense skill, imagination and time to create, can be shared with others, and are free to critique and praise. But are video games really on par with film, painting, architecture, literature, and music? They are not, not yet, at least. Video games are a spry 20-30 years old, infantile compared to other artforms. Something so young and fresh can be considered art. In the video game market crash of 1984 video games almost ceased to exist, who is to say they will be around in 5, 10, or 20 years? Nothing can stop music, film, or literature. Those will be around forever, as long as humans exist. But video games could easily die if the money well dries up and people lose interest. This is one of the biggest problems with video games breaking the art barrier, expendibility. Right now, the market seems stable and healthy for video games. But as graphics get better and more realistic as the years go on, is there a ceiling on video games? Could there be another crash like in 1984, with companies constantly trying to outdo each other and drive prices higher and higher? There are a lot of question marks looking into the long term future of video games.

The average film today runs just under two hours (correction welcome). The average video game runs about eight hours (again, anyone with hard numbers on that feel free), with some running north of 50 hours. This fact alone is enough to hold video games firmly in the toy category. Between jobs, family, spouses and friends the everyday person just doesn’t have those 8-10 hours of free time to spend on a game. If a person has a free weeknight, they can go to the movies for a scant two hour time commitment and some social interaction. To finish a video game it would take that same busy person at least a week of playing, and that is if they don’t get stuck or frustrated. Books can be read on subways or trains, music can be listened to almost anywhere with iPods, and films are digested quickly. Video games, on the other hand, require a time commitement that most people just can’t give.

The number one obstacle standing in the way of video games becoming art is skill. A video game takes skill to enjoy and truly appreciate. Some of the best ones, a lot of skill. Almost anyone can look at a painting and get something out of it. Same with music and film. What true art does best is appeal to casual fans at first glance, but allows for deeper dissection by those dedicated to it. “I like that song” or “that was a good book” are opinions anyone can have. But getting into why the song is good or the structure of the novel are things that make those artforms great. Video games are a much different animal. Instead of appealing to anybody on base levels, video games have fairly steep learning curves. Some games may take a few hours to get down. A movie is over by then and you are already talking about it. This fact may also be why video games are so popular. People who play them can do something that the everyday person cannot. It is, in some ways, elitism. This form of elitism is going to prevent video games from becoming art.

Video games do have a lot of artistic elements working for them. For one they are very “reviewable.” There are a copious amount of game review websites, magazines and television shows that help guide consumers to what is “good” and what is “bad.” Art has to have this element of criticism, and video games have it. Video games also have an element of interaction that most other artforms do not. When someone plays a video game they are looking at the screen, using their hands, listening to music and thinking all at the same time. Offering this wide range of stimulus is a plus for the industry. Most importantly, video games have a huge and dedicated fanbase that will not let their favorite hobby die. As the “video game generation” begins to slowly creep into the workforce (in a lot of cases the video game industry) video games will only continue to grow and evolve.

When asked if video games were art Hideo Kojima (mastermind behind one of gaming’s most artistic franchises, Metal Gear) responded by saying he didn’t think they were. This coming from the man whose games have politcally driven storylines that truly make the people who play them think about their world. Mr. Kojima is right, video games are not art. They have come a long way since Pong and the fact that there is even a debate about video games being art is something to be proud of. Game franchises like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and The Legend of Zelda are doing wonders to blur the lines between art and video games. Games like these feature sweeping storylines, dramatic characters and plot twists that you would find in a lot of big budget films. I would even say that some of the best games are better pieces of art than some mediocre films. But video games aren’t there yet. Video games may never be art, but that may not be such a bad thing.

The Picks: Week 14

We are closing in on the finale of another NFL regular season. There are a ton of teams still in it and looks like no one (in the AFC, the real conference) is going to clinch homefield until about week 16.

New England Patriots (-3-1/2) at Miami Dolphins
Pats are coming off a scary win and remain mostly Maroney-less again this week. The Dolphins always play New England tough. For some reason only seem to play hard in the second half of the season, when they are already in a huge hole. All that said the Fish still have Joey at quarterback and the Pats still have Tom Brady.

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers (-7-1/2)
If the Broncos miss the playoffs (possible, maybe even likely with KC and Jacksonville looming for the wildcard) Jake Plummer can laugh until his head falls off as he is traded to another team. The team is in the hunt with him at QB (granted he wasn't great, or even very good) but they were still 7-4. Cutler comes in and does exactly what Jake does in most games (2 TD's and 2 picks) and the team loses. It is my humble opinion that if you're winning do not change the quarterback. For one how many back ups can do 1/8 as well as the starters in this league? Another point is if you're winning and you take your QB out, good luck getting him back in next year or whenever, his confidence will be shot. The Broncos have done it and the Bears are probably going to do it. Why are coaches so quick to pull the trigger, QB's struggle sometimes, it comes with the territory. Denver will either miss the playoffs or lose in the first round because the Cutler era had to start now. Chargers by 17.

Philadelphia Eagles (-1-1/2) at Washington Redskins
Picking Jeff Garcia on the road? Must be the Skins. In my opinion the Redskins are the worst team in football. No running game (last week was an abberation), a rookie QB, a significant weapon at WR who has fell off the face of the earth (Moss), and a ton of wasted money on free agents who have gone M.I.A. Oh and the defense can't stop anyone. Right now I would take the Raiders, Texans, and Lions over the Redskins. The Eagles keep their .500 playoff dream alive. Here's to hoping we see a 7-9 team in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars (+1-1/2)
What a week can do. Losing on a 60 yard field goal is bad enough, but losing on a 60 yard field goal against the Titans? That hurts. Everyone and their mother knows the Colts glaring weakness: run. the. football. Straight up the gut, nothing fancy. That is how the Titans came back from 14 down. They didn't panic and throw the ball with Vince. If they did, they would have lost for sure. Instead they bludgeoned the Colts for 200+ yards on the ground, scratching their way to victory. The Colts looked like a 13-14 win team, even with no run defense. Now? 12 wins is probably a more realistic number. Jax always plays Indy tough. And this Jags team seems hungry and motivated to beat Peyton and the Colts.

Seattle Seahawks (-3-1/2) at Arizona Cardinals
When I first saw this line I thought "this must be a typo, 3-1/2? Someone must be hurt." Check the injury report...Mack Strong is questionable. And that's it. Alexander and Hasselbeck are playing. How is this only three and a half? Seattle looks like a deep playoff team finally and the Cards, well they are terrible. The Cards should be getting at least 6. Seattle by 14.

Last Week: 5-5
Season: 25-31-4

The Picks: Week 13

Astute readers of my blog (all 3 of you) will notice I didn't do any football picks last week. This was for a few reasons: Wii, laziness, and Thanksgiving. So this week I am going to do a double dip of 10 games to try and get my pitiful numbers up. This season has been very strange for football. Almost no game is predictable anymore. The Giants blew a 21 point, 3rd quarter lead to the lowly Titans. The Bears kicked a field goal, down by 7 late in the 4th against the Pats to ruin the "Bears +5" spread, covering and infuriating gamblers everywhere. The Chargers have been down by 17+ late into the 3rd quarter in back to back weeks and have come back to win. Once on the road in Denver. Hell even the Oakland Raiders are playing people tough. Things are crazy. So I have to adapt and pick a little crazy. Watch all favorites win and cover this week...

Seattle Seahawks (+4) at Denver Broncos
Usually Denver does not lose at home. But the Hawks look great with Alexander and Hasselbeck back. And nothing is scared anymore so I am going with the Hawks and the points.

Dallas Cowboys (-3-1/2) at New York Giants
This is a game where I cannot go against what should happen. What should happen is the Boys lead by Romo and that defense should stifle the injury depleted and Eli Manning lead NY Giants. What will probably happen is the Giants will toss a shutout. Thank God I don't have money on these things.

San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills (+6-1/2)
The Bolts are darn good, mainly because of LT. Alleged roid head Shawne Merriman will be back to lead the defense and Rivers is playing like a veteren. So why the Bills? Weather. Even if it doesn't snow, those Cali sissy boys will be feeling the freeze in Buffalo. Add in the fact that the Bills aren't playing half bad and we have a potential upset on our hands.

Detroit Lions at New England Patriots (-14)
The Pats are coming off a huge yet ugly win against the Bears and are eyeing a first round bye in the playoffs. The Lions are a dreadful defensive team and an inconsistent offensive one. Dangerous game? Absolutely. Should it be close? No.

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans (+8)
A week ago, the Titans would be getting 14+ points. But that comeback against the Giants was phenomenal, even if Eli gave it to them. Vince Young looks like the real deal, Vick with a much better arm. If it weren't for that Colston in New Orleans (who is injured and has Brees to throw him the ball) VY would be vying for rookie of the year. He has no one to help him on that team and is still playing well. The Colts are 100000-0 in regular season games but the Titans always play them tough. Vince has that something about him, he will rise to this game and at least keep it close.

Arizona Cardinals (+7) at St. Louis Rams
The Rams were my team in the first half of the season. Now they have almost no chance in the woeful NFC West where the freakin 49ers have a chance. Arizona was the trendy playoff pick that no one will own up to anymore. Worst team in the NFL much? Having no O-line is a bad thing. Just look at poor Edgerrin James. So this is the Toilet Bowl, and in the Toilet Bowl, take the points.

