Not Wright for the Giants!

My friends over at MVN (G101) are providing, as usual, their quality New York Giants news and updates.   A few days ago as well as today, they are reporting about the G-men’s front office still in search of a back-up QB.

At first I was under the impression that they were seeking a veteran QB that could help mentor Eli Manning (who has struggled as of recently) and help foster his growth as he leads big blue onto the field for his 4th year.  This doesn’t mean we need to sign a stud QB…simply one who knows the game well and can step in “if needed.”

(Yes, it does actually pain me to put an eagles picture on my blog)

My first thought when they embarked on this search was a no-brainer…Jeff Garcia.  This guy came on board in Philly last year and delivered.  He played in 8 games, starting 6.  During his 1-year tenure with the birds (again, in essentially 6 games), he threw for 1300 yards, 10 TDs and only 2 INTs.  Moreover, he held down an impressive passer rating of 95.8.  This guy obviously still has the talent to get the job done and can certainly teach a thing or two to the young grasshopper, Eli.  Too bad, he was signed by Tampa Bay.

Now we’re looking into some more interesting options (note: we never did look into Garcia, that was my own wish).  According to MVN, we checked out Jay Fiedler on or around April 5th.  Nothing was heard afterwards, so I assumed he had been dismissed and simply didn’t make the Jerry Reese 300-Point inspection.

Now we have reports that:

“According to Adam Schefter of NFL Network, the Giants are scheduled to meet with former Bengals and Ravens Quarterback, Anthony Wright.”

I actually liked Anthony Wright when he was on the Ravens.  I have a close friend who’s a Raven’s fan and I always said that I thought he was better than Boller (who wants to argue that???).  He’s elusive, has an arm and is quick on his feet…but he’s no primo starter.  I simply do not believe he’d be a worthwhile back-up to look at.  In two of his years with the Ravens, he threw for over 1,000 yards while only hitting 6 and 9 touchdown completions (in 2003 and 2005, respectively).  He’s not going to be able to offer Eli any real help from a “veteran” standpoint though.  That’s why I see this as a worthless acquisition.

So Wright is not what we need in NYC…and in my humble opinion, neither is Fiedler.  But I do agree we need some old-guard guidance for Eli…aside from the post-game calls to his brother in Indy. 

I will say this though…as far as worthy back-up QBs go…I want to go on record saying that I am more than comfortable with Jared Lorenzen coming in to play if Eli gets hurt.  Big, accurate and fun to watch!  Long live the Pillsbury Throwboy!!

Sopranos and Entourage Go to War for HBO

The heat is on! With many critics, and even yours truly, picking apart HBO for their recent lack of quality programming…the network has been hurting for a pick-me-up. Like a group of rowdy fans on draft day hoping for their team pull something great off, HBO viewers crowded up to their TV sets tonight to watch the first episodes of Sopranos (in its final season) and Entourage (now in its third season)…the last two shows of an otherwise largely decaying dynasty.

HBO used to be a complete juggernaut when it came to innovative and unique TV. With shows like Sopranos, Sex and the City, Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm, other cable networks trembled at the feet of the great movie channel. Then slowly, these tried and true shows started to reach their half-lives…or in some instances expired altogether. Sex and the City closed its doors a few years ago turning away droves of adoring female viewers. Sopranos, which started SO strongly, began to go soft (yeah I said it) while also taking absurdly long season breaks. Curb (I believe) is still going…which is nice. Entourage is still going strong, but how many of you HATE the fact that she show lasts a mere 22 mins?? Rome who (such potential, but lost its viewers and apparently its marketing budget)? Big Love is also a show that, as creepy as it is, had tremendous potential…but where the hell is it??

MEANWHILE…the focus is coming off of Hollywood. The major networks (ABC, FOX, CBS and NBC) cranked it up a notch and started churning out ridiculously good shows. It’s almost as if HBO simply tried to ride their wave of success just a few seconds too long…and now find themselves facing a nasty slam into shallow water.

