Another great update: NCAA Football 11 patch #2 is out!

Here is the blog update announcing what all was addressed:

Client Update 2

Hello again NCAA Fans!

I'm Russ Kiniry and I'd like to welcome you to Client Update 2 for NCAA Football 11.  You should be able to download the update now (it will automatically download when you start the game).   Roy talked about this update coming a while back in his blog 'Thank You' and I brought it up again when we released Live Tuner Pack 1 last week.   I am happy to finally say it is here, and we've got a long list of tweaks, tunes, and fixes.   Many of these changes were requests straight from you, the fans of NCAA Football, so it was very important to us to get them in the update.   Enough words, let's get to the list!



Graphics

-          Uniform degradation has been fixed.
-          Fixed a graphical issue with TeamBuilder sideline home uniforms.
-          Fixed several camera bugs (pulled back on field goals, blurry cameras, and replays after a change of possession)
-          Fixed helmet numbers for Rice and Wake Forest

Online
-          Resolved an issue with Season Showdown, allowing us to turn it back on, so you're upload failure message every time you go in/out of game is gone!
-          Fixed a couple freezes related to lobbies
-          Fixed voice communication in Online Dynasty Hub on PS3
-          Fixed an issue that could lead to a disconnect in online play during play calling

Offense
-          Fixed an issue on a couple plays where the QB would miss a hand off and run backward
-          Reduced the chance that the ball will be knocked out when a receiver is hit at the time of the catch
-          Tuned the CPU ball carrier so that they will break to the outside more often when appropriate
-          Tuned how the CPU ball carriers utilize leans and special moves so that they won't be used in situations when they shouldn't (e.g. a HB in the open field will not put his shoulders down when running forward)
-          Tuned pass accuracy and the ability to lead a receiver
-          Tweaked sideline catch animations in the end zone so that they have a bit more room to play
-          Fixed an exploit where backwards passes could be overly effective

Defense -          Fixed defensive reaction to pump fake to be more balanced. Skilled defensive backs will not be as easily fooled by pump fakes.
-          Tuned the Aggressive Defensive Line Gameplan to have more risk of jumping offsides
-          Removed a hesitation from defensive lineman pass rush on screen plays
-          Improved flat zone and deep zone coverage
-          Tuned man coverage reaction to the run
-          Adjusted CPU pursuit angles in some specific cases where they weren't being aggressive enough

Special Teams
-          Tuned onside kicks to be less predictable
-          Fixed an issue where catching a kicked ball after hitting the goalpost would result in kicking team getting the ball back
-          Fixed an issue where the punter could line up out of place
-          Adjusted cross bar collision on field goals and extra points

Other
-          Tuned CPU clock management where they would let the clock run out in some cases they shouldn't
-          Fixed a bug with time of possession tracking
-          Adjusted substitutions to be more intelligent (previously would see some weird players in the game with lots of aggressive no huddle)
-          Fixed a couple places where the wrong custom stadium sounds would play
-          Fixed a bug that caused Road To Glory to be simulated day by day near the end of the season
-          Tuned Kick Power and Kick Accuracy of progression of kickers and punters in Dynasty Mode
-          Fixed a couple infrequent game lock-ups



Again, I want to thank you for providing us with all the feedback you have thus far, and encourage you to continue to do so. It's safe to say this is the biggest update in NCAA History.  We wanted to be sure that we continue to improve your experience while playing NCAA Football 11, so this update touches almost every area of the game.   You can look forward to more Live Tuner Packs for NCAA Football 11 in the near future.

This update is for you Mr. Passionate-NCAA-Football-Gamer.

-Russ Kiniry
Designer NCAA Football

I have played some games with the patch and it works as advertised.  The uniforms do indeed get dirty and the running back AI seems improved.  Let me tell you folks, THIS is the way to support a game.  The NCAA team has been on top of everything, has been engaged in conversations with the gaming community and has been committed to making a great game even better.  My hat's off to them for creating what may be the best sports game to date.  If you don't have NCAA Football 11, GET IT NOW!

Happy day! First NCAA Football 11 tuning pack available

Tuning packs are mini updates (as opposed to full out patches) that can tweak game play and other issues.  Here's an excerpt from the announcement that the tuning file is available:

"For gameplay you should notice that larger players cannot jump as high to swat down passes making things look and feel more authentic. In Dynasty mode, it means two things. First, the majority of the teams in Dynasty will be slightly better than before due to having access to higher rated Prospects and slightly better progression. Second, CPU teams will do a much better job of accurately filling their rosters."

And in other terrific news, a full blown patch will be available for the game in about 2 weeks.  Included in the patch will be uniforms that get dirty as the game as is played, one of my pet peeves from my review.  The NCAA team has really stepped up this year.  Their commitment to the game and the community has been outstanding.  If you are a sports gamer, you simply must get NCAA Football 11.  It's the best video game representation of the sport I have ever played.

Baraka (Blu-ray)

Made in 1992 and shot in 24 countries around the world, Baraka is a dialogue free, visual interpretation of man's relationship with nature, technology, spirituality, and each other. Or something like that. Its themes are explored through a series of stunning images, some beautiful and some disturbing, with frequent use of breathtaking time lapse photography. Though difficult to describe in words, it is a truly moving experience.

When people speak of reference quality Blu-ray, this is what they're talking about. I expected Baraka to look spectacular and it does, every single frame of it. From the deeply saturated colour to the ultra fine detail and spot on contrast, Baraka is a visual delight. What I hadn't expected, though, was an audio track this good. The global music and sound effects not only provide a perfect backdrop to the visuals, they are delivered in a very forceful and active surround mix. Also much appreciated is the excellent 75 min. documentary on the making of Baraka. They are no overlays on the film itself to indicate the location of each shot (though it's easy to make educated guesses), so it's nice to find out where many were taken and to get some insight into the subjects as well.

Quite simply, I cannot recommend Baraka highly enough. It is one of a small handful of films that belongs in every Blu-ray collection.

The Last Temptation of Christ (Criterion Collection DVD)

It's been years since I've watched Scorsese's Last Temptation, and Joyce was keen to see firsthand what all the controversy was about. She had a very religious upbringing which extended well into her adult life and is well versed in bible stories, so it was very enlightening to have her alongside to separate "fact" from fiction for me.

The film begins with Jesus' adult life as a carpenter and follows his progression from self-realization as an unlikely messiah to death on the cross. However it's the balance between human and divine that Scorsese seemed most eager to explore and he did so by filtering the story through the interrelationships of Jesus with Mary Magdelene and Judas, brilliantly played by Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey and Harvey Keitel, respectively.

The story travels through several familar biblical events, all depicted with a gritty, human reality, to the inevitable, gruelling crucifixion (no whistling here, folks). But it was the subsequent coda of the last temptation that enraged Christian zealots the world over. I won't spoil it for those who have yet to see the film but, if you have any interest in Christianity, it deserves to be seen. Based on Joyce's reaction, chances are you won't be offended regardless which side of the theological fence you sit on.

The DVD ain't no Blu-ray but, as always, Criterion does a fine job, and the disc includes a very informative commentary among other features.

NCAA Football 11 review

After spending a good amount of time with this game (but alas, not as much as I would like!), I am happy to report that the NCAA Football series is back in a big, big way.  This version blows all others on this current generation of consoles completely out of the water.  That's not to say it doesn't have a few niggling problems that will hopefully be addressed in a patch, but that game plays incredibly well as it is now, after having already been patched on release-day.  Here are the major positives and negatives from the game:


Positives:

• The graphics and animations in this game are off the chart.  They simply must be seen to be believed.  Even average, ordinary plays are filled with animations so like-like that you find yourself reviewing them over and over.  The replays are wonderful as well, shown from a new Broadcast Camera (other camera views are available as well) that takes you right into the action.  You can really get lost in the game and find yourself completely immersed in the world of college football.  Amazing.  Check out this replay of a rather ordinary play, a 16 yard pass completion:

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

 Check out the animations.  From the initial camera angle behind the QB, see the receiver leap for the ball, which is thrown high and slightly behind him.  See how fluid his leap is, how realistic it looks?  You really see him push off to get airborne.  Suddenly the camera angle changes and now it is isolated on the receiver.  You see him time his leap, make the catch, set his feet to run and then get swallowed up by defenders.  It's a simple play, it's life-like and it's a thing of beauty.  The new progressive lighting system works beautifully as well, giving some really striking settings at game time.

