| (no subject) |
[Oct. 30th, 2005|09:42 pm] |
|
maybe i need to update this more often... |
|
|
| The Journey Of The Cavalier |
[Jan. 1st, 2005|03:48 pm] |
I have arrived safely in California. When I reached the AZ/CA border yesterday, I swear the sky was so cloudy and dark it looked like Morder. I'll post more when I get settled in.
PS. My girlfriend rules, she bought me a video game for Christmas. |
|
|
| Five Years From Now Is Soon Five Years Ago |
[Dec. 24th, 2004|05:04 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  peaceful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Nowhere Bound" Diamond Rio | ] |
Last night was the vaunted 5 year Woodson reunion. I first met some of the people I graduated with in 8th grade. Sure, I hadn't had any contact with 95% of them in the last 5 years, but you get my point.
It's probably a good thing drinks were cheap, otherwise I would've been less social. I guarantee that is the only time I will ever say that.
The movie 'Mean Girls' is funnier to me now. I saw it for the first time earlier in the week, and it reminded me just how lame high school was. But get everyone out of school, add 5 years of experience, and suddenly, everyone's normal. |
|
|
| The Sports World Is Conspiring Against Me |
[Dec. 16th, 2004|04:00 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  angry | ] |
Baseball in DC is on the verge of collapse before a single game is played.
The NFL took away my favorite football franchise.
NHL Lockout, 91 days and counting.
There are a lot of Scrooges out there right now. And yes, I'm angry. Time to resort to petty childishness.
To MLB: Quit fucking around with the hearts of DC area residents. You are easily the cheapest fucking league in the world, requiring that the city (where ever there are teams) foot the bill for the stadiums. The second someone hints at "maybe the team sould kick in about fifty cents" you threaten to move the team or contract them (re: Minnesote Twins circa 2002). And now you want to deny a city that has been wanting baseball for over 30 years after saying the Expos would move to DC because the city wants you pay for the stadium? Fuck you.
To NFL, NFLPA, and EA: I went off you you already. I still hate you all.
To the NHL: Before, I didn't like the players. Now, I'm bring the hate to the owners. You are offered a 24% rollback in salaries, and you come back with the same old salary cap? What the fuck is that?! If you had accepted that offer, you would have won back more from the players union that any ownership group has ever gotten back in the history of pro sports. But no, you know you'll just spend your way back to where we are now when it comes time for a new labor agreement. The two sides are so close it's ridiculous this isn't getting done. Please settle this, I don't know how long I can go with only the NBA.
I don't think I need to go off on the BCS and college football in general, so I won't.
Merry Christmas you bastards. |
|
|
| The Newest Game from EA... Monopoly |
[Dec. 14th, 2004|10:02 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | angry | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Death By Stereo | ] |
Electronic Arts and the NFL signed a 5 year exclusivity deal. EA Sports is now the only NFL game in town. After Visual COncepts and Take Two Publishing put a serious dent in Madden 2005's sales with ESPN NFL 2K5 at a $19.99 price point, EA decided rather than fight back by trying to make Madden a better game, they made Madden the ONLY game. Frankly, I'm surprised at myself for not seeing something like this coming, especially after EA and NASCAR struck a similar in 2003. To be honest, I'm not as angry over the fact there won't be NFL 2K6, it's because now the consumer has ZERO alternate choices.
However, EA is not the only party acting in a petty manner here. The NFL is too. With their Sunday Ticket package available only on DirecTV, and Sunday Drive only on Sirius satellite radio, the NFL is simply trying to take choice away from the viewer. Cable tv is in far more households than satellite, and yet the NFL goes there thinking that people will flock to satellite. This fan says "declined".
Now back to EA. Where will this end? Two sports associations have already given EA exclusive rights to make their games. It's only a matter of time before the NBA, NHL, NCAA, and MLB figure out that EA is clearly willing to drop down the serious money it takes to pull something like that off. Simply put, this path leads towards a monopoly. And in a monopoly, the consumer is the biggest loser. |
|
|
| Pondering Legalities... |
[Dec. 7th, 2004|03:55 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  thoughtful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "The Ladies" mix tape | ] |
The steroids in baseball topic has been pushed on the game's conscience. The owners are trying to pressure the union to accept tougher drug testing standards than what was agreed on two years ago in the new labor agreement. The big cheeses of the union, Donald Fehr and Gene Orza, claim that mandatory testing violates the Constitution and makes players prove their innocence.
