The NFL and NBA are currently in crunch mode hoping to save their upcoming seasons. While the NFL looks to at least have a grasp on the situation, the NBA does not. It's not to say the NBA isn't full of smart people, but they just haven't made smart decisions.
There are currently a lot of teams not making money due to salary cap rules, notably the New Orleans Hornets (owned by the Association), the Charlotte Bobcats (the worst team in the league and owned by Michael Jordan). New Orleans isn't a bad team, but bad ownership took them from Charlotte to New Orleans under protest about a new arena in Charlotte, which the Bobcats got after the Hornets left. Now, the Bobcats have sold away all of their best talent for draft picks and unnamed players for the sake of saving a few bucks. The fans don't like the Bobcats. Why is that you ask?
A - The City Government approved tax money and land for the building of the Arena against the referendum was voted down by the tax payers.
B - Charlotte likes a winner, and the Bobcats have proven themselves to not be one
C - Charlotte loved the Hornets, and their absence left a hole in the hearts of fans
D - The Bobcats don't advertise at all
These four things have caused a maelstrom of problems for the team. It has caused them to be uninterested due to the Government's involvement, they stink, they're not the Hornets, and most importantly, most people don't even know they exist due to no local marketing campaign in either newspapers, radio, or television. It should be no wonder to anyone why the team doesn't have any support.
In addition, the selling off of the team's best players year in and year out only adds to the mantra that the team isn't a winner and never will be, the Los Angeles Clippers of the Eastern Conference if you will. While Michael Jordan was the best player in basketball history, he's most certainly one of the worst owners. Right now, it'd be better if he got back on the court instead of staying off.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Rise of the Natinals
The Washington Nationals have won 13 of their last 14, and have climbed out of the NL East basement into third, they are above .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2005 (their inaugural season) and are only 3.5 games out of the NL Wild Card. So why is it that Jim Riggleman resigned? Well, if reports are true, it's because of a contract dispute, one Riggleman didn't appreciate given all he's done for the team.
While I can agree that he's done really well for the team so far, quitting while riding a hot streak only hurts himself. If he toughed it out for the rest of the season and got fired, maybe after leading the club close to a .500 record or better, he would've easily landed a job somewhere else. However, quitting in the middle of the season makes him look weak and petty, even though the Nationals probably owed it to themselves to pick up his option. In addition, it will most likely hurt the Nationals in both the short and long term because of the lack of consistency at the managerial position. So in that regard he's really hurt everyone involved in the situation, and it won't help his career either.
While the Nationals look to old-time manager Davey Johnson to carry them through this season, one will always wonder what could have been with Riggleman? With Strasburg coming back next season as well as Bryce Harper likely being called up, it looks as if the Nationals might be on the cusp of a Playoff Run. Only time will tell, but it definitely won't be any thanks to Riggleman if and when it does.
While I can agree that he's done really well for the team so far, quitting while riding a hot streak only hurts himself. If he toughed it out for the rest of the season and got fired, maybe after leading the club close to a .500 record or better, he would've easily landed a job somewhere else. However, quitting in the middle of the season makes him look weak and petty, even though the Nationals probably owed it to themselves to pick up his option. In addition, it will most likely hurt the Nationals in both the short and long term because of the lack of consistency at the managerial position. So in that regard he's really hurt everyone involved in the situation, and it won't help his career either.
While the Nationals look to old-time manager Davey Johnson to carry them through this season, one will always wonder what could have been with Riggleman? With Strasburg coming back next season as well as Bryce Harper likely being called up, it looks as if the Nationals might be on the cusp of a Playoff Run. Only time will tell, but it definitely won't be any thanks to Riggleman if and when it does.