Minnesota Vikings (+9-1/2) at Chicago Bears
I would like to gload that I predicted when the Pats played the then 4-2 Vikings that they weren't as good as everyone thought they were. I remember hearing things like "they will challenge the Bears" and "they don't make mistakes, they run the ball and stop the run". But the thing is when you can't score at all and you can't rely on your QB to win some games on his own, it's tough to win. But the Bears really showed that they don't have a QB either. Grossman is the ultimate Jekyll/Hyde quarterback. Even more than Mike Vick. One game he will throw 4 TD's, the next 5 INT's. First half MVP to second half goat. Mark this: 2006 Bears, first round playoff loser.

Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns (+6)
Cleveland was one dropped hail mary from beating the rival Steelers last week. I watched the end of that game and really found myself rooting for the Browns. They seem like a team headed in the right direction even with shaky character guys like Edwards and Winslow. The Chiefs will be a tough out especially with Trent Green back and LJ running like he always does. Interesting side note: Has anyone noticed the almost Brady-like way in which LJ stole Priest Holmes job? I know he is injured and will probably retire but it's a freaky comparison. Proven, Hall of Fame guy goes down (Bledsoe & Holmes) and unproven rookie (Brady and Johnson) takes over and becomes one of the best at their position. And that folks is why sports are great.

Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders (-3)
Oakland favored in a game?! Granted it is the Texans but still. If these teams combined their rosters they would be pretty darn good. Houston has the offense thing down with Carr and Andre Johnson (top 5 reciever this year) while Oakland is playing great defense especially against the pass. Problem is Carr has to throw the ball 40+ times because they have no running game and Walter/Brooks are completely inept quarterbacks. Oakland's D beats Houston's passing game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7-1/2)
I am really sick and tired of all these people refusing to put a fork in the Steelers already. "At 4-7 they still have a chance." Give me a break. I know they are the defending champs and we love teams defending their titles but honestly. If they win out against Baltimore, Cleveland, at Cincinnatti and at Carolina three teams that are better than they are one that plays them tough they'd be 9-7. Baltimore and the Bengals would have to be less than 9-7 (Baltimore is 9-3) for them to win the division. There is no way they are getting the wildcard with KC, Cincy, and the Jets hanging around. So just say it: the Steelers are done. All that said the Bucs are really really bad.


Last Week: N/A
Season: 20-26-4

Tis the Season: For Video Games

Let’s just say finals are really hard to focus on this time of year. There are a ton of great video games being released for the holiday push. Not only on the “older” consoles (PS2, Xbox, and GameCube) but the new systems (Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360) as well. What follows are mini-reviews of the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Final Fantasy XII. If you want to avoid those (I understand) just read the following two paragraphs for general thoughts about the Wii.

I will start this off bluntly: The Wii is amazing. Not just "really fun" amazing (which it is) but possibly "world changing" awesome. This really may be the machine that finally brings video games to the masses. The motion sensing capabilities on Nintendo's machine surpassed all expectations. It is easy, responsive, rewarding, and downright enjoyable to use. Whether you are swinging the Wiimote as a baseball bat or golf club, slicing with a sword or surgeons knife, or shooting a Nazi, the controller does a lot to immerse you in the game. Plus it does a whole lot to quell the stereotype of the zombie-like gamer by forcing you to get up and be active while gaming.

A lot of people have argued that video games have gotten too serious for their own good and forgot about being fun. I am not saying Halo 2, World of Warcraft, Resident Evil 4, and the other "hardcore" games aren't fun, because they are. But the bottom line is they aren't for everyone. Fifteen button controls, blood and gore, and hours of time devotion are daunting to a lot of people. The Wii changes all that. Anyone and I mean anyone, can pick up and play this thing in a matter of minutes. My dad, who hasn't played a video game since the golden days of NES, not only learned Wii bowling, but beat me. He was the one who wanted to play "one more round." We stayed up until about 12:30 the night I came home for Thanksgiving playing Wii Sports. It was truly something I never thought would ever happen, even when I heard about the Wii. Nintendo wasn't lying, from kids to grandparents to girlfriends; the Wii really is for everyone.

Along with the Wii I also purchased The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Or as I like to call it The Legend of Zelda: Why I Failed all my Finals. I can't seem to stop playing it. The Wii's killer app, TP may be the best Zelda to date. Originally slated for the GameCube, TP was delayed a few times. Most recently (and probably intelligently) to coincide with the release of the Wii. The wait was worth it. TP is everything Zelda fans love: puzzle solving, swordplay, horseback riding, quirky mini-games, and epic boss battles. The graphics are very nice, although not that much improved from the GameCube era. But really, it's Zelda; graphics have never been of the utmost importance. Game play has always been number one, and TP does not disappoint.

*Minor spoiler warning*
All the familiar items are present: the lamp, bombs, bow and arrow, and the iron boots. They all have new twists on them (to steal from G4: iron boots + magnetic rock = awesome) and are fun to use in figuring out puzzles and finding enemy weaknesses. Much like the previous Zelda installments Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, there is a twist in Twilight Princess. At certain points in the game you turn into a wolf form to solve certain puzzles and dungeons. The wolf parts of the game are interesting if not as good as the Link parts. You use your canine abilities to sniff out clues, dig under buildings, and talk to other animals.

I cannot recommend Twilight Princess enough, and I am not even done with it yet. There is just so much to do in this game and all of it is enjoyable. The fishing mini-game could be a game by itself it is so in depth. Long-time fan of the series or not, Twilight Princess is the must have Wii game and one of the best games of not only 2006, but may be the best Zelda game ever.

Before Twilight Princess stole my soul I was playing a little indie game called Final Fantasy XII. Some of you may have heard of it (end stupid sarcasm). Most who know me know I love the Final Fantasy series. I fell in love with FFVIII (best game ever, in my opinion) and thanks to re-releases own every game from FF3-FFXII. Final Fantasy XII has been in the making for quite some time and is a revolution of sorts in the series.

Without getting any more hyper-dorky than I already have, traditionally Final Fantasy games have been turned based. You input commands, and then the AI does. But in FFXII it is quasi-real time, a lot like your MMORPG’s. Like most people I was doubtful at first, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. But the Gambit system (you program your party members’ actions and set them in priority) is deep, rewarding, and user-friendly.

But what sets the FF franchise aside from other games is high production value and sweeping storyline. The game is almost a vehicle to advance the story, not the other way around. I won’t give away any details but the story is very political in nature involving: murder, suicide, betrayal, and war. The story unfolds in gorgeous cutscenes that really are the last hurrah for the PS2. Characters are interesting, well voiced, and believable. Graphically the game is a wonder and probably the best on the PS2.

Any fan of RPG’s owes it to themselves to play FFXII; it is the best RPG available on the PS2 and is in the top 5 best Final Fantasy games ever. Which is quite the statement.

Between FFXII and Zelda it is going to be tough to focus on unimportant things like “school work”, “grades”, “sleeping”, “eating”, and “bathing properly”.


Images courtesy of:
http://www.zelda-aventures.info/images/twilight.jpg
http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/p2/f/f/ff12p200b.jpg

The Picks: Week 11

Chicago Bears (-6) at New York Jets
Jets coming off big win, but Bears are better.

Indianapolis Colts (-2) at Dallas Cowboys
Won't be as close as advertised. Colts by 10+.

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (-3)
Ponies too tough at home. Bolts spent way too much karma last week.

Seattle Seahawks (-3) at San Francisco 49ers
Even without Hasselbeck they would win. With him, big win.

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans (-3)
Because I love the Texans.

Last Week: 2-3
Season: 20-26-4

Gyroballin' in Boston

For those who don’t know the gyroball is a mysterious pitch that has reached mythical status over the past few months. It was invented by two Japanese scientists, supposedly in an attempt to relieve stress on the arm. The pitch is thrown like a football, with a rotation akin to a bullet. It breaks down and in on right handed batters and has the look of a very sharp curve ball. What makes this pitch so mystifying is that we all aren’t sure if anyone can throw it, much less Daisuke Matsuzaka. Even the man himself has said he can’t throw it. But then said he could, but he hasn't mastered it (1). Allegedly. But there is video of it (YouTube it) being thrown and it looks filthy. Allegedly. Everything surrounding the gyroball is shrouded in uncertainty.

What does all this mean for the Boston Red Sox, whose 42-million dollar bid to talk to the talented Matsuzaka has been reported as being the highest? Put simply, it means a lot. First off the gyroball doesn’t matter. If he can pitch it (and it doesn’t destroy your elbow or something) great, that means hitters will have to adjust to some crazy pitch they have never seen before. If he can’t that’s fine too. The guy has talent; the USA Team saw that first hand in the World Baseball Classic, when he went 3-0 and won the MVP for the event. Here are his stats in Japan with the Seibu Lions over the last eight seasons: 108-59 win/loss, 3.00 ERA, 169 strikeouts per season, and 175 IP per season (2). Those are pretty solid numbers; in fact they are better than pretty solid. Being able to potentially throw Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, and Matsuzaka out there as your rotation is exciting. Potential is the key word here. Papelbon is being converted from closer to starter and may have a tough time dealing with a starter workload. Beckett had trouble adjusting to the AL, and he has been in the majors for a few years now. It won’t be easy for Matsuzaka.

