Wild One In College Station

Fresno. St lost to Texas A&M in 3OT by a 2-point conversion.

I don't really want to recap the game, but I want to say a few positive things about the team.

For one, the defense played a hell of a game. Linebackers were all over the field. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come, but they looked sharp and up to the task, as long as it wasn't Jorvorskie Lane running towards them. Other than Lane, I think the Dogs had an answer for everything A&M did.

I have to give it up to freshman Ryan Mathews. Hopefully his injury is not too serious, but before he entered the game in the 2nd half, with the absence of Lonyae Miller(who we all hope can overcome the ankle) there wasn't really a running game to speak of. He brings a much different look because of his cutback ability, and he is a tough runner. And to think, he was a high school quarterback months ago.

QB TB also had a good game. Down the stretch he made good decisions, didn't lose his cool, and put his team in position to win it. If not for a somewhat questionable 2-point conversion playcall(or Marlon Moore and his tiny hands), who knows the outcome.

I don't want to be too negative, so I won't go there, I just want to say that Clifton Smith does not belong in the backfield, and hopefully Miller and Mathews are alright.

Next week Fresno travels up North to meet the now ranked Oregon Ducks. The Ducks looked impressive against the now fading Michigan Wolverines, who can't seem to stop anybody. Dennis Dixon didn't make many mistakes, but the Bulldogs will not be intimidated by the Autzen Field crowd, and hopefully they can end the Oregon losing streak.

P.S. watching NFL, the Redskins Eagles game ended within 30 seconds of the Packers Dolphins games, both were 16 - 13 final score... Both ended on field goals. How boring.

It's Been Awhile.

Man over a month since a blog post.

Sad.

Currently it is about 97 here, partly cloudy, lightning filling the sky, and HUMID. It's a sight to behold, rain during sunlight.

College Football kicks off in a little over an hour, and Fresno St. On Saturday.

It is supposed to be about 108 on Saturday, so we can look forward to a fun time in Fresno.

I have been playing the newly released Playstation 3 title Warhawk. It is an exciting Online Multiplayer 3rd person shooter. Not only can you fly the "Warhawk", or the rival plane, you can drive jeeps and tanks, grab a myriad of weapons ranging from assault and sniper rifles to flame throwers, and even climb into Flak guns and SAM sights.

There is no single player story mode included, but if you have the chance to experience it online it is a very fun console shooter. You can hop into a server with 31 other people with rockets and missiles flying every direction, fast paced and never ceasing.

So that is what I have been doing. We will hopefully be posting more now that there is more going on.

E3-07

E3 has come and gone. We laughed, we cried, we were dumbfounded by Sony(the hallowed price change, which turned out to be a clearance to clear 60GB stock, and possibly the 80GB going down to the $499 spot, WHO KNOWS?!?!?), and there was alot of stuff coming out this holiday season and beyond that will be impossible to pay for with a minimum wage job.

No, SERIOUSLY. Lets think about this for a second.

On my E3 "preview" I mentioned 7 games that are coming to XBOX 360 this holiday season. Each of the 7 will run $59.99,(I won't even add in the guitar or drum cost for Rock Band) with tax in my neck of the woods this would run about $450. But guess what, there are other games worth purchasing. I didn't mention Halo 3, Mass Effect, and many other can't miss titles.

And although there isn't as many PS3 holiday games, there are still many on the horizon, promising that up until summer of next year, any gamer will be BROKE.

G4 TV called Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare best of show. And after seeing how good this game looks visually, and the promise of weapon upgrades and other customizable aspects makes this sound downright cool. Anything that can get something like my most hallowed Battlefield 2142 onto a console is good in my book.

With Tokyo Game Show right around the corner, hopefully we have some more surprises to be seen. Only time will tell.

We Have Hit the Century Mark.

Since beginning back in October of last year, we have now put up over 100 posts, and have hit over 10,000 visits since I put the sitemeter up sometime in December.

Thanks to all the people who have been here, whether on purpose, accident, or some kind of weird coincidence.
This one is for you, if you're into that sorta thing.

