Ah, Sports. You experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In this, I am going to go over my top six heartbreaking sports moments and the top ten happiest sports moments. Why seven? Because only seven have been painful enough to be worthy of being on this list, thankfully. Some of these left me angry, some left me sad, and some left me depressed. Let's get to it!
7. Gonzaga gets upset by UCLA in the Sweet 16 - 2006
I remember this game. I was so upset. I wanted to cry like Adam Morrison. Gonzaga should have won. I had just become a fan of their basketball program. The way the game ended was just the worst. Turnovers, poor decisions, and poor defense led to Gonzaga's demise. Fortunately, they got their revenge 15 years later. But it was too late to heal the pain.
6. Seahawks lose divisional round game to the Packers - 2020
Jimmy Graham was short. I'll stick by that to this day. Had he been marked short, the Packers would have faced a fourth down, likely resulting in a punt. Or perhaps a fourth down stop. The completion to Davante Adams moments before was another dagger to the Hawks chances. Neither should have happened. The Hawks were the better team, and I whole-heartedly believe they would have beaten the 49ers in the NFC Championship game the following week, or at least put up a better effort than the Packers did. I will forever point to this game as the end of the Russell Wilson run, so to speak. This was, I believe, the last playoff game Wilson played for us. We didn't make the playoffs the following season, and after that season, Wilson was traded to Denver.
5. Mariners lose Game 3 of the ALDS to the Astros - 2022
The 18-inning marathon did not have the ghost runner rule, so that's why it went so long. Of course, the Mariners had plenty of chances and had a superb start by George Kirby. This was the first home playoff game for the Mariners since 2001, and their most recent playoff game as of the time of this post. The Mariners were already down two games to zero, and would have to have won the next two games to have won the series, which is why it's only #5. But the Mariners had their chances, and we knew Jeremy Pena's home run in the Top of the 18th was the nail in our coffin. So to this day, the Mariners still have not scored a run in a home playoff game since 2001.
4. Mariners lose in the ALCS to the Yankees - 2001
I was only 12 years old, so this moment isn't too vivid. But the Mariners were supposed to finally get to the World Series. They won 116 games. Not getting to the World Series after that kind of regular season is one of the biggest disappointments in MLB history. And the Mariners have not returned to the ALCS since this series, and it took 21 years just to get back to the playoffs. I couldn't single out just one game, because none of them stick out to me individually. Just knowing we should've gone on to the World Series is pain enough. I think the team was worn out, and I also think they put too much effort into the regular season and matching the Cubs record of 116 wins.
3. Mariners lose Game 1 of the ALDS to the Astros - 2022
Yep, two from this series are on the list. It stung. We had the lead going into the bottom of the 9th. We were on a roll and about to win our third playoff game in a row. No one was expecting us to win this series, and we were three outs away from taking a 1-0 series lead on our division rivals. Then, with runners aboard, Scott Servais brings in Robbie Ray to face Yordan Alvarez, who hits a walk-off home run to win it. Just brutal for all Mariners fans. Servais will likely be long remembered for this decision. Like Carroll's decision to run the ball (see below), it was the turning point of the organization. And not in a good way. Who knows how the series would have gone if someone like Swanson was brought in instead, and we managed to hold onto the lead in game one. That 2022 Mariners team was a team of destiny, until they weren't.
2. Seahawks lose Super Bowl XLIX - 2015
You might be surprised that this is not #1. To me, it helps that the Hawks won the Super Bowl the previous year. It sucks not being able to repeat, no doubt. But the thing that bothers me most is that Jermaine Kearse's insane catch which put the Seahawks inside the 10-yard line doesn't have as much impact as it could have. Kearse's catch, if it or a subsequent play resulted in a game-winning touchdown, would have made that catch one of the greatest of all time. Greater than David Tyree's helmet catch. I so wish Kearse could have reacted quicker and gotten in the end zone. Or, that the Hawks had just given it to Marshawn at the one-yard line, or that Marshawn's final run would've gotten into the end zone. Also, who knows how the Seahawks do in subsequent years if they win this game. Maybe they win three in a row or three in four years. We'll never know.
1. Seahawks lose Super Bowl XL - 2006
I still have not been more upset after a loss than the Seahawks losing Super Bowl XL. I still hold much disdain for the Steelers, even though it was the referees who largely should be blamed. I hate that our first Super Bowl was the most poorly officiated one. I hate that the Super Bowl was played within driving distance of Pittsburgh and the crowd was almost all Steelers fans. And the #1 seeded Hawks were playing a #6 seeded wild-card Steelers team which was not that good--they relied upon a lot of luck to win their playoff games. They also had second-year QB Ben Roethlisberger, who had one of the worst statistical games by a starting quarterback in a Super Bowl. Yet, the Steelers still won. I remember breaking all of my Steelers toy helmets after the game (those little toy helmets you'd get from the quarter machines) because I was so upset.
Well, let's hope I don't have to add to this list anytime soon. But sports, like the rest of life, have both good and bad moments. You go through the bad so you can appreciate the good so much more. So that leads me to want to do a reverse of this--best sports victories or moments compilation. So look out for that soon!
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Top Seven Heartbreaking Sports Defeats for Me
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Backyard Sports Series and their Characters
Some video games I grew up with were the Backyard Sports series from Humongous Entertainment. I had the original Backyard Baseball, Backyard Baseball 2001, Backyard Soccer MLS, Backyard Football, and Backyard Basketball. I loved each one, but Baseball was always my favorite.
One thing they did great was creating these kids in the 90s that were diverse and had their own unique personalities. There were some I loved more than others, and some I hardly ever used on any of my teams. I'm going to go through each character and explain them, how much I used them, and anything else about the character that might occur to me. Since I played Baseball the most, I'll mostly be referring to that particular series when referring to these characters and the teams I had. Also, I'll say what positions they are best at in baseball.
This post was inspired by Kofie's IG videos on the Backyard characters. Check him out!
Pablo Sanchez
Pablo's basically a meme at this point he's so popular and so good at everything. Of course, I liked using him, but I tried not to since I felt that gave me an unfair advantage. I still ended up having him on my teams a lot. I related to Pablo since he was a shorter boy like I was.
Baseball Position: Anywhere besides pitcher, catcher, and first base. He's too short for first, and he's not a great pitcher. He's wasted at home plate unless you want a fast catcher to get all the soft grounders. And hit him in the Top 3 of your lineup.
Stephanie Morgan
Stephanie was always a tempting pick, at least for baseball. And I usually tried to put her at shortstop. In Backyard Baseball 2001, I often had an MLB shortstop on my team like A-Rod, Jeter, or Nomar, so I ended up putting Stephanie at 2nd or 3rd base. She's good at any of those three spots.
Baseball Position: Shortstop is her natural position, but if you already have a shortstop (such as an MLB one), then she's good at 2nd and 3rd base as well. Catcher too. She is featured as a catcher on the game art. As for your lineup, if you're stacked with hitters, put her near the bottom, but if she's one of your better hitters, hit her first or second in the lineup.
Dante Robinson
Dante was another I liked having on any team due to his speed. I didn't like how he wasn't the best hitter, which prevented me from selecting him to be on my baseball team sometimes. But if I did, he usually occupied the leadoff spot because of that speed. I also loved how he ate an entire hotdog in his walk-up animation.
Baseball Position: He's got speed, and he's left-handed, which screams outfield. However, Dante is error-prone, so put him in an outfield spot where the ball won't get hit much. He's not a bad pitcher, either. He's a good leadoff hitter or a good bottom of the lineup hitter.
