Sorry, Jim, this isn't Beatles related.
As a die-hard Ottawa Senators fan, I've learned not to allow expectations to get the better of me. Years of great regular seasons followed by playoff disappointment will do that to a guy. But the home team deserves major props for recording a club record 9th consecutive victory yesterday with a 3-2 OT victory against the Habs on Hockey Day in Canada. Yeah, I know, every day is hockey day in Canada, but whatever.
This was easily the toughest game of the streak as the Canadiens erased a 2-0 deficit with a pair of PP goals, the second coming with less than four minutes left in regulation. Jason Spezza drew a penalty at the tail end of an end to end rush in OT, but the ensuing 4 on 3 PP was short-lived as Spezza took a penalty of his own. That set up a rare 3 on 3, with Mike Fisher blowing around Andrei Markov to pot the winner on Jaroslav Halak.
The Senators have been full value for all nine of these wins. Remarkably, this is the first of the string that has gone into extra time. They haven't fed on the weak sisters of the league either, dispatching the likes of the Black Hawks, Devils and Penguins in convincing fashion. Their success has been based on a tenacious and disciplined team game the likes of which fans in this city have longed to see for years.
The Sens now find themselves sitting 5th in the Eastern Conference. Not bad considering this run came on the heels of a five game losing streak. Not to take anything away from the players, but the MVP of the season so far has to be coach Cory Clouston (and his staff). Here's a guy who came from obscurity last year to take the reins on an interim basis following Craig Hartsburg's dismissal midway through the season. Even Senators fans weren't familiar with him despite the fact he was head coach of the team's AHL affiliate in Binghampton, NY. The difference in the team was immediately apparent, and has continued throughout this season, despite a rash of long term injuries to key players (Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek, Anton Volchenkov, Filip Kuba, Pascal Leclaire, Nick Foligno).
Lastly, I have to gush a little about 19 year old rookie defenseman Erik Karlsson. The Senators traded up to select him 15th overall in the 2008 entry draft, and he made the team out of training camp this year. However, the transition wasn't a smooth one for him. He lacked confidence and wasn't positionally sound on defense. The team assigned him to Binghampton at the end of Oct., and most Sens fans didn't expect to see him back this season. So it came as something of a shock when he was recalled exactly one month later after posting 12 points in 11 games in the AHL. His progress since then has been nothing short of astounding. It's literally evident on a game to game basis. I've never seen a player in a Sens jersey develop so quickly. He's playing with a confidence and poise that belies his age. At only 5'11", 175 lbs. (soaking wet) he's way under-sized by NHL standards, but compensates with exceptional skating ability, soft hands, great vision and hockey sense. His ability to win puck battles along the defensive boards and quickly transition the offense has had a lot to do with the team's turnaround. If he continues on this trajectory, EK could become a pretty special player in this league. Check out this play yesterday to set up Mike Fisher for the OT winner...
http://www.sportsnet.ca/video/latest/NHL-MTL--OTT/page/
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
When gaming goes wrong
As I noted earlier, I have been dying to play Mass Effect 2, but wanted to finish Darksiders first. I had already put close to 15 hours into Darksiders, I had enjoyed it, and I wanted to see it through. Last night I had some time set aside so I figured I would finally finish the game. Uh, not so fast.
Imagine my disappointment when I realized that a lot of the progress I had made in the game was no longer recognized. To make a long story short, you have to redirect a bunch of light beams into different rooms. It is a long, drawn out affair and I had accomplished most of it. Then I had saved the game and quit. When I resumed the game, the lights were no longer lit and I could not backtrack to turn them on again. For some reason (perhaps the new patch that I downloaded just prior to playing last night), all of that progress was gone. And the only way to get back to that point again was to load a prior saved game, which would erase nearly 5 hours of time I had put into the game.
I spent 2 hours trying to figure out a better way to do this, but to no avail. Finally, disgusted with the situation and the waste of my time, I pulled the game out of the 360 and started Mass Effect 2. I just didn't have the time or patience to go back through so much of what I had just done so recently. I hope some day I will will myself to finish Darksiders, but right now I just don't know.
And for the record, Mass Effect 2 kicks major ass.
Imagine my disappointment when I realized that a lot of the progress I had made in the game was no longer recognized. To make a long story short, you have to redirect a bunch of light beams into different rooms. It is a long, drawn out affair and I had accomplished most of it. Then I had saved the game and quit. When I resumed the game, the lights were no longer lit and I could not backtrack to turn them on again. For some reason (perhaps the new patch that I downloaded just prior to playing last night), all of that progress was gone. And the only way to get back to that point again was to load a prior saved game, which would erase nearly 5 hours of time I had put into the game.