Speaking as a fan, I think the union is full of shit on their stance. There are a number of regular jobs in the US that make employees pass a drug test before they're hired. It doesn't violate the Constitution in the rest of the work force, so how is it a violation in baseball? And with so many players saying they took steroids, many fans now think that anyone hitting more than 40 homers a year is on the juice. In the court of public opinion, they are guilty until proven innocent now.
So as it goes for the owners trying to get tougher standards in place, the question on my mind is that while the union doesn't want to change the current labor agreement until it expires in 2006, is it possible that the owners and the commissioner could lock out the players from playing games until these standards are put into place? The only reason I question it is because while the NHL is locked out right now (83 days and counting), that is due to the previous labor agreement expiring. What I'm questioning is a lock-out possible in the middle of a labor agreement?
If anyone can help me answer this *coughjordancough* it'd be a help. |
|
|
| Three Reasons Why I Hate The BCS With A Passion |
[Dec. 5th, 2004|11:07 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | angry | ] |
2002: Miami, FL vs. Nebraska
2003: Washington St vs. Oklahoma
2005: Michigan vs. Texas
The Rose Bowl. Once the game every Big Ten and Pac-10 fan looked forward to has become a mockery of it's former self. It is no longer the Big Ten champion against the Pac-10 champion, it has become, at least three of the last four years, who the BCS makes them take. In 2003 this could have been averted, as Iowa and Ohio St both were 8-0 in the Big Ten and were co-champs. Ohio St went to the Fiesta Bowl to play for the national title (no problems there), but Iowa went to the Orange Bowl.
I see only one diference between Cal and Texas this year in the battle for that last at-large bid to the BCS. Texas coach Mack Brown is a bigger whiner. He whined to anyone who would listen to move them up in the polls. |
|
|
| Fond Memory of the day that has me looking to the future |
[Dec. 5th, 2004|11:11 am] |
THE University of Maryland food co-op show. (Review also here.) I seriously want to know will I ever see a show in California that will be on par with that. Just to give some idea of the epicness of that show, I remember talking to Death By Stereo frontman Efram Shulz at Warped tour in 2002. Even he remember that show. My enjoyment of Death By Stereo and Boy Sets Fire both extends from that one show.
In related packing news, I've consolidated some stuff as the move is now 23 days away. |
|
|
| And So It Begins... |
[Nov. 28th, 2004|07:17 am] |
| [ | music |
| | GTA:San Andreas soundtrack | ] |
I am moving to California in exactly one month from today. The packing has already begun. I'm honestly surprised by the fact that it takes 2 Xerox paper boxes and a duffel bag the same size as the one I used in my track and field days in high school, PLUS the same to 15-NES-game cases I've had for years to hold all my old-school gaming hardware and software. Let me repeat that. OLD-SCHOOL, which comprises of NES, SNES, N64, and Dreamcast. This does not comprise of my PS2 or Gamecube. My PS2 and Cube shall be left out until a couple days before I move. I expect all this-gen hardware and software to take another Xerox box. I also have another Xerox box full of books, not including the 14-volume Ian Fleming James Bond novels boxed set I got the other day. I still have my computer, cds, dvds and clothes to worry about, plus whatever other trinkets I feel I must have in California (such as my collection of casino playing cards).
ADDENDUM: My cds are taking up more than 2 Xerox boxes... perhaps I should sell my PS2 before I move, it'd be one less thing to put in the trunk.
...And then there will be the matter of what to have my parents mail to me once I get there.
This just in from the "Damn, we must be in some deep shit!" department: the Chicago Bears have signed Jeff George. |
|
|
| Thanksgiving |
[Nov. 25th, 2004|11:54 pm] |
I'm thankful that 2 of the Cowboys wins this year came on national tv. so it doesn't look near as bad as it really is.