Kiesha Phillips
Kiesha is awesome, and she's as close to the game's female counterpart to Pablo as it gets. She's fast, can hit, can field fairly well. She's good in football at most positions and she is a good interior scorer in soccer or basketball. I have had her on many teams because there's almost always a spot to put her.
Baseball Position: She's good almost anywhere. She's got the size for first and agility for the outfield, so I'd say one of those spots. Having that combination of speed and power should mean Kiesha is hitting 2-4 in your lineup.
Kenny Kawaguchi
I'm gonna be honest, I did not have Kenny on many of my teams, not even for his pitching. I had this notion that he wasn't as good as anyone else due to his disability. Or maybe I tried playing with him in Baseball and really could not hit with him. But as I got older, I did use him more and more, especially on the mound.
Baseball Position: He's a good pitcher and fields that position well. He also is surprisingly good in most other spots other than first base. I've made him work in the outfield a few times. His bat isn't great, so stick him near the bottom of your lineup.
Vicki Kawaguchi
I guess poor hitting runs in the Kawaguchi family. Vicky can run and field and even pitch if need be, but she can't hit. If her swing somehow manages to make contact, it's likely not leaving the infield. I rarely used her unless I wanted a team of all speed.
Baseball Position: She has tremendous fielding, so try to keep her in the infield, but not at first (too short and doesn't handle fast throws well). She's a decent catcher, too. Unless you can routinely make contact with her, stick her near the bottom of your lineup, where she can provide speed in front of the top of your lineup.
Ashley and Sidney Webber
I rarely used only one of the two Webber twins, as they are below average on their own. But together, they boost each other up and are pretty solid all-around players. I sometimes recruited both and had them play next to each other on the field, such as first and second base.
Baseball Position: It depends on if they're together or not. If not, stick the one you have at an infield position (avoid first base if possible). If they're together, they're good anywhere on the field. Literally anywhere, including pitcher and catcher and outfield.
Dmitri Petrovich
I loved Dmitri as a kid, but now I see he's not that great. He's a solid hitter with decent wheels, but he cannot field. I used him a bit in football, I think as my center/snapper (since he sort of looks the part). If I used him in baseball, I stuck him in the outfield and prayed no one hit a ball to him.
Baseball Position: He's actually a pretty solid catcher as I've discovered. His arm is pretty good, so outfield wouldn't be bad, either. But avoid all other infield positions with Dmitri. He's got a good combination of speed and power, so anywhere from 3-6 in your lineup is a good spot. Just be careful not to put anyone too fast behind him, as Dmitri tires very quickly.
Ernie Steele
I used Ernie on occasion, mostly due to his incredible fielding. He's also not a bad pitcher. I strongly considered Steele Stadium as my home field if I drafted Ernie. I always stuck him near the bottom of my lineup due to his less-than-average hitting.
Baseball Position: First base is definitely the best spot for him; he's tall and has great fielding. If you've already got a first baseman, I'd suggest the outfield. He should hit in the middle or bottom of the lineup (5-8).
Kimmy Eckman
The only time I ever selected Kimmy was when I used her backyard as my field. She was awful without it. She ended up being one of my least-used players as a result.
Baseball Position: It depends on if you're at Eckman Yards or not. If you are, she's good at any infield position (other than 1st) and any outfield spot. If you're not, stick her at 2nd and give her a good shortstop to work with. Hit her high if she's playing at her home field (1-4), or low if she's not (7-9).
Reese Worthington
I used Reese fairly often in Baseball, mostly due to the fact that he was the lone shorter blonde boy (like me). I also used him as my kicker in Football because I think he had a good kicking skill. But he was not great at hitting or running, so I lost interest in him quickly.
Baseball Position: He's decent at most spots. I like him at catcher or middle infield the most. He should be hitting near the bottom of the lineup (6-9).
Mikey Thomas
I used Mikey Thomas a good amount in Baseball due to his amazing bat. Outside of Pablo, there isn't a better power bat in the game. Unfortunately, he's slow as hell, so it was basically all or nothing with him. One good thing I noticed was his arm--he has a cannon for an arm. So I stuck him in the outfield, third base, or catcher.
Baseball Position: Mikey says he likes to play the outfield, but be careful as he's pretty slow. I'd prefer to use him at 3rd base or catcher to throw out runners with that cannon of an arm he has. And put him in the heart of your lineup (3-5) so he can drive in your faster players.
Tony Delvecchio
I know Tony gets praise for being a solid, all-around player, but I actually rarely picked him. He's a jack of all trades, but a master of none. I didn't like that, and still don't. He's a good line drive hitter, at least. I also didn't pick him a lot since he doesn't pair well with his sister.
Baseball Position: He's good most places, even first base, to an extent. I like him at 3rd base due to his good arm. Hit him somewhere near the middle (5-7) as he might be able to drive people in.
Angela Delvecchio
Oddly, she has the exact name as an offscreen character on the TV show, Friends (mentioned in Season 1). Anyway, she was usually my pick for pitcher. I loved her on the mound. She was slow, though, especially once she got tired from pitching. If she's tired and she's on the beach field, it takes her FOREVER to get to first, and literally any batted ball results in an out.
Baseball Position: She should be pitching whenever possible. However, if she must be stuck elsewhere, I'd say 2nd or catcher. Her fielding sucks for anywhere else. Hit her in the middle like her brother, but be careful not to put anyone fast after her, as she gets slow and tired real quick.
Jocinda Smith
Jocinda is one I used a lot as a kid but not much as I got older. I realized her hitting was misleading. She can sort of make contact, but she does not have much power. She's a good defensive first baseman, but that's about it. I think she's perhaps the most overrated Backyard character. MVP my butt.
Baseball Position: For the most overrated character, I'd say 2nd, catcher, or outfield. She's not got a great arm. Hit her in the middle of your lineup (5-7), and hope you get lucky.
Pete Wheeler
Pete was almost always a must for any of my teams due to his speed. He's the fastest kid, even faster than Dante. He was my first choice to be leadoff hitter on most of my teams. He's also surprisingly adept in the field (probably outfield though).
Baseball Position: Outfield for sure, preferably center field. Gotta take advantage of that speed. Hit him first in your lineup. There's literally no other spot. He's the best leadoff hitter in the game.
Billy Jean Blackwood
I did not use Billy Jean very much. She could sort of hit (like Jocinda), but that was about it. She wasn't slow, but not fast. She couldn't pitch. And her fielding was below average. I just never saw much appeal to using Billy Jean.
Baseball Position: First base is her best position, but if you can't put her there, I'd say a corner outfield spot, as she doesn't have great speed. Hit her somewhere in the middle of your lineup.
Marky Dubois
I wasn't the biggest fan of Marky's, either. He was slow, and his hitting was overrated. I noticed his speed was made even worse on the dirt and sand fields. I only picked him when I wanted a challenge.
Baseball Position: He's slow, so I'd say catcher or maybe first or second base. His arm is average, so you could maybe put him at 3rd. Hit him near the bottom of your lineup due to his lack of speed (6-8).
Sally Dobbs
I actually wasn't a huge fan of Sally's, as well, due to her personality. She was domineering and bossy and she reminded me of Angelica from Rugrats. Although I did use her a bit, even with Ronny her brother, as she got a huge boost when he was on the team with her.
Baseball Position: She's a decent pitcher, especially if she's got her brother Ronny on her team. Otherwise, she's good at most spots as her arm is decent, and she's got at least average speed. Third base is good for her too. I'd say hit her anywhere from 2-7 based on her boosts/reductions for the game.
Ronny Dobbs
Ronny was one I actually used the most when I shouldn't: With his sister, Sally. His stats are so nerfed he's basically useless. But I stuck him in the outfield (or 2nd) and at the bottom of the lineup and hoped he didn't hurt my team too much. Sally was just a beast when he was there.
