Thursday, October 10, 2013
10:35 AM - October 10, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Thursday, October 10, 2013
QOTD: What is your prediction for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014?
- Adam Wainwright overcame self-described pregame nerves to redeem his game-five reputation in complete-game fashion -- setting up what should be an exciting NLCS between the Dodgers and Cardinals.
- Breasts before Brains: The NFL won't allow Brandon Marshall to wear green cleats to raise awareness for mental health issues.
- The Yankees have signed on for four more years of Joe Girardi as their skipper.
- Rookie Sonny Gray will take the hill for Oakland in their series-deciding matchup with Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers tonight.
- Well, when you put it that way ... Do you have a problem with "Native American" mascots? [Image]
- When you want to make serious change (even in regard to the outcome of the Braves-Dodgers NLDS series), write your congressman?
- If magazine covers tell us anything, Geno Smith may be in for the exact same ending as Mark Sanchez.
- Aldon Smith is now facing felony gun charges that could mean four years in prison should he be found guilty.
- Perhaps New England would be a good fit for one last chance at a Super Bowl for Tony Gonzalez, but the Falcons insist they are not considering trading away the future Hall-of-Famer.
- It's hard to compare past eras to today's game, but Adrian Peterson is the type of player that old-school guys can get behind.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
11:01 AM - October 9, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Wednesday, October 9, 2013
QOTD: What World Series matchup do you most want to see?
- Boston rallied to drop the Rays last night and clinch a trip to the ALCS where they await the winner of Thursday night's game between Detroit and Oakland.
- Was it fan interference or not? Detroit survives to force a game five in Oakland thanks to a controversial home run call involving a fan reaching over the railing.
- Steve Spurrier claims Clowney's injury situation was handled poorly by all parties -- perhaps it's time for a return to Communication 101.
- The short list for the College Footbally Playoff Committee has focused more on intelligence and administration -- less on those with a primary financial interest.
- Atlanta's season looks to be in doubt and wide receiver Julio Jones can relate. He may be done for the season.
- A disgruntled fan allegedly showed up to heckle Texans QB Matt Schaub -- at his home.
- A-Rod's ten-year contract has lingered painfully for Yankees execs. There's no chance Robinson Cano will get one himself.
- Tomas Hertyl -- at nineteen years old -- notched a four-goal game last night. Needless to say, he saved the best for last. [Video]
- Kentucky high schools are skipping post-game handshakes due to growing concerns over brawls breaking out.
- More evidence alleges to reveal the elaborate cover-up by the NFL of it's knowledge pertaining to brain damage of its players.
Besides the slight modifications to goalie equipment and an adjustment to the depth of the nets, the biggest change for this year's NHL season has been hybrid icing. The goal of the rule is to prevent heinous injuries to players, like the one that felled Joni Pitkanen of the Carolina Hurricanes. Pitkanen was racing down the ice after a potential icing when he crashed into the boards and broke his heel. This scenario has all sorts of potential risks, as players are skating at full speed, with sticks and limbs flying and the boards as their final destination. Bad stuff can happen in this situation.
The potential push-back against this new hybrid rule -- where it's essentially a race to the face-off dpt and not the goal line -- is that it stifles the excitement of players hustling for an icing. It also limits some of the creative plays that can be done when crossing center, such as the slap shot set play that the Sedin brothers use from time to time. Either way, the rule is in the league now, and it's interesting seeing the players, coaches and officials coming to terms with its impact on the game.
Since the icing rule was voted on so late, it actually wasn't included for NHL 14 (even the realignment barely made it, and it's only half-implemented). Even if the development team had the requisite time to include the rule, I could see a lot of potential issues with its implementation. The current icing rule is already a bit floaty, with some pucks that would be ruled "reachable" by a defender still resulting in an icing call. Just the same, the offsides can get pretty funky from game to game, with certain passes being rewarded when it seems the skater is clearly offside.