E3

The once big Electronics Expo is next week, giving us just as much info on all the future games as it did before, with alot less people in attendance. But that doesn't mean you can't keep up with it, and if you are a big enough Geek like me you will probably be watching G4 (DirecTv channel 354) at the wee morning hours or checking Joystiq.com or Kotaku.com for all the E3 coverage you could ever dream of.

But what am I looking forward to?

Rock Band- Guitar Hero on steroids as I have seen it referred. The original developers of the Guitar Hero series added drums and a microphone. Fun ensues.
Ace Combat 6- Former Sony exclusive, looks as good as ever, and hopefully plays like it too. Apparently you can not only command your fellow squad mates, but you can command ground troops and naval fleets as well, or something of that nature.

Heavenly Sword- affectionately reffered to as Goddess of War, over the top camera control reminds people alot of God of War, and apparently so does the gameplay to a certain extent.
Gears of War- For the PC.

Turok- it has been a long time coming, but this Dino murder fest looks fantastic
Call of Duty 4- same great gameplay, in the future! Modern Warfare, thanks for doing something different, this game looks good.

Warhawk- Online only multiplayer war. Be a ground troop, be a bomber, do it all, on the PS3.
Two Worlds- anything that isn't the shooter on 360 is something to look forward to.

Army of Two- EA shooter that focuses entirely on cooperative play. Insert homophobic comments if you will, good too see developers trying new things.
Mercanaries 2- Open warfield in Venezuela, with any building able to be reduced to ruble. count me in again.
Simcity Socities- When has Simcity let us down before?

Grand Theft Auto IV- heard of grand theft auto?

Not to mention what Microsoft and Sony is bringing. There are so many good titles(especially ones that have been pushed back so many times people have lost count.....timeshift...) So stay tuned, as I try to sift through the truckloads of info and spew forth my own analysis as if anyone is reading.

PS3 Price on the way down, While 360 Warranty on the way up

Look, I have talked about it a few times here before. And although I am sure nobody really read what I wrote (nsc I am looking at you) I will remind everybody that there is something wrong with the XBOX 360. Sure it looks okay, and when you pull it out of the box you like it. It now has a sizeable library of good and affordable games.

But then it hits, the Red Ring of Death. There weren't any warning signs, I mean your 360 was just as loud as all of your friends. The DVD drive hummed just as beautifully playing Gears as your neighbors. And still, it is flashing red at you, red means stop, red is bad. But we still love it and miss it!

Red happened all too often for too many people, and listening to its customers and the blogosphere, Microsoft has answered the call. If you are stricken with three flashing lights of doom for 3 years after the purchase date of your console, they will fix it for you. Not only is this for new customers, this extends to anybody who has purchased one, since launch. That would mean someone who bought a launch 360 would still be covered for over another year.

Granted, this isn't a full coverage warranty, that is still a year, but this is a big step that needed to be taken, and although the cost may be immense for Microsoft, it will bring them good press, and regain the trust from alot of the consumers.

On the other side, we have Sony. Everybody hates you when you are on top, especially when your higher ups make stupid statements often to the press, as has been well documented.

The PS2 was a success. A HUGE success. It redefined the console market, and their will be new software being developed for it well into next year. It dominated from top to bottom, and still sells up there. But here comes Nintendo. Last month reported selling Wii to PS3 at a 6 to 1 ratio in Japan, a region that Sony dominated.

The "experts" have been calling for a price drop since the price was announced, but many have taken the plunge, including myself. Recently a Circuit City add for the Week of July 15th that had PS3 listed with a $100 price break. $499.99? Believe it. It has been seen at Target Stores in many areas inside the United States for the price, and it has been confirmed.
Nevermind that Sony's President said it wasn't true, people are buying it in stores for $499.

So, does this change anything? Will people be more likely to purchase it at $499? I have always said that people would have been more likely to take the plunge if the catalog of games was larger. I still believe this, even with the price drop the PS3 needs more software. But isn't this exactly what happened to the 360? wasn't $399 too high for it on launch?

Pushing it out a year earlier than Nintendo and Sony may have led to plenty of money lost in warranties for Microsoft, but while Sony didn't have many games at launch, and Nintendo bundled the only game people really care about inside the box, Microsoft was sheilded from their shortcomings by the new industry whipping boy, the PS3.