Baseball Position: He's awful in the outfield, so stick him at 2nd or catcher and hope he doesn't get the ball hit to him. Put him near the bottom of the lineup, although his bat may surprise you.
Achmed Khan
I often chose Achmed for my team (at least my Baseball team). He's a great hitter and speed and defense are ok. He's one of the best all-around hitters in the game with power to all fields. I've never settled on a position for him defensively, as I think I've had him at third, catcher, and all outfield spots.
Baseball Position: Like I said, he's good at catcher, third, and outfield. He's even decent at the middle infield spots. Hit him in the heart of your lineup due to his great bat (3-5).
Amir Khan
Amir, Achmed's younger brother, is also a good player. I didn't choose him quite as often as he's not quite as good of a hitter as his brother. But he's a really good pitcher and was my second pitcher choice after Angela.
Baseball Position: Preferably pitcher. He's like Angela where he's not fast and is very error-prone, so if he has to be put somewhere else, maybe 2nd or a corner outfield spot. Hit him in the middle of the lineup (5-7).
Gretchen Hasselhoff
I rarely chose Gretchen because, along with Vicki, she's one of the worst hitters in the game. She will strike out. But unlike Vicki, Gretchen's speed is only decent. It's not really fast like Vicki. And Gretchen is a mediocre fielder and isn't a great pitcher, so I never saw the point in using her.
Baseball Position: She's ok at some spots, like 2nd base, shortstop, and the outfield. She's actually a decent pitcher with a good left hook pitch. I'd stick her at one of the last positions in the lineup (8 or 9).
Jorge Garcia
Another I rarely used was Jorge, and not just due to his mediocre attributes. His pompous nature also put me off. He's a decent line drive hitter, but not really above average at anything else.
Baseball Position: He's actually a surprisingly good fielder and got a good arm, so he's good at 3rd, shorstop, or catcher. Hit him in the middle-ish part of your lineup.
Luanne Lui
I think I actually used Luanne a lot. She's maybe got the best combination of speed and pitching in the game. She's not an awful hitter, and if she can just make contact, she can get on base. Her fielding sucks, but I usually tried sticking her somewhere she wouldn't hurt me too much. I think I remember she was good in football, too, as a running back (don't think she could catch).
Baseball Position: She's a good pitcher, but if not there, try catcher or 2nd base. I'd avoid the outfield with her. Hit her either near the top (1-2) or the bottom of your lineup (8-9), depending on if you have a better hitter that also has speed.
Maria Luna
I never knew about Maria playing better with pink uniforms as I never chose pink uniforms. So I didn't use Maria a ton. I remember using her as a middle infielder on occasion, as her defense and arm are solid. She's got good wheels, too. But her hitting leaves a bit to be desired.
Baseball Position: She's a solid middle infielder, but that's about it. Maybe catcher? Stick her near the bottom of your lineup.
Lisa Crockett
Last is Lisa, who again, I didn't use much. She is kind of like the female Tony; solid at a lot of things, but master of none. I tended to favor players who at least mastered something, whether that be pitching, hitting, or speed. (Rarely did I get someone who was only a master of fielding). Her standoffish nature also didn't really make me want to put her on my team.
Baseball Position: She's surprisingly good at a lot of positions, including pitcher and first base. She could play just about anywhere. She also could lead off if you really don't have anyone else. If you do, she's a very solid 7-9 hitter.
Reasons I love living in the Seattle Area/The PNW
I have lived in the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest my entire life. I'd love to live here for the rest of my life as well. Besides the familiarity, there are a lot of reasons why I hope that will be the case, and I'm going to share them with you.
First, we have (I think) the best weather in the country. Sure, there's southern California and Florida and Arizona, but they can have unbearably hot summers and not enough cool days in the year. We have one or two unbearably hot days all year. Our winters can be cold for those who aren't used to it, but once you've lived here a while, they become extremely mild and tolerable. It's why winter is my favorite season. Oddly, we get a lot of precipitation in the winter months but not that much snow. But on the rare times that we do get snow, it's beautiful. I don't know if I'd change a single thing about our climate. I wouldn't even change the rain, which helps make our area so green. And you can't beat our springs and falls, both beautiful in different ways.
Another thing I love is our sports teams. The Mariners ended their playoff drought and are and have been a very likable team for years. The Seahawks are among the Top 10 NFL franchises regarding ownership, success, stadium, and fans. We also have a few other teams that I enjoy following, including the Sounders, Kraken, Storm, and Huskies, all of whom have had at least a modicum of recent success in various sports. Not one of our franchises is unlikable. The only negative thing is we are still without an NBA team, something that hopefully changes soon. Once we have the Sonics back, our sports scene will be one of the best in the country. Our stadiums are consistently ranked in the top half of stadiums in their league, and there's no bad place to catch a sports game in the Seattle area.
As I've gotten older, I've realized that I'd much prefer to live in a blue state and a Democratic market. Fortunately, that's the case now. That's the reason I wouldn't be happy in Florida or Texas. Washington is one of the bluest states in the country. Unfortunately, we have that weird cousin we call Eastern Washington that leans more right, but hopefully, over time, that'll at least become purple-ish (mix red and blue). I enjoy being on the left, where women have control over their bodies and everyone has equal rights. Imagine living in a red state where they try to restrict what kids learn because they think they will be "indoctrinated".
One thing I love about our area is how many people and companies have ties to the Pacific Northwest. We're home to Starbucks, Microsoft, and Amazon, and Nintendo of America. We have been the home to Chris Pratt, Rainn Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Kenny G. Outside of perhaps Silicon Valley, the Seattle area is arguably the largest tech center in the world. So many video game companies (outside of Microsoft and Nintendo) have been located around here, including Bungie and Humongous Entertainment. I love hearing about ties to our area, knowing virtually every other city pales in comparison.
We have great food options as well, with most national chains having plenty of locations here to choose from. In the past decade or so, we got Chick-Fil-A. Perhaps someday we will get In-N-Out, but we have our own version, "Dicks Drive-In". Not to mention there are tons of locally owned and operated restaurants that are among some of the best in the nation. A lot of southern chains have not made their way up here, which is a bit of a shame. The thing the Seattle food scene is lacking is good southern options. But we're one of the best in the country in selections for steak, seafood, Asian cuisines, and in my opinion, Hispanic foods.
The biggest downside to living around here is the housing market and how costly it is. We have one of the highest costs of living in the country and about the fewest amount of on-the-market homes available. A lot of people, myself and my family included, keep moving further and further away from Seattle/Bellevue. But I still can't imagine living in another state. I could maybe see myself in Oregon, but that would be only if a job or opportunity presented itself there.
If anyone was thinking of moving here, I would highly recommend it. Granted, I am biased, but I think we have one of the "homiest" places in the country. You'll want to live here, start a family, and enjoy everything Washington has to offer. I know I want to.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Top 10 Greatest Seattle Sports Athletes I Have Seen Play
First, some honorable mentions:
Sonics: Rashard Lewis, Brent Barry
Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch, Doug Baldwin, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor
Mariners: Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Kyle Seager, Jamie Moyer
10. Ken Griffey, Jr.
It feels weird putting him this low on the list. But I only saw the tail end of his career with the Mariners and then the 2009 and 2010 seasons. But I've been able to watch highlights, mainly of the 1995 season. I think he's the most talented baseball player to ever play for the Mariners. It's such a shame he not only got traded but had an injury-plagued career from that point on.
9. Gary Payton
Again, he would be higher had I seen him play more. He was definitely the best defensive point guard I ever watched. There's a reason they called him "The Glove". It was quite a shock to me when the trade was announced that he had been included in a trade that netted us Ray Allen.