To an extent, I like some of the rules to feel a bit organic. I don't want complete randomness, but when the game is trying to simulate a bit of realism and "human error" with the refereeing, that ends up creating a slightly more unpredictable experience. It was kind of cool when the NFL 2K franchise started doing that with play challenges, as they'd spot the ball in slightly different places or call receivers out of bounds from time to time. I think the hybrid icing would fall under this category, as there would be a lot interpretation to which player had the edge at the face-off dots.
If the rule is brought to bear in NHL 15 and beyond, I think the biggest effect on the game will be the inability to catch a defender sleeping on a (un)intentional dump-in from behind center, as he'll just have to get to the imaginary line first and not actually touch the puck. Just as it's been an adjustment for the real players, it will be a big change for the virtual skaters as well.
Of course, icing isn't the only rule that EA has had a tough time implementing the right way. From the boards here at OS to the EA forums and everywhere else, plenty of users in NHL 14 are upset at the lack of instigator calls -- especially in light of the increased fighting emphasis this year. When I talked to the devs at EA in Burnaby before release, they explained that the instigator rule was very much up to interpretation and that "intent" was a hard thing to judge.
I definitely sympathize, as the new fighting system would be useless if you were constantly getting assessed a minor penalty when you wanted to throw down against some guy who had been hitting you all game. Still, the company's moniker -- "If it's in the game, it's in the game" -- leads me to believe that instigator calls should be replicated in some fashion. Maybe it would be after someone declined a fight several times but then the aggressor "forced" the fight or something. It should be a rare call, to be sure, but just like multiple on-ice officials, five-man huddles and playoff beards, it should be in the game.
A rule that EA does have in place for NHL 14, and that has become a bit of a sticking point again with more goalie contact, is goalie interference. A lot of times this call is pretty cut and dry, as you'll steamroll a goalie and be called for a penalty that's clearly deserved. Other times, it seems that the new physics-based hitting can nudge you into the goalie -- or even your momentum can do the same. You can almost see the if-then statement in the code, as the game waits to see whether a goal is scored before assessing the penalty. Again, I like that they've got these kinds of "interpretation" calls in there -- just like video review -- but I'm hopeful that more iteration and better technology can improve these aspects of the gameplay that are less black and white.
I certainly doubt EA will be able to patch in something like hybrid icing, but I'm sure they're paying close attention to its possible impact on the real product. No one will ever be completely satisfied with these types of rules, in real-life or virtual, because that's the very nature of interpretation. Above all, these sorts of rules and plays allow us to get mad at the refs, umpires and officials, and that's a necessary part of any nutritious sports breakfast.
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Follow me on Twitter @glennwigmore
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
10:50 AM - October 8, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Tuesday, October 8, 2013
QOTD: Are you tuning in to watch the MLB Playoffs this year?
- The Falcons aren't who we thought they were and neither are the Jets (including emerging rookie QB Geno Smith) who were victorious Monday night.
- He was supposed to sacrifice the tying run into scoring position, but two failed attempts later and Juan Uribe was forced into swinging and connected for the game-winning homerun to send LA to the NLCS.
- Tampa Bay doesn't always hit walk-off homeruns, but when they do -- they make sure it's in playoff elimination games.
- Green Bay's Clay Matthews is scheduled to sit out a quarter of the season due to a broken thumb.
- Nike has been given freedom to spice up the NFL Pro Bowl uniforms.
- Hopefully Carolina's Steve Smith likes donating money to the NFL as much as he enjoys ripping referees in public.
- USC is claiming a problem is emerging with the application process for hiring a new football coach. People are phoning in, impersonating potential candidates.
- Michael Wacha flirted with another no-hitter in a crucial victory for the Cardinals over Pittsburgh to force a deciding game five on Wednesday.
- A strip club in New York City won't show Giants games anymore because they're too depressing.
- Check out this cool time-lapse video showing the O.co transformed from a baseball diamond to football field in one day. [Video]
Monday, October 7, 2013
11:21 AM - October 7, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Monday, October 7, 2013
QOTD: Do you enjoy high-scoring shootouts or defensive battles in the NFL?
- Peyton Manning's Broncos and Tony Romo's Cowboys put on a college-like shootout as Denver triumphed in one of the highest scoring games in NFL history.