• The running game has been significantly improved by enhancements made in the blocking AI.  Now guards will pull effectively, fullbacks will hit someone on lead blocks and real holes will emerge.  You can run inside or outside and the effectiveness is based on a combination of your skills as a gamer and the ratings of your players versus those of your opponent.

• The passing game has been tweaked for more realism.  No longer are all incomplete passes the result of balls either being dropped by receivers or batted down by defenders.  Passes are now realistically under thrown, over thrown or the timing may simply be off.

• The  "120 ways to win" stuff works as advertised.  Every teams runs it's real offense and at the real tempo.  You'll see Michigan run the no-huddle spread, tiring out the defenses by not allowing time for substitutions.  You'll see Nevada run their funky Pistol formation and UCLA run their pro offense.  It's awesome to behold.

• The atmosphere has been taken up a few notches as well.  Finally there is a real college atmosphere at the games.  The crowd is livelier, the bands peppier and the presentation (by ESPN) is more professional.

• Dynasty mode has been much improved because recruiting is no longer the monotonous chore it used to be.  EA has made it more interactive and much more engaging.  I used to despise recruiting.  Now I actually enjoy it, which makes Dynasty mode the most rewarding career mode in any sports game, in my opinion.

• You can have an online dynasty same as last year.  But new this year is the ability to manage your team online from outside the game.  You can now do your recruiting from your computer or iPhone.  This is a tremendous new feature that I hope EA will have in all future sports games.  And what's even better is that you can have your own single player online dynasty.  You can have all the features of online dynasty while still playing by yourself.  Too sweet.

• Teambuilder remains an absolutely addictive addition, where you can custom create your own schools and play them in any mode in the game.  I have spent many, many hours on my four teams (that's my Affton Cougars in their 1st alternate uniforms in the video above) and I love seeing them in action on the field.  There is a great community on the Operation Sports forums that will assist you in making the uniforms you want.  Trust me when I say I have benefited greatly from their generosity.  If you have the Xbox 360 version, look up my teams under my gamer tag, Quint75, and let me know what you think!

Negatives:

• In a game where so much detail has been lovingly recreated, it is just plain silly that the uniforms do not get dirty.  Not in the rain, not in the mud.  Speculation is that this may have been sacrificed to keep the frame rate up to snuff.  Whatever the reason, it's silly.  But I must say it does not bother me nearly as much as I thought it would when I first heard about it in the early reviews.

• The set of sliders given to help tweak game play is pretty darned generous and for once they actually seem very effective right out of the box.  But why oh why does EA make everything adjustable by sliders except fumble frequency and injury frequency?  They do this every year.  You can adjust the frequency of interceptions, but not fumbles?  Makes no sense.  Never has, never will.

• The blocking on kickoff returns leaves much to be desired.  Neither the CPU nor myself can muster any sort of nice returns; the ball carrier is met by tacklers almost immediately.

•  By far my biggest complain with the game is the AI of the CPU ball carriers.  There are a number of specific problems that keep them from being anywhere near as effective as they should be, which is a real shame as the blocking is done so well.  Don't get me wrong, the CPU can and will get an effective ground game going against you. They will even beat you with it.  But it still is not what it should be.  To sum up the main problem, the CPU doesn't handle open space properly.  For example, a RB will burst through the hole and have only the DBs to deal with.  Rather than kicking into that extra gear, he may do a number of things that will take away what could have been a game breaking run.  He may juke for no reason, slowing him down and allowing him to be caught from behind.  He may keep the ball covered with both hands even though he is in the clear, which causes him to run much slower than if he was sprinting, again allowing him to be caught more easily.  He may have a clear path if he would veer toward the sideline, but he doesn't; he cuts back inside.  It can be really obvious at times, and frustrating for someone who sometimes likes to just do the recruiting and let the CPU play the games out on the field by itself.  However, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic that this can and will be fixed with a patch.  A few years ago, an NCAA game was released with this very same issue and it was improved via a patch.  I can't recall if it completely fixed the problem or not, but I do remember it was much improved.  Hopefully EA is getting an earful about this issue and will address it in an upcoming patch.  If so, this game will simply be unreal.  

 As it is right now, I would say it is still the best looking, best playing football game I have had the pleasure of getting my mitts on.  It has everything you could ever want: great game play, depth, superior visuals and audio (even if the play-by-play is getting beyond stale at this point, and this without Lee Corso in the booth) and the fun factor is through the roof.  Right now NCAA football rates an extremely impressive 9.2 out of 10 for me.  And it may get better yet.

In the meantime, here are 2 more videos to keep you satisfied, both of which once again show off the Broadcast replay cam.  The first shows a nice QB animation as he completes a pass on a rollout.  Notice how fluid his throwing motion is and how he seems to actually put force behind the throw.  And I love how he subtly uses his arms to regain his balance after making the throw.

In the 2nd video, notice the QB starts off with a fake hand-off in play action.  The camera then shifts to the safety, again at the start of the play, and you see him bite on the fake and then get beaten for the TD.  Beautiful!

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

EA Sports: NCAA Football 11 Video

The Fly (Blu-ray)

Another horror classic from the '80's, this one a re-imagining of the original through the twisted mind of David Cronenberg. Actually, that's probably not a fair comment in this case since, at its core, The Fly is perhaps the most humanistic of all his films. The relationship between Jeff Goldblum's obsessed scientist/inventor and Geena Davis' ambitious journalist is the thread that ties the film together from beginning to end, even after things begin to go horribly awry. In some ways, it may not even be fair to label The Fly a horror film (science fiction may be more apt), though the grotesque special effects may leave you thinking otherwise. But in spite of it all, it's Goldblum and Davis who create the emotional resonance that makes The Fly so special.

Like The Shining, The Fly is given a very nice treatment on Blu-ray. Visually, it doesn't have quite the wow factor of The Shining but, make no mistake, this is still a very, very good transfer. And the audio track is surprisingly powerful, especially for a 25 year old film. A highly recommended upgrade or addition to your library.

The Shining (Blu-ray)

Stanley Kubrick's adapation of The Shining was initially greeted with extreme disappointment by fans of the novel, but in the 30 years since its release, has become appreciated as a classic of the horror genre. Without the advantage of modern CGI technology, it was through camera and character that Kubrick created the isolation and claustrophobia that lead to the terror of Jack Torrance's descent into madness.

At this point, I think I've owned just about every home video version of The Shining that's been released and in all aspect ratios (4:3, 1.66:1, 1.85:1). I thought the Kubrick Collection DVD was extremely well done and, to be honest, didn't expect the Blu-ray release to be much of an improvement. Wrong. The visual presentation, while not quite reference quality, easily exceeds that of many current films. Kubrick's primary colour palette is brought to eye-popping life with remarkable detail throughout. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can do with a 30 year soundtrack. It's thin and weak but cranking the volume fills things out to acceptable levels. All things considered, this is an absolute must-own for fans of the film.

True Blood Season 2 (Blu-ray)

Back following a too long hiatus with the first in a series of recaps of some films we've watched over the last six weeks or so...

In preparation for the Season 3 premiere back in June, we burned through the Season 2 the week beforehand. While I enjoyed the second season the first time around, it ultimately failed to expand on the promise of Season 1. The first season centered in and around the town of Bon Temps, and there was a certain voodoo mystique and sense of discovery that wasn't sustained throughout Season 2. Instead, the elements of the story veered into camp and, while great fun, ultimately over-reached itself.

