NHL 13

The NHL series by EA Sports has always been one of my favorite video game series even though I really did not grow up a hockey fan. Living in the South, hockey was not exactly shown a lot on TV and I knew nothing about it. NHL 13 is fast paced and realistic and I love the new GM Connected mode. It is also much more of a challenge this year. I really have to work my ass off throughout the course of the game. Not every pass is completed, not every shot goes in or is on line, and I just really enjoy playing it. When it comes to video games, that is the key for me. If it is not any fun, I quickly lose interest. As far as video games go, there is nothing cooler than hearing a slapshot ring off the post, getting a deflection past the goalie, slamming a rebound thru the five hole, or winning a big fight against their tough guy.

The New York Yankees

I am part of that population of baseball fans that can't stand the New York Yankees. I love to see them lose. The best team that money can buy got swept by the Detroit Tigers. Evidently it cannot buy them another World Series title. Justin Verlander is a beast on the mound. I am sure when the time comes, the New York Yankees will try to buy him. The Detroit Tigers have a lot of homegrown talent. I am a lifelong Dodgers fan but I love to see teams win with players that came up through their minor league system. Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera were big acquisitions for the Tigers and a little bit out of character. They were also the driving offensive force behind the Tigers offense. The vast majority of the players came up through the Tigers system. Their starting pitchers are almost all homegrown. They took these players and a smattering of free agents and swept the New York Yankees with ease. The benching of Alex Rodriguez during the series and the internal strife that it caused was an added bonus. It reminded me of Dave Winfield in the 1980's.

Things I Learned About College Football This Weekend

I learned several things about college football this weekend. I think Oregon and West Virginia should have to play each other in the National Championship game just to see how many points would be scored. West Virginia beat Texas 48-45 and Oregon beat Washington 52-21. These were both nationally ranked opponents. I also think that the Heisman Committee should just go ahead and give the Heisman Trophy to Geno Smith, the QB from West Virginia. He's got the numbers and his team has the national ranking to back up my claim that he is the best player in the nation. I also learned that the South Carolina Gamecocks are good and this is probably the best South Carolina team they have had since George Rogers led the way in the late 1970's-early 1980's. They have arguably the best RB in the nation, Marcus Lattimore (provided he can stay healthy), and a QB Connor Shaw who poses a dual threat as a runner and a passer. They beat the #5 Georgia Bulldogs 35-7 with an ease that was almost scary for their future opponents. Steve Spurrier may be a jackass but at least he is a funny jackass. Alabama is still #1 in my ratings but they play boring "old man football" that is very beatable. #3 Florida State and #4 LSU both lost this weekend but it will hurt LSU far worse because they play in a much tougher SEC.

Bad Calls Are Not Limited To One Sport

The Wild Card game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves last night featured a call that, once again, could have gone either way. I have never really understood the Infield Fly Rule anyway because that is all dependant on whether the fielder catches the ball or not. The fielding team is basically given an out free of charge. The ball fell in between the two St. Louis fielders with Braves runners on first and second. The ball was far enough in the outfield to where the Infield Fly Rule probably should have not been called. It is also supposed to be called early on in the play. The umpire clearly had his hand up signifying an out as the St. Louis Shortstop is backing up on the play. The ball fell to the ground and the Braves runners advanced to second and third but they now had two outs rather than bases loaded and one out. It was the bottom of the eighth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals were leading 6-3. Lost in the outrage over the call was the fact that the Braves were having a bad game. The call was not the deciding factor in the game. The Braves had made three throwing errors leading to four unearned runs for the Cardinals. Braves Shortstop Andrelton Simmons was called out on runners interference going to first base on a bunt attempt. The Braves had their chances but did not come thru in the clutch. That one blown call did not decide the outcome of this game. That pretty well summarizes the Braves playoff history with the exception of one year in 1995. It is a sad end to the career of Chipper Jones, but his career has spanned the Braves playoff failures.

The Steal

The sports world is abuzz after the ending of the Monday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. Golden Tate was awarded posession on a ball thrown into the end zone by Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Green Bay DB Jennings grabbed the ball first and Golden Tate reached in before they hit the ground with the Referee standing right over the top of them. They both had their hands on the ball. Jennings had it clutched to his chest. Tate had both hands on the ball. Its "dual posession" not "who has the most posession." The reaction of the Announcers, Jon Gruden and Mike Tirico, was very interesting. I recorded the game and have replayed that play I don't know how many times. Mike Tirico says "Fought for by Tate with Jennings! Dual Posession! Who has it?! Who are they going to give it to? Touchdown!" The referees were in disagreement. One signaled touchdown and the other one signaled for a timeout. Jon Gruden immediately questioned the call but they both had posession of the ball when they fell to the ground. Golden Tate did push off, their is no doubt about that. I wonder what the sports world would have said if the situation was reversed and it was the Packers that was awarded the TD on the catch rather than the Seahawks. I doubt it would have made every TV show in the nation and debated for an entire week. I also doubt Jon Gruden would have been "sick" about it.

Madden 13

I bought my copy of Madden 13 for the PS3 the day that it came out but I am just now really get it cranked up. I had heard so many revolutionary things about it and how great it was (I was really disappointed in last year's edition) and I couldn't wait to try it out. It is every bit as good as they said it was. The graphics and gameplay are unbelievable and I have just now started the GM Connected mode. I am still exploring all of the possibilities to that and I can't wait to see what all it can do. The only thing that I was really disappointed in is that you cannot download your draft classes from NCAA 13 into Madden 13. I loved that feature. I would go thru my draft picks and research the players to see who I was actually getting especially if they were identified only by a number. The "generic" draft will not be as good but it will be interesting to see how the scouting process works.

King Felix

Felix Hernandez's perfect game against the Tampa Rays was beyond description. Most perfect games and even no-hitters that are thrown are rarely 1-0 gems. I watched Hernandez beat the New York Yankees by the same 1-0 score about a month ago. He might be the best pitcher in baseball but no one will ever know because he plays in Seattle. Tampa pulled out all the stops. King Felix definitely earned this perfect game. Manager Joe Maddon of the Rays was out arguing balls and strikes in the 7th inning. Some of the experts said it was gamesmanship on his part to try to throw Hernandez off his rhythm. The Rays also tried bunting in the ninth inning, a baseball taboo. Baseball tradition states that you should get a legitimate hit if you are to get one. Joe Maddon and the Rays are battling for a playoff spot and trying to win a game against a not so good Mariners team. Tradition and the unwritten baseball rules go right out the window. Everybody plays to win. That unwritten baseball rules trumps all others.