Obviously Japanese baseball is not at the same level as American baseball, although I feel it is closer than people think. Small ball is played a lot more in Japan then in the U.S. and the bottom line is most MLB players are bigger and stronger than most Japanese players, whether legally or not. The other factor for Matsuzaka is that there is always an adjustment period for any foreign player. There is culture shock, a language barrier, and sudden stardom to deal with. I can only imagine how tough all that is going to be, not to mention pitching in the Major Leagues.

Assuming the Red Sox did in fact post the high bid and can work out a deal with Matsuzaka, it could be a huge blow to their prime rivals, the New York Yankees. The simple fact that the Red Sox outbid the Yankees is a moral victory in and of itself. When it comes to high profile free agents the Yanks and Sox are always at the top of the heap. Anytime one can take a free agent away from the other, it is twice as sweet. At worst the Sox could sign him and trade him to anyone but the Yankees.

There are some risks that come with the Matsuzaka bidding victory. This guy has pitched a ton in his career, and early in high school. In a high school game he threw 250 pitches in a 17 inning game. He then played outfield and recorded a save the next game. Long term durability is a problem I could see coming up. Although scouts have said he is a top of the rotation guy I have my doubts. To me he is a solid 2-3 guy, but will be making number one money. This may not bode well for the free spending Sox. 42 million dollars is a lot of money. And with Scott Boras as his agent (notorious for getting players a lot more money) the Red Sox may end up paying through the nose for an unproven prospect. A few names to consider: Hideki Irabu, Byung Hyun Kim, and Hideo Nomo.

The Daisuke Matsuzaka sweepstakes is the biggest story of the baseball off-season thus far. It has everything: international flavor, high powered bidding wars, and a pitch that may or may not be real. It will be very interesting to see how this whole thing unfolds. If the gyroball and the man who can/cannot throw it, is for real.




(1) Random facts courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisuke_Matsuzaka
(2) Stats from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2660428

The Picks: Week 10

San Diego Chargers (-1) at Cincinnati Bengals
These are the same Chargers with LT right? One lousy point? The Bengals season dies today.

Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts (-13)
A Colts regular season game against a cup cake? Put it in the books no matter how high the line is.

Denver Broncos (-9) at Oakland Raiders
The Raiders are so god awful there is no way they will lose by less than nine. They might not even score a point for the second straight week.

Chicago Bears (E) at New York Giants
This is a tough game. Rex Grossman is finally himself again, throwing 3+ interceptions a game. The funny thing is the Bears are still in games in which they turn the ball over 5-6 times. The Giants are banged up, most importantly Strahan. Chicago in a close one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+10) at Carolina Panthers
Could Carolina be the most overrated 4-4 ever? I think so. People are still holding on to their pre-season Super Bowl predictions involving Carolina. After this week I think the nail will be in the coffin.

Last Week: 2-3
Season: 18-23-4

The Picks: Week 9

Patriots/Colts tonight. Is there anything better? This has been a great first half of the NFL season. A couple surprises (Rams, Bears, Chiefs) and even more disappointments (Dolphins, Cardinals, Seahawks). It's only going to get better from here.

Denver Broncos (-2-1/2) at Pittsburgh Steelers
I guess everyone still hasn't given up on the Steelers yet. Big Ben looks like a confused child playing quarterback. Get ready for this sentence Steelers fans: you're better off with Charlie Batch. The Broncos are for real even with Jake at QB. They are well coached, run the ball, and play very stout defense. They are coming off that tough loss against Indy, look for them to bounce back against the woozy Steelers.

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots (-3)
The game of the season. This will determine who represents the AFC in the Super Bowl. At 7-0 if the Colts win they would cruise to 14-2 or 13-3 and homefield throughout the playoffs. If the Pats win and go to 7-1, they would be in a dead heat with Indy for homefield. We all know the history of Indy coming to Foxboro. No one in their right mid would bet on Peyton in New England in January. The Colts run defense is terrible, this is the biggest weakness the Indy juggernaut has had in a while. Maroney (if he plays) and Dillon should run right at the Indy line for big gains. To me this game means more to the Patriots, they will rise to occasion and win a close game.

Atlanta Falcons (-6) at Detroit Lions
Vick has been playing inspired quarterback the past few weeks. He has been shutting up detractors by throwing very well as well as running the ball effectively. The Detroit defense is just what the doctor ordered to keep this going. They are 31st in points at 27 per and 29th in passing yards allowed at just under 238 per game. Vick should have a field day against the joke that has become the Lions.

Tennessee Titans (+10) at Jacksonville Jaguars
The David Garrrard era starts in Jacksonville, but for how long. The Jags defense is still great (2 shutouts at home in 3 games) but there is no way they are winning by ten, even against the Titans. Tennessee is coming off 2 straight wins and Vince Young looks like he is learning to run the team, even if he isn't putting up great numbers. This is a team for the future, not the present. All that said, I think they can cover.

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers (+5)
The enigma, wrapped in a puzzle, wrapped in a question that is the Vikings. One week they are only getting 2-1/2 against the 6-1 Patriots. The next they are giving away 5 to the 9ers. Here's the truth: the Vikings aren't that good. They are 2 field goals (one missed by the Redskins) away from being 2-5. The run defense is good, but the Pats threw the ball 90 times against them and blew them out. The Vikings could win on another field goal, but they won't win by more than five.


Last Week: 1-4
Season: 16-20-4

Why the NBA is King

For my money the NBA is the most exciting sport we have going right now. Don’t get me wrong, I love my football and baseball and follow them both closer than I do the NBA. But it is foolish to think that the NFL or MLB have as much going for them as the NBA does. We only need to look at this years yawn-fest World Series, where the only drama came because the cities the teams play in have great fan bases. The NFL has its problems too. There are a lot of really terrible teams and a few really good ones, with a strange grey area in between. Honestly, how many teams have a realistic chance at winning the Super Bowl? Maybe 5?

The NBA on the other hand is right on the doorstep of being the new golden age of basketball. We have amazing young stars in LeBron, Wade, and Carmello. One of which is going for his second ring. If any combination of those three met in the playoffs this season it would be guaranteed instant classic material. There is a huge population of still great veterans trying to lead their teams to championships. Dirk, Kobe, Pierce, Shaq, Kidd, McGrady, Billups, Iverson, Duncan, Nash, Carter, Amare, and Garnett among others. Then there are the rising stars that aren’t quite household names but are still great to watch: Andre Kirilenko, Chris Bosh, Gilbert Arenas, Ben Gordon, Chris Paul, and Shawn Marion. That’s about 20 legitimate stars playing for about 15 different teams. And that was off the top of my head. I can say this without any reservation: the NBA has the deepest talent pool of any of the three major sports. And it isn’t even that close. Even the “basement” teams have something to cheer for. Your Bobcats have Adam Morrison and Gerald Wallace. The Raptors have Bosh. Orlando has Darko, Jameer Nelson, and the monster that is Dwight Howard. Hell even the Knicks have Channing Frye and dunk champ Nate Robinson. Almost every team has some shimmer of hope, and that is a very good thing.

As slow as the NBA playoffs are (and it’s like glacier slow) no one can argue the best teams don’t come out on top. Keep your upsets for March Madness. I want the best teams playing for the championship at the end of the season. The Heat/Mavs series last season was a good, if not great one. But one thing is for sure: they were the two best teams when all was said and done. The Suns? Maybe. Detroit? You could make a case. But all in all I don’t think anyone was asking the question, “these are really the two best teams in the NBA?” I know I was when watching the Tigers throw away the World Series, the same series that an 83 win team (around .500) ended up winning. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for parity. I like the fact that the New York Jets are 4-4 instead of 1-7. Parity keeps things interesting and gives fans hope. But there is a fine line between parity and dilution.

Although the NBA has expanded quite a bit in the last 25 years or so and a lot of 40-45 win teams have a chance to make it to the playoffs they will be exposed in a seven game series. The NBA, more so than any other sport, rewards consistency in the playoffs. In the NFL you can get hot and string together four wins (not saying it is easy, but it can happen) like the Steelers in 2005 or the Patriots in 1986. A little luck, a few calls going your way, and next thing you know you’re in the Super Bowl. In the NBA you have to win four games. Every round. Upsets almost never happen beyond the first round because so much goes into winning an NBA game.

Back to the main point: talent. Is there any more marketable trio in all of sports (maybe ever) than LeBron, D-Wade, and Melo? They have almost universal appeal, everyone, everywhere loves to watch these guys play. You can’t say that about Jeter, Manning, Ortiz, Brady, or anyone else. I would absolutely pay money to watch LeBron play any team, not just my local Celtics. Would I pay to watch Peyton Manning throw against the Detroit Lions? No way. And don’t even get me started on the playoffs. LeBron vs. Wade in the East finals would be some Bird vs. Dominique or Jordan vs. the Pistons type stuff. Any given moment either guy could go off and drop 50-15-10 or nail some buzzer beater for the clincher. There is nothing like the dramatic face offs in the NBA. Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady is great, no doubt. But they never actually face each other in the game. Wade could stuff LeBron on defense, or LeBron could dunk one in Wades face. Brady isn’t going to pick off Peyton for a touchdown.