Friday, June 24, 2011
New Toys Distract Me
Yesterday I purchased a new toy, and it just so happens that I am attached at the hip with this new toy. While the word toy may sound a bit childish to you, saying consumer electronic device would probably confuse you more often than not. Yesterday after some saving I finally purchased a Black Nintendo 3DS from my local gaming emporium. All I can say is that after playing stuff like AR Games, Face Raiders, the Mii Plaza (Face Mii and Mii Puzzle), the free Pokedex 3D, and free (as of now) Excitebike I can say that I really enjoy it.
First and foremost are my concerns/complaints. I'm currently afraid to turn it off due to SpotPass, as turning on my system to find my software be lit up with Blue Dots (meaning new software) brings a smile to my face. It's a really interesting feature that's new to systems out there, but I'm sure it's on PC with patch logs and the like. The 3DS wants me to put the game back in to find out what my new prize is, and to be honest, it's working. So far it's kind of a pain in terms of lighting as well as battery life as I never seem to have enough light to use the AR cards, but that's more of a me problem. Finally, I wish the screen was a smidge bigger, but not as big as DSiXL, however this sits in my pocket nicely instead of bulging out.
In terms of the software I've used, even though piece-meal has been quite entertaining. The Mii Maker is entertaining, the AR games seem well put together, and the 3D effect works well enough as to not blind me. I've only played one real game so far and that's Dead or Alive Dimensions, which I really like despite hearing not much is new. As for the aforementioned Spot Pass, while it took me a while to figure it out, it works fine as constantly gives me new things to look forward to. It seems Nintendo finally got Wii Connect 24 to work.
So overall I'm pleased with the Product so far, and I can't wait for new stuff to come out for it. While a price drop may entice others to buy it quicker, I assure you it will be a worthy purchase.
First and foremost are my concerns/complaints. I'm currently afraid to turn it off due to SpotPass, as turning on my system to find my software be lit up with Blue Dots (meaning new software) brings a smile to my face. It's a really interesting feature that's new to systems out there, but I'm sure it's on PC with patch logs and the like. The 3DS wants me to put the game back in to find out what my new prize is, and to be honest, it's working. So far it's kind of a pain in terms of lighting as well as battery life as I never seem to have enough light to use the AR cards, but that's more of a me problem. Finally, I wish the screen was a smidge bigger, but not as big as DSiXL, however this sits in my pocket nicely instead of bulging out.
In terms of the software I've used, even though piece-meal has been quite entertaining. The Mii Maker is entertaining, the AR games seem well put together, and the 3D effect works well enough as to not blind me. I've only played one real game so far and that's Dead or Alive Dimensions, which I really like despite hearing not much is new. As for the aforementioned Spot Pass, while it took me a while to figure it out, it works fine as constantly gives me new things to look forward to. It seems Nintendo finally got Wii Connect 24 to work.
So overall I'm pleased with the Product so far, and I can't wait for new stuff to come out for it. While a price drop may entice others to buy it quicker, I assure you it will be a worthy purchase.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Political Futures
More polls are coming out this week showing resentment towards the Obama administration. This is due to a number of things, but as John Carville once said 'it's the economy, stupid.' And he's right for the most part. If the economy is doing well and there isn't a war going on, the Presidency is always decided by the economy. Right now, the United States is in a tough economic climate with higher prices on goods, a devalued dollar and high unemployment numbers.
If Obama wants to win re-election in 2012, he needs to hope for an economic miracle or that the Republicans put up a terrible candidate, or that candidate has a falling out with the public through some scandal. While Obama did get Bin Laden, most Americans have already forgotten that he did, and while he may remind them of that fact next fall, it will do little to affect the way they vote for President. Why? Because that's old news. If Obama waited until next October to do something like that, it would've been a slam dunk, no contest victory for him. But with a year and a half gap between the two, there's no way it will help him in the foreseen climate.
