A long forgotten feature from over a year ago. While it's been a while, I've been meaning to do these for the last couple of weeks. Since I have a severe case of writer's block today, and have for the past two weeks or so, I thought it'd be interesting to do some picks the final week of this NFL Season!
Detroit at Green Bay
- Green Bay wrapped up everything last week, and Detroit is playing for positioning. While the Packers need to heal their wounds a bit, I expect Aaron Rodgers to play at least a quarter to maintain his composure. The Lions will probably win this one going away to build their confidence against the Packers 2nd team for the 5th seed.
San Francisco at St. Louis
- San Francisco is in the driver's seat for the 2nd seed in the NFC, looking for a 1st round bye. A win here over a team that really doesn't want to win and hasn't wanted to win since the early stages of the season makes this an easy pick.
NY Jets at Miami
- The Dolphins are playing tough, but the Jets need a Playoff spot. I expect the Jets Defense to hold back the Miami Defense just enough so the Jets win and hope for a miracle involving Cincinnati, Oakland and/or Denver.
Chicago at Minnesota
- Minnesota lost Adrian Peterson last week, and he'll probably be gone for next season as well. I expect the Bears Defense to be the difference maker here since both teams will have sub-par Quarterbacks starting for them and neither have a running back worthy of merit playing.
Buffalo at New England
- This one's simple: The Patriots want revenge for their late collapse against the Bills earlier this season when they were the bell of the ball. By winning, they'll get the #1 seed in the AFC again. I think the Patriots want this one just a bit more than the Bills.
Carolina at New Orleans
- This one's a toss-up. The Saints want a #2 seed and a bye in the NFC Playoffs, but the 49ers have the inside track and no opponent. It's possible the Saints will play everyone for a half and rest them at half since they'll be scoreboard watching. I still expect them to win though since the Panthers aren't a second half team, except against third stringers like Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.
Washington at Philadelphia
- The Eagles have had a wild ride. A win will clinch a .500 record and the second seed in the NFC East if it's Dallas. They want to finish strong this season to hope they'll be ready for a run next year, although losing would mean facing Carolina, Chicago and Arizona instead of Atlanta, Detroit and Seattle.
Indianapolis at Jacksonville
- The Colts are playing hard for their Quarterback. Jacksonville isn't playing at all. I expect another close game here, but I think the Colts have stepped their game up while the Jaguars have lost 3 or 4 steps since they last met.
Tennessee at Houston
- The Texans are looking for a 1st round bye right now, but they're a game behind Baltimore and Pittsburgh. While it's possible for both of them to lose, it's not likely. Expect the Texans to play light against the Titans since they're looking for a long shot playoff birth involving Oakland, Cincinnati, the Jets, and Denver losing. Yikes.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta
- Tampa Bay hasn't played a game since early October. Atlanta is going to the Playoffs and wants to face either Dallas or the Giants and not New Orleans again. They'll blow out the Buccaneers here.
Baltimore at Cincinnati
- While the Bengals will have a sold out crowd, the Ravens are looking for a first round bye and home field advantage in the Playoffs. The Bengals, with a win, will get the 6 seed in the Playoffs guaranteed, meaning a likely trip to Houston. I expect the Ravens to win though since they like to prove themselves when they are down on their luck.
Pittsburgh at Cleveland
- The Steelers limped to victory against Cleveland earlier, but now the Steelers are looking for that AFC North crown and a win is necessary. I expect it to be close, but I believe the Pittsburgh defense will lead them to victory here.
Kansas City at Denver
- This is a classic 'you took my job, now I'm back for revenge' game. The only problem is that it's Tim Tebow. The Defense for Denver needs to prove themselves in this game since they've been the reason the Broncos have lost the last two weeks. I think they will, and Tebow will do the rest.
San Diego at Oakland
- Last week San Diego looked like a lost team that had given up. While the Raiders are truly a wild card team, i.e. you never know what you'll get, I expect them to make a statement against the Chargers at home in order to get the AFC's final playoff spot over Cincinnati.
Seattle at Arizona
- This is a meaningless game. It means more to Seattle to finish strong than it does for Arizona who looks to draft a good rookie QB in the upcoming draft.
Dallas at NY Giants
- The Giants barely won the first meeting. The Cowboys lost handily last week. Both teams are very inconsistent. However, I think this is Dallas' time to shine. No one believes in them, and Romo has a habit for doing great things while ill/injured. I expect a tiny route here and another Giants late-season collapse.
That's it for this week, so let's see how things turn out.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
My Top 10 Games of 2011
Last year it was the Noble Donkey Kong who climbed to the top of my game of the year list with Donkey Kong Country Returns. Since Donkey Kong decided to go to the Banana Buffet this year, a new Game of the Year Winner be crowned. Remember, for this list, the games must have come out in 2011, so while I thoroughly enjoyed Red Dead Redemption, it won't appear on this list. With that in mind, here are my Top 10 Games of 2011!
#10 - Infamous 2 (Playstation 3)
Infamous 2 is more Infamous, and since I loved Infamous I'm content with that. The reason why this game is here instead of say Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Uncharted 3 is simply that this game doesn't disappoint. It stays true to itself outside of a character model swap for the hero. It's good, clean, fun.
#9 - Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo 3DS)
Mario Kart 7 is a good Mario Kart game. It's not a great or amazing one, but good. It's miles above its' predecessor using an anti-Blue Shell ointment for protection, but overall it feels a tad rushed and lacks a significant amount of content. If it had more content, it could've jumped a couple of spots. But for now, I'm content where it is on my list.
#8 - Sonic Generations (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
This one's been a long time coming. I think this game still has some major issues, like the final boss fight and some challenges are outright terrible. But for the most part, this game gives me a Mega Man 9 feeling. It feels like I'm playing an honest to goodness, true to form, Sonic the Hedgehog game from the early 90's. Both Modern and Classic Sonic are in top form here. The level design flows really well and the game really challenges me to get better at it. That's why it's here. If it were longer or if some of the problems were fixed, it'd be higher on the list.