On second viewing, however, I came away with a much greater appreciation for Season 2. Sure, the Mary-Anne storyline was taken past the point of no return, but Jason's foray into the Fellowship of the Sun was hilariously entertaining, as was his unlikely alliance and friendship with Andy Bellefleur. But there was also much more visceral excitement and dramatic depth to Season 2 than I'd remembered, most notably the story around Eric's maker, Goderich. Season 2 also serves to establish several plot point that have proven important to the story as it unfolds in Season 3 (which has been fabulous through four episodes).

The Blu-ray presentation of True Blood is an absolute treat. As terrific as the show looks in HD, the Blu-ray is a noticeable cut above. Most scenes look jaw-droppingly good, with a few exhibiting noticeable grain that gives the picture a film-like appearance rather than detracting from it. The visuals are ably supported by a surprisingly powerful and active surround mix. The package is topped offer with a bevy of bonus materials including several entertaining commentary tracks, and an hour and fifteen minute panel discussion featuring series creator Alan Ball and all of the regular cast. A very impressive box set on every level.

Spain reigns supreme at World Cup

Congratulations to Spain, the 2010 World Cup champs.  I was pulling mighty hard for Holland, but Spain was clearly the better side.  They were the aggressors the entire match and really controlled play all day, especially at midfield.  Even so, Holland had 2 golden opportunities to steal the game in the second half, but winger Arjen Robben, who had an otherwise magnificent tournament, couldn't quite finish on 2 glorious chances.  Holland played aggressive defense that included a lot of physicality and fouls.  Nigel de Jong planted a foot right into the chest of Spain's Xabi Alonso and by all rights should have been sent off with a red card.

Spain continued to press, even late in the game when many teams would have been content to try their luck in a penalty kick shootout.  It turned out to be a very wise decision, as the late goal in extra time gave them their first World Cup.  It also saved us the pain of seeing another World Cup decided by penalty kicks, so major kudos to Spain for that as well.  By the time the winning goal came, Netherlands was playing shorthanded, having lost John Heitinga (deservedly) after he picked up his second yellow card.  It was only a matter of time before Netherlands was going to have to play shorthanded; the way they attacked Spain physically was going to cost them in due time.

So congrats again to Spain, deserving World Cup champs!

Operation Sports NCAA Football 11 review

A very positive and thorough review. Essential reading for any sports gamer.  It seems as though EA has finally hit pay dirt on the current generation of consoles with the NCAA series and I could not be more excited.  I'll have to wait until Tuesday for my copy and my anticipation is at a fever pitch.

Random thoughts

- Netherlands defeated Uruguay 3-2 today to advance to the World Cup final.  I have been rooting for them all along (they have long been my favorite international team) and now they are just one step away.  My 2nd favorite team, Germany, plays Spain for the other spot in the final.  Germany is playing brilliant soccer right now and if they get by Spain they will be favored to win the Cup.  Netherlands was quite sloppy with the ball today, especially late in the first half through midway in the second half.  That will not get the job done against either Germany or a very talented Spain.  I am hoping the boys can tighten things up a bit before the final.  As for my other 2 favorite teams, England and the United States, well, the less said the better.

-NCAA Football 11 is one week away from release.  I am totally amped up for this game and have very high hopes for it.  I have my 4 custom teams all ready to go (go to username Quint75 on the Xbox 360 version of Team Builder to find them) and of course the Maize and Blue of Michigan will get a thorough workout as well.  It will be a little while before the community rosters are finished being named and adjusted, but once that starts it will be Dynasty Mode city.  Especially nice is the ability to do all of your Dynasty Mode stuff online now, including over your iPhone.  Hot tamale!

-My wife and I have started a new 4th of July tradition which I am embarrassed to say should have started about 25 years ago: we will now watch Jaws every July 4th.   After all, a great deal of it takes part over the July 4th holiday.  Plus it's been my favorite movie since I was 9 years old.  I give full credit to Barb for the idea of making this a tradition.  And I smack myself in the head because I did not think of it first.  As a certified Jaws fanatic, I hang my head in shame.

-Watched a few more movies in the last couple of days.  Here are some quick ratings, on a scale of 1-10:

• Jaws - 10 (duh!)
• Cobb - 6.5
• Session 9 - 7.0
• Zombieland - 7.5 (but quite entertaining)
• The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made - 5.0 (ironic, huh?)
• Tales From The Script - 7.0

That's it for now.  Go Germany tomorrow and Go Netherlands on Sunday!
       

Rating some recently seen movies

I have been in movie watching mode for a while, so I thought I'd just rate what I have seen on a scale of 1-10.  No comments, just ratings.

Zulu: 8.5

The Machinist: 8.0

Streets Of Laredo: 8.0

The Wolfman (2010): 7.0

Capturing The Friedman's: 8.5

The Red Baron: 6.0

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29: 8.5

Sense and Sensibility: 9.0

Suspect Zero: 6.5

Right At Your Door: 8.0

The China Syndrome: 8.5

NCAA 11 improvements from demo to retail version

Thanks to Pastapadre for listing these on his site, which we are happy to link to from Memory Almost Full.  The list of improvements that will be implemented for the retail version is stunning.  If these changes are delivered as promised to what is already a terrific playing demo version of the game, we are in for a real treat with NCAA Football this year.  Hopefully the sliders will also work fully so we can configure the game to our personal tastes.

Anyway, here is a link to the list.  Be sure to check it out.

Quick gaming thoughts

• I finished Red Dead Redemption a while back and loved every second of it.  A serious, serious contender for Game Of The Year that will be hard to knock from the top spot.  Once you finish you can keep playing (but with a twist that I must admit is a bit disappointing to me) so I plan to put more and more time in just because of the sheer fun of it.  This is one game that will be fun to pop in and play when nothing else seems compelling.
• I have put quite a bit of time into UFC 2010 Undisputed.  It is quite enjoyable, especially the career mode.  I finally got my fighter the welterweight championship belt, but this is on easy mode so it's hardly an accomplishment.  The controls become pretty natural once you invest some time into the game.  I may start a new career on the next higher difficulty level pretty soon, but we'll see.  It's still fun to play with the real fighters and see their different strengths and weaknesses.  While solid, I can't see this game being considered for GotY.
• I returned to my 2009 GotY, Borderlands, to check out the expansion DLC The Secret Armory Of General Knoxx.  What I had read about it holds true; it is insanely difficult.  I am definitely out of practice so that may have had something to do with it, but I died multiple times at the same spot, before I really got very deep into the action.  My character is at the highest possible level (pre-DLC) so it shouldn't be this crazy, but it is.  I'll give it a shot again later, but I was very frustrated to keep running into such problems so early in the episode.
• Other than NCAA Football 11, the only other game on my radar now is Mafia 2, which looks a whole lot like Red Dead Redemption set in the late 1940's/early 1950's.  With a release date set for August, this is a must-buy for me.

That's it for now!

NCAA Football '11 demo out

I downloaded the demo yesterday and played a few games last night.  At first glance, this game seems much improved.  The new locomotion system makes a huge difference; players move much more life-like and you have better control over them.  They don't seem as stiff and seem to react better to the input you give them.  Bravo to EA for that.

Also, the much ballyhooed improved run-blocking AI is indeed a great addition.  Pulling guards actually carry out their assignment and all blockers look for someone to hit.  It makes the running game seem much more realistic and enjoyable.  This was another sorely needed update.

The myriad gameplay improvements are there to be seen.  I was impressed with the sideline catches made by receivers, the overturned plays as a result of replay, the much more realistic passing (throwing on the run is no longer so accurate), etc.  I was able to get a decent pass rush going against the CPU as well, which is a big deal.

The game also looks terrific.  The presentation has been amped up quite a bit.  The graphics and animations are improved and the crowd seems more into the game.  It all adds up to what looks to be a terrific package.  I did have one bug rear it's ugly head when I picked off a pass and returned it for a TD.  The audio dropped out during the return and after the player celebrated the score the game froze.  I quit the demo and restarted and still had no audio.  I had to reboot the XBox in order to get the demo back to normal.