If Obama wants to win re-election in 2012, he needs to hope for an economic miracle or that the Republicans put up a terrible candidate, or that candidate has a falling out with the public through some scandal. While Obama did get Bin Laden, most Americans have already forgotten that he did, and while he may remind them of that fact next fall, it will do little to affect the way they vote for President. Why? Because that's old news. If Obama waited until next October to do something like that, it would've been a slam dunk, no contest victory for him. But with a year and a half gap between the two, there's no way it will help him in the foreseen climate.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
When it was announced that Arcade Edition would be coming as a DLC add-on for Super Street Fighter IV I immediately set aside the $20 to buy a points card for the 1200 point add-on. When I finally sat down to play my favorite fighting game of the generation again I was met with a patch that completely ruined the experience for me.
Arcade Edition adds a lot of new features to the core game: 4 new characters along with Endings for Arcade Mode. In addition, it adds some more Online Features such as more Replay Modes, the ability to follow players, and the ability to play in lobbies specifically made for Arcade Edition, as well as Super. The Arcade Edition Mode changes some of the characters as well, otherwise known as a balancing. Overall, it seems like a worthy pickup for the price. However, it's what those changes do that really send me over the edge on this one.
What Arcade Edition effectively does is break the game in favor of god characters, aka Yun and Yang. While it makes for some great buffs for Makoto, Fei Long and Hakan, it effectively neuters other characters like Guile, Ryu and Chun-Li. Unnecessarily so as well, since Super was already pretty well balanced. Taking Fei Long and Makoto from bottom tier to Upper Tier is a big stretch in my opinion, as it really just makes the game unbalanced and unfun. For offline players hoping for some achievements, they've effectively made Arcade Mode for this Edition a lot tougher, meaning spamming isn't as effective, and trying to get Evil Ryu and Oni on the highest difficulty a chore, even with Zangief, who is now almost useless against Seth, who by the way, you have to finish with a Super and/or Ultra in order to face either of them in addition to prerequisites. So if you're looking for achievements, Arcade Edition is a no go.
For the competitive Street Fighter player you really have no choice but to buy this add-on, and for that this review isn't for you since you already know how severe the changes have been. As for online play, Capcom has seemingly borked their netcode once again, so more inputs are dropped, meaning practice for competitive and casual play has also been hurt as a result. And this change is for everyone, not just the Arcade Edition mode.
In addition to these negatives, there aren't any Trials for these 4 new characters, making it harder to learn them and how to combat them in battle. Finally Capcom has stated that Costume Pack(s) will come later for them, so in essence, you're really not getting a complete package here.
So without an additional patch for balance changes that are desperately needed, Capcom has effectively ruined Street Fighter IV. In the meantime, I'll continue to play Super Mode since it's still extremely fun to play.
Score: 1 out of 5
Arcade Edition adds a lot of new features to the core game: 4 new characters along with Endings for Arcade Mode. In addition, it adds some more Online Features such as more Replay Modes, the ability to follow players, and the ability to play in lobbies specifically made for Arcade Edition, as well as Super. The Arcade Edition Mode changes some of the characters as well, otherwise known as a balancing. Overall, it seems like a worthy pickup for the price. However, it's what those changes do that really send me over the edge on this one.
What Arcade Edition effectively does is break the game in favor of god characters, aka Yun and Yang. While it makes for some great buffs for Makoto, Fei Long and Hakan, it effectively neuters other characters like Guile, Ryu and Chun-Li. Unnecessarily so as well, since Super was already pretty well balanced. Taking Fei Long and Makoto from bottom tier to Upper Tier is a big stretch in my opinion, as it really just makes the game unbalanced and unfun. For offline players hoping for some achievements, they've effectively made Arcade Mode for this Edition a lot tougher, meaning spamming isn't as effective, and trying to get Evil Ryu and Oni on the highest difficulty a chore, even with Zangief, who is now almost useless against Seth, who by the way, you have to finish with a Super and/or Ultra in order to face either of them in addition to prerequisites. So if you're looking for achievements, Arcade Edition is a no go.