However, I’ll give credit where it’s due. I’ve been a Sopranos and Entourage fan since day 1 for both shows. Tonight brought me back to those premieres. Sopranos started uniquely with an interesting lack of character appearances, focusing primarily on an unusual arrest of Tony and some even more unusual family feuds. By the end, I realized that despite a pretty steady decline in the quality of the show, the Sopranos still manages to make me anxious and nervous throughout the entire duration of the show. I sit there chewing apart my fingernails just praying that nothing happens to Tony…but I guess we all know that can’t last.

Entourage is still the 20-something male dream show. I can’t get over how well HBO is able to glamroize the lives of four young guys living together in Hollywood. It never ceases to amaze me…not to mention that it generates unbelievable envy. I stand by the fact that the show’s are simply too short. I used to think that if they were longer, they may lose their appeal. STRIKE THAT! A full hour is necessary. Believe that!

So let’s see what happens. HBO must know what’s on the line here. In seven weeks, the former cable TV giant will formally resign its bread and butter, the Sopranos…and I think there’s no doubt that they’ll be retiring that jersey. Entourage and the rest of the “pretty solid” shows have got to step up…or HBO needs to come together and create something else that will remind its viewers just why its a must-have channel.  All that said…I loved seeing Tony, Carm, Vinny Chase, E, Drama, Bobby, Janice and Turtle hangin out on Sunday nights again. Welcome back!

Power of the People…of Rapture

Isn’t it a funny thing? Every once in a while you’ll walk out of your local grocery store or get a knock on your door on a random Saturday afternoon and someone is standing there with a piece of paper. They give you the 30 second “elevator speech” about what they’re bothering you with (95% of the time it’s worthless) and then ask you to sign a petition. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t, but rarely do you think it’ll actually end up making an impact in any major way.

Not always the case!!! There is game set for release on August 21, 2007 called BioShock. This game is one of the most HIGHLY anticipated Xbox360 titles out there. For months and months, gamers have been on the lookout for anything they can sink their teeth in to with regards to BioShock. Lucky for us, 2k Games has been more than generous with the amount of videos released in the last month or two.

Anyway, I could spend all night writing about how amazing I think BioShock is going to be, but I’ll let you do your own research on that. You can check out some previews here on Gamespot, or here at 1Up…but here is a summary giving a very abstract understanding (bear with me, it’s weird enough to be worth the read):

“In the middle of the north Atlantic, a lighthouse juts out of the water. Inside waits a rusted bathysphere, which takes you deep under the ocean to Rapture, a city sprawling along the sea floor.

A man named Andrew Ryan, a former Soviet citizen, built the city in 1946, and the society was envisioned as the ultimate capitalistic and individualist paradise, with the elite achieving for themselves, rather than for the whole. Protected by a network of giant sea walls and consisting of a cluster of enormous skyscraper-shaped hive towers, Rapture was designed to be entirely self-supporting, with all of its electricity, food production, water purification and defense systems powered by volcanic vents at the bottom of the ocean.

At one point Rapture’s population numbered several thousand at its peak during the early 1950s, composed of those people Ryan viewed as the best examples of mankind. A large and tiered economy grew among the people, with different quality products catering to different levels of the society.

The grand Art Deco architecture is at once futuristic and archaic, but as you step into Rapture, you find the city a shell of itself. The walls are crumbling and the ocean is seeping in. The hallways are littered with corpses, those who were once the best and brightest of the world above are now mutated and mad, roaming the corridors and waiting to ambush you at every turn.”

Also feel free to meander around the Cult of Rapture, the official game site…very cool and includes lots of other information. But most importantly, it includes information about one of the coolest petitions I’ve heard about in a long time.

Because of the expansive fan base for BioShock, one gamer saw an opportunity to send a message to the creators of the game. After speaking with some of his peers, he decided to start an online petition, showing just how many fans would buy a Limited Edition version of the game. When the petition was started, it caught the eye of 2k Games representatives. They decided to see how far it would go. To make it a deal, they stated if the petition reached 5,000 signatures, they would make the Limited Edition copy of the game.

By 11:15pm, only a few hours after the inception of the petition, the goal of 5,000 signatures was met. After a mere 18 hours, the number had reached 14,000, and is still climbing. Happily surprised, 2k Games is now soliciting information from their fans to find exactly what they want in their Limited Edition version as they fully intend to keep their word. At this point, I can only imagine what will be included, but I’m sure it’ll certainly please the fans. Now THAT’S what can happen when avid fans and good business people get together.