8. Earl Thomas
I couldn't include the entire Legion of Boom, so I went with who I considered their best player and the one I had most fun watching. Earl has been such a great safety in the NFL, the ability to range from deep center field to come up and make a tackle on a quick pass or run. Earl's quickness and smarts allowed Pete Carroll and his defensive coaching staff to play him deep, which meant no big throws were ever really completed against the Hawks defense. The Hawks certainly would not have had the success they did on defense without Earl.
7. Felix Hernandez
There has not been a better pitcher with the Mariners in the last 15 years. Felix not only was dominant, but proved his loyalty all the way until he was no longer productive for us. It breaks my heart that he never got to experience the postseason with us. No other player has inspired something like a "King's Court", something I made certain to be a part of a few times. His perfect game in 2012 is definitely one of the best moments in Mariners history, and might be the best moment of that decade.
6. Ray Allen
Ray has to be the best shooter of the basketball I have ever seen, especially from three point range. He hit a ton of clutch shots with the Sonics and easily became my favorite player on the team in the mid-2000's. He and Rashard Lewis formed quite the scoring duo, even guiding the Sonics to the playoffs a couple times. And Ray was one of the very few high scorers in the NBA that didn't talk too much. He let his play and his scoring speak for itself.
5. Bobby Wagner
At the end of his career, he may end up as the greatest defensive player in Seahawks history. Right now, that's probably Cortez Kennedy, but Bobby may pass Tez in longevity and overall production. Bobby hasn't won a defensive player of the year like Tez did, but I think he should have. There's just been too many other great players in the league. But to me, Bobby is the best tackler and linebacker in Seahawks history, and I'm fortunate to have seen him play.
4. Ichiro Suzuki
The greatest contact hitter in Mariners history for sure. He set the all-time record for hits in a season in 2004. He won MVP in his first season in Major League Baseball. It's a huge shame we could never get back to the postseason with Ichiro, but the guy is a bona fide legend. The way he would make contact with the worst of pitches and get hits out of them just blew my mind.
3. Walter Jones
An offensive lineman in the Top 3? Why not? Big Walt is one of the best tackles in NFL history. In fact, he was voted to the NFL 100 club in the NFL's 100th season, meaning he is one of the 100 greatest players in NFL history. I think he had fewer holding calls than seasons played, and he hardly ever got beat. Walt was devoted to his craft and it showed.
2. Russell Wilson
My favorite current athlete winds up at #2 on this list. Russell is a born leader. What I love most about him is his faith in his team and his belief that they will win, despite sometimes near insurmountable odds. The most notable example of that would be the 2015 NFC Championship Game, where the Hawks fell behind 16-0, yet Russell kept believing. It paid off. Besides that, Russ is going to end up with every team passing record, he is our winningest quarterback of all time and guided us to our only ever championship, and he has sometimes done this with very little help.
1. Edgar Martinez
EdddddGAARRRRRR....EdddddGARRRR... I can still hear the chants of his name ring throughout the Kingdome and Safeco Field. Edgar was pure class, pure all-around hitter, and a clutch one at that. Edgar is often known as one of the greatest Mariners, even though he has been passed in a lot of hitting categories by Ichiro or Griffey. There's a reason he's so loved, has a street named after him, and had his number retired before even entering the Hall of Fame. That clutch double he hit in the 1995 ALDS has a lot to do with it. Edgar Martinez is my greatest Seattle sports athlete I have ever seen play.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Ten Greatest Athletes I Have Ever Watched
First though, I have to include some honorable mentions:
MLB: Randy Johnson, Roy Halladay, Albert Pujols
NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash
NFL: Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed, Adrian Peterson, Brian Urlacher
10. Pedro Martinez, Starting Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies
Boy this was a tough one. I wanted to include a pitcher on this list, and there are so many good ones. I went with Pedro, just because of how dominant he was for a stretch. He had an ERA under 2.50 for FIVE straight years. That's hard to do in one year. That stretches out to seven years if you include an ERA under 3.00. He was the most dominant pitcher around the turn of the millennium, which is why I included him. When I first got into baseball, he was the best there was.
9. Ray Lewis, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
Ray was an incredible force at the linebacker position. He helped anchor one of the greatest defenses of all time in the 2000 Ravens. He also got the Ravens back to the big game in 2012 in his final season and won another Super Bowl. He was just the most ferocious and tenacious linebacker, maybe even defensive player, I ever watched. The Ravens almost always had a top ten defense while he was with them. He also made the cover of Madden, not easy to do for a defensive player.
8. Mike Trout, Outfielder, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
He's barely into his career and he's already on this list? Yup. He has got off to such an insane start to his career, that if he were to double it or better, he would have the greatest hitting stat line in the history of baseball. I've been able to see him excel at the game of baseball in all its facets, because he plays in the same division as my Seattle Mariners. He's the epitome of the five tool player; it's like he was designed in a lab to be the best all-around baseball player ever seen. His only downfall is his inability to do well in the playoffs, both with his team and individually. He'll need a World Series ring to really enter the discussion as being one of the GOATs.
7. Tim Duncan, Forward, San Antonio Spurs
Timmay! Tim Duncan defined class and gracefulness for a big man in his time in the NBA. He won five NBA championships, the first and last separated by fifteen years. His pull up shot was pretty as a picture, and his defense was always top-notch. The San Antonio Spurs franchise would be nowhere without him. I'd argue he was the best mid-range shooter among big men (6'10" or taller) in NBA history.
6. Drew Brees, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
I think Drew is the most underrated quarterback maybe ever. When people talk about the greatest quarterback of all time, they mention Brady, Manning, Montana, but hardly ever Brees. Drew is going to end up holding most of the all-time passing records when his career is over. Therefore, I had to include him on this list. He was the first quarterback to really prove you don't have to be around 6'4" to be an all-time great quarterback. He's had some great Saints teams recently, but unfortunately for them, each of the last three seasons has ended in heartbreak.
5. Derek Jeter, Shortstop, New York Yankees
He just got elected to the Hall of Fame, falling one vote shy of a unanimous decision. He's one of the greatest all-around shortstops of all time. He popularized a style of throw to first. He became perhaps the greatest clutch hitter of his time. The moment never seemed too big for one Derek Sanderson Jeter. And he played in an era where his counterparts and rivals changed teams (Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols), but he didn't.
4. LeBron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers
I think he's the most physically gifted basketball player of all time. No one has had his physicality, quickness, explosiveness, and size all in one package. He definitely could have played football if he had decided to. But I think he chose correctly. Currently, Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time, but if LeBron wins another ring or two, it'll be a fierce debate between the two as to who then is the G.O.A.T.
3. Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos
Peyton is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. I don't know if there's ever been anyone better at adjustments at the line of scrimmage. And to top it off, he had a great arm. He's not only one of the smartest quarterbacks ever, but he's one of the smartest football players ever. He is probably the one former player I'd most love to talk to about the X's and O's of football.
2. Kobe Bryant, Guard/Forward, Los Angeles Lakers
I am still stunned by his sudden passing. He was younger than Tom Brady, who is still playing. I only saw the tail end of MJ's career, and I lost interest in basketball after the Sonics left, so I only saw a few years of LeBron's career. But I saw most of Kobe's, and he was special. I don't think I've ever seen a prettier or more effective jump shot or fade-away shot. And to win championships with and without Shaq proves that he didn't have to have him to win a championship. To me, he's the GOAT basketball player.
1. Tom Brady, Quarterback, New England Patriots
He's the GOAT. Period. In the age of salary caps and quarterbacks being paid exuberant amounts, Tom has done the impossible and won six Super Bowls. Unless there's a change in the NFL to the salary cap, I don't think this will ever happen again. Tom has not only won, but he's won convincingly at times. He had a period of ten years where he at least made it to the AFC Championship game. That is insane. He is the greatest athlete I have ever had the pleasure of watching.