If the AI sliders work correctly when the full game is released then we are looking at a revolutionary game in the NCAA series.  This series, once my absolute favorite, has grown stale over recent years, especially on the new generation of consoles.  Of course no game will be perfect and I am sure this game will have some small nagging problems somewhere; they all do.  But I am as excited about NCAA '11 as I have been about any game in a long while.  That took a lot of doing by EA, but so far they seem to have answered the challenge.

Our Airman Zach

Here is Zach snapping his family a salute before we had to leave the base for the last time.  He is now in Biloxi, Mississippi getting training for his job.  We won't see him again until late September/early October.  We could not be prouder of the way he came through basic training.  Way to go Zach!

Back from San Antonio, Texas

To quote Lindsey Buckingham: Never going back again.

Will have an update on Zach later. He's doing very well and looks terrific.

Zach & Jess

I didn't know how best to get this to you guys, but here's a great photo of Zach and Jess (and Brody) from May '04 in St. Louis. It deserves to be seen.

Pete

UFC 2010 Undisputed

As a change of pace, I thought I'd give this game a whirl.  I have been slowly getting into the UFC world thanks to my neighbor Jason, who gets all of the Pay Per View events.  It's a brutal sport, but no more so than boxing, which I have always had an appreciation for.  I am really new to UFC so I don't know a lot about the fighters or the lingo, but it's entertaining and the first UFC game, Undisputed 2009, had a huge fan base.

I have only played around with UFC 2010 for about an hour or so.  I did the tutorials, or most of them anyway, and dived into an exhibition fight on Beginners mode.  Using one of the few fighters I know, Georges St. Pierre from good old Canada, I took the fight to another welterweight and had a blast.  I ended up winning by TKO 37 seconds into the 2nd round and the fight was action-packed all the way.  I won't lie, the controls seem really daunting at first blush.  They are quite complex but everyone I know says that after a couple of hours they feel like 2nd nature.  I know that I had a good enough handle on them to throw punches where I wanted them to land, block punches thrown my way, I threw my opponent to the mat and tried a submission hold on him.  Not bad after so little time spent learning the controls.

As I said, the fight itself was terrific.  I have a lot to learn, but I am looking forward to it.  There are tons of fighters available and plenty of modes to play, including a career mode where you create your own fighter and move him up the ranks.  Along the way you pick up fans, give interviews and so on.  I am sure that this game, along with Red Dead Redemption, will keep me plenty busy until NCAA Football is released in mid-July.

Blu-ray Round-up

With hockey season winding down, we found time to squeeze in a few movies over the past couple of weeks.

There Will Be Blood

This one has sat on the shelf for far too long waiting for the right opportunity to watch it. A big fan of the rest of P.T. Anderson’s work I was anxious to finally check out TWBB. I’m pretty patient when it comes to film, and like to be challenged (hey, I loved Magnolia and am a big fan of David Lynch), but I never did fully come to grips with the pedantic pace of Anderson’s latest. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen that would energize the story. It never came, in spite of the inevitable, darkly comedic finale. Daniel Day Lewis, in a fine performance, may have walked away with the Oscar, but it was Paul Dano’s turn as the obsessive preacher with an ulterior motive, Eli Sunday, that brought much needed energy to every scene he was in. Lovely cinematography too, but I’d rather revisit Days of Heaven than watch TWBB again. There Will be Blood isn’t a bad film by any estimation, but it’s not worthy of a place in my permanent collection either.

My feelings about the Blu-ray presentation mirror that of the film itself. In a word, lacklustre. As always, bright scenes look best with decent detail, but shadow detail is lacking in the numerous dark scenes that populate the film. And while the film is obviously no audio showcase, the track included here is simply missing the dynamics and fidelity that you’d expect of a current release. Disappointing.

Ratatouille

From one end of the spectrum to the other, next up is Ratatouille. If you’re a fan of Pixar and/or have any of their other Blu-ray releases in your library, you know exactly what to expect here. Ratatouille may not resonate with very young children to the same degree that many other Pixar films do (A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 1&2, Cars), but it's a hoot and a half for we adults in the crowd, chock full of the clever wit and charm that we've come to expect from Pixar.

The transfer is top-notch with incredible detail, vividly saturated colours and an overall look that's almost film-like (which seems strange to say about an animated film). The lively soundtrack is punchy and dynamic with a very active surround mix and surprisingly forceful .1 track. Very highly recommended on all levels.

Boogie Nights

The disappointment of There Will Be Blood provided the urge to revisit Boogie Nights. Joyce had never seen it and was surprisingly game, and I was due for a repeat viewing. Perhaps not P.T. Anderson's most creative endeavour (that would be Magnolia, IMHO), but easily his most entertaining and the film that put him on the map as one of the hottest up and coming young directors in the business (along with the likes of David Fincher, and that other Anderson kid, Wes). Populated by a great ensemble cast, fantastic soundtrack and plenty of P.T.'s trademark long tracking shots, it's clear that this style of film is his comfort zone and where he operates best. Boogie Nights is a tour de force and absolute delight from beginning to end.

I had very high expectations for this Blu-ray release and have to admit that I came away somewhat disappointed. I'm willing to cut it some slack due to the film's age, but it's not that old and I've seen films older than BN look better than this. That being said, it's still a pretty good looking picture overall. The Audio track is more of the same, good but not great. We found that we needed to crank the volume much higher than normal to catch all of the dialogue, and the cool tunes don't pump out with quite as much authority as you'd wish they did. Even though it doesn't have quite the wow factor I'd hoped for, the Blu-ray is an easy recommendation for fans of the film. I'd just be inclined to wait out a price drop before shelling out.

From the ashes of Swart rises a Gretsch

The Swart AST Pro reviewed earlier on these pages, while quite a cool amp in its own right, ultimately proved unworthy of long term investment, so I swapped it for this 1957 Reissue Gretsch Duo Jet. It's a guitar that should look very familiar to any Beatles fanatics in the crowd (this one's for you, Jim!).

I've now had a couple of opportunities to spend some time with the Duo Jet since it arrived on Tuesday, including a lengthy session last night. Tonally, the Duo falls somewhere in the middle of a triangle formed by a Telecaster, Rickenbacker and Danelectroo. It's a bright guitar, but not exceedingly so. The high end doesn't overwhelm like a Tele or Dano can, especially through a bright amp (like my Tone King Meteor). I don't get the Les Paul comparisons aside from the general body shape, but the '57RI is equipped with Dynasonics (single coils) as opposed to Filtertrons (humbuckers) so maybe that has something to do with it.

The Dyna's are pretty low output p/u's, too much so for my taste as currently set up. I like to work the volume control a lot and find that I need some sort of boost engaged when rolling back to maintain output. I've done a little research online and it seems the pole pieces on mine might be set a little high. Apparently, Dyna's actually sound fuller and richer with the pole pieces set quite low. I may also slap a set of manly .011's on the guitar for a little more oomph, and that should also raise the action a tad which is slightly on the low side of what I prefer as is. Speaking of strings, the guitar was shipped with way too much slack in the existing set. As a result, I've had a devil of a time getting, and keeping, the guitar in tune.

Those niggles aside, the Jet plays like a dream. The neck is comfy, and the guitar is very light and well balanced so it feels really good hanging around your shoulder. The Bigsby is super smooth and sounds great, however you have to be careful where you leave the bar because it can really get in the way of the volume and tone controls. It's an odd design choice, but I guess ergonomics weren't of primary concern in 1957. The Duo is also equipped with a master volume control situated on the lower horn, while the other controls are on the lower bout. Master aside, V/V/T is my favorite control config, it's just too bad it all wasn't more easily accessible but it's slowly becoming more familiar.