#7 - Pokemon White (Nintendo DS)
Pokemon White felt like the end of my Pokemon career. After playing through Pearl, Platinum, Soul Silver, and finally White, 4 consecutive years of Pokemon games had come and gone. It's a quality title, it truly is, almost quietly so. However, it's the first time I really didn't enjoy playing through it. It felt like an obligation to me, and really safe at the same time. I'm sorry Pokemon, but you and I need some time apart. Maybe we can catch them all again in the future, sometime.
#6 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was the first Xbox 360 game I bought. I knew a Game of the Year Edition was coming, so I decided to rent it instead. But after playing it over 20 hours across 4 days I caved and bought it. The cries of game-breaking bugs did wade me off of it, however. It's a shame since it's a great game. However, it still has some of the major problems its' predecessor had: Bad voice acting, unsatisfying combat, and bugs that take me out of the game. It's a shame since the game is so good at wanting me to keep playing it on almost every other count.
#5 - Batman: Arkham City (Playstation 3/Xbox 360/PC)
I love Arkham Asylum. I was excited for Arkham City, and while it's a great game, it's pretty disappointing overall. The combat is much improved over the last game, but almost everything else took a hit, from the bland environment of Arkham City to the weak story to the Predator Challenges which are now borderline insane. The only other improvement were the boss fights which went from terrible to okay. It should've been higher on this list, but it can't.
#4 - Pushmo (Nintendo 3DS)
What's a Pushmo? You push it, you pull it, you climb it. This is not sounding all that safe for work to be honest... Pushmo has a lot of content for what you pay for, and while some of the puzzles are devious, the game builds you up perfectly so you understand everything about your world. In addition, you can create and import new Pushmo via QR codes. It's an addictive little game that is far and above the best game on Nintendo's eShop.
#3 - Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
I personally don't think the story of Gears of War 3 was all that great. Also, the ending was a bit of a pain on the higher difficulties. However, it doesn't mean the rest of the game wasn't awesome. While the multiplayer is a bit grind heavy to get certain achievements, medals and ribbons, when you get in there, it is truly a master of its' environment. Cooperative Play has never been better than it is in Gears of War 3, and the reason why it's so high on this list.
#2 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo Wii)
Skyward Sword sets the stage for the rest of the Zelda universe. It opens up quietly and expands from there. While combat took a bit longer than I'd like to full understand it, it was nice to have a 3D Zelda game where I knew I could actually die. While the game felt antiquated in a lot of places, the newness and freshness it exerted were awesome. The level and boss designs were amazing and I really hope some of the kinks are fixed/removed from the next one so it can be my game of the year next time, but for now, it belongs to one.
#1 - Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo 3DS)
In light of all of the gloom and doom surrounding the 3DS, fears of damaging eyes, the system being a lost cause and selling a lot of units during the holidays, Mario once again has proven himself to be King of Video Games with his first entry on Nintendo's Newest Handheld. A game that defines the system, builds itself around the use of 3D into a blend of joy and quality design, Super Mario 3D Land is the best game in 2011 for the fact that it reminds me of what a video game should be.
#10 - Infamous 2 (Playstation 3)
Infamous 2 is more Infamous, and since I loved Infamous I'm content with that. The reason why this game is here instead of say Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Uncharted 3 is simply that this game doesn't disappoint. It stays true to itself outside of a character model swap for the hero. It's good, clean, fun.
#9 - Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo 3DS)
Mario Kart 7 is a good Mario Kart game. It's not a great or amazing one, but good. It's miles above its' predecessor using an anti-Blue Shell ointment for protection, but overall it feels a tad rushed and lacks a significant amount of content. If it had more content, it could've jumped a couple of spots. But for now, I'm content where it is on my list.
#8 - Sonic Generations (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
This one's been a long time coming. I think this game still has some major issues, like the final boss fight and some challenges are outright terrible. But for the most part, this game gives me a Mega Man 9 feeling. It feels like I'm playing an honest to goodness, true to form, Sonic the Hedgehog game from the early 90's. Both Modern and Classic Sonic are in top form here. The level design flows really well and the game really challenges me to get better at it. That's why it's here. If it were longer or if some of the problems were fixed, it'd be higher on the list.
#7 - Pokemon White (Nintendo DS)
Pokemon White felt like the end of my Pokemon career. After playing through Pearl, Platinum, Soul Silver, and finally White, 4 consecutive years of Pokemon games had come and gone. It's a quality title, it truly is, almost quietly so. However, it's the first time I really didn't enjoy playing through it. It felt like an obligation to me, and really safe at the same time. I'm sorry Pokemon, but you and I need some time apart. Maybe we can catch them all again in the future, sometime.
#6 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was the first Xbox 360 game I bought. I knew a Game of the Year Edition was coming, so I decided to rent it instead. But after playing it over 20 hours across 4 days I caved and bought it. The cries of game-breaking bugs did wade me off of it, however. It's a shame since it's a great game. However, it still has some of the major problems its' predecessor had: Bad voice acting, unsatisfying combat, and bugs that take me out of the game. It's a shame since the game is so good at wanting me to keep playing it on almost every other count.
#5 - Batman: Arkham City (Playstation 3/Xbox 360/PC)
I love Arkham Asylum. I was excited for Arkham City, and while it's a great game, it's pretty disappointing overall. The combat is much improved over the last game, but almost everything else took a hit, from the bland environment of Arkham City to the weak story to the Predator Challenges which are now borderline insane. The only other improvement were the boss fights which went from terrible to okay. It should've been higher on this list, but it can't.
#4 - Pushmo (Nintendo 3DS)
What's a Pushmo? You push it, you pull it, you climb it. This is not sounding all that safe for work to be honest... Pushmo has a lot of content for what you pay for, and while some of the puzzles are devious, the game builds you up perfectly so you understand everything about your world. In addition, you can create and import new Pushmo via QR codes. It's an addictive little game that is far and above the best game on Nintendo's eShop.
#3 - Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
I personally don't think the story of Gears of War 3 was all that great. Also, the ending was a bit of a pain on the higher difficulties. However, it doesn't mean the rest of the game wasn't awesome. While the multiplayer is a bit grind heavy to get certain achievements, medals and ribbons, when you get in there, it is truly a master of its' environment. Cooperative Play has never been better than it is in Gears of War 3, and the reason why it's so high on this list.