By my count there are at least 10 teams that have a chance to win the NBA championship. The usual suspects will be there: Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Heat, Cavs, and Pistons. That’s fine by me. Why wouldn’t I want the best teams competing at the highest level? There still great aren’t they? Even teams like the Bulls, Grizzlies, Pacers, Nets, Lakers, Clippers, and Kings have a chance. The NBA has managed to expand without diluting talent to the point of no return. Almost every single team has enough talent to contend. Can Pirates fans say that? What about Raider fans? And Browns fans? Devil Rays? Royals? I would take being a Knicks fan right now (shudder) over being a Royals fan in a heartbeat. There just not nearly as big a gap between the bottom and the middle in the NBA as there is between the bottom and the middle of baseball and football.

It’s not just LeBron and company. Can Kobe put up 100 points? Can Dirk get any better? How many insane passes will Nash make? Can the Heat repeat? How many balls will Ben Wallace send into the seats in Chicago? Will Ron Artest kill someone? Is Shaq going to hold up? What is up with that new ball everyone is talking about? There is just so much to follow and watch it’s dizzying. The 06-07 NBA season promises to be a great one. Even better than *gasp* football.

Wolf Eyes "Human Animal" review

Freshmen year I sat in on a music appreciation class. The one thing I took away from that class is the definition of music. Put in simplest terms music is tension and release. Taken literally this means that music can be almost anything.

Michigan band Wolf Eyes push the limits of what music is and what it can be. Most often placed in the vague “noise” genre Wolf Eyes uses abrasive white noise and long spans of silence along with screaming, garbled vocals to create an unnerving creepy sound.

“Human Animal” is the bands second major label release off of Sub-Pop, following 2004’s “Burned Mind”. “Human Animal” is a haunting and jarring album that is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

Wolf Eyes take tension and release as far as it will go. The band is at their best during longer tracks, where they can create a massive amount of tension and then explode. Wolf Eyes songs function somewhat like a good horror movie. You are constantly uneasy; never sure of what is around the corner.

It is difficult to break down “Human Animal” on a track-by-track basis. The songs blend together and could be listened to as one giant movement. In fact I would highly recommend only listening to “Human Animal” in its entirety, at least the first few times through. Not only does tension/release exist on individual songs, but on the album itself.

Stand alone tracks do exist though. “The Driller” has a disturbing high pitched whirr to it that befits the title. The song also showcases the best Wolf Eyes vocals, muffled screaming that sounds downright inhuman. The title track “Human Animal” drags you along, featuring heartbeat percussion and layer upon layer of terrible noises that come together to form an ugly piece of art. The closing track, “Noise Not Music” is a furious assault that clocks in at just over two minutes, the final exclamation of release.

No words can describe what Wolf Eyes sounds like. It’s painful, disturbing, ugly, coarse, dark, violent, and intricate. Wolf Eyes is a band, more than any other I have ever heard, that paints a picture with their music. What that picture is may be ugly and strange but it is undeniably there. Dismissing Wolf Eyes as noise is a mistake; they are music in its more pure and stripped down form.

“Human Animal” is a lot like abstract art, it is by no means for everyone and some people “just don’t get it.” But those who do swear by it and are rewarded with something very enjoyable.

Image courtesy of:
http://media.newtimes.com/49519.0.jpg

The Picks: Week 8

With Halloween looming I have less than 1 hour to do picks this week before I am away from my laptop for the weekend. Since I have been doing a lot of quick picks the past few weeks I decided this week to do the quickest of all. 3 words or less. Here it goes.

Houston Texans (+3) at Tennessee Titans
I heart Houston

Atlanta Falcons (+3-1/2) at Cincinnatti Bengals
Vick runs & throws

San Francisco 49ers (+16) at Chicago Bears
Huge line = cover

New Englad Patriots (-2-1/2) at Minnesota Vikings
Pats are better

Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints (-2-1/2)
Bush, Brees, Horn


Last Week: 4-1
Season: 15-16-4

The Picks: Week 7

Slept in this week, so quick picks this time around.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (+8)
With no Leftwich, the Jags will still probably win, but not by 8.

New England Patriot (-6-1/2) at Buffalo Bills
The Pats haved owned the Bills the past 3 years+, they can pretty much close the division out this week with a win.

Denver Broncos (-5-1/2) at Cleveland Browns
Too much Denver denfense and just enough offense. Another 13-3 kind of game.

Arizona Cardinals (-3) at Oakland Raiders
This makes no sense whatsoever. Do the handicappers think that the Bears game will have some sort of hangover effect on the Cardinals? Leinart looked great and the defense played well. The Raiders will lose, and by much more than 3.

Green Bay Packers (+6) at Miami Dolphins
Two bad teams, take the bigger points.


Last Week: 0-5
Season: 11-15-4

A letter to Gamestop

As everyone who knows me can attest to I am not a fanboy. I don't pledge my allegiance to any video game company. I own a PS2 and an Xbox. I grew up playing Sega Genesis and Nintendo/Super Nintendo. With the PS3/Xbox 360/Wii on the horizon or already here and me having little money, I had to make a choice. Up until last night I wasn't sure what I was going to do regarding the new consoles. Then I was informed that pre-orders for the Wii were starting this morning, October 13th. My decision was made, I had to go get a pre-order.

I have never waited in line for anything that wasn't movies or food. But after settling on the third Gamestop in Framingham I prepared to wait in line to pre-order a console. Not even buy it, pre-order it. After narrowly getting one of the last three pre-orders I left the Gamestop feeling pretty good. The whole trip only took about an hour and a half so I didn't feel that geeky afterwards. This feeling was short-lived.

Thus this letter was born. What first was a rant turned into a letter of complaint. I decided to send it to Gamestop. Anyone who reads this and pre-ordered a Wii (or PS3, all 5 of you) I encourage you to voice your concern to Gamestop. I doubt anything will change but maybe we can get some answers.




Dear Gamestop Inc.

To me a pre-order is putting money down for something in advance so that you are guaranteed to get one when it comes out. Your company apparently thinks differently. From Gamestop receipt: "As Gamestop cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer, the reservation deposit will only guarantee a spot in line when your reserved product becomes available. The reservation deposit does not guarantee receipt of a system available to purchase at launch." What this basically means is that I put down $50 to what? Guarantee a spot in line? To me this means: "You just woke up early, drove to our store, paid $50 a month before the system comes out so that someone who camps out 48 hours before launch gets it before you." Why did I get a pre-order again?

With most stores getting between 10-25 consoles not a lot of people are going to get them on November 19th. The people who waited in line to pre-order them should be the people who do. I am unsure as to whether or not this is standard procedure when pre-ordering consoles. And by standard procedure I mean screwing the customers who pre-ordered. It is absolutely inane to think that someone who doesn't have a pre-order can get the console before someone who does. Especially when they will be in such short supply initially. I shouldn't have to wait until the next shipment, that's why I paid $50.

Maybe I am overreacting. Maybe I will be able to walk into Gamestop on Sunday and get mine no problem. If so then I apologize. But something tells me that won't be the case. There were 10+ people waiting outside of all 3 Gamestops I went to this morning. I can only imagine what it's going to be like November 17th-19th. Call me crazy but the idea of sleeping outside of a store for 24 hours+ in the freezing cold to get something I pre-ordered a month ago seems a bit unfair. If it turns out that when I go to my local Gamestop on November 19th and leave empty handed, then not only will I never pre-order a console again from your stores, I will boycott Gamestop altogether and encourage all gamers I know to do the same.

Sincerely,
Jason Cook

The Picks: Week 6

Two wins, two pushes, and one lose. I can live with that. Of course the one time I pick the Colts, they choke. The worst part is they didn't even lose the game. Here we go, on to week 6.

Cincinnati Bengals (-5-1/2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay is terrible against the run, giving up 163 yards per game. Look for Rudi Johnson to have a big game against the aging Bucs defense. Tampa Bay has also had lots of trouble scoring this year, only getting 12 points per game, good for 30th in the league.

Buffalo Bills (-1-1/2) at Detroit Lions
The Lions are amazingly bad and the Bills are better than their record. Detroit does not even try to run the ball, they're 30th in the NFL at 60 yards/game. The Bills D should have a big game against the absent minded Jon Kitna. Especially when they don't have to worry about the run at all.

Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams (-3-1/2)
Without Shaun Alexander the Seahawks are going to have a tough day against a very good Rams defense. Meanwhile the Rams offense is kicking on all cylinders. They rank in the top 10 in both points and yards per game. Rams 27 Hawks 13.

New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons (-3)
Atlanta is taking the "run the ball and stop the run" creed to heart. They are number 1 in rush offense (234.3) and number 2 in rush defense (70.5). I look for them to run all over the Giants defense at home.

