The Waiting Game

As of late, it seems that more and more video games have a 'wait to win' feature. A prominent example is Gran Turismo 5, where you can race your AI drivers in B-Spec mode in order to win cash and cars. While you can do these in A-spec, some of the later races are a bit more time consuming than most, specifically having two day-long races, a half day-long race, and a few other races exceeding 4 hours in length. They're races that, unless you have the utmost of patience and concentration, would never be able to finish under normal circumstances. Another example is Gears of War 3, where it's best to let yourself idle against bots for hours on end in order for your best shot at Seriously 3.0. While you're better off playing against bots yourself for quick kills and points, it's still bothersome that it's a main route for so many a players. My final example is Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and I'll tie Brotherhood into this as well, where you have to sit around and do nothing in order to gain money so you can buy property to gain more money. It's a welcome addition to Brotherhood, but in Revelations it's a bother since the game is really a glitch fest, and more often than not you're left waiting for longer than 20 minutes, the usual allocated time for Bank Deposits. I wish game developers would stop doing this, as it punishes those trying to go for 100% and have nothing better to do at that point in time. Instead of forcing me to wait, how about you let me play the game instead of forcing me down some arbitrary path since the preferred path is asinine?

Early Super Bowl Thoughts, 2012

The New England Patriots and the New York Giants are going to the Super Bowl for a rematch of Super Bowl 42, even though neither of them should be. The Patriots, while at home, were outplayed by the Ravens, and while a Billy Cundiff shank led them to the NFL's Promise Land once again, it didn't seem like the Patriots would've survived overtime. The Giants on the other hand were on the receiving end of good injuries. The 49ers regular return man, Ted Ginn Jr. was out with injury. Two costly mistakes by the replacement return man sent the game into overtime and got the Giants the victory. Right now, I'm thinking New England is going to win. I believe Baltimore was a better than the Giants due to their experience and defensive prowess. While Tom Brady had no touchdown passes against the Ravens, he had the game-winning rushing touchdown late. I don't expect Brady to go two weeks in a row without a TD pass, and he'll probably rack up 3 or 4 against the Giants defense, who have played quarterbacks this off-season that appeared less than thrilled to be there. I also think the Patriots seem motivated more than ever before in the Playoffs, looking to prove themselves not only for mistakes of seasons past, but playoff losses and Super Bowl 42, the most famous loss in their history. The Giants, on the other hand, look lucky to be there, and are playing with house money yet again. This time though, it doesn't appear that Tom Brady will be injured or that the Patriots will take them lightly. The Giants offense didn't look that great against the 49ers defense, having scored mainly on their mistakes. While I'm sure the Patriots defense will be less of a challenge, the Giants do have a tendency to overlook defenses they perceive to be poor. Whatever the case may be, both teams are lucky to be there. However, I think the Giants luck will run out against the Patriots, since they barely had any luck against Baltimore. The Giants on the other hand got all the luck in the world.

2012 NFL Conference Championships

I've had a tough week this week. From learning about myself, being sick, to try and come up with new ideas and finally to this topic, this weekend's Conference Championships. There isn't a bad matchup here, but both of these games could easily become un-entertaining blowouts that half the audience turns off in 10 minutes. Hopefully it won't come to that since last weekend's games were like that with the exception of the first one. With that in mind, here's my picks.

Baltimore at New England - 3pm EST
When these teams met at Foxboro last year, the Patriots won in overtime because the Ravens gave up the game basically. Instead of playing to win they played not to lose, which is, in reality, a great way to lose. Teams lose a step, and once they realize they're down by 3 with 2 minutes to go, it's already too late for a recovery. That's exactly the kind of football the Ravens played last week against the Texans, but thankfully for them TJ Yates was Houston's Quarterback.

This week is a different story however. The Patriots offense has been on-key for the past 2 months or so, looking almost unstoppable. Combine that with the fact that Ed Reed won't be 100% on Sunday and the Ravens offense is shaky at best, I expect a Patriots win. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ravens won, but I just can't see their offense getting 3 touchdowns.

My Pick: Patriots - 27, Ravens - 13


NY Giants at San Francisco - 6pm EST
With the exception of the final two drives on Saturday, San Francisco's defense looked pretty good against Drew Brees. I don't know whether to chock it up to them being tired for being on the field for so long, or just a complete mental breakdown for being in a close game in the Playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. Whatever the case, the game felt like their Super Bowl. The Giants on the other hand dominated the Packers from start to finish.

The Giants offense looked good the last 2 weeks against sub-par defenses, and while the same can be said for the 49ers last week against the Saints, the Giants offense is just better. I expect a close game here, but to me, it just feels like we're in for a rematch and a big one at that.