There are great tones to be found in all three pickup positions but, like a Ric or Dano, the middle really seems to be where it's at. Clean tones are borderline spectacular (higher output would take it the rest of the way) with plenty of that characteristic Gretsch twang - perfect for snappy Southern Culture on the Skids licks. Dirty tones take a little more effort to dial in, but the Jet is certainly capable. Though I'm most comfortable in alt.country boots, I was able to cop some very credible Kills and Black Keys tones with the right pedals engaged.

At this early stage, the Duo Jet shows promise, but the jury remains out. If I can squeeze a little more output from the Dyna's, it could well slide into the #2 position behind my Bluesboy - a slot I've been looking to fill for some time. It's light, toneful, plays great, and looks drop dead cool - perfectly suited to the ethos of the music I play.

Saddle up! Red Dead Redemption has arrived

Rockstar Games, makers of the fabled Grand Theft Auto series of video games has a new title out, sort of a GTA in the sagebrush entitled Red Dead Redemption.  I have only spent about 5 hours with the game but I can already say that this has Game Of The Year written all over it.  It's that fun and it's that good.

I won't get too much into the details here as I don't want to spoil anything.  It's a free roam game like GTA where you can advance the main story by doing missions, make money and create more fame (or infamy) for yourself by doing side missions, or just ride around the countryside and do whatever the heck you feel like doing.  So far I have helped a nice lady with her farm, defended it from prowlers, learned how to herd cattle, played horseshoes, lost $50 at poker, bought a room above the local saloon and hunted all sorts of wild game.  I have also had to kill quite a few people, including 2 in duels.  The game controls wonderfully and the amount of freedom you have is awesome.  You are tossed right into the game and the story unfolds slowly as you advance through the missions.  You can go forward at your own pace.  Random events pop up from time to time and you can quickly take action, or choose not to if you'd like.  For example, as I was minding my own business and riding along in the wilderness, a crazed man came upon me and said a lynch party was about to hang his buddy and he hadn't done anything wrong.  I raced to the scene and took out the bad guys as soon as I could.  Unfortunately, I didn't save his buddy.  After thinking about it for a second, it hit me: rather than shooting the bad guys first, I should have shot the rope the innocent man was dangling from as he struggled to free himself.  Awesome.  Sad to say I also arrived too late to save a prostitute who was being manhandled outside a saloon by a vengeful patron.  One of these days I will get this hero stuff down.

Of course, you don't have to play the hero.  You can rob banks, kill innocents, steal whatever you want, etc.  Your wanted level will go up and you will be hunted by the law and posses.  Like Butch and Sundance, you may find yourself wondering, "Who are those guys?" because from what I hear they are relentless in tracking you down.

The game is absolutely dripping with atmosphere. The graphics are top-notch, the music is spaghetti-western perfect and the voice acting is some of the best I have heard. If you like westerns or simply action games with terrific production qualities, run - don't walk - to your nearest game store and pick up Red Dead Redemption.  Or better yet, find a wild horse, break it, and gallop to the store.  Yeah, that's in the game too.  The horse-breaking, not the video game store.

BTW, I went with the 360 version but the PS3 has some extra content included for free.  Had I know, I would have picked that version.  If you have the choice, go that route, even though the video resolution is a little lesser.  From what I have read, you won't notice the difference in graphics.

Survivor 20 - Season Finale

Season 20 of Survivor drew to a close last night and saw Sandra walk away with $1M and the title of Sole Survivor. Once again, the jury voted for the player they liked the best as opposed to the one who played the best. I guess feelings are hurt more easily than they used to be in the game of Survivor, because more and more it's turning into a popularity contest. Nobody seems able to admit that someone else outwitted, outplayed and outlasted them, least of all this latest collection of all-star egos.

No disrespect to Sandra. She's a fine player and now two time winner. But she didn't deserve to win this game. That, IMO, would have been Parvati (also a previous winner, who placed 2nd this time). She played a much more active strategic and physical game, and pretty good social game too, all things considered. Of course the main thing to consider was one Russell Hanz, the uber villain who was participating in his second consecutive Survivor, with whom Parvati was allied throughout the game.

Arguably the best strategist and master manipulator to ever play the game, Russell has zero concept of the social aspect of Survivor that's part and parcel of winning. You'd think he would have learned from his experience last season when he finished as runner up to the charming, but otherwise pretty much useless, Natalie. He played the same bull in a china shop game this time around and once again landed himself in the final three. But this time he was unable to garner a single voted as Sandra outpolled Parvati 6 votes to 3 for the mil.

I'm usually lukewarm to "all-star" Survivor seasons, but this season was nothing short of astonishing by any estimation with shocking developments throughout. Let's hope next season is every bit as entertaining. Four months to go...

Ottawa Senators Season Post-Mortem - Part 3 - The Playoffs

Ideally, a team likes to hit the playoffs fully healthy and firing on all cylinders. The 09/10 Senators did neither. They struggled down the stretch, dropping games to the league's weak sisters. Then, in the penultimate game of the regular schedule, Alex Kovalev suffered a season ending torn ACL. Already without D Filip Kuba for the balance of the year, and with F Milan Michalek still recovering from a serious knee injury, the loss of Kovalev was a huge blow. The guy may be a regular season enigma, but he's money in the post-season. So with a first round playoff series with the defending champion Penguins looming, the Senators were without two key top six forwards who had been relied on to provide secondary scoring depth in the absence of Dany Heatley, and their top minute eating, highest scoring defenseman. Not good.

Michalek returned for Game 1 of the series, but re-injured his knee and was lost for good. Regardless, the Senators came out with a great effort and surprised the Pens 5-4. When Peter Regin whipped a wrister past M-A Fleury just 18 seconds into Game 2, it looked like the Sens might just be able to pull out of Pittsburgh with a pair of road wins. But the champs had other ideas and, thanks to the late game offensive and defensive heroics of Sidney Crosby, evened the series at ones with a 2-1 victory. Though Ottawa went on to lose the next two games at home, it could be argued that Game 2 (not Jason Spezza's much discussed turnover in Game 4) was truly the turning point in the series. The Senators had an opportunity to seize control of the series, and instead played not to lose.

Game 3 in Ottawa was a more closely matched affair than the 4-2 score would indicate. But rookie coach Corey Clouston stubbornly insisted on playing strength on strength with the Spezza line against Sidney Crosby, and Crosby continued to eat the Senators alive. Concerns were also mounting over the performance of second year goaltender, Brian Elliott.

In Game 4, the Senators completely unravelled. The series had been extremely physical to that point, a deliberate strategy by the Senators. It failed miserably. The Pens matched them hit for vicious hit, and it was they who got under the collective skin of the Senators. Emotions boiled and, more often than not, it was a Sen that was left sitting in the box after an undisciplined penalty. It all came to a head in Game 4 with the Senators falling behind 4-0 before rallying somewhat and eventually losing 7-4. Brian Elliott was pulled following the 4th goal, and didn't play again in the series.

Down 3-1 in the series and with the much maligned Pascal Leclaire starting in Game 5 in Pittsburgh, execution at the hands of the Pens seemed inevitable. However, the Sens came out strong and grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals a minute apart in the 1st period, but the Penguins came back to tie with a goal late in the 2nd. The Pens carried all the momentum into the 3rd, eventually taking a 3-2 lead midway in the period. The Senators appeared all but done. But only a minute and a half later, Peter Regin continued his remarkable playoff performance by knotting the score, ultimately sending the game to overtime. In the most exciting Senators playoff game I've ever witnessed, the unlikeliest of heroes, Matt Carkner, netted the winner at 7:06 of the 3rd overtime period, and Pascal Leclaire made a remarkable 59 saves.

The Senators gritty performance in Game 5 won back the disgruntled fan base, and provided a sense of optimism as the team headed back to Ottawa for Game 6. But it wasn't to be. After staking themselves to a dominant 3-0 second period lead, they allowed the Penguins to strike for a goal only a minute later to draw within two. Mike Fisher's goal a little later in the period appeared to be the icing on the cake for the Senators but, after an exceedingly long video review, it was disallowed. The long delay sucked the life out of the crowd and, seemingly, the players as well. The Pens thoroughly dominated the game from that point forward, scoring two goals in the third to tie the game 3-3 and send it to overtime. Pascal Dupuis scored midway through the first overtime to end the Senators season.