I'm also thankful that GTA:San Andreas features a country music station. But it's also a fairly accurate representation of driving from LA to Las Vegas, since the only radio stations on the 15 seem to be country. |
|
|
| Stern Justice (I swear I didn't pull that off ESPN.com) |
[Nov. 22nd, 2004|03:11 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | do I call the all-in? | ] |
| [ | music |
| | terri clark - greatest hits | ] |
So the punishments have been handed down in the NBA royal rumble Friday night in Detroit.
Ron Artest - Suspended for season, 73 games. Loss of $4.5 mil in salary.
Stephen Jackson - Suspended 30 games. Loss of $1.8 mil in salary.
Jermaine O'neal - Suspended 25 games. Loss of $5.5 mil in salary.
Ben Wallace - Suspended 6 games, loses salary from those games.
Anthony Johnson - Suspended 5 games, loss of salary from those games.
Reggie Miller, Elden Campbell, Derrick Coleman, Chauncey Billups - One game suspsension plus $35K fine.
On the plus side, Artest can now take the time to promote his album.
I have two beefs with the punishments. The punishment doesn't fit the crime with Jackson and Wallace. I'll start with Ben Wallace. Perhaps the reason he got six games was because of what his facewash to Artest led to. But in reality, all Wallace did was give Artest a facewash. Cooler heads prevailed and no fight broke out between those two. In normal situations, suspsensions for something like this get only 2 games, tops.
Now while I think the punishment to Wallace was too harsh, Jackson got off light. Jackson did the exact same thing Artest did, rushed into the stands throwing punches. While Artest's "self-defence" defence may be weak in this situation, it's more than Jackson can say. Artest was the only one provoked. Jackson went in the stands to fight for no reason. Personally, I think Jackson should've gotten the season just like Artest.
This is easily the most I have ever talked about basketball in my life. I swear, now that Nascar is over for the year, I need hockey more than ever. |
|
|
| Be Careful What You Ask For |
[Nov. 20th, 2004|02:24 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | shocked | ] |
I never should have wanted to see another NBA fight. The Pistons/Pacers game tonight was ridiculous. |
|
|
| Rivalry Week |
[Nov. 19th, 2004|12:13 pm] |
Ann Arbor is a whore. Go Blow! I can't believe it's that time of year again. Ohio St./Michigan play on Saturday. I don't know why, I can't pay attention to college football or basketball until the season starts to wrap up. Maybe it's because that's when all the big games happen. Ohio St./Michigan, Virginia Tech/Miami, the conference title games that can really fuck up the BCS.
Speaking of VT, they certainly know how to make beatdowns entertaining. They scored 14 points on Maryland in the second half without even trying last night. The only thing missing was a true Beamer-ball blocked kick.
So you know this means I'll be camped in front of the tv for the next two Saturdays. |
|
|
| NHL Lockout Day 63 |
[Nov. 18th, 2004|03:26 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | (K-K)Q | ] |
| [ | music |
| | GTA:VC soundtrack | ] |
There's no hockey in DC right now. I figured the Wizards would have to bring the suck for 2 teams this season. Why are they averaging 101 points per game right now?
As for a distraction from the lack of hockey, I have found the GTA games that I have (GTA3 and Vice City) to work well. I should be getting San Andreas from Gamefly in the near future. I will be posting about that game. |
|
|
| NHL Lockout - Day 60 |
[Nov. 15th, 2004|09:23 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  2-7 offsuit | ] |
I'm starting to lose it. This lack of NHL hockey in America is making me go crazy. I thought renting NHL 2005 from Gamefly would help ease my pain, I was wrong. The NBA grows more appealing by the day. That scares me. The sad thing is, the NBA is starting to resemble the WWF. Lots of cheap drama and the occasional poorly acted fight.
Take Kobe for example. After winning the title with Phil Jackson and Shaq on his side, he proceeds to get them fired from the team to prove to everyone he won the title himself. Now, Shaq is all pissed off and stomping the Eastern Conference like it's Tokyo. Phil is waiting for the right time to reassert himself into the title picture. (I say in a year or two, he's coaching Denver. It seems like his MO. Good team already assembled that needs that x-factor to bring them together to with three titles.) Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kobes are behind the Clippers, but that's ok to Kobe, he's getting his 30 shots and 40 points a night.