My Pick: Giants - 20, 49ers - 17

Divisional Special, 2012 Edition

It's been quiet around old KingBroly's blog lately, and while it hasn't been for any particular reason, I must say a lot of things have been going through my mind lately. But none quite like this weekend's NFL Divisional Playoffs, which start this afternoon at 4:30pm EST/1:30pm PST. I have to say that every game is highly watchable, and you can't really predict what will happen in any of the 4 games right now, even the most obvious ones. With that in mind, let's start with today's games.

- New Orleans at San Francisco
What's this? I'm bolding both teams so you'll have to read my synopsis? Heaven forbid! Stop crying, it's not that long. This is clearly the best game of weekend, and it's amazing that we get a high powered offense versus a rock solid defense on one side while on the other we have a mediocre offense versus a poor defense. What side will win? Considering great defenses always triumph over great offenses, I'm going to say the 49ers will win this one, at home, against Drew Brees. While the Saints have an amazing offense right now, they got awfully lucky last week. They tend to stay close at halftime, wherein they blow their opponents out in the second half. I don't see that happening this week as the 49ers have a solid defense where it matters most against the Saints, in the secondary. That's the key here, and I see the 49ers winning because of it.

Score Pick: 49ers - 23, Saints - 17


- Denver at New England
Despite the glut of Bible and Christian references to Tebow in the past week, let's keep things in perspective: When you don't show a team respect at any level, they will more often than not knock you off your feet. Not only did the Broncos do that, they knocked the Steelers out of the Playoffs to the delight of many Patriots fans. While the Patriots are favored by double digits given the last meeting was a no contest, keep in mind that Denver's defense let them down, not their offense, until late at least. I expect a much closer game this time around, but the result will stay the same.

Score Pick: Patriots - 27, Broncos - 17


Houston at Baltimore
This one seems like an obvious trap game to me. Everyone's picking Houston because of their Quarterback situation, which isn't pretty at the moment. Baltimore's defense, while still great isn't as hot as they used to be. Houston's is the best in the League but gave up a few points to a mediocre offense in Cincinnati last week at home. The Ravens will be rested and play great at home. Houston doesn't, especially against Playoffs teams. The only way I see Houston winning this game is if Ray Rice gets injured or Jake Delhomme comes in to play. I don't see either happening.

Score Pick: Ravens - 27, Texans - 6


New York at Green Bay
The final game of the weekend. The media is screaming 2008 like it's a forgone conclusion because it looks similar. Well no, it doesn't. In 2008, the Giants beat good teams to get there. A close game against the Patriots in Week 17 gave them the muster to play hard and win the Super Bowl. Here, they lost to the Packers, at home, and then went on to lose to the Redskins, almost lost against Dallas, blew out Dallas and the Jets when they didn't show up, and blew out a not-so-good Falcons team. The Packers went 15-1, including smacking the Lions with their 2nd string team. That says a lot about a team. With the buy they'll be rested and ready to prove why they're the best team in the League this year.

Score Pick: Packers - 35, Giants - 17

B-c-S, NCAA

Is the SEC the best Conference in College Football? If last night's title game is any indication, the answer is either no, or College Football is a terrible sport. Going in, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the SEC having both teams in the Championship, especially after the first game being a boring mess of a game that ended 6-3. Last night turned out to be a higher scoring, but just as boring mess, ending 21-0 in favor of Alabama. There were 5 field goals, a touchdown if you can believe it, and a missed extra point.

There's no definition to what an ugly game looks like in the sports world, but the 2011-12 BCS National Championship Game was as close to one as you're ever going to find. While LSU didn't complete a National Championship Season, you have to wonder if they even belonged there in the first place. Alabama got their rematch and used it well, like any scrappy champion does. However, you have to wonder how long the idea that the SEC is the best conference in College Football is going to last, because last night showed that they're not only not entertaining to watch, but they just don't play at a Professional level of football, like some have claimed in the past.

So please, NCAA, again your fans emplore you: Make a Playoff. We want a real Championship game with the two best teams. Not a game that is over when the first points are scored.

Sunday Afternoon Rebuttal

After another miracle transpired last night, I'm sure some would be quick to say that I was under the assumption the Broncos didn't deserve to be in the Playoffs. And no, that's not the case. A team that doesn't deserve to be in the Playoffs is one that makes the Playoffs and doesn't show up. The Falcons decided to retire early, the Lions left their Defense at home, and both the Texans and Bengals forgot what good competition is. The Steelers and Broncos both belonged in the Playoffs. The Steelers did let the Broncos jump out to an early lead but they didn't play dead afterwards like so many other teams have before. However, letting Pittsburgh back into the game like they did makes me think there won't be any more miracles this season.

The Steelers were lucky to be in the position they were last night. There was a play late in the 3rd that was a clear lateral, and the play was called dead. But because a play like that wasn't grandfathered into the 'we can recover a fumble after the whistle' rule a year ago, the Steelers got to keep the ball instead of Denver having it late in Pittsburgh territory, which would've been the difference in the game if they had scored. Instead, Pittsburgh got to keep the ball, allowing them to march downfield and score, getting them back in the game.