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-15)
At this point it should be illegal to pick against the Raiders, it's just too easy. If they score more than 1 point I will be utterly shocked. Plus the Denver D is really really good.


Last Week: 2-1-2
Season: 11-10-4

The Picks: Week 5

I am going home this weekend and I’m too lazy to bring my laptop. I am running low on time so this week’s picks will be quick.

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (-2-1/2)
McNabb and co. look great and I am unsure as to why the Cowboys are only getting two and a half.

St. Louis Rams (-3) at Green Bay Packers
How can the Rams, a 3-1 team, be even against the Packers, a 1-3 team? Rams will win by 7+.

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts (-19)
I think this is the easiest 19 point spread ever.

Pittsburgh Steelers at San Diego Chargers (-3-1/2)
After this week the Steelers can officially pack it in. LT will be too much and the defense will harass a seemingly injured Big Ben.

Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers (-8)
They may not be the Super Bowl team that everyone thought they’d be, but the return of Steve Smith is huge and this team should cruise against the Browns.

Last Week: 2-2-1
Season: 9-9-2

MLB 2006 Wrap-Up

I am going to do a real quick post-season prediction/regular season awards thing right now. I will get into more detail later (maybe), but I have classes and other dumb stuff so this'll have to wait. Since the playoffs start in about an hour I have to get these down or risk looking like a chump. So without further ado:

NL Cy Young- Brandon Webb, easy choice, top 5 in almost every major category. No other standouts.
NL MVP- Ryan Howard. Carried a terrible team to an almost playoff berth. Mammoth numbers across the board.
NL Rookie- Ryan Zimmerman. Not too tough a choice here, had a ton of clutch hits, 100 RBI's, played amazing defense and looks like a star-to-be. Honorable mention: Prince Fielder.

AL Cy Young- Johan Santana. They may have to re-name it the Johan Santana award if he keeps this up. Blew everyone else away, won the quadruple crown of pitching, only dominant starter in the playoffs.
AL MVP- Justin Morneau. Very tight here, I bought into this guy because he carried the majority of the load on an offense deficient team. Jeter shouldn't win it (leadoff type guys shouldn't win it unless there are insane circumstances), nor should Ortiz (team didn't make the playoffs).
AL Rookie- Justin Verlander. This was first Papelbons' to lose. Then Lirianos'. They both got hurt and Verlander just kept pitching. Along with other candidate Jared Weaver, there are some great looking young arms in the AL.

Padres over Cardinals in 5
Dodgers over Mets in 5
Yankees over Tigers in 4
Twins over A's in 3

Dodgers over Padres in 6
Twins over Yankees in 7

Twins over Dodgers in 6

Metal heavyweights Mastodon impress again with "Blood Mountain"

Heavy metal four-piece, Mastodon, have already established themselves at the top of the heap in their genre. The Atlanta based band unleashed their master work in 2004 with Leviathan, garnering a rare mix of critical and fan base appraisal. With two successful albums under their belts (2002’s Remission and Leviathan) Mastodon seems destined to become the new kings of metal. Follow-up records to very successful albums always spawn new problems. Do you stick with your tried and true methods? Try something different? Can it ever be as good as the previous album? Mastodon responds very well with Blood Mountain.
Blood Mountain is a concept album (an album that tells a story using the songs) with a fantasy theme. It boils down to a journey up a mountain in search of the Crystal Skull, encountering all sorts of strange creatures along the way. While all this sounds cheesy and contrived, the band manages to pull it off with style and skill.
Mastodon is a band featuring a staggering amount of talent. Brann Dailor is regarded as one of the best drummers in metal and showcases his skills on tracks “The Wolf is Loose” and “Colony of Birchmen”. His mastery of the drums is the backbone of the band and this album. Guitarist Bret Hinds and bassist Troy Sanders split vocal duty throughout the majority of the album. Sanders furious growls are offset by Hinds more traditional singing. This sound transitions so well it becomes almost impossible to discern between the duo. For those fans of blistering guitar riffs, have no fear. Mastodon does not skimp in the shred department. “Capillarian Crest” starts off with chugging guitars and then quickly turns into a tornado of scorching guitar solos from Bill Kelliher and Hinds. Mastodon is not all about speed though. The band has a penchant for acoustic arrangements (“Sleeping Giant”, “Pendulous Skin”) which adds another layer of depth to the bands sound without seeming out of place.
The first two tracks,” The Wolf is Loose” and “Crystal Skull”, are among the best and lead the album off in a big way. Other standouts include the epic “Colony of Birchmen”, a song that gets bigger as it goes on. “Capillarian Crest” is on the other end of the spectrum, featuring inspired guitar work and pure speed. If Blood Mountain has any weakness it is that it gets weaker as it gets towards the end. “This Mortal Soil” and “Siberian Divide” drone on and seem somewhat out of place. The first three minutes of the final track, “Pendulous Skin”, are very good. It is the unnecessary nineteen minutes of silence following that left me wondering.
Not since the golden days of groups like Slayer, Metallica, and Megadeth has there been this talented a metal band. While Blood Mountain isn’t the instant classic that Leviathan was it is still a great listen. This album takes you on a journey both musically and narratively, and does both very well. This is an instant buy for any fan of any sub-genre of metal or hard rock. Etch Mastodon in right next to the metal greats of past and present.


*This review appeared in the most recent issue of Framingham State College's newspaper The Gatepost. Even though it is just a tiny independent newspaper it is still my first published piece ever.*

The Picks: Week 4

Ugly week again, 1-3-1, the Bears couldn’t score one more lousy point to make it a more respectable 2-2-1. I am still treading water at .500 and can bounce back any week now. This is a very tough week, with only 1 double digit line as of 10:42 Thursday night. There should be a lot of close ones so here we go.

Cleveland Browns (-3) at Oakland Raiders
Oakland should be the first team in gambling history to always have a 7 point lead to begin with. Even if every starter on the Browns was injured, I still think they could win. Oakland is that bad. In all seriousness Cleveland played well last week, giving the Ravens all they could handle. The Browns should be able to dispatch the Raiders with relative ease.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears (-3-1/2)
Madden curse aside, I would’ve picked the Bears in this game. With Alexander out (barring some holy miracle he keeps talking about) the Bears should be able to shut down the high powered Seattle offense. Without Alexander the Seahawks become one dimensional and the Bears will prey upon that weakness.

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans (+4)
An almost even game against the Texans? Miami, this is your franchise. I was looking at David Carr’s numbers earlier tonight and they aren’t all that bad. 6 TD’s 1 INT 10 sacks and 6 fumbles (only 2 lost). He is actually playing alright, even with no breath of a running game or offensive line. The craziest thing is he leads the league in QB rating. This is utterly ridiculous. I wouldn’t be shocked if Miami won this game, but not by more than four points, they are just too inconsistent.

San Francisco 49ers (+7) at Kansas City Chiefs
The loss of Trent Green for at least two more weeks really hurts the spirit of this team. Even with LJ, how can a team expect to win with Damon Huard as their quarterback? Even though KC is real tough place to play, and LJ will probably run the ball 50 times thanks to Huard, I still see the niners covering.

San Diego Chargers (-3) at Baltimore Ravens
I have said all along that I am not a believer in Baltimore. McNair hasn’t been good, they have only played one good team (Tampa Bay, who isn’t really good anymore, but they were at the time), and they kick a lot of field goals. The Chargers dropped 40 on the Titans their last game and look very potent on offense. Linebacker Shawne Merriman terrorized Oakland a few weeks ago and looks like the second coming of LT. This San Diego team looks very good.

Last Week: 1-3-1
Season: 7-7-1

The Picks: Week 3

Alright I’ll admit it; my 5-0 start may have been somewhat of a fluke. 1-4 last week was pretty bad, but in my defense there were some really lopsided lines that I fell in love with. Thank god New Orleans came back to save me from a winless week. Here’s week 3.

Chicago Bears (-4) at Minnesota Vikings
To me, the easiest pick on the board. Chicago looks like a Super Bowl team, utterly dominating on defense and lighting up the scoreboard on offense. Will Grossman come crashing down to Earth? Probably, but he doesn’t have to throw 4 TD’s every game for the Bears to win. All he has to do is stay away from catastrophic mistakes (picks for touchdowns, fumbles.) and the Bears should cruise in this division. Meanwhile the Vikings have won their first two games on a fake field goal touchdown pass and a missed field goal by the Redskins. Don’t get me wrong, Brad Johnson looks like the game manager we all know he is, but the team did not look impressive in their first two games. They could easily be 0-2.

Atlanta Falcons (-4) at New Orleans Saints
Atlanta has steam-rolled opponents on the ground this year. Last week Dunn and Vick both ran for over 100 yards and have something like 260 rush yards per game this season. The Saints defense doesn’t exactly strike fear into anyone and will certainly have trouble stopping Vick and company. Atlanta’s defense has also played exceptionally well, especially cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Arguably the leagues best corner has the ability to shut down his side of the field, as shown by his two picks last week. New Orleans’ offense has looked good, with Bush and McCalister running the ball effectively. Brees showed guts against the Packers and looks like he is adjusting well to his new team. I just don’t think the defense will be able to contain Vick, both running and passing. Look for the Falcons to dominate on both sides of the ball.