#2 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo Wii)
Skyward Sword sets the stage for the rest of the Zelda universe. It opens up quietly and expands from there. While combat took a bit longer than I'd like to full understand it, it was nice to have a 3D Zelda game where I knew I could actually die. While the game felt antiquated in a lot of places, the newness and freshness it exerted were awesome. The level and boss designs were amazing and I really hope some of the kinks are fixed/removed from the next one so it can be my game of the year next time, but for now, it belongs to one.
#1 - Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo 3DS)
In light of all of the gloom and doom surrounding the 3DS, fears of damaging eyes, the system being a lost cause and selling a lot of units during the holidays, Mario once again has proven himself to be King of Video Games with his first entry on Nintendo's Newest Handheld. A game that defines the system, builds itself around the use of 3D into a blend of joy and quality design, Super Mario 3D Land is the best game in 2011 for the fact that it reminds me of what a video game should be.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Raising the Limit Yet Again
Today President Barack Obama has once again asked for the debt limit to be raised, this time by $1.2 trillion. The last time the debt ceiling was raised, it was by $2.1 trillion and supposed to be through 2013. Now excuse me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that mean the Government has spent more than the originally planned? I, for one am quite shocked about this development as I am sure it has never happened in our country's history before now.
Oh wait...
It has happened before, quite a bit actually. It's just another one of those broken promises politicians always run on to try and get more votes, even the ones that break those promises in the first place. I'm not saying everyone involved in politics does this, but when it comes to important things like spending more money that should be spent or money being allocated for something is spent quicker than anticipated, it happens on a yearly basis.
I can't say I like the practice, but the problem is no one really steps up to the plate and challenges them on this. It's like a get out of jail free card because voters expect Government to spend more than they always say they do. Whenever someone says 'we need to spend less' they're always countered with 'you don't care about our future' or something along those lines. My question to them is this: "If you care about our future, why not care about the now?" Politicians today are on a 1-year cycle; 1 year of spending money in Washington, 1 year of spending money on campaigns, and repeat.
People decry that we need change in Washington. That's what they wanted 3 years ago when they voted Barack Obama as our President. I don't think, however, that this is change. At the very least, it's gotten worse, and not just since Obama became President. At some point, money changing hands, the 1-year cycles, etc. all becomes too much. A course reversal at some point is going to be needed for good change to happen. Hopefully it will be done under-budget.
Oh wait...
It has happened before, quite a bit actually. It's just another one of those broken promises politicians always run on to try and get more votes, even the ones that break those promises in the first place. I'm not saying everyone involved in politics does this, but when it comes to important things like spending more money that should be spent or money being allocated for something is spent quicker than anticipated, it happens on a yearly basis.
I can't say I like the practice, but the problem is no one really steps up to the plate and challenges them on this. It's like a get out of jail free card because voters expect Government to spend more than they always say they do. Whenever someone says 'we need to spend less' they're always countered with 'you don't care about our future' or something along those lines. My question to them is this: "If you care about our future, why not care about the now?" Politicians today are on a 1-year cycle; 1 year of spending money in Washington, 1 year of spending money on campaigns, and repeat.
People decry that we need change in Washington. That's what they wanted 3 years ago when they voted Barack Obama as our President. I don't think, however, that this is change. At the very least, it's gotten worse, and not just since Obama became President. At some point, money changing hands, the 1-year cycles, etc. all becomes too much. A course reversal at some point is going to be needed for good change to happen. Hopefully it will be done under-budget.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Scheduling Conflict
The NBA's shortened, but tougher on players regular season began yesterday with five games on Christmas day. While the NBA got three great games out of it, one turned into a massacre while the other was just uninteresting. While I'm sure some teams aren't going to be up for playing all 66 games this season due to the strenuous schedule, you can only hope they'll be more prepared for the games ahead.
Due to the fact that the NBA likes money, and that they don't want to delay the Playoffs, or can't for contractual reasons, some teams will have harsh playing conditions. Some teams will end up playing 9 games in 12 days in an almost cartoon-like situation that reeks somewhat of greed and ill-will towards the players by the owners. I'm not against the NBA trying to make up as many games as possible, but when you do it by decreasing the quality of play in these situations, you're going to cost yourself more money in the future by doing so. An example: A family of four buys tickets to a Miami Heat v. Golden State Warriors game. Because the Heat were playing their fifth game in eight days, their big players, Wade, James and Bosh took the night off to recover from exhaustion. Because that family of four didn't get to see those three play, they'll decide going to sporting events is a waste of time since they're not guaranteed to see the players they wanted to see.
You might say it's a bad argument, but people don't go to sporting events for those reasons. People lose trust in a product for a multitude of reasons, and not being able to see superstars when you pay to see them is one of them. The NBA's schedule is a brutal one for most teams, and it still would've been tough if six more games were cut off of the season's length. However, you'd at least avoid situations where a schedule harms the quality of your product.
Due to the fact that the NBA likes money, and that they don't want to delay the Playoffs, or can't for contractual reasons, some teams will have harsh playing conditions. Some teams will end up playing 9 games in 12 days in an almost cartoon-like situation that reeks somewhat of greed and ill-will towards the players by the owners. I'm not against the NBA trying to make up as many games as possible, but when you do it by decreasing the quality of play in these situations, you're going to cost yourself more money in the future by doing so. An example: A family of four buys tickets to a Miami Heat v. Golden State Warriors game. Because the Heat were playing their fifth game in eight days, their big players, Wade, James and Bosh took the night off to recover from exhaustion. Because that family of four didn't get to see those three play, they'll decide going to sporting events is a waste of time since they're not guaranteed to see the players they wanted to see.