I spent 2 hours trying to figure out a better way to do this, but to no avail. Finally, disgusted with the situation and the waste of my time, I pulled the game out of the 360 and started Mass Effect 2. I just didn't have the time or patience to go back through so much of what I had just done so recently. I hope some day I will will myself to finish Darksiders, but right now I just don't know.
And for the record, Mass Effect 2 kicks major ass.
Bond? James Bond?
I’ve been a James Bond fan literally since I was a kid. I’m dating myself here, but I saw all of the Connery Bond movies, from Goldfinger onward, at the theatre. I had all the paraphernalia too, from trading cards to a gold Aston Martin Dinky toy with retractable machine guns and bulletproof shield. I even had a 007 attaché case that fired plastic bullets and came equipped with a built in camera that actually worked. I was obsessed with all things Bond.
My interest began to wane when Roger Moore took over from Sean Connery. I was never able to come to terms with Moore in the role and, to this day, Connery defines Bond for me. It didn’t help that most of those films were mediocre at best, especially when held up against the first four of the series (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball), which are my personal faves.
Much to my surprise, I quite liked the Pierce Brosnan era Bond films (Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, World is Not Enough). I never thought much of Brosnan prior to that, but he had just the right mix of qualities to pull off Bond. Those films ushered the franchise into the high tech world of the new millennium and placed it squarely in the big budget action genre. Most importantly, they remained true to the well established formula and tone of the past (including the late Desmond Llewelyn as M), while integrating new faces like Judi Dench and John Cleese who breathed some fresh air into the proceedings.
I finally got around to checking out the most recent era Bond with a viewing of Casino Royale on the weekend. This is a meaner, nastier Bond in the form of Daniel Craig. Craig is a fine actor in his own right, but I didn’t for one minute buy into him as Bond. He has the requisite suave when called upon, but the panache is missing in action. It’s probably unfair to criticize Craig, since he was probably just playing the characterization that was drawn for him. Maybe it’s the hair color, but I couldn’t help but think that Clive Owen would have made a perfect Bond. In any case, I think the script and direction, not the acting, are the main culprits. They assembled all of the traditional Bond ingredients, and sucked the fun right out of them. Part of the Bond charm is that it never took itself too seriously – there was always a nudge and a wink to the audience. The cheeky humor and double entendres have given way to outbursts of brutal violence. The torture scene towards the end of the film is a perfect example. Can you imagine Dr. No wailing away on Bond like that? I think not.
Taken on its own merits, Casino Royale is actually a decent action flick, but it could just as easily have been called Bourne Royale. It bears little resemblance to its predecessors, and I hope it doesn’t represent the beginning of the end of the innocence for 007. Either way, I won’t be bothering to find out whether the trend continued with Quantum of Solace.
My interest began to wane when Roger Moore took over from Sean Connery. I was never able to come to terms with Moore in the role and, to this day, Connery defines Bond for me. It didn’t help that most of those films were mediocre at best, especially when held up against the first four of the series (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball), which are my personal faves.
Much to my surprise, I quite liked the Pierce Brosnan era Bond films (Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, World is Not Enough). I never thought much of Brosnan prior to that, but he had just the right mix of qualities to pull off Bond. Those films ushered the franchise into the high tech world of the new millennium and placed it squarely in the big budget action genre. Most importantly, they remained true to the well established formula and tone of the past (including the late Desmond Llewelyn as M), while integrating new faces like Judi Dench and John Cleese who breathed some fresh air into the proceedings.
I finally got around to checking out the most recent era Bond with a viewing of Casino Royale on the weekend. This is a meaner, nastier Bond in the form of Daniel Craig. Craig is a fine actor in his own right, but I didn’t for one minute buy into him as Bond. He has the requisite suave when called upon, but the panache is missing in action. It’s probably unfair to criticize Craig, since he was probably just playing the characterization that was drawn for him. Maybe it’s the hair color, but I couldn’t help but think that Clive Owen would have made a perfect Bond. In any case, I think the script and direction, not the acting, are the main culprits. They assembled all of the traditional Bond ingredients, and sucked the fun right out of them. Part of the Bond charm is that it never took itself too seriously – there was always a nudge and a wink to the audience. The cheeky humor and double entendres have given way to outbursts of brutal violence. The torture scene towards the end of the film is a perfect example. Can you imagine Dr. No wailing away on Bond like that? I think not.
Taken on its own merits, Casino Royale is actually a decent action flick, but it could just as easily have been called Bourne Royale. It bears little resemblance to its predecessors, and I hope it doesn’t represent the beginning of the end of the innocence for 007. Either way, I won’t be bothering to find out whether the trend continued with Quantum of Solace.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Congratulations to my wife!
I am both very proud and very pleased to announce that Barb passed her Boards exam (on her 1st try, natch) and is now officially a Registered Nurse! This was the last hurdle for her and now she is ready to settle into her career as an RN. I can't tell you how relived she is to get past this final step. Our family is so proud of her and her accomplishments over the last year.