Tennessee Titans (+11) at Miami Dolphins
This game promises to be an ugly one. Both teams are in disarray. Miami is having problems offensively; Culpepper seems lost and is making horrible decisions. Ronnie Brown has been alright at running back but he needs to produce more to take some pressure off of Culpepper. The Titans are a mess. With the Billy Volek controversy casting a cloud over the team and the Kerry Collins/Vince Young quarterback by committee, things just are not clicking in any way. Jeff Fisher needs to make a move, either Young (the future) or Collins (the present?) for this team to have any chance at winning a few games this season. Talent wise Miami should have no problem winning this game, but eleven points is far too many for a team this shaky.

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots (-7)
Denver has gotten off to a horrible start this year. When your team has a quarterback controversy after week 1, you are in trouble. Jake Plummer has played so terribly that fans and some media are calling for untested rookie Jay Cutler to take his spot. The defense and patchwork running game are still good, but scoring only one touchdown in two games is alarming. New England has played in two squeakers thus far, most recently narrowly surviving a Jets comeback last week. Corey Dillon and rookie Laurence Maroney have been a monster tandem on the ground, giving the Patriots a great running game to go along with Brady. With the Deion Branch business behind them the Patriots will win this game.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+7) at Indianapolis Colts
Maybe I am just in love the Jaguars after they obliterated the Steelers on Monday night. Or maybe it’s the fact that Byron Leftwich is the toughest QB in the NFL. Jacksonville’s defense is superb as usual, with Stroud and Henderson in the trenches, terrorizing opposing quarterbacks/running games. The backfield, led by Rashean Mathis, shut down Hines Ward and picked off two passes. Indy is very dangerous through the air and could put some points up against the Jags defense. Jacksonville always plays the Colts tough and I think they will win in a medium scoring game, 20-14.


Last Week: 1-4
Season: 6-4

The Picks: Week 2

I am on cloud nine from last weeks picks. Not only going 5-0, but also predicting a Chicago shutout of the Packers. Maybe I should put money on this....
On to the picks for week 2.

St. Louis Rams (-3-1/2) at San Francisco 49ers
I am going with the Rams again. I think the 49ers fooled everyone into thinking they are better than they really are with a good offensive performance last week. The niners should be getting at least five points in this game. St. Louis is going to be able to put up a good amount of points against the bad San Fran. Defense and should win easily.

New Orleans Saints (-1-1/2) at Green Bay Packers
New Orleans looked good in their opener; Reggie seems to be the real deal. Green Bay looked pitiful and I don’t get how they aren’t getting at least a seven point advantage every game they play. New Orleans should roll.

Cleveland Browns (+10-1/2) at Cincinnati Bengals
I like the Bengals as much as the next guy but 11 points is a lot to win by. Cleveland looks like they are going to play hard every game this year an make better teams work to win. Cleveland Cornerback Leigh Bodden will give Chad Johnson trouble and limit his effectiveness. They won’t win, but look for Cleveland to cover.

Houston Texans (+13-1/2) at Indianapolis Colts
Without James the Colts are a one dimensional team that has to put up 300+ passing yards to win. Can they do it? Of course, Peyton Manning is that good. Without a steady run game to control the clock it will be hard to win as much as they are used to. I just cannot envision them winning by 14 points against any team, even one as bad as the Texans.

Oakland Raiders (+a million) at Baltimore Ravens
Ok, so it’s actually +14, but that’s still a ton. The Raiders are a two win team, at best. They have a terrible defense and strictly deep ball offense lead by a dumb quarterback and even dumber coach. That said I am not in love with the Ravens as everyone else is. The defense looked very good against a good team, Tampa Bay. But is Ray Lewis really back? Can McNair hold up all year? This is a team with a lot of question marks. Mark my words, if the Raiders don’t cover I will never pick them again this season.


Last Week: 5-0
Season: 5-0

NFL 2006 Week 1: The Picks

It’s the opening weekend of the 2006 NFL season and I couldn’t be happier. Football is by far the best sport to watch on TV and is probably the most entertaining American sport period. I’ve decided to I am going to pick five games every week (using the lines from Bodog.com) and pick the winners. Let’s see how terrible I am gambling.

Denver Broncos at St. Louis Rams (+4)
The Broncos offense, lead by Jake the Snake, doesn’t scare me in the least. I know Shanahan is a rushing game genius, but Mike Bell is a bit of a stretch. The Rams on the other hand are getting four points at home, where they usually play fast and well. Steven Davis is a monster at running back and Torry Holt is a big play receiver. St. Louis will at least cover and I can see them winning outright.

Baltimore Ravens (+3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Steve McNair is far from his co-MVP form from a few seasons ago. But he is an upgrade from bust Kyle Boller. Baltimore’s defense is still very good, if getting older. Tampa Bay looks pretty good with Cadillac Williams eyeing 1500 yards and the defense is always in the top of the league. The reason I am picking the Ravens is this: Chris Simms. Simms is still growing and learning how to be a quarterback in the NFL. The Ravens secondary will capitalize on anything less than a perfect game from him.

Cincinnati Bengals (-1) at Kansas City Chiefs
This game is pretty much a dead heat in terms of the spread. Arrowhead is always a very tough place to go into and play and Palmers knee is still a big question mark. All things considered I think Cincinnati is still a very good team and extremely explosive on the offensive side of the ball. They have a top 5 receiver (C. Johnson) and a top 10 running back (R. Johnson) that will give the KC defense headaches all day. Larry Johnson is silly good and will probably have a huge game against the Cincy defense. This has all the makings of a shootout; I just think the Bengals have more firepower.

Philadelphia Eagles (-6 1/2) at Houston Texans
Bottom line here: Houston still stinks and will regret passing on Reggie Bush. I don’t see how the Eagles can’t win by double digits. McNabb will go crazy on this horrid defense, finding whatever receivers the Eagles have these days.

Chicago Bears (-4) at Green Bay Packers
Green Bay looks like a 2-3 win team to me. Brett Favre will have trouble in the pocket as well as finding open receivers. The Bears ground attack looks very good and their defense, stifling. Chicago seems to be the cream of the crop in this trashy division. As long as Grossman stays away from mistakes, I see a score in the neighborhood of 17-0.

Thoughts on all Things Awesome

The Red Sox just got their face handed to them on a platter by the Yankees. Death from Above 1979 broke up. It’s almost…football time. The new Daughters album is badass. Snakes on a Plane may be the best achievement in mankind’s history. Did I mention it’s almost football time?

Boston Massacre 06
In probably the most important series of the season for both the Red Sox and the Yankees, the Yankees flexed their muscle by sweeping the 5 game set. The first three games were blowouts (NY averaged 13 runs per game) and only the 3rd being remotely close. Captain Clutch Derek Jeter broke the hearts of Sox fans everywhere with a bloop hit to tie the fourth game; a game the Yankees would win 8-5. Figuring four out of five was good enough the Yankees sent out the B squad. No Damon, no Giambi, Jeter DH’ed, and the Red Sox only managed 1 run and lost 2-1.

Trailing 7 games in the AL East and 4 in the wild card, is the season over for the Red Sox? Absolutely not. Was this an important and subsequently heartbreaking defeat? Most definitely. The reality is there is still a month and change left in the season. Four more games with the Yanks, and three with the White Sox. A good showing in this west coast road trip can have them right back in the thick of things. Boston’s fate is in their hands.

RIP DFA
One of my favorite bands, Death from Above 1979, broke up last week. You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine was one of my all time favorite albums and seeing the band live was a great experience. I have never had to deal with a band I was a huge fan of break up. It is a strange feeling. At first I was really bummed out, no more music from a band I thought was very unique and talented. Only one full length to listen to. But then certain things were brought to my attention. The remix album Romance Bloody Romance was terrible, far worse than your crappy remix cd. What if the follow up to You’re a Woman was bad? There a numerous examples where a band peaks early, releases many more sub par albums, and just sticks around too long via the support of die hard fans. This can’t happen with DFA. Maybe it’s good they broke up, You’re a Woman will endure. Plus I can say I saw this really kickass band once.

Are you ready...?
Baseball may be Americas past time, but for my money, football is king. Even pointless, stupid preseason games have me giddy. The fantasy football league is assembling. I may even buy the new Madden game for the first time ever. The bottom line is football is the most entertaining sport in America. Best on TV, best fantasy sport, and best to gamble on (so I hear…)

Hell Songs
In happier music news the Providence band Daughters have finally released their new album Hell Songs. I have seen this band live three or four times, listened to the old album Canada Songs to death over the past two plus years, and have waited at least a few months since the announcement of Hell Songs for it’s release. Daughters are famous (not really famous but) for having songs that are very spastic, short, and furious. Someone once described them to me as “people masturbating on their instruments set to screaming”. I can get behind that. Needless to say I was pumped for the new cd. Second albums are always tough for bands. Do you go “ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and stick with what made the first cd good, risking people saying your sound is stagnant or boring? Or do you go crazy and make a whole new sound, risking alienating fans? Most second albums fall somewhere in between. I would say Daughters went with option number B. Hell Songs sound is much more focused and sustained, with songs pushing a whole 3-4 minutes. The heavily distorted guitar is still there as well as droning bass. Vocally the band seems to have gone in a whole new direction. The notorious unintelligible screaming is nowhere to be found. Instead there is a quasi-Elvis/Danzig quality to the vocals. A sort of southern drawl that one part singing, one part spoken word. Die hard grindcore fans who loved Canada Songs may not enjoy Hell Songs as it is quite different sounding. Fans of the band will find a lot of things to love in this album. It is great to see a band change sounds and keep core fans happy. A very solid follow up that can still kick some ass.