You might say it's a bad argument, but people don't go to sporting events for those reasons. People lose trust in a product for a multitude of reasons, and not being able to see superstars when you pay to see them is one of them. The NBA's schedule is a brutal one for most teams, and it still would've been tough if six more games were cut off of the season's length. However, you'd at least avoid situations where a schedule harms the quality of your product.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Christmas Break
Until Monday, December 26th, the blog will be on hiatus for the Christmas Holiday. I love Christmas, and it's my favorite Holiday every year. Considering tomorrow is chock full of NFL goodness, I can barely contain my excitement for the next day, Christmas itself! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do, even if you celebrate another holiday during this time. They only come once a year and it really brightens up my spirit for many months to come. I hope it does the same for you.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Game Review: Mario Kart 7
I've been a fan of the Mario Kart franchise since the original Super Mario Kart was released on the Super Nintendo back in 1992. Until now, there's never been a numbered Mario Kart, and there's always been a plethora of imitators to try and steal its' thunder. None of those games garnered the success that Mario Kart has, even the few that have been considered better games. Mario Kart Wii, the last game in the series, was a tipping point for me. I found it to be frustrating and more often than not broken since it didn't balance the game for the additional 4 drivers per race the game championed as a feature. So is Mario Kart 7 a better game than Mario Kart Wii? Or for that matter, is it the best Mario Kart game?
Overall, I'd say Mario Kart 7 is a decent, but shallow package. It's something I'd call unoffensive at best, uninspired at worst. Once again, the game features 32 tracks, 16 old and new. There are 8 Grand Prix's with 4 races each across 4 difficulty levels, which again are staples to the franchise. You also have your staple tropes like Red Shells, Green Shells, and of course the bane of any Mario Kart player's existence, the Blue Shell. Mario Kart 7 removes the additional 4 players Mario Kart Wii provided, and while the game is indeed more balanced, fun and playable because of it, it feels like a cheap trick into making me think it's more fun than it really is. The item balance is still the same as it was in Mario Kart Wii, but it's just with less competition.
The game offers two new mechanics this time around to lighten up the mood: Underwater Driving and Gliding. Both of these are interesting mechanics, but I don't feel like they're used to their full potential. Gliding is mainly used for going across gaps and isn't really used for shortcuts like you think it should while underwater driving feels like a means for padding track length. When you look at the full map for some of these tracks, you'll see that they're really pretty short in comparison to something like Maka Wuhu, which is a checkpoint-based track consisting of one lap. This is a type of race that is new to the series that I enjoy thoroughly that I expect more of in the future.
The online of Mario Kart 7 is something of a mixed bag. A bit of it feels revolutionary while some of it feels like a step back. For starters, you can create Communities to play with your friends, but at the same time you have to set up specific item, speed and game type rules. There's no freedom there except to set up a new community with a new set of rules. It feels like a good first step, but poorly thought out for the rest of it. In addition to this, while racing in Mario Kart 7 is excellent, Battle Mode is just terrible, leaving me to wonder if they intended for anyone to actually play it more than once.
Mario Kart 7 is a step up from Mario Kart Wii. However, a step up from the worst game in the series isn't much of a compliment in my personal opinion. It's a fun ride, but once you're done, you'll feel pretty sour on the experience.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Positives
New Mechanics
Communities
Racing Online
Negatives
Feels rushed
Implementation of Communities
Battle Mode
Overall, I'd say Mario Kart 7 is a decent, but shallow package. It's something I'd call unoffensive at best, uninspired at worst. Once again, the game features 32 tracks, 16 old and new. There are 8 Grand Prix's with 4 races each across 4 difficulty levels, which again are staples to the franchise. You also have your staple tropes like Red Shells, Green Shells, and of course the bane of any Mario Kart player's existence, the Blue Shell. Mario Kart 7 removes the additional 4 players Mario Kart Wii provided, and while the game is indeed more balanced, fun and playable because of it, it feels like a cheap trick into making me think it's more fun than it really is. The item balance is still the same as it was in Mario Kart Wii, but it's just with less competition.
The game offers two new mechanics this time around to lighten up the mood: Underwater Driving and Gliding. Both of these are interesting mechanics, but I don't feel like they're used to their full potential. Gliding is mainly used for going across gaps and isn't really used for shortcuts like you think it should while underwater driving feels like a means for padding track length. When you look at the full map for some of these tracks, you'll see that they're really pretty short in comparison to something like Maka Wuhu, which is a checkpoint-based track consisting of one lap. This is a type of race that is new to the series that I enjoy thoroughly that I expect more of in the future.
The online of Mario Kart 7 is something of a mixed bag. A bit of it feels revolutionary while some of it feels like a step back. For starters, you can create Communities to play with your friends, but at the same time you have to set up specific item, speed and game type rules. There's no freedom there except to set up a new community with a new set of rules. It feels like a good first step, but poorly thought out for the rest of it. In addition to this, while racing in Mario Kart 7 is excellent, Battle Mode is just terrible, leaving me to wonder if they intended for anyone to actually play it more than once.
Mario Kart 7 is a step up from Mario Kart Wii. However, a step up from the worst game in the series isn't much of a compliment in my personal opinion. It's a fun ride, but once you're done, you'll feel pretty sour on the experience.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Positives
Negatives
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Lights Out
You don't hear the phrase "Power Outage" very often when it comes to sporting events. They've become more prevalent over the years with Major League Baseball, but last night is the first time I remember there being one for Monday Night Football. An aerial view of Candlestick Park showed a flash of blue light and an explosion happening right as the lights went out. Another view from inside the Stadium made it look like a bolt of lightning hit right outside the stadium. While it only resulted in a 20 minute delay for the start of the game, the interesting part is that it happened again in the second quarter.
Another 20 minute delay or so was the last one we'd see of a night that belonged to the 49ers. While the game was not spectacular, it won't be remembered for that. It'll be remembered as a sign that the 49ers are in desperate need of a new stadium, something ESPN brought up during their telecast multiple times. While it will be at least three years until they get one, I think it's a shame ESPN has to lobby for them, even though it was just as embarrassing to them as it was San Francisco.
Another 20 minute delay or so was the last one we'd see of a night that belonged to the 49ers. While the game was not spectacular, it won't be remembered for that. It'll be remembered as a sign that the 49ers are in desperate need of a new stadium, something ESPN brought up during their telecast multiple times. While it will be at least three years until they get one, I think it's a shame ESPN has to lobby for them, even though it was just as embarrassing to them as it was San Francisco.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Imperfection
Two NFL teams dashed hopes for perfection yesterday. One ruined the perfection of glory. The other ruined the perfection of shame. What two teams are these? First, the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that six days prior fired their head coach after an embarrassing loss to the New York Jets. They dashed the hopes of the Green Bay Packers and ruined their perfect season with a 19-14 victory at home to stay in the AFC West chase.