- The Vikings are reportedly signing recent Buccaneers departed QB Josh Freeman. Unfortunately for Minnesota, Freeman can't do much to help a struggling defense.
- The energy inside PNC Park and around Pittsburgh may be enough to will the Pirates to the NLCS. Their clutch hitting and stellar pitching don't hurt either.
- Buffalo has entered full spit-ball mode in an attempt to find a starting QB -- next up: Thad Lewis.
- What a difference a head coach and a new season makes. The Saints are 5-0 and so are the Chiefs.
- Apparently Matt Kenseth is human afterall as Kevin Harvick finally put a different face in victory lane at Kansas Speedway.
- The Dodgers are showing just how potent of a playoff team they can be as they exploded offensively to take a 2-1 lead over the Braves in the NLDS.
- Tiger Woods led the Americans to their fifth straight President's Cup victory.
- It took a little Luck, but Seattle finally dropped a game as the Colts triumphed on the arm of their second-year QB.
- Forget the "Greatest Show on Turf" -- Denver has set a record for the most points scored through five games of the NFL season.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
There's been lots of news about WWE 2K14 in the last week or so, especially since the game's October 29 release date is fast approaching. We now have a better sense of all of the improvements and additions to the gameplay, and we're getting a sense for what this means for the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode as well as Universe Mode.
Universe Mode Details
After 2K showed off "Universe Mode 4.0" in a livestream event a few days back, we know a lot more about the changes for this year's game. The most apparent change is the improved menu interface, which allows you to see all of your angles, title holders and statistics in a much more fulsome way. You'll be able to rearrange angles and stories much easier this year, with the ability to manage the length of rivalries and kill off angles if you don't like how they're going.
It seems really easy to track which matches are rivalry matches, and you can scale smaller or larger shows to allow for the appropriate amount of matches. The WWE.com menu also keeps track of news items from throughout the week, so you can keep tabs on all of your various rivalries and what's been going on in a comprehensive way.
Some of the other new features include:
- King of the Ring Tournament now playable in Universe Mode
- Other PPV themes, such as Hell in a Cell, Endurance and Breaking Point
- No Man's Land PPV theme, which focus on cage matches
- All-Divas PPV and the women's title being classified as a major belt
- Customizable attire at any point in Universe Mode
All of these seem like great changes for anyone who wants more flexibility and input into the rivalries that take place within the Universe Mode, and the extra pay-per-view and attire options will enable players to present things the way they want. I've always only dabbled with Universe Mode in the past, but these changes make it a much more appealing option for me this year.
WWE 2K14 Launch Trailer
2K also released a new trailer for WWE 2K14, and it includes some great new footage of various spots and wrestlers. The Rock, Big Show, HHH, Taker, The Shield, and a whole bunch of legends play prominently in the trailer, and there's some great spots shown, such as catapult finishers, double-stacked finishers and many "Legends" moments from the WrestleMania mode.
They always know how to put together a good trailer.
Full Rosters
In case you didn't see, the full roster list of legends and current stars has been confirmed. Check 'em out below.