Frankly, I'd like to see Jeff van Gundy get used like a mop again like he was by Alonzo Mourning.
Hockey, please come back. I miss you so much. Do you see what you've done to me by fighting? I'm watching basketball. Why should the fans be made to suffer like this? |
|
|
| Up Yours |
[Nov. 13th, 2004|05:51 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | Rolled Up Kings | ] |
I think Gamefly is giving me video game ADD. I'm getting overwhemled by the fact I can rent any game I want for as long as I want. I'm on my fourth game in a month. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal is totally in my wheelhouse. Think Super Mario 64 or Sunshine, but with really cool guns. Cartoon violence at its finest. Of course, I think part of the reason I dig this game is because it shares the same engine with the Jak and Daxter series, so it feels like second nature (which reminds me, I can't wait to get Jak 3 from Gamefly).
Now, what do I mean when I think I'm getting video game ADD? The fact that I'm playing more games than I normally could. It's kinda like sitting in a lounge in Vegas on a Saturday with 20 different college football games on all at once. I think I may be able to curb this problem as the two games I have out right now, X-Men Legends and Ratchet and Clank, are too good not to finish. |
|
|
| About time I talked about this... |
[Nov. 11th, 2004|12:52 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  Flopped the Nut Flush | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Lacuna Coil - Comalies | ] |
X-Men Legends. It is not the "X-Men RPG" some make it out to be. However, I am not dissapointed in the least. Sure, it has those traditional RPG elements like party creation, leveling up, unlocking new abilities, etc. But the gameplay, far from an RPG. We all remember the classic 4-player beat-em-ups from the arcardes. Ninja Turtles, Gauntlet, even that awesome 6-player X-Men cabinet. That's the kind of gameplay Legends has. And is it ever fun to play.
By the way, Gambit's 52 Pickup super power... off the charts. Gotta love the card-slingin' Cajun. |
|
|
| Jordan, I know how you feel. |
[Nov. 9th, 2004|04:05 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | Wired Aces | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Rounders Soundtrack | ] |
The Gingerbread lattes are back at Starbucks. Or as Elliot in the Morning on DC101 calls them, Crack. I really do enjoy them. When they aren't in season, I go for a 2% half-caf caramel macchiatto. Regretably, I haven't had any Starbucks in a while. When ordering that latte today, I failed to make the half-caf distiction. As of right now, combined with the screwed up sleep pattern I've been on since I came back from California, I've been awake for 20 hours. And I'm wired like pocket aces in hold 'em. |
|
|
| Irritating things on a Sunday |
[Nov. 8th, 2004|01:02 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | Big Slick cracked by Deuces | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Green Day - American Idiot | ] |
1) Going to a new restaurant and not getting a good value on the food.
2) The tanker level in X-Men Legends
3) Those annoying bastards who did that Coors Light (I think) commercial on ESPN every single week. You know the one... "...and TWINS!" The song sucked then, and it doesn't get any better updating it every week to recap the day in football.
4) Knowing that Tony Stewart is totally out of the NASCAR title picture thanks to that bitch Robby Gordon knocking him out of a race 2 months ago just to punk some other schmuck not in the title picture. |
|
|
| ...And It Was Good. |
[Nov. 7th, 2004|08:19 am] |
OK, it's about time that I jumped on the bandwagon. I think the main reason I'm starting this is to brag about the $25 I just won playing 7-card stud. I'll keep this going as long as I have interest, or there is interest in me. If anyone has any requests, feel free to make them.
Just to explain that poker thing though. I've been taking advantage of several sites offering sign-up and deposit bonuses. I just didn't think that the $.25/$.50 7-stud game on ulitmatebet would be so freakin' easy. It feels like I'm playing 5-card draw with my buddies in 3rd grade again.
Also, X-Men Legends on PS2 is wicked-sweet. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
darthfracas's journal