Fare thee well…

Grand Theft Auto 4…all the “RAGE”?

In any video game conversation I find myself in, the topic of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) always comes up. My friends go on and on about how cool it is to run around and play the role of the game’s protagonist, building their gangs and usually throw in a cheat or two to seal the deal with an arsenal to take down the city.

Here’s the thing…I don’t like GTA. After GTA3 (which I enjoyed), I picked up Vice City. Smitten with the inclusion of the voice work of Ray Liotta et al, it was a no brainer that I should be falling for this game all the way to the end. Here’s the other thing…I never finished Vice City. To be even more accurate, I never finished GTA3.

I understand that there’s a novelty to running around a city as a tough guy mobster or gang leader, trying to “rule the underground,” but I’ve found that (and yes, I can’t believe that I’m saying this either), the violence is just too much. If anything, it’s at least all too mindless.

The missions all seemed the same to me with a very limited range in graphics. This is where Vice City let me down; I was all set to see the new and improved areas, weapons and scenarios…and all I got was a semi-cool storyline with fun voice acting. A majority of the time I spent playing it was to do the proverbial “run around the city causing mayhem while trying to reach as many most wanted stars as possible.” Fun, yes…for a few days.

This potpourri of gaming mediocrity, in tandem with the lame senseless violence lead me to keep my cash in my wallet when San Andreas was released. I know a lot of gamers loved the gang angle, but I didn’t. I’m a mobster guy…and even that was barely enough to keep me hanging on. So at that point, GTA was dead to me…and Rockstar Games (the publisher of the game, for you readers unaware) was a tired studio with an overplayed baby.

However, today my buddy pointed out the new trailer for GTA4. At first I mocked him for even attempting to push it on me, but curiosity got the best of me and I took a look. Now I’ve found myself in a pickle. I’ve spent the last two years bad-mouthing Rockstar (save Table Tennis…booyah) and the GTA franchise overall, and then the GTA4 trailer ends up looking……….pretty good.

This brings me to my post title and final point. It’s too far from the release date to make any serious assumptions about this game. With such limited online assets (6 screens and 1 trailer), I can’t feasibly give my opinion with any reasonable substantiation. But…Rockstar’s decision to finally swing these puppies over to the next-gens is going to cause me to do my research. The next gen (PS3 and Xbox360) capabilities along with the new RAGE engine may very well turn out to finally revamp this cliche’ title (in my opinion).

The GTA4 city looks more realistic, complex and full as opposed to the old Liberty City versions where you may turn a corner to find only a lone prostitute awkwardly walking into a street light, then piveting, walking into a wall, piveting, then walking into a streelight…and so on. But again…it’s definitely too early to say.So until then, I’ll keep my eyes on some other upcoming titles (BioShock, anyone?) and see if GTA4 is really only hinging on RAGE…

(Not keeping my fingers crossed though, don’t come crying if I never post about it again)

…fare the well…

September 9th, 2007: Judgement Day…

I know that many of you readers have desperately missed my New York Giants banter. In fact, I’ve had numerous requests both in the comments section, and directly to me, asking for more G-men talk. So here you have it.

Most people believe that after the Superbowl ends, that’s all there is to football until late August. Tsk tsk. You couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve always said that one of the best parts about anything that you love doing is the anticipation of it. Well that’s what this time is. Over a month ago, the anticipation for the upcoming 2007-2008 season began to brew among core Giants fans across the U.S. and the world (there seems to be a large fan base in London).

This all begins only weeks after the Superbowl and the Pro Bowl. (For the record, I boycotted this year’s Pro Bowl due to the invitation of Tony Romo who was “given” his spot on the NFC team for reason I still can not understand). The NFL combine, a gathering of all the potential college draftees, followed shortly thereafter.Then came Free Agency. Free Agency is a lot like playing fantasy football. You see all the big name players that are without contracts or are looking to be traded, and you hope that your team is smart enough to go after them. Now the Giants have always been known to grab at least one free agent that pleases the crowd (i.e., LaVar Arrington). However, this year they did not.