Main Roster
- AJ Lee
- Aksana
- Brodus Clay
- Christian
- Cody Rhodes
- Damien Sandow
- David Otunga
- Dean Ambrose
- Drew McIntyre
- Eddie Guerrero
- Heath Slater
- Jack Swagger
- Jinder Mahal
- Justin Gabriel
- Kaitlyn
- Kane
- Kofi Kingston
- Layla
- Lita
- Mark Henry
- Mr. McMahon
- Natalya
- R-Truth
- Roman Reigns
- Santino Marella
- Seth Rollins
- Sheamus
- Sin Cara
- Stephanie McMahon
- Tensai
- The Great Khali
- Titus O'Neil
- Wade Barrett
- Zack Ryder
Legends
- Alberto Del Rio
- Andre the Giant
- Antonio Cesaro
- Batista
- Big John Studd
- Big Show
- Big Show (retro)
- Bret Hart
- Brock Lesnar
- Brock Lesnar (retro)
- Chris Jericho
- Chris Jericho (retro)
- CM Punk
- Daniel Bryan
- Darren Young
- Diesel
- Dolph Ziggler
- Edge
- Goldberg
- Hulk Hogan
- Hollywood Hulk Hogan
- JBL
- John Cena
- John Cena (retro)
- Kane (retro)
- King Kong Bundy
- Mick Foley
- Randy Orton
- Randy Savage
- Razor Ramon
- Rey Mysterio
- Ric Flair
- Ric Flair (retro)
- Ricky Steamboat
- Ryback
- Sgt. Slaughter
- Shawn Michaels
- Shawn Michaels (retro)
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Ted DiBiase
- The Miz
- The Rock
- The Rock (retro)
- Triple H
- Triple H (retro)
- Ultimate Warrior
- Undertaker
- Undertaker (retro)
- Yokozuna
Cory Ledesma Tweets
Speaking of rosters, WWE 2K14 creative director Cory Ledesma has been tweeting in response to some complaints about omissions on the game's roster. Ledesma had the following couple of tweets about people grievances:
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As for the major roster, though, it's a bit problematic to have the focus on legends compromise the amount of people that they can fit in. Personally, I'm a fan of all of the legend content, and that's a big reason I'm excited about the game, but I also recognized that a big portion of the game's audience wants to see all of the current guys and gals that should be in there, especially if they've been actively wrestling for a while. The most obvious omissions are the Uso Brothers, the Bella Twins, Big E Langston and Fandango. They'll likely be added as DLC, but it'll be annoying to have to buy them for people who were fans of those peeps and expected them in the game.
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Follow me on Twitter @glennwigmore
Friday, October 4, 2013
11:10 AM - October 4, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Friday, October 4, 2013
QOTD: What chance do you give Atlanta and Pittsburgh of rebounding for a Division Series win?
- St. Louis dominated the Pirates in game one, and the Dodgers' Kershaw was brilliant in a victory over the Braves to kick off night one of the NLDS.
- Mack Brown's job may have been saved by a controversial replay non-call on an apparent fumble that would have earned Iowa State another Thursday night upset.
- Cincinnati has decided to part ways with Dusty Baker after failing to get past the one-game Wild Card matchup with Pittsburgh.
- Cleveland may have won the game against Buffalo, but may be without QB Brian Hoyer after an apparent knee ligament tear.
- Josh Freeman got what he was asking for as Tampa Bay has cut their one-time QB of the future.
- Barry Sanders Jr. does his best Barry Sanders impression. [Video]
- Patrick Roy got a little fired up in his coaching debut. [Image]
- The controversial non-fumble call against Iowa State that led to a victory for the Longhorns. [Video]
- I just wish Canadians would get a little more fired up for hockey season. [Image]
- A statue in Qatar memorializes the infamous Zidane head-butt. [Image]
Thursday, October 3, 2013
08:13 PM - October 3, 2013. Written by Steve_OS
Can't wait for next-gen. (Click the image to play the Vine.)
12:15 PM - October 3, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Thursday, October 3, 2013
QOTD: Are you a fan of the "Plus-One" MLB Wild Card format?
- Tampa Bay defeated the Indians in last night's Wild Card "play in" game, earning them a spot in the final eight that wouldn't have happened prior to last year's format adjustment.
- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops took a shot at the SEC yesterday, pointing out their struggles to stop talented pro-style QBs in their own league.
- It seems a bit awkward and sounds a lot like a notorious German leader's name, but Donte Whitner has filed paperwork to change his last name to "Hitner".
- Seattle has returned the favor by signing former 49ers QB BJ Daniels -- a move that could have more to do with information gathering.
- The BCS is a big money grab, but so far the Big-Ten's investment hasn't paid off for its member schools.
- Former Texas star, NFL mystery, and enlightened soul Ricky Williams has moved on to other things -- like coaching. [Video]
- Amid talks of proper compensation for college athletes, Coach K thinks the first step is redefining amateurism.
- He may be the most emotion-stirring player in professional sports, but despite the hate, no one outsells LeBron James when it comes to NBA jerseys.
- Defense officials have responded to concerns over the Armed Forces not plying college football this Saturday as a result of the government shutdown. The verdict: Play on!