What did the 360 have at launch? Perfect Dark? When the PS3 has double the titles than are currently out by spring, and people realize it is $100 cheaper, let the games begin. Sony may be down, but there is absolutely no way they are out.

P.S.
May I also add that the Discovery Mini-Series Planet Earth looks spectacular on Blu-Ray.

Spy Shots? Official 1 Series.

Thanks to 1addicts.com and Autoblog.com. They have provided the car community with real photos of the new 1 series. Pictured is the 135i, the 6 Cylinder Twin Turbo car. Said to go 0-62 in 5.3 seconds, this car really isn't the best looking out there. The lines are a bit odd, the front end is really not too beautiful. But the interior looks quite good, and the car as a package will be hard to compete with.

Where else can you get 300 hp and 300 ft lbs. of torque in a car like this? Not to mention the potential already seen in the 335i in basically the same package.

With BMW re-entering this small car segment, other automakers will soon follow. I hope the 1 series does well because it will only spark Cadillac to follow the same market, and create a true competitor under the CTS. It's just too bad we can't get those diesels.

The 1 Series, 2009 CTS-V

If you Build it, people in Socal will buy it to remain socially acceptable.

The beloved 1 series is back, this time without that pesky camo. The rear end looks like it has some work left, but everything else looks production ready. I really can't envision a way this car will not sell. I mean I have probably said it before probably, but with this supposedly starting at around $25k, the price, the look, and the prestige is there. See it here at World Car Fans.

Expect this to be what the 3 series of old was, a capable class leading car, that is light and tossable on a track, but also smooth and quiet on the road. And step for a second and imagine the 3.0 liter Twin-Turbo engine from the its bigger sibling the 3 series, in this smaller lighter package. An underrated engine with loads of potential and torque in this small frame would be, excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin. Instead of seeing the vaunted e46 3 series everywhere you go, expect to see this little Bimmer that can.

The "V" of Envy

Motor Trend has a story in their recent issue about the next CTS-v, claiming 600+hp, from a supercharged LS7. Now, many have been predicting for a while now that the rumored "Blue Devil" Corvette, which WILL have 600+hp, from a 6.2L V8. Why Motor Trend originally ran in print they would put a 7.0L hand built expensive to manufacture engine in this car with concerns about price being to high already is beyond me.

But Motor Trend has backtracked on their website, saying their "sources" are now telling them 6.2L..... Perhaps their sources are bloggers such as myself, or anyone with half a brain who can read any car enthusiast site. But maybe I am being to harsh on Motor Trend, they have been right a couple of times.

Not Even a Smart Car Can Save Us Now

No disrespect to this man above, but he is obviously a midget to actually be able to fit into one of these.

The DaimlerChrysler owned Smart car is coming to America, but we already know this.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/08/beefed-up-cafe-standards-35-mpg-by-2020-approved-by-senate-p/

With the recently announced dramatic increase in Average Fuel Economy across your vehicle lineup, automakers the world over are in trouble. Maybe a car like the Prius makes no money for Toyota(loses money is more like it) but it will definately balance out their plethora of SUV's, not to mention their all new full size Tacoma.

Chrysler, having just been sold to Cerberus, is in the worst shape of the Big 3. I wonder how the release and sale of the smart car, which is said to cost around $10-15k and get around 40-50 mpg, will be affected? They have Plenty of the trucks and SUV's, and even their Sedans like the 300 and the Chargers are not the best on fuel economy, even in V6 trim. The only saving grace for them, along with GM and BMW, is the two-mode hybrid.

The Escalade has been spotted apparently using the in development system. It needs to get into the SUV's fast, along with cars. GM and the other American automakers need to get their 6 speed automatic transmissions out too. It is going to be an uphill battle for all the automakers, but it is do or die.

The way cars are built and released could change dramatically, and alot of the performance cars we take for granted now may really change forever. Hybrid systems could be implemented on cars just to get a higher fuel economy to better the CAFE. But not only will it cost more for the automakers, it will cost more for the consumer. Grim days right now, but hopefully their is light at the end of the tunnel.