While I find it odd that the Chiefs fired Todd Haley while they were still in the Playoff Hunt I find it more odd that the Chiefs continue to play after being given the proverbial 'your season is done' kiss of death. It's definitely a long shot for the Chiefs to make the Post-Season, which requires them to win out, Denver to lose out, Oakland and San Diego to only win a single game for them to make it via tiebreakers. Kansas City can make sure Oakland and Denver lose once each, but after that it's up to Denver to lose to Buffalo and for San Diego to lose to either Detroit or Oakland. While the AFC isn't the pinnacle of the league, it's definitely turned out to be a tight race. It's a shame that it could end at any moment, just like the winless season of the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have had a terrible season and there's no way to say otherwise. They lost Peyton Manning for the entire season early on and lost their first 13 games going into Sunday like the Packers won their first 13 games. They've been blown out, they've lost close, lost leads late, and more often than not had their effort called into question given the likelihood they'd be drafting Andrew Luck first overall in the next NFL Entry Draft. Enter the Tennessee Titans, a team that just lost out on claiming the Colts' AFC South Crown for the second time in the past half decade, still looking for a Playoff berth. The Titans took a small lead into halftime, but didn't come out of the locker room for the second half as the Colts outscored them 24-7 to take their first victory of the season. For the Titans, it's demoralizing loss that will probably cost them a shot at the post-season. For the Colts, it was their Super Bowl.
The Colts have nothing to play for now. The Chiefs on the other hand do. While both teams ruined "perfection" on Sunday, no one will remember 12 months from now what they did. They say nobody's perfect, but for one Sunday, perfection was needed to deny these teams.
While I find it odd that the Chiefs fired Todd Haley while they were still in the Playoff Hunt I find it more odd that the Chiefs continue to play after being given the proverbial 'your season is done' kiss of death. It's definitely a long shot for the Chiefs to make the Post-Season, which requires them to win out, Denver to lose out, Oakland and San Diego to only win a single game for them to make it via tiebreakers. Kansas City can make sure Oakland and Denver lose once each, but after that it's up to Denver to lose to Buffalo and for San Diego to lose to either Detroit or Oakland. While the AFC isn't the pinnacle of the league, it's definitely turned out to be a tight race. It's a shame that it could end at any moment, just like the winless season of the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts have had a terrible season and there's no way to say otherwise. They lost Peyton Manning for the entire season early on and lost their first 13 games going into Sunday like the Packers won their first 13 games. They've been blown out, they've lost close, lost leads late, and more often than not had their effort called into question given the likelihood they'd be drafting Andrew Luck first overall in the next NFL Entry Draft. Enter the Tennessee Titans, a team that just lost out on claiming the Colts' AFC South Crown for the second time in the past half decade, still looking for a Playoff berth. The Titans took a small lead into halftime, but didn't come out of the locker room for the second half as the Colts outscored them 24-7 to take their first victory of the season. For the Titans, it's demoralizing loss that will probably cost them a shot at the post-season. For the Colts, it was their Super Bowl.
The Colts have nothing to play for now. The Chiefs on the other hand do. While both teams ruined "perfection" on Sunday, no one will remember 12 months from now what they did. They say nobody's perfect, but for one Sunday, perfection was needed to deny these teams.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
SOPA and You
SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act of 2011 is, without a doubt, the worst bill to come across the US Congress in a very long time. In short, anyone or thing could call the Justice Department and have a website de-listed from the internet at a drop of a hat, regardless of whether not they own an IP that is having its' rights infringed upon.
In reality, it means that the internet is going to become a very scary place for a lot of people very quickly. Some people make their living because of the internet. They make videos for entertainment, write on blogs for news, and share their creations with the rest of the world for easy access. This bill is basically going to stop that going forward, almost immediately.
I'm talking about legitimate pirates here, people that make money off of legitimate IP and/or host pirated material. Those people deserve no remorse or respect for the work they've done. I'm saying this bill basically stops people, good working people, from making a living through their own talents in which they couldn't have done before the internet.
So I urge you call you representative and tell them to vote against this bill. It's a large, sweeping, vague bill that is dangerous to the internet as you know it. While piracy is a dangerous thing, doing something like this isn't the way the handle things. Large bills are, and will always be abused by people who don't have the authority to do so. So please, call your representative and tell them to vote "NO" on this. It's the right thing to do.
In reality, it means that the internet is going to become a very scary place for a lot of people very quickly. Some people make their living because of the internet. They make videos for entertainment, write on blogs for news, and share their creations with the rest of the world for easy access. This bill is basically going to stop that going forward, almost immediately.
I'm talking about legitimate pirates here, people that make money off of legitimate IP and/or host pirated material. Those people deserve no remorse or respect for the work they've done. I'm saying this bill basically stops people, good working people, from making a living through their own talents in which they couldn't have done before the internet.
So I urge you call you representative and tell them to vote against this bill. It's a large, sweeping, vague bill that is dangerous to the internet as you know it. While piracy is a dangerous thing, doing something like this isn't the way the handle things. Large bills are, and will always be abused by people who don't have the authority to do so. So please, call your representative and tell them to vote "NO" on this. It's the right thing to do.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
The Final Batch of 3DS Ambassador Games
Nintendo finally found the time out of their cold, dark schedules to release the 10 Game Boy Advance games to 3DS Ambassadors over the past two days on unsuspecting gamers. I must say that I haven't played the overwhelming majority of these games, so it's nice to have something new to play on my system, despite those games being pretty old. In the season of giving, I've decided to share my thoughts thus far on 8 of those 10 games. Don't worry, I'll talk about why I haven't played the other two.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
I'm not a particularly big fan of F-Zero. I've also heard that this incarnation isn't that great, so I've put off playing this one for now. Hopefully I'll get back to it sooner rather than later.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
While I love Mario Kart, this is one I've always missed out on. I've never heard particularly good things about it, and after playing 2 Grand Prix's of it, I can safely say it's the worst Mario Kart on paper. While not as frustrating as Mario Kart Wii, the game is just boring, and the controls are pretty off. Therefore it's not high on my list to continue playing it.