Our new General Manager Jerry Reese cleverly managed to acquire Running Back Reuben Droughns (from Cleveland) for a tired, old Wide Receiver. No draft picks were traded. A slow, but interesting starting move. Now with our eyebrows slightly raised, we watched as Reese brought in the big names: Al Wilson, Kevin Curtis, Takeo Spikes, Lance Briggs (kind of) and a few others. Any of these players would have caused significant excitement among Giants fans. Reese let each one go to different teams…sadly, many went to our division rivals. Eyebrows lowered.

Then Reese pulled another interesting move. He managed to sign, Kawika Mitchell, a 28-year-old Linebacker from the Kansas City Chiefs. He wasn’t a name known throughout the league. However, his stats speak for themselves as he averaged 104.5 tackles over the last two years. So Reese is building…quietly and under the radar. A tactic that the NYC media hates, but may come in handy this season. We also have to wait for the NFL Draft, coming in late April…this is sure to bring some more surprises.But more importantly…news was announced only a few days ago that the Giants will be facing off against the Dallas Cowgirlsboys for the Sunday Night opener on September 9th. We will be playing in Dallas and will certainly be facing a tough battle. The Giants are notorious for blowing their first games.

September 9th…a long time, yet only a day away. It will be Judgement Day for Reese, for the team and for the fans. Go blue!

FX Continues to Strike It “Rich”

I’ve mentioned it before, but I want to reinforce how incredible FX is. The network, starting relatively slowly, has become a front-runner as one of (if not THE) best cable network available right now. With HBO’s painful decline into the depths of “has been” TV (sorry, Mr. Soprano, David Chase had you “whacked” about two years ago), avid television viewers have been thirsting for another destination to tune in to during the week. FX has answered that calling.

With the unbelievable success of The Shield (Vic, you’ll always be able to kick Jack Bauer’s ass, not matter what anyone says), the network first grabbed my attention. Watching the ongoing saga of Vic Mackey’s strike team, tearing through Los Angelos, handling things in ethical…and not so ethical ways…I became obsessed. In fact, my fiancee and I watched four seasons of The Shield in a little more than 3 months.

When one show runs out of DVDs, what do you do? Find another one to sink your teeth into. On the recommendation of several friends, the fiancee and I decided to give Rescue Me a try. I had always been a Dennis Leary fan, but had trouble getting into this show at first. After 4-5 episodes, I was hooked. Mark FX down for another brilliant victory in the cable TV battle.

Then came the lull following February sweeps, the only shows playing new episodes were 24 and LOST…hardly enough to keep a TV junky at bay. Three weeks ago today, in a desperate search to find a show worth my time, I saw a banner ad for FX’s The Riches. The typically annoying banner ad flashed “SEASON PREMIERE”…I was intrigued…but even more so when I read that the show was starring Eddie Izzard, a tremendously brilliant comedian of whom I am a big fan.

DING DING went the dinner, the DVR light glared red and the fiancee and I sat down to watch the premiere…hardly aware of what we were getting into. This is a brief synopsis of The Riches:

“FX’s new series The Riches (Mondays at 10 pm/ET) stars comic Eddie Izzard as Wayne Malloy, the silver-tongued patriarch of itinerant grifters who appropriate the identity of a dead couple, always living one step away from getting caught.”

Funny, clever and addictive! The Riches is yet another indication of FX’s relentless drive to capture viewers and keep them tuned in. Now only three episodes in, my fiancee and I have made it part of our Monday night ritual and eagerly await each episode. For those of you yearning to see and learn more, have a quick peak at a preview below:

Congrats to FX for another success and we look forward to the rest of this season, as well as the season premiere of The Shield in only a short time!

God of War II Complete

Well folks, I finished up God of War II a few days ago. I wanted to take a couple days to digest the game, the ending and everything else before writing about it….but all in all it took me about 8 days of casual gameplay (no 5 hour marathons) to beat it. So here is my end analysis of the overall GREAT title:

- Moves, magic, environments, OH MY: SCEA looks like they listened to their consumers when adding in things like Typhon’s Bane (a magic bow and arrow) because it was useful and necessary to beat the game…unlike Zues’ Fury in the first installment. Running around the Island of the Fates was incredible…far less “dark” than the first game’s scenary by a longshot. Also, the addition of some other magic moves, (one pictured below) were a refreshing change from the first game.