For the competitive Street Fighter player you really have no choice but to buy this add-on, and for that this review isn't for you since you already know how severe the changes have been. As for online play, Capcom has seemingly borked their netcode once again, so more inputs are dropped, meaning practice for competitive and casual play has also been hurt as a result. And this change is for everyone, not just the Arcade Edition mode.
In addition to these negatives, there aren't any Trials for these 4 new characters, making it harder to learn them and how to combat them in battle. Finally Capcom has stated that Costume Pack(s) will come later for them, so in essence, you're really not getting a complete package here.
So without an additional patch for balance changes that are desperately needed, Capcom has effectively ruined Street Fighter IV. In the meantime, I'll continue to play Super Mode since it's still extremely fun to play.
Score: 1 out of 5
Monday, June 20, 2011
Computer Woes
It's been a long time, hasn't it? What have we missed? Memorial Day. E3. The NBA and NHL Finals. Oh, and my hard drive dying on me, forcing me to buy a new hard drive and completely re-install my operating system and compatible software. It's been magical, that's for sure.
But I thought I'd start off with sports and a congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Bruins for their Championship Runs. The Mavericks bested the Heat in 6 games, forcing Lebron James to criticize the people who are against him as well as the media for misreporting "the decision" over a year ago. If the media misreports something, I'm sure people will know about it earlier than 365 days. To say such a thing when his camp handled the entire thing is laughable at best. It just goes to show what kind of person James is, someone who wants to blame others for their obvious mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes, the Canucks have fans that live in their city. I've heard of riots before, but not after losing. Apparently Vancouver did this back in 1994 when they lost to the Rangers, but they weren't the home team then. It's sad to see a beautiful city like that get trashed by hockey fans. I'm sorry Vancouver, but you're not allowed to go on picnics anymore. At least not until you learn some table manners. Boston though, you guys are classy. Outscoring the Canucks 30+ to 8 in 7 games is classic. Your fans were obviously used to winning titles so they were too tired to riot. 4 titles in 6 years (Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins) is something special, too.
E3 happened, and Nintendo unveilved their new system. Microsoft announced Halo 4 and a Halo remake (Which looks terrible by the way). Sony announced that NGP would be the PSVita, and be $249/$299. Overall, it was nothing to write home about. My game of show had to be Skyward Sword though, as it sounds really cool.
But finally, onto my computer woes. I should've updated sooner, so I'm sorry for that. In the bustle of things it really puts my priorities elsewhere. I plan to update sooner rather than later. So until then, see ya!
But I thought I'd start off with sports and a congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Bruins for their Championship Runs. The Mavericks bested the Heat in 6 games, forcing Lebron James to criticize the people who are against him as well as the media for misreporting "the decision" over a year ago. If the media misreports something, I'm sure people will know about it earlier than 365 days. To say such a thing when his camp handled the entire thing is laughable at best. It just goes to show what kind of person James is, someone who wants to blame others for their obvious mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes, the Canucks have fans that live in their city. I've heard of riots before, but not after losing. Apparently Vancouver did this back in 1994 when they lost to the Rangers, but they weren't the home team then. It's sad to see a beautiful city like that get trashed by hockey fans. I'm sorry Vancouver, but you're not allowed to go on picnics anymore. At least not until you learn some table manners. Boston though, you guys are classy. Outscoring the Canucks 30+ to 8 in 7 games is classic. Your fans were obviously used to winning titles so they were too tired to riot. 4 titles in 6 years (Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins) is something special, too.
E3 happened, and Nintendo unveilved their new system. Microsoft announced Halo 4 and a Halo remake (Which looks terrible by the way). Sony announced that NGP would be the PSVita, and be $249/$299. Overall, it was nothing to write home about. My game of show had to be Skyward Sword though, as it sounds really cool.
But finally, onto my computer woes. I should've updated sooner, so I'm sorry for that. In the bustle of things it really puts my priorities elsewhere. I plan to update sooner rather than later. So until then, see ya!
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