Wario Land 4
I was always a big fan of the first Wario Land game, but I never played sequential releases of it for some reason. While my re-introduction to the series has started a bit slow, I'll continue forward since I know it'll be good later on.
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
I think the Super Nintendo version of this game is technically the superior product, but since I don't have a functioning SNES, this one is passable. Yoshi's Island is still a very fun romp of a game that no one has really tried to emulate for some reason, but it is a joy to play.
Metroid Fusion
I'm a big Metroid fan, and while Fusion isn't something I love, I decided to see the opening and save. I'll get back to it later since I want to focus on other games I haven't played out of this batch of games.
Wario Ware: Mega Microgames
This game has always been at the top of my list since these games have always intrigued me. While it is a bunch of mini-games, they're very short and enjoyable. I plan on doing all of the mini-games until I beat it, but since each section only takes about 3 minutes, I'm guessing it won't take me more than 2 hours to beat everything.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
Kirby games are a mystery to me. I liked the first one on Game Boy, and then I never played another one, like the Wario Land games. I played some of the other ones on Wii, but the only one I liked was Kirby's Adventure. When I started playing Amazing Mirror that question of 'why am I playing this?' creeped into my head until I shut it off. Sorry Kirby, you're just not for me.
Mario vs Donkey Kong
I loved March of the Minis on DS, but I knew going in that this was vastly different from that concept. What I didn't realize though was how close it was to Donkey Kong '94 on the original Game Boy, a game that I really should get back to finishing at some point. It's something I plan on completing, despite only being done with World 1 of.
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
I haven't played this one, so I can't comment on it. While I liked what I played of Radiant Dawn, and I liked what I played of Shadow Dragon, it will probably take a lot for me to get into the Fire Emblem series.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
This is my favorite GBA game of all time. I started the game and played through the intro, but I'll get back to it later. I've had my fill of Zelda this year with Ocarina of Time, the original Zelda, Adventure of Link, Link's Awakening DX, Four Swords Anniversary and Skyward Sword. It's time I gave Zelda a break, she's been through a lot this year.
Alright, so those are my thoughts thus far on the 10 Game Boy Advance Ambassador games. Some I enjoy, others not so much. I appreciate what Nintendo did for early 3DS adopters, since they really didn't have to do anything for them. I enjoy my 3DS, and carry it around with me everyday. These games, in addition to the 10 NES games they released in September are great gifts, and motivated me to keep my 3DS at my side almost the entire time.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
I'm not a particularly big fan of F-Zero. I've also heard that this incarnation isn't that great, so I've put off playing this one for now. Hopefully I'll get back to it sooner rather than later.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
While I love Mario Kart, this is one I've always missed out on. I've never heard particularly good things about it, and after playing 2 Grand Prix's of it, I can safely say it's the worst Mario Kart on paper. While not as frustrating as Mario Kart Wii, the game is just boring, and the controls are pretty off. Therefore it's not high on my list to continue playing it.
Wario Land 4
I was always a big fan of the first Wario Land game, but I never played sequential releases of it for some reason. While my re-introduction to the series has started a bit slow, I'll continue forward since I know it'll be good later on.
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
I think the Super Nintendo version of this game is technically the superior product, but since I don't have a functioning SNES, this one is passable. Yoshi's Island is still a very fun romp of a game that no one has really tried to emulate for some reason, but it is a joy to play.
Metroid Fusion
I'm a big Metroid fan, and while Fusion isn't something I love, I decided to see the opening and save. I'll get back to it later since I want to focus on other games I haven't played out of this batch of games.
Wario Ware: Mega Microgames
This game has always been at the top of my list since these games have always intrigued me. While it is a bunch of mini-games, they're very short and enjoyable. I plan on doing all of the mini-games until I beat it, but since each section only takes about 3 minutes, I'm guessing it won't take me more than 2 hours to beat everything.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
Kirby games are a mystery to me. I liked the first one on Game Boy, and then I never played another one, like the Wario Land games. I played some of the other ones on Wii, but the only one I liked was Kirby's Adventure. When I started playing Amazing Mirror that question of 'why am I playing this?' creeped into my head until I shut it off. Sorry Kirby, you're just not for me.
Mario vs Donkey Kong
I loved March of the Minis on DS, but I knew going in that this was vastly different from that concept. What I didn't realize though was how close it was to Donkey Kong '94 on the original Game Boy, a game that I really should get back to finishing at some point. It's something I plan on completing, despite only being done with World 1 of.
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
I haven't played this one, so I can't comment on it. While I liked what I played of Radiant Dawn, and I liked what I played of Shadow Dragon, it will probably take a lot for me to get into the Fire Emblem series.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
This is my favorite GBA game of all time. I started the game and played through the intro, but I'll get back to it later. I've had my fill of Zelda this year with Ocarina of Time, the original Zelda, Adventure of Link, Link's Awakening DX, Four Swords Anniversary and Skyward Sword. It's time I gave Zelda a break, she's been through a lot this year.
Alright, so those are my thoughts thus far on the 10 Game Boy Advance Ambassador games. Some I enjoy, others not so much. I appreciate what Nintendo did for early 3DS adopters, since they really didn't have to do anything for them. I enjoy my 3DS, and carry it around with me everyday. These games, in addition to the 10 NES games they released in September are great gifts, and motivated me to keep my 3DS at my side almost the entire time.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
No Euro To Go?
The Euro is a relatively infant currency, created roughly a decade ago to unite all of Europe under a go-to currency for all European countries in case you were visiting another. While the Euro maintained success for most of its' life, the days of the Euro do not look bright going forward. Why is this?
For one, while the Euro is a united currency, the political powers at be are not united. In essence, they wanted they wanted the shared wealth of the United States of America while maintaining the separation of powers between them. This worked in the past since all countries were, by and large, not in a state of fiscal crisis. The World Economic Crisis continues on, and Europe is at the forefront of it now, like the United States was when it started. Unlike the United States however, Europe wanted to keep control for themselves. So, while everyone wanted to reap the benefits of the Euro, no one wanted to own up to the responsibility for cleaning it up, if that ever occurred.