As disappointing as it was to bow out in the first round, there's never any shame in losing to the defending champs. The fans ultimately appreciated the scrappy effort of the undermanned Sens. It's the sort of performance that fans here have been crying for since the days of (ex coach) Jacques Martin. Most encouraging was the play of rookies Erik Karlsson, Peter Regin and hard nosed Zack Smith. Karlsson scored at a point per game clip over the six games, not bad for a 19 year old rookie defenseman. And the series was Peter Regin's coming out party. Thrust into a first line role with Jason Spezza due to the Senator's depleted forward corps, Regin scored three goals and turned plenty of heads over the course of the series. Those two youngsters, in particular, are the silver lining in what was a disappointing end to the season.

CODA - Looking Forward

With the season now over and the off-season ahead, the Senators have lots to look forward to, and more than a couple of question marks. The play of Karlsson and Regin, and hopeful maturation of both over the summer and throughout next season, has Sens fans extremely excited. This is the first time in recent memory that the Senators have had two rookies showing so much promise - especially Karlsson who, if he grows out of his elfin frame, will be an absolute stud…probably even if he doesn't.

Once again, goaltending will be a major question mark. Which Brian Elliott will show up next year - the one who backstopped the team to a team record 11 game winning streak, or the one who flamed out against the Pens? And what about Pascal Leclaire? Can he stay healthy for an entire season and , if he does, can we expect the form he flashed against Pittsburgh, or the bottom tier goaltending he came up with during the regular season?

Then there's "l'Artiste" as Habs fans affectionately refer to Alex Kovalev. At 37 years old, will he be able to rehab from such a serious knee injury over the offseason and, if so, will he be effective when he returns in the fall? A large contingent of Sens fans, fed up with Kovalev's seemingly disinterested play, would argue that he isn't effective at full health, and would like to see the last year of his $5M/yr. contract off the books. They may get their wish if he doesn't recover and the Sens can get him onto LTIR.

Finally, and inevitably, there's Jason Spezza. Ottawa's favourite whipping boy has a NTC in his $7M/yr. contract that kicks in on July 1st. Many Sens fans would love nothing more than for GM Bryan Murray to ship Spezza out of town before he's locked in for the duration. I get that Spez can be a frustrating player at times, but there's no questioning his skill and, at 26 years old (27 next month), presumably he's still on the upswing of his development. Furthermore, if you trade your #1 center, how do you replace him? It took years for the Senators to develop the one they have, and those guys don't exactly grow on trees.

It's going to be a very interesting week in Sens Land between the entry draft on June 26th and the opening of free agency on July 1st. Can't wait!!!

P.S. After reading this epic, aren't you glad the Senators got knocked out in the first round?

Happy Birthday John!!!

My son turns 2 years old today.  It was quite the commotion when he was born and it has been quite the commotion ever since.  He's a rambunctious little thing but he's also a sweetheart and funny as all get-out.  We are so blessed to have him in our lives.  We love you John!!!

Surrounded by sound

I finally got a surround sound system!  I have wanted one for ages but it just was really never a good time for it.  There were always other priorities that made much better sense.  But this year Barb set aside money for one for my birthday.  After a lot of research, I settled on a moderately priced Onkyo system that included a 7.1 receiver and speakers.  It wasn't released yet, so I had to wait a couple of weeks until it became available.  Once it arrived, I enlisted the aid of my brother Doug to help me run the wiring.  My man-cave is in the basement and I have a drop ceiling, so running the wires the length of the room wasn't the problem.  It was going through the insulation in the walls to run the speaker wire vertically that was the real bear.  Luckily my brother has the patience of Job and he got that done for me.  A couple of late nights later and I was all hooked up and had the system set up to my liking.

First on my DVD list was Saving Private Ryan (my brother's suggestion).  I watched the opening half hour and was amazed by the surround sound audio with bullets whizzing by on one side and cannon shells going off on the other.  Next was Talking Heads' terrific concert film Stop Making Sense.  I watched a handful of my favorite performances, including Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, Found A Job, Slippery People, Life During Wartime and Making Flippy Floppy.  Absolutely awesome stuff.

Then, of course, I had to try out Jaws.  I watched the opening scene (the attack on Chrissie), the attack in the estuary, the scene where the shark makes his first appearance off of the stern of the Orca and the final showdown.  No matter how many times I see this (and I am guessing it is well over 200+ since 1975), it still gives me a tingle.  It's my favorite movie and also a great childhood remembrance.  Can't get better than that.

As a celebration for my new toy, Barb got me a Blu Ray copy of Avatar.  I was not ready for how awesome it looked and sounded.  Simply unreal.  Though I have had my PS3 for ages, I only have 2 Blu Ray discs.  I have always bought regular DVDs so I can share them with my friends that don't have Blu Ray.  I may have to become more selfish now.  Stunning is the only way to describe the audio and visual delights of the Avatar Blue Ray.

I played an hour or so of Just Cause 2 (still an absolute blast to play) and was stunned by the sound effects, especially explosions.  I can't wait to hear the bands and crowds in NCAA Football 11.  And last night I made time to pop in The Beatles: Rock Band.  I played a 19 song set, which was really longer than that because it included the Abbey Road side 2 medley.  What a blast.  A totally different (and markedly better) experience than playing it through the TV speakers.

So I am in heaven with the new surround sound system.  Barb helped me spruce the room up very nicely.  My brother helped make the installation look professional.  Jess handed out the tape (don't ask, but she did a fine job of it).  It was a team effort and now I am really in business when it comes to my entertainment system.  Thanks everyone!

Story of the year

Meet Electron Boy.  If this story doesn't touch you, you ain't human.

Local boy with cancer turns into a superhero for a day

Erik Martin, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.

Please read the entire story by clicking on the link.  You won't believe it.  Your day will be much, much better for it.  And it may restore your faith in humanity.

God bless Electron Boy.

Ottawa Senators Season Post-Mortem - Part 2 - The Regular Season

With the Heatley ordeal finally behind them, the Senators broke training camp with an overhauled roster and a sense of renewed optimism. Previously labelled a one line team, the Sens now boasted secondary scoring depth in the form of Alex Kovalev, Milan Michalek and former 56 goal scorer Jonathan Cheechoo. The acquisition of injured goaltender Pascal Leclaire at the trade deadline in exchange for Antoine Vermette promised to provide the best goaltending the Senators have had this side of Dominik Hasek. 2008 first round draft pick, diminutive offensive defensemen Erik Karlsson, made the team. And in the feel good story of the year, so did hulking 28 year old rookie defenseman Matt Carkner who had spent his entire career to that point in the AHL.

The season began well enough – after dropping their opener against the Rangers, the Sens responded with three straight wins. But, in a sign of things to come, the team lost D Filip Kuba and F Ryan Shannon to injury in the second game of the season. By the end of the year, all of Alfredsson, Spezza, Michalek, Kovalev, Neil, Foligno, Kuba, Volchenkov and Leclaire had sustained serious injuries, some of them (Michalek, Foligno, Kuba, Leclaire) multiple times, the most bizarre of which was the broken cheekbone suffered by Pascal Leclaire while sitting on the bench as the back-up. In the meantime, Mike Fisher and newcomer Milan Michalek jockeyed for the team goal scoring lead, while linemates Alex Kovalev and Jason Spezza (respectively) couldn’t buy one. Spezza went an incredible 17 games before finally potting his first.