Those are my Top 10 Athletes I Have Ever Seen. If you didn't notice, I did not include any Seattle athletes, mainly because I am saving them for another list. So look out for that soon.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
My List and Review of all of the Video Games I have owned
N64:
1. Super Mario 64 (10) - One of the launch titles for the N64 and one most consider to be one of the N64's best. I wasn't able to get all 120 stars until a few years ago, but this game, despite being 17 years old now, is still really fun to play.
2. Pilotwings 64 (6) - I don't think I ever really fully enjoyed Pilot Wings. There's a lot of monotonous soaring and gliding involved. The challenges were certainly challenging enough. I've played this so little recently that my memories of this game are becoming few and far between. Might have to play it again someday.
3. Wave Race 64 (8) - My friends were more into this game than I was growing up, but I still enjoyed it. I wish there would have been more race courses and more racers. Nintendo should come out with a Wave Race Wii (although that's a tongue twister).
4. Star Fox 64 (8) - When I first played this as a young child, it scared me. I also never was able to fully beat it. This game was too difficult for me. But I sure had fun in the multiplayer with my sister and friends. Update: I played this game recently and beat it, twice. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to beat it on the hard path, but I took the easy and semi-hard paths.
5. Mario Kart 64 (10) - This is a game I still play a lot today (See my girlfriend and I play it below) and despite only 8 characters and 16 tracks, it still is so much fun. This will forever be my favorite version of Mario Kart.
6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (7) - This game would get a 10 from me if it was about the game's quality, but it's not. I was never able to get into this game as a kid. I never became a fan of the Legend of Zelda series. Someday I will put forth actual effort. I did play this as a kid, but always got stuck at the same part.
7. Mario Party (9) - The first Mario Party is hands down my favorite. As a kid, the game I'd always suggest to play with others was Mario Party, and for good reason: It's a fantastic multiplayer game. It's even a serviceable single player one as well. The reason it is a 9 and not a 10 is because of the control stick spinning mini-games which caused several blisters on my hand as a kid (and caused me to ruin a pair of baseball gloves I had).
8. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (6) - This was the game I was most afraid of as a kid. Perhaps my parents shouldn't have gotten it, given its Mature rating. I often just watched my dad play. But it had its moments. I especially enjoyed using cheats to get all ammo. Some of the guns you were supposed to get later in the game were AWESOME.
9. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (5) - I never really played the single player version of this, something rare for me. I mostly played this with my dad and sister in multiplayer mode. I loved the Cerebral Bore, which caused an opponent's head to explode. But other than multiplayer, this game held little for me.
10. Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Fate (3) - Again, a game in which I never really took advantage of single player mode. Just played multiplayer... with my sister. I never wanted to play this, but my sister sure did.
11. NFL Quarterback Club '98 (6) - Boy football games in the 90's sucked. I tried playing it recently and oh my word. I got some use out of it. The one thing this game holds is the ability to look and see past players and see how good (or bad) they were.
12. NFL Quarterback Club '99 (7) - I played this game slightly more as it was newer. I really liked Mike Patrick and Randy Cross as announcers. But again, football games have come a long way since then.
13. Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. (10) - This might be my favorite baseball game ever. Sure, the graphics are awful now, but the controls are ridiculously easy and this was when the Mariners were good. The game also has a heavy favoritism towards the Mariners, having been made BY Nintendo, which I don't have any problem with, obviously.
14. Goldeneye 64 (9) - Considered one of the best N64 games. The part I had the most fun with was multiplayer, playing it with my friends and family. I can't give this game a 10 because it was too difficult for me at times (I was stuck on the "Control" mission for the longest time). I did eventually beat the game on Agent mode, but never got to the Aztec level. Oh well, maybe someday.
15. NBA Hangtime (9) - An arcade game turned into an N64 game, and it worked. To this day I love seeing players from the 90's like Dennis Rodman, Shawn Kemp, Dikembe Mutombo, and Scottie Pippen. I just wish players like Michael Jordan and Shaq could have been in it. I give it only a 9 because it's pretty much the same thing over and over and it does get tiring after a while.
16. NBA Live '99 (5) - Again, sports games have come a long way since the 90's. I never really enjoyed this game, as I enjoyed NBA Hangtime more. But finally being able to beat Michael Jordan 1 on 1 was one of my biggest video game achievements as a kid.
17. Pokemon Stadium (9) - This was, as far as I remember, the first video game I purchased with my own money. Bought it at K-Mart of all places, and it cost around 70 dollars(!) at the time. However, I did get my use out of it, playing my Red, Blue, and Yellow versions of Pokemon on there and of course, the mini games. Just can't give it a 10 because I just felt like the game was missing one thing--and the battles aren't as impressive as I thought they'd be.
18. Pokemon Stadium 2 (8) - The follow up to Pokemon Stadium was almost as good, as many sequels are. The mini games were again good, but it was hard to figure out the mystery gift thing and in the classroom, having to answer certain questions and do certain battles was very tough--too tough for a 12 year old kid.
19. Hey You, Pikachu! (2) - I give this my lowest rating because it just downright sucks as a game. It's got an interesting mechanic where you tell Pikachu what to do, but that only worked some of the time, and the gameplay got rather boring real fast. There's no real ultimate goal or quest in this game. I think I (or my parents--can't remember) paid close to 100 bucks for the entire package of this game--what a rip-off.
20. Bomberman 64 (7) - Ah, Bomberman. This was another one of the games I got more multiplayer use out of. Laying bombs and then kicking them at your friends? So much fun. The single player missions were a bit too difficult for me, but I did eventually beat it after much determination. I can't say I really enjoyed this game. Part of the reason I played it was because it was one of only a few games I had at the time.
21. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 (7) - This is one of those games that takes a while to get the hang of. But when you do, it gets really fun. It sucks having to do a lot just to unlock 1 or 2 courses in the game (You only start out with 1), but the level designs were great for skateboarding. And I did once pull off the 900. Never really beat it and unlocked all the levels though.
22. Mario Tennis (8) - One of my favorite Mario games as a kid. But there's only so much you can do with a tennis game. It's basically just hitting the ball back and forth. I liked the wide selection of characters, but on the harder difficulties, it would just take FOREVER to beat them. Oh well, I still enjoyed it.
23. Super Smash Bros. (9) - A game I put a lot of time and effort in, especially in beating the "Break the Target" and "Board the Platform" games for each character. Sure, the Smash Bros. series has come a long way, but the original will always be my favorite.
24. Pokemon Puzzle League (7) - Even when I'm into Pokemon, not really into playing this game too much. However, when I was into this game, I was good and enjoyed it immensely. Some of the harder levels... wow. How can they expect a kid, or anyone, to beat them?
25. Diddy Kong Racing (6) - For whatever reason, I always preferred Mario Kart over this, more than likely because I liked the characters more. However, this game did have fun mechanics and came out with multiple vehicles before the Mario Kart franchise did. It sure has been a while since I played this.
26. Pokemon Snap (8) - For a game where all you do is take pictures, it's surprisingly fun. They unlock levels and the ability to throw food or pester balls at the perfect pace. They were only able to include about half of the original 151 Pokemon, probably due to the size capacities of the N64 games. Some of the shots I got were not too far off from being close to world records. I would've loved to have seen another Pokemon Snap game, perhaps for the Wii, but would it work with motion control? Hard to say.
27. Star Wars Episode I: Racer (4) - I recently got this game at a bargain store, and I haven't played it much yet. It was surprisingly tough, even for an adult. I will give this another go someday, perhaps after watching Episode I again.