Late game shenanigans also cost the Steelers as well. Getting the ball back with 1:47 left and 2 timeouts, the Steelers slowly crept down the field, reminiscent of the Eagles late game drive in Super Bowl 39. They lacked the urgency that they usually do, one a Championship team usually possesses. Instead of trying for a late-game field goal, the game went to overtime, where Tebow threw an 80-yard Touchdown pass to Thomas for a trip to New England next week.

Denver played the game they needed to play. They made the big plays, they played smart. Pittsburgh on the other hand played cocky, were arrogant, not taking their opponent seriously. Like the Saints the season before against Seattle, they felt indestructible going into Denver, but in the end their season fell apart, and they only added to the mantle of Tebow.

Sunday Afternoon Blues

While I sit here watching an uneventful game between the Giants and Falcons, I'm reminded of why I sometimes hate the business that is the NFL. Like the Texans and Bengals yesterday, I don't think either of these teams belong in the Playoffs, and I hope for their speed exit. While the Texans definitely make a better case for belonging than the Bengals due to various injuries hampering what looked to be a Championship team, I can't say that the Giants or Falcons are anywhere close to that caliber of team. It looks like both teams got less sleep than me last night, and I didn't get any sleep.

Maintaining Control

Everyone hates referees in sports today. They're insulted, teased and probably have a few threats against their person from time to time for making the correct call 99% of the time. However, it's usually that 1% that gets the attention of almost everyone because it's a colossal blunder. Should those referees pay for their mistakes? I personally believe that they should.

Ed Hochuli made an incorrect call in a week 2 game between the Broncos and Charges a few years ago. Near the end of the game with Denver driving, Ed called a ball that was clearly fumbled a forward pass, and was therefore un-challengable. He owned up to his mistake immediately on the field However, Denver still got the touchdown and the inevitable 2-point conversion to win the game. He still has his job, and remains one of the best referees in the League, but he's still chastised about that call. I think it was a mistake, and it was sort of nice to see a referee own up to it, especially quickly. In spite of this, he was punished by the League, and didn't appear in any Playoff games that season and has mainly remained out of the spotlight of national TV since.

Last night brought forth something I'd call egregious, where the referee overturned a Virginia Tech Touchdown in Overtime, causing them to lose the game. Unlike Hochuli, he hasn't owned up to his mistake, and I doubt ever will. After looking at every replay from four or five different angles, they all showed the receiver catching the ball, his elbow hitting the turf, and eventually sliding out of bounds with possession of the football. Keep in mind also that in College Football you only need 1 foot or another body part in play for it to be considered a catch. The referee came back and said 'the receiver did not maintain control' of the football, when he clearly did. Virginia Tech then missed a field goal, which allowed Michigan to make one and win. Now you might say this is the same situation, but it's not due to the NCAA's overtime rules, which places the ball at the opponent's 25 yard line for each possession, so victory wasn't that far away for Michigan when you think about it.

The problem here is two-fold: One, in Overtime, teams start too close to scoring either a field goal/touchdown and should be moved back to at least the 35, perhaps the 40 yard line. Second, is that unlike Hochuli, this referee won't get punished for the same type of situation, apology excluded of course. In this type of business, it doesn't pay to be the good guy.

Looking Back

Week 17 was not kind to many teams, neither was it kind to myself, only correctly predicting a meager 9 games in a buffet of amazingly close games. To teams like the Jets, Raiders and Cowboys, they're now forced to eat sour leftovers of those who celebrated heartily last night. Then you have the Bengals and Broncos, teams who lost but got the help from those more fortunate than them yesterday, limp themselves towards yet another weekend buffet, even though one will have a shorter line to pass than the other.

Some teams, like the 49ers, Ravens and Patriots, took destiny by the horns, threw it against the wall, killed it, and had steak for breakfast. Each of them get to savor the meals they had for a week before going out and taking out their hunger pains on battered, but not beaten teams. The Giants also took control of their destiny with a nightly brunch over Dallas, but they don't have time to lose the dinner weight as they face the Falcons in a spare rib eat off, who are hungry for another victory after going through the drive through against Tampa.

While Detroit lost and Pittsburgh nearly lost on Sunday, neither looked like they had an appetite for victory. The Lions let the Packers take a bite out of them and they'll savor that 15-1 record, waiting for whomever comes into Lambeau Field next. To the Lions, there will be no Mardi Gras celebrations for them come Saturday night as the Saints offense looks like a party every time they march down the field. The Steelers on the other hand, will go to the Lord's House for Brunch on Sunday against the Broncos, who only look holy in their defense and their Quarterback position.

In the end though, only four teams will advance to the next round, a celebration that really isn't once, since another four teams, well rested and hungry for action wait for them. At the end of the day, I'm hungry too, and I'm excited to see what happens.