Germany is currently the only country in the EU that has the money to help out the rest of Europe now, Greece included, the ones who are really bringing the whole thing down. Germany won't be able to maintain it forever, and some point will say "nein" to yet another bailout request. When that happens, no one will be left to bail them out, since everyone left the check at the table.
For one, while the Euro is a united currency, the political powers at be are not united. In essence, they wanted they wanted the shared wealth of the United States of America while maintaining the separation of powers between them. This worked in the past since all countries were, by and large, not in a state of fiscal crisis. The World Economic Crisis continues on, and Europe is at the forefront of it now, like the United States was when it started. Unlike the United States however, Europe wanted to keep control for themselves. So, while everyone wanted to reap the benefits of the Euro, no one wanted to own up to the responsibility for cleaning it up, if that ever occurred.
Germany is currently the only country in the EU that has the money to help out the rest of Europe now, Greece included, the ones who are really bringing the whole thing down. Germany won't be able to maintain it forever, and some point will say "nein" to yet another bailout request. When that happens, no one will be left to bail them out, since everyone left the check at the table.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
No Article Today
There won't be a written article for now at least since I ultimately can't think of anything to write about. If I can clear my mind and focus on what to write about later on, I'll do so. But for now, this is just one of those days where I ultimately can't think of anything to write about.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A Penguin's Headache
Truth be told I'm not a big fan of Sidney Crosby or the Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact, they're one of only two sports franchises that I legitimately hate, the other being the Dallas Cowboys. Crosby got his first concussion on January 1, 2011 against the Washington Capitals on New Year's Day. 48 hours afterwards, he was back on the ice again where he suffered yet another concussion. After that, he was on IR for the last 10 months.
When he came back, he came back in style, looking as if he hadn't lost a step. However, against the Boston Bruins a week ago, we sustained a blow to the head that has once again left him out indefinitely, this time leading many to wonder if the NHL's Golden Boy will ever return. First I'd like to ask a question: Why was Pittsburgh's Head Coach given the coach of the year award last year? Despite making the Playoffs with a shorthanded roster, he's ultimately the one responsible for putting Crosby on the disabled list. It was the by far the worst coaching decision any coach made over the last 12 months. While most people don't blame the Penguins coach for Crosby's headache, they probably should.
When he came back, he came back in style, looking as if he hadn't lost a step. However, against the Boston Bruins a week ago, we sustained a blow to the head that has once again left him out indefinitely, this time leading many to wonder if the NHL's Golden Boy will ever return. First I'd like to ask a question: Why was Pittsburgh's Head Coach given the coach of the year award last year? Despite making the Playoffs with a shorthanded roster, he's ultimately the one responsible for putting Crosby on the disabled list. It was the by far the worst coaching decision any coach made over the last 12 months. While most people don't blame the Penguins coach for Crosby's headache, they probably should.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tebowmania
Tim Tebow has done it again. After last week's heroism against the Vikings, Tebow seemingly willed his team to yet another miracle win at home against the Chicago Bears, winning in Overtime 13-10.
The script, while different in circumstances, seemed oddly familiar. Down 10 late to the Bears, Tebow led the Broncos down the field for a late touchdown to put them down three with less than two minutes to play. After an onside kick that they almost recovered, the Broncos forced the Bears to punt after Marion Barber stepped out of bounds, leaving Tebow and crew with 56 seconds left to play. Since neither team had a timeout left at that point, if Barber went down instead of trying to get a couple of extra yards, while they would've had to punt, would've left the Broncos with much less time on the clock.
Tebow put his team in field goal range, allowing Prater, the Broncos kicker to tie the game with :02 remaining on a 59-yard field goal. The crowd had seen Tebow work his magic before, three weeks prior against the Jets, when people started taking Tebow seriously in his 4th quarter magic. In overtime, the Bears got the ball first, and drove down into field goal territory rather quickly. Then on a run up the middle, Marion Barber once again gave Tebow another chance at a miracle, by fumbling the ball, which Denver recovered.
After a few plays, Prater kicked a 51-yard field goal to give Broncos their 6th win in a row, 7 of their previous 8, all with Tebow under Center. With the exception of a 14 point win over Oakland, all of their wins in this stretch have been by 7 points or less, 3 of which happened coming in Overtime. While I'm not a numbers guy, these numbers do get people excited since the games are close and Tebow is a fun Quarterback to watch. When games are close, Tebow and the Broncos step up and make plays, shinning when the game is on the line, something good teams thrive at.
Tim Tebow, whether he deserves all of the credit or not, isn't what's important here. What's important here is that people are flocking to Tebow over these situations. Whether it's to mock his religious nature, to watch him thrive, fail, etc. Tim Tebow has become a media darling in a few weeks time due to the way the Broncos are winning games. Tebow has won games with his arm, his legs and with the help of everyone around him. This is a phenomena. The way the Broncos are winning shouldn't be happening, but they are. Will it end in a Super Bowl? I don't think it will, but it's certainly fun to watch, at least for this season.
The script, while different in circumstances, seemed oddly familiar. Down 10 late to the Bears, Tebow led the Broncos down the field for a late touchdown to put them down three with less than two minutes to play. After an onside kick that they almost recovered, the Broncos forced the Bears to punt after Marion Barber stepped out of bounds, leaving Tebow and crew with 56 seconds left to play. Since neither team had a timeout left at that point, if Barber went down instead of trying to get a couple of extra yards, while they would've had to punt, would've left the Broncos with much less time on the clock.
Tebow put his team in field goal range, allowing Prater, the Broncos kicker to tie the game with :02 remaining on a 59-yard field goal. The crowd had seen Tebow work his magic before, three weeks prior against the Jets, when people started taking Tebow seriously in his 4th quarter magic. In overtime, the Bears got the ball first, and drove down into field goal territory rather quickly. Then on a run up the middle, Marion Barber once again gave Tebow another chance at a miracle, by fumbling the ball, which Denver recovered.
After a few plays, Prater kicked a 51-yard field goal to give Broncos their 6th win in a row, 7 of their previous 8, all with Tebow under Center. With the exception of a 14 point win over Oakland, all of their wins in this stretch have been by 7 points or less, 3 of which happened coming in Overtime. While I'm not a numbers guy, these numbers do get people excited since the games are close and Tebow is a fun Quarterback to watch. When games are close, Tebow and the Broncos step up and make plays, shinning when the game is on the line, something good teams thrive at.