- ESPN's College Gameday airs a tribute to the birth of "The Signs." What are your favorites? [Video]
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
10:53 AM - October 2, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Wednesday, October 2, 2013
QOTD: Who wins tonight's Wild Card matchup between Tampa Bay and Cleveland?
- Twenty-one years was a long time to wait, but the Pirates notched a playoff win over the Reds in last night's Wild Card showdown.
- The federal government shutdown is impacting the military services including postponement of college football games involving Army, Navy, and Air Force.
- Early estimates predict that the Broncos vs. Jaguars game in two weeks will have the largest betting spread in NFL history.
- The NFLPA has launched an investigation into possible leaks regarding the Josh Freeman situation in Tampa Bay.
- Titans QB Jake Locker will sit for 4-6 weeks due to a hip injury, meaning that Ryan Fitzpatrick must step up to face Kansas City, Seattle, and San Francisco over the next few games.
- If deep-pocketed investors have their way, the Raiders and A's could be looking at new homes in Oakland.
- Offensive tackle Eugene Monroe is being traded to the Ravens from the Jags.
- It's been four years, but Greg Oden has finally practiced again -- this time with his new team in Miami.
- The NHL season is under way and the Blackhawks opened it up in grand fashion with a win -- including the raising of their 2013 championship banner.
- Russell Westbrook will miss at least the first month of the NBA season after having to go under the knife for knee surgery.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
10:47 AM - October 1, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Tuesday, October 1, 2013
QOTD: Is Sean Payton's return as active head coach the reason for the success of the Saints in 2013?
- New Orleans is playing "perfect" football after a Monday Night romp over the previously unbeaten Dolphins. It's hard to pin the success on one man, but the return of their head coach and the team's winning ways can't simply be coincidence.
- A dominant David Price led the Rays over the Rangers to break the tie for the second AL Wild Card spot. Now Tampa Bay travels to Cleveland for another one-game showdown on Wednesday.
- One of the original NBA Jam programmers details how he (a Pistons fan) coded the game to make the Bulls miss shots and force Scottie Pippen to play worse when facing Detroit.
- More details emerge surrounding Lane Kiffin's ouster from Souther Cal. Apparently the embattled coach was canned at the airport.
- Brandon Bass is learning to swim at age-28 -- with small children. [Image]
- We all have our favorites in Amerca, but what are London's top selling NFL jerseys?
- First he was demoted, then allegedly demanded a trade -- now Josh Freeman just wants out of Tampa Bay even if it means a release.
- Buckeyes players show love, hug sports anchor who recently lost his daughter. [Video]
- Did anyone notice? The Marlins no-hit the Tigers in the season finale over the weekend.
- Check out this incredible volleyball play which includes a "thigh" dig followed by a "kick" volley while seated. [Video]
Monday, September 30, 2013
11:32 AM - September 30, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Monday, September 30, 2013
QOTD: Is Tampa Bay or Texas a more dangerous playoff team?
- Cleveland notched home-field advantage for the one-game Wild Card playoff -- their opponent will be decided in a "Game 163" matchup between the Rays and Rangers.
- Denver looks unstoppable and Peyton Manning is officially a machine, having tossed 16 TD's to zero interceptions through four games.
- It's mid-season chaos for college football coaches as USC has fired the controversial Lane Kiffin -- not to be left out, UConn also dropped coach Paul Pasqualoni.
- New England's defensive dominance has taken a serious hit with the loss of Vince Wilfork to an achilles injury.
- Seattle's vulnerability on the road against Texas turned into a landmark comeback victory in overtime for the NFC's top team.
- Texas great Earl Cambell has seen enough of Mack Brown and wants the coach fired ASAP.
- Behind the legs of Adrian Peterson and arm of backup QB Matt Cassel, the Minnesota Vikings notched win number one while keeping the NFL "worst" Steelers winless.
- Is baseball past its prime? A NY Times report states that the last eight World Series matchups have included the seven least-watched on record.
- Chicago's Hawk Harrelson and the fireworks guy got fooled by Alex Gordon's acting job on a dramatic flyout.