Erik Karlsson, while showing flashes of the offensive skill that made him the 15th overall pick in the draft, proved unable to handle the load in the defensive zone and was dispatched to the AHL at the end of Oct. Most observers expected it to be a season long assignment, with Karlsson perhaps returning to the roster for the playoffs should the Sens make it. But EK had other ideas. After scoring at a PPG clip in the minors, Karlsson was recalled to the big club one month to the day after being sent down. Nobody could have predicted how quickly he was able to transform his game. He learned how to use his quickness on defense to compensate for a lack size, and his confidence in rushing the puck and controlling it in the offensive zone became a key cog in the Senator’s attack from that point forward.

But as the injuries mounted, so did their toll on the team. In the absence of Alfredsson, Spezza and Michalek, Alex Kovalev finally awoke from his season long slumber and (along with the emergence of rookie Peter Regin) carried the team, culminating in a four goal performance against the Flyers. But there was only so far he could take them. Following a five game losing streak in Jan., the team had gradually sunk to 10th place in the Eastern Conference, roughly where most pre-season prognosticators predicted they would finish.

By then, second year goalie Brian Elliott had assumed the mantle of #1 from the perpetually injured Leclaire. In what was looming as a 6th consecutive loss, a tilt against the Rangers at MSG, Elliott came down with the flu. With Leclaire already on the shelf, the team made a game day call to its AHL affiliate in Binghamton NY summoning journeyman netminder Mike Brodeur to NYC. Brodeur not only made it in time to start, he pitched a 2-0 shutout to end the losing streak, with Alex Kovalev once again keying the offense. The return of captain Daniel Alfredsson (1G, 2A) in the next game sparked the Sens to a 4-2 win over the Habs in Montreal, with Mike Brodeur once again solid in relief of the still ailing Elliott. One by one, the injured returned to the lineup – Alfredsson, Michalek, Spezza, Nick Foligno – and propelled the Sens to a team record 11 game winning streak as the Olympic break approached. And they didn’t feast on bottom feeders either, knocking off a who’s who of the league’s best (Chi, NJ, Pit, Buf, Van).

The Senators suddenly found themselves sitting in 5th place with a realistic shot at catching the NE division leading Sabres for 3rd. With the playoffs now looking like a near certainty, GM Bryan Murray didn’t take long to act, shipping underachieving D Alex Picard and a 2nd round pick to Carolina for F Matt Cullen, and assigning struggling winger Jonathan Cheechoo to the minors to create a roster spot. Cullen struggled to find his groove as a Senator while the team cooled off towards the Olympic break with a mediocre 3-2 record. Worst of all was that they lost Nick Foligno (broken leg) and Erik Karlsson (separated shoulder) in the process. In that respect, the break couldn’t have come at a better time but, as it turned out, the Sens lost their mojo.

Despite adding bruising 6’6” 245 lb. defenseman Andy Sutton at the trade deadline, the Sens struggled mightily post Olympics, dropping eight of their first nine games including their last five in a row. Their once comfortable lead in the middle of the Eastern Conference pack had all but evaporated, and the playoffs were again in potential jeopardy. But in what was becoming typical Senators fashion, they followed the five game losing streak by reeling off six wins in a row. That solidified their position in the standings and they proceeded to sputter their way down the stretch towards the playoffs, ultimately finishing 5th – good enough for a first round playoff date with the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

NCAA 11 preview from Operation Sports

 Operation Sports has an excellent in-depth preview of NCAA Football 11 up on their site.

Boy, it sounds like they have really taken all of the criticism to heart and amped up the quality this year.  Once again I find myself dying to play an NCAA Football game.  Let's hope they hype is worthy this time.

Rams' rookie camp begins today

Sam Bradford looks good in horns, does he not?

Photo courtesy of Stltoday.com.

Ottawa Senators Season Post-Mortem - Part 1 - The Heatley Saga

What a long, strange season it’s been…

The Ottawa Senators 2009/10 campaign came to a sudden halt on Saturday night when Pascal Dupuis whipped a one-timer past Pascale Leclaire at 10:04 of OT, giving the defending champion Penguins a six game series win over a scrappy and undermanned Senators squad.

The season story began to take form in auspicious fashion during the off-season with star winger Dany Heatley’s demand to be traded. The circumstances that motivated his request remain a mystery, but the fact that the demand was made public coupled with Heatley’s no trade clause left Sens GM Bryan Murray in a completely untenable position in seeking an equitable return for Heatley.

Murray’s objective was to move Heatley by the time the free agency signing period opened on July 1st, ideally at the entry draft in June. His reasoning was twofold. Firstly, it would allow him to immediately pursue a replacement when free agency opened and, secondly, Heatley was due a $4M advance on his 09/10 salary at midnight on July 1st. There was much speculation that Heatley would be traded on draft day, but it wasn’t to be. As the clock struck noon on July 1st and the free agent frenzy began, Heatley remained a Sen while other teams snapped up the prized FA’s.

As the day wore on, word broke that the Sens had a deal in place with the Oilers. The trade, announced by several media outlets (complete with player names), was pending Heatley’s approval. At literally the 11th hour, he decided to sleep on it, stating that it wouldn’t be fair for his new team to absorb the $4M “bonus” he was owed from the Senators. So from that point on, the Senators were on the hook for half of his salary for the coming season.

Of course, Heatley never did waive his NTC for Edmonton. Bryan Murray was informed that the expectation had been that Heatley would be offered several options and would choose the one that suited him best. Rumours ran rampant over the course of the summer, but Heatley remained a Sen. With the free agent pool thinned considerably, Murray and owner Eugene Melnyk finally entered the fray, inking uber skilled but enigmatic Russian winger Alex Kovalev to a two year $10M deal. In the meantime, Heatley had become persona non grata not only in Ottawa, but with fanbases throughout the NHL. The heavy handed tactics of he and his agents culminated in Heatley being booed at the Team Canada Olympic orientation camp held in his hometown of Calgary in August.

With the off-season drawing to a close, and still no deal in place, Heatley was obligated to report to training camp in Sept. It proved to be a short-lived stay. Following a heated meeting with Bryan Murray, Heatley was shipped to the San Jose Sharks the next day in exchange for forwards Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo, and a 2nd round draft pick. It was far from the return that Sens fans had dreamed of all summer, but the team was finally in a position to structure its roster for the long season that lay ahead.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARB!!!

My lovely wife turns 40 today and I want to wish her the happiest of birthdays.  Barb, you make my life so much better, so much more meaningful and so much more complete.  Here's to many more birthdays together.  I love you!!!

Sam The Ram

A good night with the NFL draft

The Rams did what everyone expected and selected Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford with the first overall pick.  This is the player I wanted the Rams to pick so I am happy.  Best of all I got to spend the evening with my brother Doug, who is also a draftnik.  We had a great time predicting and analyzing the picks and trying to figure out who may be there for the Rams next selection.  Since he runs his own business we don't see a lot of each other, so it was really nice to get to spend the evening with him.  Now it's on to rounds 2 & 3 tomorrow.  The Rams may do a little dealing down with their first pick in order to stockpile some more, which is a good strategy as long as they still will be able to get one of the players they have targeted in round 2.  We'll see tomorrow.

Kroenke breaks his silence: Rams would remain in St. Louis

Bernie Miklasz is the finest sports reporter in St. Louis.  He is a columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and I shudder to think what the sports coverage in the area would be like without him.  He digs deep and is relentless in breaking the big stories that matter to the St. Louis sports fan.  If you have been a reader of Memory Almost Full for a while, you may recall that Miklasz was the first to break the story that the Rams had hired Steve Spagnuolo as their new head coach, despite the fact that no one else thought it was happening and that several other "sources" had already reported that Dallas assistant Jason Garrett had the job.