Saab 9-3 Facelift

First there was spy shots, then photos showed up without camo on the car in the wild, and now Saab has officially released pictures of the redesign. Well, as everyone else has said, it takes styling cues from the Aero-X concept. It is nice to see some love finally given to SOMETHING at Saab, and no interior pictures yet means that there should be a pretty nice interior update hiding.

Hopefully they did something very big inside, because this car and this brand needs all the help it can get. The powertrain and engine options have always been pretty good from Saab, here's hoping they can make this one a "hit."

Meanwhile, Barrack Obama thinks we build too many gas guzzling SUV's, but drives a Chrysler 300C... An evil american gas powered V8 non-hybrid ruining the earth Chrysler. I for one am shocked, SHOCKED, a politician would not practice what he preached.

Audi R8 Video

If you have read anything MB or I have written about cars, you most certainly have seen us(mostly me) gush over the Audi R8.

Please take a moment to enjoy this video, and see this car get tossed around a track. It is a touch over 6minutes 30 seconds, but well worth it.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/video/audi+o+phile-tiff-needell-hangs-the-r8s-ass-out-256831.php

Sounds incredible, looks awesome, is awesome.

Thanks to Jalopnik for letting my unknowningly link their video.

XBOX 360 Elite

Well I am 3 days late, but here is my Elite. Let me preface this post by saying, I would never have bought it if my Premium hadn't gotten the "red ring of death" at the beginning of April.

It was a long month, filled with very little Guitar Hero, and that is sad. But a black XBOX, to go along with my black PS3, and black Samsung LCD, is a nice proposition. And the black controller looks nice, matte plastic all around.

Now again, my TV is sadly only 720p/1080i, but from my seating position and the size of it, it really makes no difference. Graphics difference between the component cables and the HDMI out are little, if any to my eyes. I would assume someone who really had a good eye could find something, but for the casual observer, there is no way to tell.

The main draw for some is the 120 GB hard drive, upgraded from the 20 GB, topping the PS3's 60 GB. If you download alot of Arcade games, Movies, Demo's, etc... Then you can use it. For the run of the mill consumer they will not need this.
Overall, for the price of $479.99, unless you really like the color black, have another HDMI input to use(like myself), or have to have the best and newest, then I don't recommend it.

Say what you will about the price of the PS3, when the 20GB was still around, it included a Blu Ray drive, HDMI out, and was $499, the Elite does not have an integrated HD-DVD drive, it is nothing more than an HDMI add-on, that doesn't improve graphics, and a bigger hard drive.

But I sure am enjoying Guitar Hero II again, with the 10 new songs for the 360... Possum Kingdom by the Toadies is an oldie but a goodie.. and here was my first try with it on Expert.

Not bad, time to practice.

Right now the Spurs are up 5 on the Nuggets, trying to finish them out. Spurs are trying to keep atleast one really boring team in the playoffs. Don't miss the Suns finish out their series with the Lakers in the late game either.

NBA Playoffs-Part 2

Well, the Pistons Bulls and Cavs have closed their respective series with Sweeps, we sit patiently(or not) on the edge of our seats waiting for the rest of the first round to unfold.

It looks like the Spurs have control of the Nuggets and will close this series, The Rockets and Jazz series is looking to fall Houston's way with them heading home for game six where they will most certainly close the Jazz hopes of going to the 2nd round, and Phoenix is not going to lose to the Lakers, no they will squash Kobe's hopes of closing this series.

Right now I am listening to the crowd chant Let's Go Raptors VC SUCKS!, and it is pretty annoying. The game is down the wire, and the Nets are still in it. They (nets) have a 3-1 series lead, and if they do not finish Toronto up on the roa(which they didn't), they most certainly will go back home to New Jersey, or New York, or wherever the hell they want to be from, and close the series. They were in it until the end, but couldn't close.

The next game is the big one. Warriors go to Dallas, up 3 games to 1. Dirk already said its over, so lets hope what he has said will come to be. So far in the game Dallas has alot of energy and are up 8, but can this close this game out with time? It will be tough to close the Mavs if they are playing with this much energy and the fans are into it. Perhaps it will take a trip back to the Heartland for the Warriors to close the Mavs.

This post was brought to you by TNT original series' The Closer, and Heartland.