SoaP, the new spelling of God
Hype is an amazing thing. So is a hilarious title. Snake on a Plane is probably the most hyped movie I can think of since Star Wars, tons of fan sites, a star (Sam Jackson, the man) who is laughing about it as much as we are, a ridiculously insane “plot”, and terrible CG effects. This is a B+ movie that I am still shocked made it to major theatres. This is a joke right? Kind of, that’s what makes it great. I was very against any form of cheering/screaming/clapping during movies, until Snakes. When Sammy L belts out the famous fan-suggested line: “I am sick and tired of these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane” if you don’t clap, cheer and laugh, congratulations, you have no soul. Rocky Horror was well before my time, but I can easily see this being the midnight movie my generation goes to see ready to throw things at the screen and chant every one-liner. If you haven’t seen it, do everything in your power, including quit your job and family, to go see it.

Your Typical MLB All Star Rant

The 2006 All Star teams are set. As is tradition around this time I have to talk about the insane amount of snubs caused by the ridiculously flawed fan voting system. Random aside: the only time the word snub is used by any normal person is during the all star break and the Oscars, tragic as snub is a great word. This season, like most others, Red Sox and Yankees nepotism reigns supreme. At least five of the nine starting positions will be filled by either a Yanks or a Sox player. Ortiz, A-rod, Jeter, Manny, and Loretta, will be starting this years all star game. This is criminal. Jim Thome, Travis Hafner, Joe Mauer, Jose Lopez (a late addition for Cano), and Vernon Wells are just some of the position players who were left off the team totally or relegated to back up status. How Joe Mauer who is batting .392 is not starting is so mind boggling I almost fainted writing this. Let me repeat that: the guy is almost batting .400 and he is not starting the all star game.

The American League pitching staff could be worse in terms of idiocy than the position players. Francisco Liriano (9-1, 1.99 ERA), up to this point, is not on the all star team. People in Minnesota must be really lax about voting, either that or Bud Selig shredded all the votes when his attempt to relocate the Twins failed. Or maybe people are just morons. Possibly the dumbest “rule” in baseball, the one-player-from-every-team rule reached an all time high this season. Mark Redman of the Kansas City Royals (5-4, 5.59 ERA) made it over Curt Schilling (10-2, 3.54) Mike Mussina (9-3, 3.17 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) and the aforementioned Liriano. If Redman has any self respect he will decline to attend the game and let someone who deserves the spot go. If he doesn’t I implore every fan to boo him until they are hoarse. Justin Verlander (10-4, 3.13) of Detroit is on the last man standing ballot. But his teammate Kenny Rogers (10-3, 3.72 ERA) made the team. Verlander, at 23, deserves to go and may never get another chance at an all star game. The Gambler has already been to 4 and he’s old. When the numbers are that close, go with the kid.

Since the National League is so terrible, it was much easier for the right guys to get voted in. Guys like Carlos Lee, Jason Bay, Dan Uggla, Freddy Sanchez, and Matt Holiday all made it. They aren’t superstars by any stretch, but good players who are putting up great numbers. There is no way these small market heroes would have even been thought about for the AL team. That’s how bad the NL is. Despite the starting lineup being very Met top heavy (four starters, five if you include the fact that Glavine will probably start) they are by far the best NL team and probably deserve it. I would like to see the kid from Atlanta, McCann to start as well as Arizona’s Brandon Webb (leads MLB in complete games, innings pitched, and is second in ERA) but that won’t happen unless some people drop out. Brad Hawpe is the only semi-snub I can come up with. Andruw Jones with his .275 average could be replaced by him, but with two Rockies already in the game that won’t happen. Nomar should win the last man standing vote if only because there is not a person on this planet who would think he would in the top five in batting average. And it is probably his last hurrah. But in reality Abreu probably deserves it more.

In summation the NL is so god awful that the screw ups were minimized. The AL is so stacked and Yanks/Sox-centric that a lot of good, young players from smaller market teams got the short end of the stick. No other sports all star game is this flawed. I understand that this is a “game for the fans” but when you give home field advantage in the World Series to the winner the fans shouldn’t have such a huge hand in the decision making. This is the All Star team, not the All Popular team.

Closers Folly

It’s the bottom of the 8th; your team is down by one run on the road. The opponent is threatening with men on the corners and one out. Your 4-5-6 hitters are due up in the top of the ninth, keep the deficit at one and you’ve got a punchers chance. A three run home run later, the game is out of reach. The Boston Red Sox faced almost this exact scenario a few nights ago while playing the Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox lost that game. Julian Tavarez gave up a three run home run to Magglio Ordonez that quickly put the game on ice. But it wasn’t Julian’s fault. Or Magglios’, or Varitek’s, or anyone’s fault.

The closer is a relatively new “position” in baseball history. Someone realized that having a pitcher at the end of close games was very valuable in winning games. Eventually the save was invented to reward these end of the game specialists. Whether you agree with the save stat or not it is undeniably a huge part of the game today. When bullpens are struggling it is often because they “lack that end of the game guy” or “they’re going with the closer by committee”. The Red Sox lost that game in Detroit not because they don’t have a legit closer (Papelbon) but because they refused to use him in a “non-save situation”. Ludicrous.

Picture the same scenario as above. Men on the corners with one out, you’re down by one, and you have some power due up next inning. It is completely asinine to think that this is not a game saving situation. Your best reliever this season has been Jon Papelbon, lights out, striking out guys, getting infield pop-ups, he has been untouchable all season long. As manager it is your job to maximize your chances to win every game. Bringing in Papelbon in the *gasp* 8th inning and keeping the game within reach maximizes your chances to win. Period. Terry Francona is by no means totally responsible for this decision, or lack there of. He is just the most recent in a long line of managers following the ideology and mentality of baseball today. “This isn’t a save situation? I am not going to even think of my closer”.

Let’s look at this from a different perspective. You are the manager of a team. You are up by one in the 8th and the bases are loaded. Your team is up and it is the bottom third of your lineup. You have a very good pinch hitter sitting on the bench. This is a no brainer, you clearly pinch hit to try and score some insurance runs. This gives you the best chance to win. Why is this not true of bullpens and particularly closers? In my mind any critical late (after the 7th inning) game circumstance, leading or trailing, involving your bullpen should go to your ace closer. Maybe I am crazy and would have my closer appear in 80 games and only have 30 saves. But I do think that Papelbon would’ve kept that lead at one. Save be damned.

The game today is driven by numbers. With all the media coverage, a myriad of sports writers, and the ESPN nation, numbers are thrown at us from all directions. We all want the next home run champ, Cy Young winner, MVP, or next all time great player. In a perfect world managers should be immune to this but that is impossible. If it was possible then Francona would have put Papelbon in and who knows, maybe they go into the 9th down by only one run. The save probably needs to be re-thought and maybe even broadened. Setup men get nothing and probably face as many “game saving” situations as the closer does.

As a manager it is your job to maximize your chances of winning. If bringing in your closer in the 8th inning while trailing, to preserve your chance to win the game will do that, then you should without question do it.

How Fantasy Sports Have Made me Into a Better Fan

A while back I wrote an entry detailing the shortcomings of fantasy sports, baseball in particular. I said to myself “how can I bash something I find so amazingly entertaining?” So the following was born: why fantasy sports are God’s gift to the modern sports fan.

One cannot, I repeat cannot, be a real sports fan without some fascination with numbers. 50 home run seasons, .300 averages, 40 touchdown seasons, 30 point-per-game averages, these are all numbers regular fans at least know about. Fantasy sports takes numbers to a whole new level. Until I played fantasy sports I had no clue what OPS, SLG, and WHIP meant in baseball. Or player efficiency rating and assist to turnover ratio for basketball. Now I find myself looking at ground ball to fly ball ratios, K and BB/9 innings, VOPR ratings, and other insanely comprehensive stats cooked-up by the guys over at baseballprospectus.com. If I was 1/10 as interested in high school math as I was in Coco Crisp’s outfield range rating I wouldn’t be the basic college math class.

In my previous entry on this topic I spoke of how in extreme cases you one can find oneself rooting for a sworn enemy. There is of course a flipside to that coin, and that is knowledge of other teams. In the “real” sports world you root for your team, whether it be home or former home, and maybe a few others at most. You check the paper for the scores of your games and maybe the standings to see who’s good. The fantasy world is much deeper.