- Puzzles Galore: The puzzles involved in GOWII were simply uncomparable to the first title. While I loved running around constantly mawling and maming the “bad guys” in the first game, the puzzles left a bit to be desired. Let’s see now, what was a puzzle in the first one? Oh yes, blood sacrifice for Hades….no no…that’s still fighting. Wait, I got it….blood sacrifice (by burning) for Poseiden….damn, still just fighting. Perhaps murdering the “3 Sirens” to find my way through the Desert Sands…..GRRRR still freaking fighting. Come to think of it, there really weren’t many non-blood puzzles in the first game.God of War II, however, was chock FULL of amazingly interesting puzzles. Kratos was often left scratching his head as he had to figure out how to jump over enormously high fences with the use of his wings (“borrowed” from Iccarus, not my favorite part of the game), slow down time with a magic amulet to ascend a set of stairs before times runs out or figuring out how to free the Steeds of Time (4 horses chained together and blinded). Now THOSE were fun!

- Get a GRIP!: SCEA finally found a way to include a grappling hook without it being too much of a center point, while still making it fun. Kratos is now able to fling himself here and there as long as a grapple point is available. In fact, one entire scene consists of Kratos bouncing between grapple points as a massive ruins…well becomes totally ruined.

- World’s Best Boss: No not that kind of boss. Gamers were quick to point out after God of War one, that the game simply didn’t have enough bosses (how awesome was the giant Minotaur though?). While I personally didn’t mind, I did notice a slight monotony that came with the killing droves of orcs. But MAN did SCEA turn it up in GOWII, though. From the moment you start playing the game (like literally 5 mins into the game), you’re already hitting the mattresses with the Gods of Olympus. I really did enjoy most of the bosses in the game, but could’ve done without some of the more awkwardly placed ones, such as the random stone things that just spun around…they didn’t really do it for me. All in all, the boss’ were fantastic. Clever, challenging and fun (not a whole lot can be more gratifying than figuring out how to beat the sisters).

- It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye: Alas it had to happen, at some point I was going to beat the game. I was a little disappointed to see how short the game was, though. This is the only point of serious contention that I have with the game. I expected this to take a good 20-30 hours for me to beat…not 18. I know some guys who tackled this in less than that. Internet guides/walkthroughs were already up only 5-6 hours after the game was released. SCEA…take all the time you need…but in the third and final installment…let’s make it lengthy.

In the end, I have to give this title a 9 out of 10. I was tempted to give it an 8.5, but it really is too fun to slap in the face like that. If the game length had been a bit longer and the bosses had been less awkwardly placed…I would’ve likely hit ‘em with a 9.5 or higher.In my sadness following the completion of the game, I decided it was best to start it again. Pick up some of the missed extras, try to max out my weapons and power a bit more, etc etc. So yes, back to work with Kratos I go. Soon I’ll be turning my attention to either Super Paper Mario or the new Prince of Persia…whichever grabs me.

Until then…fare thee well…

“Do as I say, Not as I Do”

Thanks to my buddy Jayar for bringing to my attention that the Global Warming Poster Boy, Al Gore, is setting national records for his excessive utility bills. This is truly the indication of a humanitarian looking to serve as a model for everyone concerned with Global Warming.

Does everyone remember the credits from An Inconvenient Truth? Yeah, the ones that gave tips on how to do “your part” in conserving energy. Well I guess Al missed that part (maybe he’s one of those guys who gets up and darts out of the theater immediately after a movie…you know who I’m talking about), because about a year ago, ABC released documentation of the utility bill from his home in Nashville, TN.

“Armed with Gore’s utility bills for the last two years, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research charged Monday that the gas and electric bills for the former vice president’s 20-room home and pool house devoured nearly 221,000 kilowatt-hours in 2006, more than 20 times the national average of 10,656 kilowatt-hours.

