I used to play EA's NCAA Football games, probably too much. When I was finishing seminary, all by myself at Berea Lutheran Church in north St. Louis, I played it a lot. When I was living in The Bachelor Pad, my roommates and I had a league. I used to be really good at it. For some reason, I stopped playing it at about NCAA06. I'm not sure why.
Back in September, I picked up NCAA10. Again, I'm not sure why.
The game is way too hard for me. I completely stink at it in every way. It has gotten even more complicated and I simply don't know enough about football, and there are too many new features to digest at the same time. I can't play on a high level. I even stink at the lowest level. Thankfully, they have cheats you can turn on to make it even easier. I have to play with the settings making eat as easy as humanly possible to win.
It is sad. Brett Favre can still play real football; am I too old to play NCAA on Xbox? Horrible.
It looks incredible in HD, though.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Bob Bradley Should Still Be Fired
We beat Spain. That's good. I am happy.
We have played well and also (finally) gotten a little luck the last two games.
But we should play like that every game. Even great teams have bad games (like, uh, Spain today). But we have been consistently awful for a while. We should have played like this against El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Honduras. We didn't.
Bradley doesn't get the right personnel on the field often enough and simply doesn't have us playing to our potential. Obviously, the guy will keep his job for a while. But unless the kind of organization & effort we saw against Egypt and Spain becomes the consistent level during the Gold Cup and qualifying, Bradley's poor results and mystifying player choices and tactics merit keeping him on the hot seat.
We have played well and also (finally) gotten a little luck the last two games.
But we should play like that every game. Even great teams have bad games (like, uh, Spain today). But we have been consistently awful for a while. We should have played like this against El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Honduras. We didn't.
Bradley doesn't get the right personnel on the field often enough and simply doesn't have us playing to our potential. Obviously, the guy will keep his job for a while. But unless the kind of organization & effort we saw against Egypt and Spain becomes the consistent level during the Gold Cup and qualifying, Bradley's poor results and mystifying player choices and tactics merit keeping him on the hot seat.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Minor League Soccer
Took the elder son to his first professional soccer game Friday night. Crystal Palace Baltimore was hosting the Western Mass Patriots. I think they're the Patriots. [Upon checking, they are the Pioneers. Sorry.]
Crystal Palace Baltimore has been around a few years. Initially, they were called Crystal Palace USA, and played at the Naval Academy down in Annapolis. Last season, they moved up to the campus of Maryland-Baltimore County in Catonsville. It is some sort of artificial turf (I think it's Sportexe, but I'm not sure), but it seemed to play pretty well and is a nice little stadium. They can't serve beer in the stadium so they have a 'beer garden' which consists of a little area fenced off with that orange plastic construction fence where you can drink beer.
It was an easy drive and a pretty decent night. I bought Elias a hat. The hat had nothing on it to mark it as being connected to Baltimore in any way. In face, the price tag was in pounds, not dollars. We made out on the exchange rate, though, so that's cool.
This is the first USL game of any sort I have attended except for Open Cup games against DCU. The play was not particularly impressive. The players were slow and their footskill/touch was horrible. They looked like they knew what they were supposed to do, but just couldn't get it done a lot of the time.
The best players on the field, by far, were the two played loaned from RBNY, Matthew Mbuto (a former Crystal Palace player) and former JMU star Nick Zimmerman. Zimmerman hasn't played a minute this year for RBNY. Mbuto has played a total of five times in almost a year of service. The only other decent player was the Japanese defender, Shintaro Hirada. He, unfortunately, was taken out at halftime because they were playing again on Saturday.
So, USL-2 is not particularly good soccer, mostly because the players aren't very good.
But it might be good soccer, but it's my local club, right? I always say to Europoseurs that the should support MLS because it's ours.
Well, Crystal Palace Baltimore isn't really Baltimore's club. You can't buy a shirt, hat, or anything with the word "Baltimore" on it. There is absolutley nothing localized about the club. They didn't even bother trying to find a different shirt sponsor. They look like they're the JV using hand-me-down varsity uniforms. I appreciate what CPFC is in this for, but they need to do something more to make it Baltimore if I am going to overlook how horrible the actual soccer is.
I don't know if I will return to see Crystal Palace play again. It did serve as a good dry run for taking Elias to a DCU game. The question: Can Elias make it through a whole soccer game? Answer: Not if you expect him to pay attention.