Three years ago if you asked me to name 5 players on the Colorado Rockies there is no way I could do it. This year, I know the whole lineup and the crucial stats of the top 3-4 guys on the team (Brad Hawpe is a beast). Being an east coaster I had zero interest in those crazy left coast teams playing at 10:30pm. Now Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks is my ace starter and probably the reason the Grundle Kickers are in 4th. Everyday I have a vested interest in the box scores of every game, seeing who is heating up, slumping, who got shelled, and who threw a complete game. A few weeks ago I found myself watching the Yankees/Rangers game, despite the fact I hate the Yankees and could really care less about the Rangers. But I had Damon, A-Rod, and Teixera starting that game and had a legitimate reason to watch. When a Red Sox fan like me can cheer for guys like Dan Uggla, Jason Bay, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Lee that is something truly wonderful.

A lot of people have the image that all fantasy sports players are gamblers and the only reason they are so interested is that they can win money. I mean honestly why else would anyone like horse racing? My friends and I don’t put a single penny down and yet we still talk about how each other are doing on a daily basis, make fun of unfortunate injuries, mull over trades for days, and curse good performances by players we don’t have. It makes for great sport conversation, outside of the “did you see the Sox game last night?”

If you are on the fence about fantasy sports, talk to your crazy fantasy sports friends and join up some season. You’ll learn more about the game(s) you love, broaden your fandom, and have a lot of fun while doing it.

Witness

We had seen this before. Detroit gets complacent and they drop a road game to a vastly inferior team. Up 2-0 in the best of seven series against the young upstart Cavs, the Pistons let one get away from them on the road in Cleveland. This happened against Milwaukee in the previous round and Detroit flexed their muscles in game four. But Milwaukee doesn’t have the chosen one, the king, LeBron James.

Down 2-1 and coming off a great performance (21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists) LeBron was facing yet another obstacle, another Rasheed Wallace guarantee. Never one to bite his tongue, Rasheed guaranteed a win against the hapless Cavs. Rasheed busts out these "guaranSheeds" at least once during the playoffs, and his Pistons are 3-0 when he promised victory. Were 3-0.

Not a single person, myself included, thought that the Cavs would put up much of a fight against the well-oiled machine that is the Pistons. One game, maybe. LeBron could have some virtuoso game where they squeak out a win. But any more than that? Not a chance. The Pistons are too good, too focused, and too experienced to let the lowly Cavs scare them on their way to the NBA Finals.

Fast forward to before game 4. With the guaranSheed in place and the game three loss fresh in their minds, everyone thought the Pistons would respond with a commanding victory. LeBron James had other thoughts. He wouldn’t go down like this, not in his first playoff appearance. He wasn’t just going to take his beatings and call it a “learning experience”. LeBron wanted to win, to prove everyone wrong. Not in a Kobe way, in a Jordan way.

The Nike ad campaign insists we are all witnesses. LeBron is proving it. 22 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, and a 2-2 series tie later, I am a witness. Sure it wasn’t his best game statistically, going a measly 8 for 23 from the field and almost detrimental 5 for 10 from the free throw line but it was his best game so far in his young career. LeBron even admitted he wasn’t having a good night against “the leagues best defense” and “had to trust my teammates”. He becomes more Jordan-like as these playoffs go on. At 21 years old.

With exciting young players like Dwayne Wade, Carmello Anthony, Josh Howard, and Chris Bosh coming into their own from the 2003 draft class it is an exciting time in the NBA. But the man at the top of that draft, LeBron James, is the face of the NBA and the leader of the new golden age in basketball. He may not win a title this year; he might not even get out of this round, much less push it to seven games. But the win tonight against the Pistons is proof that we are all witnesses.

E3 Retrospective

The 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, has come to an end. Now I will admit I haven’t been into E3 until this year, but I can say that it was one of the best ever. And I wasn’t even there. Thank God E3 isn’t any longer than 3 days because I have finals to focus on and it was exceptionally hard to do while all this was going on. Any dork worth their salt knows that Nintendo stole the show this year, blowing everyone away with the sheer coolness of the Wii. But how did everyone else do?

Nintendo-Best in Show

There was already a steady buzz goin around about the Wii before E3. I mean even Time Magazine had an article about it. E3 took that buzz and turned it into absolute frenzy. Actually seeing the Wii in action made many non-believers (including myself) take notice that Nintendo seems to be really onto something. The motion controls seem intuitive (from the many things I have read) and the graphics look pretty nice, at least better than the GameCube. But above all this thing looks fun to play. Seeing that lucky sap playing Wii Tennis with Miyamoto, Iwata, and Reggie was something to behold.

With proven franchise launch titles, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Wario Ware Smooth Moves, Nintendo will almost assuredly have the best launch line-up of the three major companies. With games like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Brothers Brawl coming soon after Nintendo’s new console seems very promising in terms of hit games. The Zapper peripheral and the old school controller only added to the innovation that the Wii brings with its controller.

Everyone wanted to know how much the Wii was going to cost and exactly what Nintendo was going to do with its internet service. It’s interesting that these two seemingly large question marks were left unanswered and Nintendo still stole the show. We do know it will be available sometime in November and for less than the Xbox 360 was. If the Wii sells for $199-$249 range look for it to seriously compete with Sony and Microsoft. I know I am pre-ordering one and probably camping outside of Best Buy to get mine.

PC-Runner Up

I don’t know anything about PC gaming. The last game I played on a PC was Age of Empires II, which kicked ass. One thing I do know is that the best game at E3, Spore is going to be on the PC. From the creator of Sim-City and a bevy of other God-games, Will Wright, Spore looks like an absolutely amazing game. I could go in depth about this game but I would suggest just reading about it on IGN or Gamespot. In short it looks truly amazing and revolutionary, not to mention really cool. This may be the first PC game I have bought in 5 years. PC also got a very slick looking game, Crysis, from the people who brought us Far Cry. This game is an orgy for the eyes. You can shoot down the trees in it! It was by far the best looking game graphically at E3, but we’ll see if there’s a brain to go with that pretty face.

Microsoft-Place

Microsoft was the red-headed step child of this year E3. No new shiny hardware to show off. They had to live in the shadows of Nintendo and Sony this year. Microsoft took this role and ran with it. The 360 unveiled some very good looking new games, Gears of War, 99 Nights, and Bioshock. But Microsoft didn’t neglect their flagship franchises showing off, Splinter Cell Double Agent, DOA Xtreme 2, and GTA 4. But what really summed of this year for Microsoft was a two-and-a-half minute trailer for a game called Halo 3. Microsoft could have just shown this and said “that’s all we got!” and I don’t think anyone would mind. The trailer showed no game play but is said to be running in real time on the 360. If you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it. It is just really exciting to see Master Chief in action again. No word on the rumored price drop but the 360 looks very strong for this holiday season.

DS-Hustle Award

Nintendo has had a stranglehold on the less popular handheld market since the original Gameboy. The DS, designed to be a niche device, has exploded and dominated across the globe. At E3 2006 Nintendo announced a plethora of exciting titles coming to its little portable machine. Yoshi’s Island 2 (long overdue sequel to one of the best games ever), Legend of Zelda the Phantom Hourglass, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Starfox DS, and Kirby DS are all coming to the DS. Nintendo has really shown that they want to get their proven titles onto the DS in some form, which is great for owners of the worlds best handheld.

The unveiling (at least in the US) of the DS Lite, a sleeker, prettier version of the original, was also good for Nintendo. With the DS Lite and a large amount of great looking games coming to the system we may see sales climb like they have in Japan. I don’t think anyone expected the DS to have such a good show as they did. How could it be as exciting as the Wii? The DS was the pleasant surprise of the show and packed a lot of punch into a small dual screened package.

Sony-The Public Enemy Award (Don’t believe the hype)

Sony had to be the odds on favorite to have the best showing this E3. Microsoft, their biggest competition, had no hardware to show and little excitement behind surrounding their camp. Nintendo would do well, if only because of fanboy support, but is still far behind you in terms of sales. Even though Sony dropped the bomb of their console being $600 they could’ve still overcame that with some killer games. The list of most exciting games for Sony is a short one: Final Fantasy XIII (and its 3 iterations), Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance: Fall of Man, Warhawk, and Heavenly Sword. Among those two were just trailers (FFXIII and MGS4). Apparently stealing a page from the Nintendo playbook, Sony revealed a surprise, a motion sensitive controller. The good is that this controller is an updated version of the classic dual-shock controller. The bad is that Sony whipped this together at the last minute and therefore couldn’t have the rumble feature cooperate with it. Sony just had an overall poor showing at E3, though it might not have been as bad if everyone else wasn’t so great. I understand Sony is marketing the PS3 as “a multimedia entertainment device” but $600 is a lot of scratch, especially to us poor gamers.

At this point in time at least 70% of gamers are going to own a Wii or a 360 in the coming months. I would be utterly amazed if someone is so loyal that they would rather spend $600 on a PS3 instead of $250 or $300 (if the price drop is true) for a Wii/360 respectively. You can almost get both consoles for the price of one PS3, or one console and a ton of games. This years E3 was very exciting and the best I have ever seen. I look forward to the months following the summer, when the new age of gaming is finally upon us.