Xbox:
1. NFL Fever 2002 (8) - I really liked the NFL Fever franchise. I really wish they had been able to continue it, but unfortunately EA Sports won the sole rights to NFL players and their likenesses. At the time, I really thought other games were better than Madden. This one was no exception. The players weren't really scaled right, but I had a lot of fun creating players (usually based on kids I went to school with) and of course, playing with the Seahawks.
2. Star Wars Obi-Wan (8) - Pretty much Star Wars Episode I with some before and during battles. You play as a young jedi Obi-Wan (duh) and you play in certain battles such as rescuing the Queen in Naboo and fighting against Darth Maul. This would have to be one of my favorite third person Star Wars games ever. The controls are a bit hard to figure out at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's not bad. The graphics, however, do not hold up well today.
3. NBA Inside Drive 2002 (6) - Didn't really play this game much, as I've played its successor much more over the years. The only thing it has better than the 2003 version is the intro.
4. NBA Inside Drive 2003 (9) - To this day I still play this game. For some reason, I can't get into any other basketball game. I love the antics of Kevin Colabro, Marcus Johnson, and Kenny Smith as announcers. Plus, creating players and getting them experience and making them better is really fun and easy to do in this game.
5. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (7) - I've always found this game too difficult for me. First time I played it, I got stuck a few levels in. A year ago or so, I played it again and got a lot farther, but still couldn't beat the game. Maybe after a while I'll try a third time to beat the game. Fun to play for sure, but a bit too difficult for me.
6. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (9) - What's not to like? The Campaign mode is fun, but the actual gameplay is awesome and simple enough. I've beaten the campaign mode at least 10 times, each time still as fun as the last. Multiplayer was fun while it lasted, too. I wish the campaign was longer, but it has good replay value. One thing I don't like: Some of the Dossier missions are downright impossible--recon on elite, firefight on elite using only a demolitions guy... I mean... wow.
7. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Island Thunder (8) - Had all the same, great features the original Ghost Recon had. The campaign wasn't as long or enjoyable, but still fun. I think there were some bugs in this game. But the thing that hurt this game was that it was basically just an expansion to Ghost Recon, but it was marketed as its own game.
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (8) - Good continuation in the Harry Potter video game series. Too many load screens bogged the game down a bit, but nothing beat free roam around the castle on a broomstick, being able to collect an infinite number of beans and trading them for prizes from Fred and George. I think I've only beaten the game twice, so it's hard to give it anything higher than an 8.
9. Halo (10) - Arguably the best original Xbox game. When you think Xbox, you think Halo. This game kicked ass and its only fault was lack of multiplayer, which was implemented in its sequel. I don't think I'll ever like a first person shooter series more than Halo. It was a huge part of my adolescence.
10. Halo 2 (10) - This game had a lot of hype and it certainly lived up to it. The story mode wasn't as compelling but multiplayer was everything I expected and all the new features and weapons were amazing. Energy sword FTW. I still enjoy playing out the campaign every few years. I even owned the PC version and played it on my PC as well.
11. Grand Theft Auto III (6) - This game came packaged with GTA Vice City when they were first released for the Xbox (see below), and I preferred Vice City, so I never really got into this version. Maybe someday? All I can say is I probably haven't put forth even 10 hours into this game in my life.
12. Grand Theft Auto Vice City (8) - Played this quite a bit once GTA came out on the Xbox console. I don't think I fully completed all of the missions, but I came close. Fond memories of this game.
13. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (9) - I don't think I spent as much time on this as GTA Vice City, but I enjoyed it more and most every gamer of GTA would agree it's one of the strongest in the series. The map is larger, you do more exciting missions, and it's just a better quality game. I'll definitely play this some more in the future. The graphics don't hold up that well, however.
14. Midtown Madness 3 (8) - For some reason, we got rid of this game and I no longer own it or can play it. But one time we did own it and it was a lot of fun. I remember playing the first Midtown Madness games on the PC many years ago, and this game for the Xbox was just as good. Good selection of vehicles. Just been a while.
15. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (10) - This is in competition with Halo and Halo 2 as the Xbox game I have spent the most time on. I really have no complaints about this game. The story is so compelling it could (and should) be made into a movie. To this day I still play it and I may never grow old of it. I have purchased and played the mobile version of this, and may just play it there in the future out of convenience.
16. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (8) - This game actually improved slightly in gameplay and mechanics, but fell way short in story and characters. I still love playing it and have beaten it many times as well, but I always feel dissatisfied when I finish it. Like someone who just finished their plate of food and is still hungry. The game was obviously rushed out, which it shouldn't have been. People have been petitioning long and hard for a KOTOR III, but that may never come.
17. Star Wars Battlefront (8) - I was thrilled about this idea of a game: Being a stormtrooper, Wookie, or even Trade Federation droid and fighting in some of the most famous battles in Star Wars. It worked pretty well, but was almost too simple of a game.
18. Star Wars Battlefront II (8) - This game had improvements from its predecessor in graphics and gameplay, but I can't say I enjoyed it more. Loved being able to play as famous Jedi, but flying in planes was way too tough and some of the game types still don't make sense to me.
19. All-Star Baseball 2004 (7) - Not my favorite baseball game ever, but it had its perks. Creating your own team was fun, and the actual gameplay was pretty good, and the graphics were good, especially for its time. Thom Brennaman and Steve Lyons weren't the best choice as commentators, though. However, I loved the feature of exploring the unused ballparks they had in the game. I would listen to the voiceover guy talk about the ballparks and that was entertaining enough by itself.
20. Major League Baseball 2K5 (9) - Up there as one of my favorite sports games... ever. I've played multiple 162-game seasons on this game (usually as the Mariners, of course), and the display and graphics still hold up pretty well to this day. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan as announcers? Perfect choices. Also, you can't beat the ESPN presentation for this game.
21. Bicycle Casino (6) - Enjoyable when I feel the urge to gamble and play casino games, which is rare, however. But I could spend hours playing Texas Hold 'Em in this game. It's just very basic with nothing really that stands out. I never had enough patience to build up a lot of money in this game.
22. NHL Hitz Pro (6) - The only hockey game I've ever owned, really. And I did enjoy it, for the most part. It was too easy to score goals, and upping the difficulty only allowed the computer to score a ton of goals. What happened to low-scoring contests? Then again, this was made by Midway, who also made NFL Blitz. I liked creating the Seattle expansion franchise most of all.
23. Medal of Honor Frontline (7) - Another game we've gotten rid of but I remember owning, Medal of Honor Frontline had a more war-like feel than any Call of Duty game I've played. Very good difficulty. Graphics kind of lacked and some tasks seemed weird, but I enjoyed it. I recently re-bought this game and tried playing it, but it was surprisingly difficult. I'll try again someday.
24. Destroy All Humans (5) - Played this a bit when we first got it, and it was fun, but it has very little replay value and doesn't hold up well today. I've thought about giving this game another shot someday.
25. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (8) - Definitely enjoyable with cut scenes from the movie. I don't like the controls too much, basically making it a button-mashing game, but it holds up well today.
26. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (8) - Difficult, but fun and even longer than Two Towers. I like all the characters you can play from. Whenever I finish watching the Lord of the Rings movies, I have to play the games.
27. Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open (5) - I had to look this game up because not only did we get rid of it, but I couldn't remember the title. Found it, and one of the few things I remember was being able to race a Dodge Durango, which was the family car at the time. This game was fun, but it didn't give me too many reasons to go back and play it, which is probably why we got rid of it.