Tim Tebow, whether he deserves all of the credit or not, isn't what's important here. What's important here is that people are flocking to Tebow over these situations. Whether it's to mock his religious nature, to watch him thrive, fail, etc. Tim Tebow has become a media darling in a few weeks time due to the way the Broncos are winning games. Tebow has won games with his arm, his legs and with the help of everyone around him. This is a phenomena. The way the Broncos are winning shouldn't be happening, but they are. Will it end in a Super Bowl? I don't think it will, but it's certainly fun to watch, at least for this season.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Changing Things Up
I've decided that I'll start writing more often here. Because of this, at least early on, the quality of the writing will most likely suffer a bit and be shorter as well. I'll also be talking about sports more, since the NFL, NHL and NBA are going to be in full swing very soon. While I consider to be an expert of the NFL, I feel I am confident enough in my writing in regards to the NHL. For the NBA, while I know some fundamentals, I'm not what anyone would consider to be an expert.
Sports, by and large, are the same for me. While they're inherently different, I can still gauge if games can go certain ways or not and see where it changes. Statistics are superficial at best to me, as a superstar can only do so much to make their team a winner. They're only as good as their weakest link, and by and large, even the strongest teams have a gigantic target on their back that others can exploit to make the game theirs. To me, sports are about flow and momentum instead of hard numbers. While some say numbers don't lie, I say the opposite since statistics can say anything you want them to say in order to make an argument that is, by and large coincidental. So while I may not delve into a lot of stats, I'm hopeful you'll be able to see the game through my eyes when I do write about them.
Sports, by and large, are the same for me. While they're inherently different, I can still gauge if games can go certain ways or not and see where it changes. Statistics are superficial at best to me, as a superstar can only do so much to make their team a winner. They're only as good as their weakest link, and by and large, even the strongest teams have a gigantic target on their back that others can exploit to make the game theirs. To me, sports are about flow and momentum instead of hard numbers. While some say numbers don't lie, I say the opposite since statistics can say anything you want them to say in order to make an argument that is, by and large coincidental. So while I may not delve into a lot of stats, I'm hopeful you'll be able to see the game through my eyes when I do write about them.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Pujols Ascending
Albert Pujols, the most dominant baseball player of the past decade has left the St. Louis Cardinals for greener pastures with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for $254 million over 10 years. Pujols helped the Cardinals win 2 World Series in his tenure there, becoming one of the most feared players in recent memory. Pujols now looks to add to his already impressive numbers, 445 Home Runs, .328 batting average and 1300 RBI's; with the possibility of him becoming a designated hitter over the next 2-3 seasons, he can do so with minimal wear and tear on his body.
The impact of Pujols leaving St. Louis will be felt immediately, leaving the Cardinals with the task of filling the hole at 1st base, the position Pujols played, with a competent bat to be able to compete again for the World Series. With a newly incoming manager, the Cardinals will more than likely fill the position with a glove since a bat is not really available at the current time, and hope for a better bat next off-season.
The Angels on the other hand, who finished finished 10 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West last year, took away pitcher C.J. Wilson from them, strengthening a rotation that will undoubtedly make them the odds on favorite to win the division, and go onto the World Series.
The impact of Pujols leaving St. Louis will be felt immediately, leaving the Cardinals with the task of filling the hole at 1st base, the position Pujols played, with a competent bat to be able to compete again for the World Series. With a newly incoming manager, the Cardinals will more than likely fill the position with a glove since a bat is not really available at the current time, and hope for a better bat next off-season.
The Angels on the other hand, who finished finished 10 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West last year, took away pitcher C.J. Wilson from them, strengthening a rotation that will undoubtedly make them the odds on favorite to win the division, and go onto the World Series.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The NHL's Radical Realignment
Earlier this week the NHL Governors approved a makeover for the League's Conferences. This was brought about, by and large because the Atlanta Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets over the off-season. Instead of two conferences housing three divisions each, starting next season there will be four conferences, two housing eight team while two house seven. While the Conferences don't have names yet, one has teams across the western part of North America, one is across Central North America, while the other two consist of Atlantic Teams and Northeast Southeast Teams.
The only surprising change appears to be that Tampa Bay and Florida will be with teams in the Northeast instead of being with Washington, Carolina and perhaps even Nashville who will be in the Atlantic, Atlantic and Central conferences, respectively. They're really the only teams left out in the cold with Atlanta becoming Winnipeg since they're not close to any potential Conference rivals. The only rationale I have for this realignment is a potential expansion for the league soon down the line, potentially trying again with Atlanta and maybe expanding to Oklahoma City.
What's not up for debate is the new Playoffs Format, which will by and large stay the same. Each "Conference" will have four Playoff teams instead of eight since there are twice as many Conferences now, for the normal amount of 16. Once each Conference Champion is crowned the final two rounds will be 1 v. 4 and 2 v. 3 and then the inevitable Stanley Cup Finals. It sounds more complicated than it actually is, but making it look like they're changing the formula when they're not will be a clever marketing tool for them. Not only that, it will probably allow for more Washington v. Pittsburgh Playoff Matchups in the near future.
The only surprising change appears to be that Tampa Bay and Florida will be with teams in the Northeast instead of being with Washington, Carolina and perhaps even Nashville who will be in the Atlantic, Atlantic and Central conferences, respectively. They're really the only teams left out in the cold with Atlanta becoming Winnipeg since they're not close to any potential Conference rivals. The only rationale I have for this realignment is a potential expansion for the league soon down the line, potentially trying again with Atlanta and maybe expanding to Oklahoma City.
What's not up for debate is the new Playoffs Format, which will by and large stay the same. Each "Conference" will have four Playoff teams instead of eight since there are twice as many Conferences now, for the normal amount of 16. Once each Conference Champion is crowned the final two rounds will be 1 v. 4 and 2 v. 3 and then the inevitable Stanley Cup Finals. It sounds more complicated than it actually is, but making it look like they're changing the formula when they're not will be a clever marketing tool for them. Not only that, it will probably allow for more Washington v. Pittsburgh Playoff Matchups in the near future.
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