We love you Barb!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 arrived yesterday and I am dying to dive in. All reviews so far say that this game is absolutely stellar and better in every way than the original Mass Effect. I am nearing completion of Darksiders and I am going to finish that before beginning ME2. Darksiders has been a lot of fun and I am afraid if I put it aside for a lengthy game like ME2 that I may end up not going back to it.
Bioshock 2, the sequel to one of my favorite games of all time, is due out February 9th, as is the very intriguing Dante's Inferno. I am a little leery that Bioshock 2 may not possibly be able to live up to the original, but hopefully it will be another A+ title.
That's all for now. I'll be back later with final thoughts on Darksiders and initial impressions of Mass Effect 2.
Bioshock 2, the sequel to one of my favorite games of all time, is due out February 9th, as is the very intriguing Dante's Inferno. I am a little leery that Bioshock 2 may not possibly be able to live up to the original, but hopefully it will be another A+ title.
That's all for now. I'll be back later with final thoughts on Darksiders and initial impressions of Mass Effect 2.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Review: Borderlands DLC - Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot
Being a complete Borderlands addict, it was a given that I'd be all in for the DLC. The first DLC available, The Zombie Island Of Dr. Ned, was a fantastic add-on to the Borderlands world and well worth the price of admission. The 2nd piece of DLC, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, is here and it is a different kettle of fish.
Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot is basically a series of challenges for your character to pass. Actually, it is more geared towards co-op multiplayer, as it is virtually impossible to survive the ever increasing challenges by yourself. The game play basically consists of being locked in a battle arena (there are 3 different arenas total) and being sent wave after wave of enemies. After clearing one battle, the next begins with tougher foes. Lather, rinse, repeat. In each arena, you have to clear 5 battle phases, each of which contains 5 individual battles. So that's 25 battles you must win in a row. Die once, and you start over from the beginning. And the longer you last, you are given more handicaps to hinder you. For example, your enemies may be more accurate than normal or twice as fast. So if being outnumbered 20 to 1 wasn't bad enough to begin with, you have even more hurdles in your path. As you can see, it would be a major advantage to tackles this with other players rather than go this alone. I have finished the first arena solo but I can't get far at all in either of the remaining two.
What makes Borderlands so addictive is the constant looting (grabbing new weapons and gear) and the leveling up to improve your character. You'll find neither of those things here. There are no weapon drops from slain enemies, just money. And while you can get quite rich during the battles, that's no substitute for the thrill of new weapons. There is also no lifting of the level cap in Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, so if your character is leveled out, that's where they will stay. There's really no incentive to play this DLC other than the sheer challenge of it.
I can only recommend Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot to the hardest of the hardcore Borderlands players. While I had a heck of a good time making it through the first arena, it took me many attempts (which may frustrate casual players) and there was no pay off. As it looks to me now, the 2nd and 3rd arenas will only be able to be completed with others helping via co-op multiplayer.
The good news is that there will be an announcement soon for new, more conventional Borderlands DLC. And it has been noted that there will be a raising of the level cap. That is something that I am definitely gearing up for.
Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot is basically a series of challenges for your character to pass. Actually, it is more geared towards co-op multiplayer, as it is virtually impossible to survive the ever increasing challenges by yourself. The game play basically consists of being locked in a battle arena (there are 3 different arenas total) and being sent wave after wave of enemies. After clearing one battle, the next begins with tougher foes. Lather, rinse, repeat. In each arena, you have to clear 5 battle phases, each of which contains 5 individual battles. So that's 25 battles you must win in a row. Die once, and you start over from the beginning. And the longer you last, you are given more handicaps to hinder you. For example, your enemies may be more accurate than normal or twice as fast. So if being outnumbered 20 to 1 wasn't bad enough to begin with, you have even more hurdles in your path. As you can see, it would be a major advantage to tackles this with other players rather than go this alone. I have finished the first arena solo but I can't get far at all in either of the remaining two.
What makes Borderlands so addictive is the constant looting (grabbing new weapons and gear) and the leveling up to improve your character. You'll find neither of those things here. There are no weapon drops from slain enemies, just money. And while you can get quite rich during the battles, that's no substitute for the thrill of new weapons. There is also no lifting of the level cap in Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, so if your character is leveled out, that's where they will stay. There's really no incentive to play this DLC other than the sheer challenge of it.
I can only recommend Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot to the hardest of the hardcore Borderlands players. While I had a heck of a good time making it through the first arena, it took me many attempts (which may frustrate casual players) and there was no pay off. As it looks to me now, the 2nd and 3rd arenas will only be able to be completed with others helping via co-op multiplayer.
The good news is that there will be an announcement soon for new, more conventional Borderlands DLC. And it has been noted that there will be a raising of the level cap. That is something that I am definitely gearing up for.
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