28. ESPN NFL 2K5 (10) - Somehow, I forgot this game and I had to put this up a month after my original blog post! This might be my favorite NFL video game of all time, and I forgot it. The ESPN format is brilliant, with Chris Berman and his half- and post-game shows. The announcers could be better (Who are Dan Stevens and Peter O'Keefe?) But this game, to this day, stands up well even to the current Madden. Imagine if EA hadn't won the monopoly to the NFL, how much this series of football games might have advanced. And the best part about this game? Even at release: It was just $19.99. Yeah.
29. NASCAR Heat 2002 (8) - This is the only NASCAR game I've ever owned, but I sure enjoyed it. Yes, it's just taking a bunch of left turns, but navigating past cars was fun enough. I most had fun causing havoc and causing other drivers to spin out and crash. I did an entire season and won, which I think counts for beating the game.
30. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (7) - I have beaten the game once, but it was not that enjoyable. It's a lot of button mashing just like The Lord of the Rings games. But the alternate ending where Anakin kills Obi-Wan is almost worth the price of the game, if you can get that far.
Now there are a few games me or my family owned that I either spent little to no time playing, but I will list them nonetheless:
31. 007: Agent Under Fire: I expected this to be near as good or better than Goldeneye. I was wrong.
32. America's Army: Rise of a Soldier
33. Harry Potter Quidditch World Cup: Boring after a short while
34. Half-Life 2
35. NCAA Football 2005
36. The Sims 2: There's a reason it was made for the PC primarily
37. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
38. Tetris Worlds
39. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
40. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2
41. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike
Xbox 360:
1. Backbreaker (5) - This game was fun to do the Gauntlet or whatever it was called, where you have 100 levels to evade or juke past defenders all the while staying inside certain boundaries. It's animations were excellent, although the gameplay was limited.
2. The Bigs (3) - I just couldn't get into this game and don't know why I got it. I guess it's fun to see the players all jacked up and cranking home runs at ease.
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (7) - I mainly got this game to play online with one of my friends, which I only did for a little bit. I like the Call of Duty games, just never been a big fan of them.
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (8) - I beat this game because the storyline in the Modern Warfare games is my favorite of any CoD series. I didn't play much online, however.
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (8) - I think I beat this game twice. It's a heck of a lot of fun. I did play a bit online, probably the most of any CoD game I've ever played.
6. College Hoops 2K6 (10) - This is the only College Basketball game I've ever owned because nothing for me will top this. I got over a decade in to the franchise mode with the Gonzaga basketball team before I accidentally overrode its save with something else 😠Boy that was not a good day. The fact that you could edit any incoming players and make them better made it easy to keep on playing.
7. Crackdown (8) - I remember I got this game for free after doing a play test study for Microsoft way back when. I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, but I certainly did. It was fun increasing your guy's attributes and leaping tall buildings in a single bound.
8. Crackdown 2 (9) - They improved Crackdown even more with its sequel. I don't remember either game a ton, but I certainly want to replay them someday.
9. Dead Island (6) - I've played this zombie game a bit. I wanted a zombie game to play a few years ago, one a bit more realistic than the one below. But it was only okay. I did not get very far at all.
10. Dead Rising (7) - Boy was this game tough. I loved the story, which is what gave me motivation to keep trying. I always thought they should have made this into a movie. But I just couldn't get past certain parts. When you just couldn't avoid getting attacked by a zombie over and over, that was very annoying.
11. Game of Thrones (4) - I got this game shortly after getting into the TV series, and I just can't stay focused to play it. The better game is the Telltale Games version.
12. Gears of War (9) - This would probably be 2nd to Halo as my favorite shooter franchise of all time. Playing as Marcus Fenix and battling the Locust horde just is so much fun. I love the story too, and think it would make an interesting movie or TV series.
13. Gears of War 2 (8) - I give this a slightly lower rating, but it's still a great game. It's often forgotten, being sandwiched between the first and third (which some consider to be the best).
14. Gears of War 3 (10) - What a great game. The part that will always stand out to me is when Dom sacrifices himself to save Marcus and the rest, set to an instrumental of "Mad World". I legit cried my first time playing through that part. I will forever argue it's one of the saddest moments in video game history.
15. Grand Theft Auto IV (9) - Boy I loved playing as Nico in beautiful NYC. The story of course, was really good. My favorite mission was the bank robbery. I also loved doing different challenges after beating the story mission. I didn't get to 100% completion, maybe close to 80%.
16. Grand Theft Auto V (10) - Rockstar Games hit it out of the park with this one. Three playable characters this time, all uniquely different. The story was again top-notch and there's so much replay value in this.
17. Halo 3 (10) - What more can you say? Halo 3 is considered to be peak Halo. The online experience, for once, was the highlight for me. They introduced Forge which allowed players to create and share their own maps, which even I did a bit. There was the Arby N the Chief series, which mainly related to this game. I remember checking my stats online at Bungie.net constantly. Good times.
18. Halo Reach (9) - This was an interesting game, to have a prequel to Halo. I certainly enjoyed it, and I felt like it had the perfect difficulty. I played it online a little bit, but not like Halo 3. I loved the ending where your Spartan character fought to the bitter end at the Fall of Reach.
19. Halo 3: ODST (8) - Probably one of the weakest in the Halo series, but still a very solid game. I thought it was cool playing as a soldier and not a spartan, for a change. It definitely got tough in parts, but doable.
20. Halo 4 (8) - This was enjoyable and fun, but it just doesn't feel like Halo for some reason. This was after Bungie sold the game to 343 Industries, so that has something to do with it. I don't think I ever played it online.
21. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (9) - One of my favorite Harry Potter games ever. It has the most open-world aspect to it of any HP game at that point. I enjoyed finding all the hidden crests and even playing games with other students.
22. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (8) - A very similar game to OotP, but for some reason, I just didn't enjoy the game quite as much. Odd, because I enjoyed the book version more. I definitely want to give this game another try some day because it's hard to remember what it's like.
23. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (7) - I think this game did away with the majority of the open world element, and in my opinion, lacked a bit as a result. It's not the gamemakers fault, as the story didn't have the students in school. Again with HBP, hard to remember, will have to play again someday.
24. LA Noire (10) - One of Rockstar's best. They sure captured the 1940's Los Angeles so well. Trying to figure out if people were telling the truth was equally challenging and fun to do. This game definitely deserves a replay, and I will have to do that soon.
25. Lost: Via Domus (7) - I think this game gets a bad rap. Yes it's short, simple, and slightly contradicts the show, but it's still enjoyable. I hated avoiding the smoke monster; it's repetitive, annoying, and there's way too much of it. Also, some of the voice actors were nothing like their TV show counterparts, mainly Charlie, Sawyer, and Locke. But it was so cool being in the hatch and exploring it.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
All of the Careers I have ever considered and why I haven't done them
- Fireman
As a kid, I never really expressed it to anyone, but I wanted to be a fireman. I heard once my dad almost became a fireman but didn't because of his horrible vision, so I wanted to maybe do what he didn't. However, I was always short for my age and I felt a good firefighter is someone who can lift and carry the average sized man, which I can not. Maybe I"ll get in shape and become a volunteer firefighter someday. That would fulfill this passion. But I don't think I could ever become a full-time fireman.
- Computer Scientist/Technician
In my late high school years and early college years, I wanted to do something with computers. I was fascinated by them. So as my "major" at Bellevue Community College, I chose Computer Science. My first Computer Science class, CS101, was a blast. I did well and I had a great instructor. However, my next Computer Science Class was nowhere near what I was expecting. It involved a lot of programming (including Javascript and C++), something I couldn't get my mind to understand, no matter how hard I tried. The instructor was not helpful and I ended up doing pretty poorly in the class, as well as not enjoying it. After that class, I gave up on computers, because I don't think I'll ever be able to learn programming and coding.