I mention this because Miklasz has done it again.  At a time when virtually every Rams' fan in St. Louis was in a serious panic over the silence of Stan Kroenke and what that might mean to the future of the Rams in St. Louis, Miklasz was the one who was able to get "Silent" Stan to open up and put our worries to rest.  Trust me when I say this was no easy feat; Kroenke is notorious for remaining in the shadows and staying out of the spotlight.  The fact that he had not mentioned St. Louis at all in his press release announcing that he intended to to become the majority owner of the Rams created high anxiety all over the region and his subsequent silence during the following week had people virtually certain he was plotting a Rams' move to Los Angeles.  With the draft coming Thursday and the Rams owning the 1st pick overall, it was all a huge rain cloud on what should have been a time when Rams' fans were gearing up for a fresh start and a new era.  With the help of Mr. Miklasz, that cloud has been lifted.

The following is an excerpt from Miklasz's column.  Click anywhere on the excerpt to be taken to the full article:

If Stan Kroenke gains NFL approval in his quest to purchase the Rams, he vows to do everything he can to secure the team's long-term future in St. Louis.

In his first interview since announcing that he'd exercised an option to match businessman Shahid Khan's bid for the available 60 percent of the team, Kroenke broke his customary silence in an attempt to reassure Rams fans of his positive intentions.

"I'm going to attempt to do everything that I can to keep the Rams in St. Louis," Kroenke said in a phone interview Tuesday night. "Just as I did everything that I could to bring the team to St. Louis in 1995. I believe my actions speak for themselves."


Kroenke said, "I'll do my damnedest," to secure the Rams' future in St. Louis.

During our interview, Kroenke's passion was striking. Kroenke doesn't speak out often — but in this instance, his words carried weight.

Been a little busy...

Sorry the blogging has flagged as of late.  I have had my hands full with stuff at home both mundane and meaningful.  As I posted earlier, we got our son Zach off to basic training in the Air Force.  He has called a couple of times but just to relay that he arrived and to leave his address.  It is very strange knowing he is there and wondering what he is going through.  He is on our minds constantly.  We are really looking forward to attending his graduation when that arrives sometime in June.  In the meantime, he is in our thoughts and prayers and we hope this is a good path that he has chosen.

I would also like to thank Barb and Jess for all they have done lately.  They threw me one heck of a birthday party and they have just been terrific.  Barb has earned major kudos at work.  She is doing an exceptional job and that has been recognized.  I am tremendously proud of her for everything she does, here and at work.  You're the best, Sweetie!

I am in the midst of deciding on a home theater surround sound system.  I have been doing a lot of searching and I have settled upon what I want.  It's just that it is not available yet and may not be until mid June.  In the meantime there is almost an identical system available that I seriously tempted with.  Both support HDMI 1.4 so if that becomes the new standard with 3D TVs and such I will be all set.  The yet-to-arrive-model is a 7.1 system while the other is 5.1.  Honestly, 5.1 would be fine by me.  Even if I get the 7.1 system, I may only set it up as 5.1 given the size of my theater room.  The real reason I am holding out (so far) is that the system that is already available has only 3 HDMI inputs while the other has 4.  Currently I only need 3 (Xbox 360, PS3 and Digital HD cable TV) but I'd like to have an extra just in case the need would ever arise.  Maybe I am being silly there, I don't know.  The The yet-to-be-released set also comes with an iPod dock that works with iPhones, so that's cool as well.  We'll see how long I can hold out waiting for the other system to become available.

Gaming-wise I haven't been playing much.  When I do get time I have been playing Just Cause 2, which is too fun for words, and MLB 10: The Show.  Just Cause 2 is the ultimate sandbox game.  You can lay waste to anything and everything and then deal with the consequences.  It is by no means perfect but I am having more fun with this game than I ever had with a Grand Theft Auto title.  There is so much to do it is unreal.  In The Show meantime, little John Schmaltz is tearing it up in AA ball for the Red Sox affiliate.  He could get a call up to AAA at any time.  Once again, The Show is where it's at as far as baseball is concerned.

Lastly I have spent far too much time worrying about the St. Louis Rams.  Anyone that knows me know that I am a complete draft-aholic and I have been keeping up with all that as usual.  But just when it seemed as though the team was going to be sold to Shahid Khan, who is very keen on making things work in St. Louis, minority owner Stan Kroenke has decided to try to break NFL rules and buy the team outright.  The rules state that since Kroenke owns 2 other sports teams (the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche) in a city with an NFL team, he cannot own those 2 teams and and NFL team at the same time.  The thought is that he would be competing for the sports dollars in Denver against a fellow NFL owner.  It's a convoluted rule, but it has been in place for a while and there seemed no chance it was going to be lifted for Kroenke.  But he made the play anyway, so he must have something up his sleeve.

First of all, I feel very bad for Khan, who stepped up when this city needed him to.  Secondly, despite Kroenke owning 40% of the team since their arrival in St. Louis, there is no guarantee that he is committed to keeping the team here.  The stadium lease deal will likely be voided in 2014 (a long story) and Kroenke can do whatever he wants with the team.  When he announced he had matched the offer to buy the Rams, he made not a single mention of the city of St. Louis.  He is from Missouri, but he is a billionaire business man with homes all over the place, including Malibu, California.  Who says the city of Los Angeles doesn't get their massive stadium built and Kroenke is free to go wherever he wants after 2014, which would be right around the time the stadium is completed.  Sound crazy?  Perhaps, but even the local media is wary.

I am just sick to death of uncertain ownership issues (which couldn't have come at a worse time, right before the draft) and having to worry about whether this team will remain in St. Louis for the long haul.  There shouldn't be this sort of anxiety and uncertainty year in and year out for a team that has been welcomed here with open arms.  At the very least, Khan was hoping to be approved in May.  Now with this latest development, we won't know what's going to happen for a much longer time.  More uncertainty.  And even if Kroenke gets the team, the future may not be in St. Louis.

As someone who has been a die-hard Rams' fan since they arrived in St. Louis, I am just about fed up.  This is the most dysfunctional sports team I have ever seen, and I lived through the Blues era when they were thought to be moving to Saskatoon.  This team never gets anything right.  Other than a glorious 5 year run from 1999-2003, this has been the very worst NFL team in the league.  The last 3 years have set a new league record in futility with a 6-42 record.  Not only do we have to endure record-setting bad football, but all under the threat that the team could pick up and leave if that's what the owner wishes.

Rant off and good night!

Happy Birthday Jim!!!

For those of his loyal readers (either of you) not in the know, today is Jim’s birthday! I won’t reveal his age, but let’s just say he’s no longer in his “early” 40’s – roughly 6.3 dog years for the mathematicians in the crowd.

I don’t know what it is about Jim’s birth date that I find so difficult to remember. And it’s not like I don’t have a memory for numbers either – I can remember my dentist’s phone number for cryin’ out loud! Ever helpful, Jim once told me the easiest way to remember his birthday is that it’s the same date the Titanic sank and Lincoln was assassinated (though, as it turns out, those events occurred in completely different years). Perfect! Now that’s something I could remember. The next year when I couldn’t remember his birthday, I simply googled Titanic, only to learn that while it struck the iceberg on April 14th, it didn’t actually sink until the early hours of the 15th. Undaunted, I cross-referenced with Lincoln’s assassination and, you guessed it, dude was shot on the 14th and didn’t expire until the 15th. How freakin’ weird is that?! Apparently there’s a third indicator, but I couldn’t remember it then, and still can’t. Anyhow, I was a day late with Jim’s birthday wishes that year. I obviously finally have it straight (thanks to the birthday calendar hanging in our bathroom), but it was waaaay more complicated than it needed to be.

Jim would have you believe that my dysfunctional memory is a by-product of being kicked in the head by a mule at birth...in a manger no less. But since today isn’t about me, I’ll neither confirm nor deny. I prefer to deal in fact as opposed to rank speculation and/or outright fabrication anyway, so here’s a little tidbit that provides a glimpse into Jim’s “development”. In his younger days, Jim was an inquisitive lad, always eager to learn or try something new. One day, he wondered what would happen if he stuck his head in a bucket of swimming pool chlorine and inhaled deeply. It knocked him cold. He was only 36 years old at the time. Three years later, he emerged from the coma a changed man – the man we all know and love today. Happy Birthday, buddy!