‘If this were any other person with $30,000-a-year in utility bills, I wouldn’t care,’ says the Center’s 27-year-old president, Drew Johnson. ‘But he tells other people how to live and he’s not following his own rules.’”

Now think about your own utility bills for a moment. How much do you usually spend per month? $100? MAYBE a little more depending on the time of the year? Well read on and see how Al’s monthly bills break down:

“The Center claims that Nashville Electric Services records show the Gores in 2006 averaged a monthly electricity bill of $1,359 for using 18,414 kilowatt-hours, and $1,461 per month for using 16,200 kilowatt-hours in 2005. During that time, Nashville Gas Company billed the family an average of $536 a month for the main house and $544 for the pool house in 2006, and $640 for the main house and $525 for the pool house in 2005. That averages out to be $29,268 in gas and electric bills for the Gores in 2006, $31,512 in 2005.”

My my, that’s a lot of energy to be spending on a pool house. How can a guy who pushes the emotional buttons of the American (and international) community be so negligent? If you’re sitting there thinking, “well he has a big house, he should be able to heat, cool and use it as he wants!” Well, I disagree. There are more than enough alternatives for him. Plus, if he’s SO driven to save energy, perhaps he’d consider a smaller home? Turning off some lights? Turning off his heated pool once in a while?

Surely he can do more. At least enough to keep the old Vice from needing this puppy in his back yard:

(it’s true…I’ve SEEN it)

I’ll reiterate once more that I compliment Gore on his efforts, but the reason I attack him is because I truly can’t bring myself to believe this is selfless. At some point, maybe even in the next few months, Gore will likely attempt to cash in on his recent free media, Oscar award and international presents presence. I’ll keep hoping that is not the case, but until then, pardon my hammering of good, old, sweaty Al.

Movie Monday (Delayed)

I was a little tired yesterday, and more importantly, completely sucked in to 24 and the new FX show, The Riches…so I didn’t get to do my new tradition.  (Way to go, Homestar, messed it up on the 2nd try.)

Anyway, no reason to fret.  While I’m still up and somewhat alert this Tuesday evening, I figured I’d throw some film-esque stuff up on the old blog.  I’m not expecting many of you to understand or even appreciate this first video, but for those who get a giggle….good for you, you’ve earned it:

 

(The posting of this clip by no means mocks or makes light of diabetes or people with diabetes)

And now on to some truly “beyond ridiculous” stuff.  This is a real, honest-to-god video of a thief trying to steal from a liquor store.  What happens to this guy is just unbelievable.  Please watch and feel free to show this to your children so they know what NOT to be like when they grow up:

Last but not least, for you YouTube novices, a true classic.  I remember watching this a year or two ago and laughing myself to tears.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  And don’t feel bad, this kid is a celebrity now:

 That’s it for today…fare thee well fellow readers…

St. Paddy’s Day Out West

March 17th has always been a big day for me…starting back when I was a little kid and would go with my Dad to his Hibernian club for their annual St. Paddy’s Day bash, it was always as much a holiday as any other.  The parades (a few of which I’ve marched in), the green garb and of course (in my later years)…the beer(s).

I’ve done it all…college parties, beer for breakfast (thanks again, college), Irish jigs (where’s my new Irish brother, CB?), green beer, guinness, car bombs, Wolfe Tones (Up the Ra), silly hats, shirts…you name it.  However, what do these things all have in common?  They all occurred on the east coast…all of them.

So for the first time in 25 years, I’ll be spending St. Paddy’s Day off the east coast and somewhere between Denver and Boulder.  I hope to be spending it hitting some bars with my fiancee, sister and brother-in-law…and maybe a few extra folks.  It’s still going to be strange though…not being near the traditionally not-quite-spring weather, trapsing around the local bars with a posse of like-minded (and with similar objectives) friends.  But I’m going to keep an open mind about it.

I am VERY much looking forward to this Saturday and the opportunity to have a different experience, in a different place with different people.  How different will it be?  No idea…but I have a feeling that Colorado folks now how to throw down Celtic style and have a good old time.

I’ll have a full report for you all on Sunday.

Fare thee well…

(Side note: God of War II is still goin and still rockin my gaming world.)