- Math Teacher
Shortly after giving up Computer Science, I thought about teaching Math because I like math so much. And BCC had an Associate's for Mathematical Education. However, after some thinking, I decided not to do it. I do like teaching, but I get easily frustrated when someone doesn't understand, and I'm still not good speaking in front of groups. Plus, teachers have never been paid well (although they should be).
- Professional singer/entertainer/comedian
I never seriously considered these careers, but if I had the talent, I so would. If I worked hard enough I could be a decent enough of a comedian, but not anyone real well-known. I'd love to be a singer, but my vocal range is very limited (thanks puberty) and my lack of confidence can get to me at times.
- Sports marketing
I would love a career that has to do with sports, because sports is one of my passions. So, I looked into it and I found a school (Full Sail) that offers a Sports Marketing Online degree. I applied and even went through all of the enrollment processes and tasks, but I couldn't officially start, because my heart wasn't in it. Why? Because I just couldn't see myself in it. I also realized that I didn't want to ever dislike sports. I felt like if I got a job in sports marketing and I didn't like it for some reason, then I would start to dislike sports. Sports are something that I can enjoy outside of my work and personal life and I want it to stay that way.
- Professional YouTuber/LP'er
One of the things I really think I could do is being a professional YouTuber. Yeah, I know I harped on Google/YouTube in an earlier post, but I think I would certainly enjoy this and be good at it. I've already put out some LP's (Let's Play's--You play through a game in hopes of having your viewers play along with you), but I would like to do other things, such as pranks, vlogs, and comedy/sketch videos. And it is certainly possible to make a living off of YouTube. One YouTuber I'm subscribed to, Jonathan Paula, makes a living solely off the views and subscribers he gets on YouTube. It helps to have a show ("Is it a Good Idea to Microwave This?") that has a total amount of views over 20 million, but you get my point. However, it's hard to get started and make enough money to support yourself. Also, many would not see this as a smart or viable career choice. It's not something that I've completely shut the book on like other career choices. I'm thinking I'll just keep this as a hobby until one day I do an LP that gets me a boatload of subscribers.
- Writer
One of the more recent careers I've considered is writing. Which type? Hard to say. I feel like I could write anything I needed to, whether it be newspaper/magazine articles, screenwriting, or even novelizations. The thing that's kept me from pursuing this career is I read from a former writer that when he started writing for a newspaper that writing lost its interesting and became a chore more than a hobby. You have to meet deadlines and you have to keep readers interested. Much more stressful a career than it seems. I've watched Californication on Showtime and the character of Hank Moody (played by David Duchovny) is a writer and he seems to hate it. I think I can be a decent enough of a writer, but not so talented that it would get me through all the stress and deadlines.
One of my problems is that I've never striven to be extraordinary. A huge part of me just wants to be ordinary. I want an ordinary family, job, house, life, you name it. I want a normal 9-5 job in a cubicle somewhere, if it'll be enough to get me by. I do feel like I'll make a name for myself someday. What I really want to be more than anything is to be an amazing father. I want my kids to call me the best dad in the world. I want to make them into really incredible people. But in order to do that, I have to get a career where I can afford kids, so that is what I will work on. I want to be a father more than anything, but unfortunately that job doesn't pay. But it pays in terms of life fulfillment, which is something money can't buy. I'll just have to wait until that day comes.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Current State of Seattle Sports - March 2010
The Current State of Seattle Sports
March 19, 2010
As we all know, Seattle sports teams have failed to bring us many championships. The Seahawks and Mariners have each brought us none, the Huskies only have a few here and there (mainly in women’s and non major sports) and the Storm have one.
The Huskies
For the sake of this post, I will only talk about sports that involve a ball (baseball, football, basketball, softball). Currently, the Huskies basketball team is still in the NCAA tournament, earning their first tournament win over Marquette. However, they face New Mexico next, a daunting task since New Mexico has the #8 RPI in the country. I don’t see the Huskies getting too far, so this will be another good, but not great year.
As for Huskies baseball and softball, it’s kind of a tale of two stories. The Huskies baseball team has only been average at best since Tim Lincecum entered the MLB draft. I don’t expect any championships from them either anytime soon. The Huskies softball team, however, gave us a national title this year, and with the return of ace Danielle Lawrie, the team could repeat as national champs. However, it always seems like only women in this state can win national championships, which hey, we’ll take, but we’d like it if the most watched of sports (baseball and football) we could get a championship in.
The Huskies Football team is going to be heading into one of their most promising seasons in quite some time. Second year head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to be a great coach and is molding Senior quarterback Jake Locker into a great quarterback. Speaking of Locker, he is not only expected to be the Pac-10 player of the year, but also a contendor for the Heismann Trophy, something a Husky has never had. The Huskies will be an improved team and hopefully will get a decent bowl appearance and win. I don’t expect them to contend for the national title, but I do expect them to crack the top 25 in the BCS ratings more than once.
The Storm
The Storm have been good, but not great these past couple years. They’ve made the playoffs, but have usually been a first-round exit. Plus, with stars Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird aging and a vew years away from retirement each, our window of opportunity for a championship is closing.
The Seahawks
Probably the team in the worst shape in Seattle is the Seahawks. Coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in team history, the team fired Jim Mora and Tim Ruskell and hired Pete Carroll and John Schneider. No one expects them to contend next season, but there still is the draft and free agency is still occurring. The team recently acquired Charlie Whitehurst, much to the dismay of Seahawks fans because of what we had to give up. However, the Seahawks front office and coaching staff predict him to the be the quarterback of the future, so time will tell.
Other questionable moves have been trading Darryl Tapp to the Eagles for Chris Clemons, trading Seneca Wallace to the Browns for only a future 7th round pick, and letting Nate Burleson go in free agency. This team will look very different come September, but that is to be expected as their last season was a huge disappointment.
I expect the Seahawks to struggle, trying to determine which players are building blocks to the future and which players need to be let go. I don’t expect any better than a 7-9 record. The Seahawks passing attack will be limited with the aging Hasselbeck and loss of Burleson. The Seahawks rushing will not be any better unless they manage to acquire an offensive lineman and a running back in the draft, trade, or via free agency. The defense again will be so-so, but the offense will be one of the worst in the league.
Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have high hopes for their 2010 season. Newly acquired Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, and Milton Bradley hope to improve this team upon its surprising 2009 season. The Mariners will have one of the best 1-2 punches in the majors with Felix and Lee atop it. Their bullpen also expects to be strong, led by closer David Aardsma.
However, a main concern for this team is their offense. This team will have one of the better team averages in the league, but the main concern is the lack of power. No one on this team is expected to hit 30 home runs or more. In fact, only a few bats (Lopez, Bradley) are expected to even reach 20. And some experts are predicting we will drop off this season from last year, because last year, despite the winning record, the Mariners allowed more runs than they scored, and trends show that teams the following year tend to not have the same amount of luck. It’s like flipping a coin ten times and getting 7 heads. You’re bound to get a few more tails in the next ten, more than likely.
My expectations are that I at least expect this team to compete. I expect the Mariners to be in the playoff hunt at least until late August and more than likely into September. Without a power bat, I do expect this team to struggle at times, and they will be lucky to make the playoffs. I predict we will have a season similar to 2002 and 2003, where we will just miss the playoffs. That does give the front office and general manager Jack Zduriencik something to look for in the offseason, however: a power bat. If the Mariners can do that next offseason, I expect real contention in 2011.
So there you have it. Out of 7 teams, only 2 are expected to not make the playoffs their upcoming season, but only one (Huskies softball) has a legitimate shot at a national championship. Let’s all hope for the best, here in 2010.