- Is he drunk or just out of "you-know-whats" to give? A fan at a Washington State game showers himself in popcorn. [Video]
EA has released yet another tuner update for NHL 14, and there have been some important changes that affect the gameplay in a significant way.
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The second change has been one that's been requested since players got their hands on the demo, and that is a reduction in fight frequency. In the games I played, this change seemed apparent, as not every post-whistle shot at the goalie resulted in a fight opportunity, and there also weren't many chances to fight after a particularly egregious hit. You can still fight off the face-off with the same frequency, and hit-related fights can happen, but fights seemed to happen once or twice less a game, which is probably what most users are wanting at this point.
Personally, I've been totally fine with the fight frequency, as our team has only engaged in fisticuffs late in the game or after a particularly bad hit on one of our guys. Sure, the odd post-whistle goalie shot does result in a fight, but I think some of that was getting a bit blown out of proportion by people who liked to get away with massive hits and borderline plays. Either way, the fight frequency now, at first brush, seems quite good.
The next change EA made was to reduce the amount of tripping calls that would result from kneel-blocking to stop a pass attempt. Honestly, our team only encountered this penalty the odd time before this tuner update, but it is kind of strange penalty, as the guy tripping over you is sort of exaggeratedly falling down over your kneeling body, which doesn't really scream realism. Amusingly, we did actually have this penalty still get called after the tuner update, but it was when I was kneel-blocking to stop a doorstep one-timer and the other guy flew over by crouched defender, which was called a trip. I guess it made sense in context, but still, it's a bit annoying. Then again, I don't think is something that will be seen often anyway, so no need to get too worked up about it.
I didn't get to see the final change in action, but it certainly seems like a smart move. It prevents teams from completely screwing over a game that had two manual goalies to start, as the team that "loses" a goalie shouldn't essentially become better by keeping the manual goalie's stats for their AI drone. It's always going to be a problem with AI goalies versus human ones, but this is a subtle change that helps out that situation.
Overall, the changes are solid, with some simple ones, like the AI goalie nerfs and less tripping calls on kneel-blocks, and some much-needed alterations, with the reduction in fight frequency and increased interceptions. There are still other areas that need to be addressed, though, such as puck control, goal frequency from the deep slot, poke-checks and the amount of overcommitting that goalies still do on weird deflections that dribble into one side of the net. Hopefully these get addressed sooner rather than later.
My EASHL team has been enjoying the game even more after this tuner update, as we feel it complements our style of play a lot better than the previous version. Even with a few issues still outstanding, we're still having fun and being competitive in most games, even when teams are relying on some annoying shot types or tactics. Let's hope the tuner updates happen relatively frequently to keep addressing the ever-evolving nature of player habits and stat levels.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...annon/2878307/
This is obviously HUGE news. I don't even know exactly how to react right now. Stay tuned to OS for more.
10:50 AM - September 26, 2013. Written by jmik58
Top Sports News for Thursday, September 26, 2013
QOTD: Will the Tigers get to the World Series -- and possibly win this time?
- For the third straight year Detroit has won the AL Central. In '06 and '12 they suffered from a long layoff -- will this year's late-season tension keep them sharp for a World Series run?
- Carlos Gomez hits "walk-off" homerun to leadoff game after ejection following his profanity-laced jaunt around the bases as retaliation against Atlanta's Maholm.
- Considering the injury woes of the Yankees it was a valiant effort to put up a fight, but still it's odd when the Pinstripes stay home in October.
- RGIII is consulting with Bryce Harper for advice on proper sliding technique -- really!?
- With the end of Mariano Rivera as a Major League pitcher, the Hard Rock Cafe has decided to remove Enter Sandman from its playlist.
- Yankees force Derek Jeter off field following season finale. [The Onion]
- Some of the weirdest sports injuries you maybe never heard of.
- The NFL and Twitter are teaming up to show video highlights -- a good idea or overkill?
- The NBA's nickname idea has some interested, but others think it's a ridiculous concept.
- An Italian athlete has been accused of using a prosthetic "member" to cheat a druge test. [NSFW]
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