Crystal Palace Baltimore has been around a few years. Initially, they were called Crystal Palace USA, and played at the Naval Academy down in Annapolis. Last season, they moved up to the campus of Maryland-Baltimore County in Catonsville. It is some sort of artificial turf (I think it's Sportexe, but I'm not sure), but it seemed to play pretty well and is a nice little stadium. They can't serve beer in the stadium so they have a 'beer garden' which consists of a little area fenced off with that orange plastic construction fence where you can drink beer.
It was an easy drive and a pretty decent night. I bought Elias a hat. The hat had nothing on it to mark it as being connected to Baltimore in any way. In face, the price tag was in pounds, not dollars. We made out on the exchange rate, though, so that's cool.
This is the first USL game of any sort I have attended except for Open Cup games against DCU. The play was not particularly impressive. The players were slow and their footskill/touch was horrible. They looked like they knew what they were supposed to do, but just couldn't get it done a lot of the time.
The best players on the field, by far, were the two played loaned from RBNY, Matthew Mbuto (a former Crystal Palace player) and former JMU star Nick Zimmerman. Zimmerman hasn't played a minute this year for RBNY. Mbuto has played a total of five times in almost a year of service. The only other decent player was the Japanese defender, Shintaro Hirada. He, unfortunately, was taken out at halftime because they were playing again on Saturday.
So, USL-2 is not particularly good soccer, mostly because the players aren't very good.
But it might be good soccer, but it's my local club, right? I always say to Europoseurs that the should support MLS because it's ours.
Well, Crystal Palace Baltimore isn't really Baltimore's club. You can't buy a shirt, hat, or anything with the word "Baltimore" on it. There is absolutley nothing localized about the club. They didn't even bother trying to find a different shirt sponsor. They look like they're the JV using hand-me-down varsity uniforms. I appreciate what CPFC is in this for, but they need to do something more to make it Baltimore if I am going to overlook how horrible the actual soccer is.
I don't know if I will return to see Crystal Palace play again. It did serve as a good dry run for taking Elias to a DCU game. The question: Can Elias make it through a whole soccer game? Answer: Not if you expect him to pay attention.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Another Reason Why I Hate Wikipedia
Wikipedia stinks for many and various reasons, although it does have its uses for those who realize its limitations.
So I am wondering about Moldova (don't ask why I am wondering about Moldova during Holy Week when I have a zillion other things to do, but I was) so I decide to check out the Wikipedia page for Moldova.
In pretty much anything that has anything to do with a foreign country, there is always some joker who goes through and changes everything to the foreign way of spelling it, and justifies it by saying it's the "right" way.
For example, Chişinău is the capital. The CIA World Factbook, as well as the website of the Moldovan Embassy in the United States and the official English-language Moldovan government website, spell it Chisinau. But some jerkface has to go through and add all the little marks all over.
Note to foreigners: the English Wikipedia should be in English. I don't go through the Moldovan wikipedia's five or six pages and change every American place name to the English spelling, do I?
Some Polish dude did the same thing to the Casimir Pulaski page. We have a stinking holiday named after him! He's an important dude in our history! That is how we spell it in English! Leave us alone!
So I am wondering about Moldova (don't ask why I am wondering about Moldova during Holy Week when I have a zillion other things to do, but I was) so I decide to check out the Wikipedia page for Moldova.
In pretty much anything that has anything to do with a foreign country, there is always some joker who goes through and changes everything to the foreign way of spelling it, and justifies it by saying it's the "right" way.
For example, Chişinău is the capital. The CIA World Factbook, as well as the website of the Moldovan Embassy in the United States and the official English-language Moldovan government website, spell it Chisinau. But some jerkface has to go through and add all the little marks all over.
Note to foreigners: the English Wikipedia should be in English. I don't go through the Moldovan wikipedia's five or six pages and change every American place name to the English spelling, do I?
Some Polish dude did the same thing to the Casimir Pulaski page. We have a stinking holiday named after him! He's an important dude in our history! That is how we spell it in English! Leave us alone!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Why I Am a Facebook Luddite.
I had lunch with a friend of mine yesterday and he was talking about Facebook. Bah.
Facebook stinks.
The truth is, I have no real reason to be anti-Facebook. I have been a computer nerd from way back. Email, AIM, IRC; I was chatting on a BSS on dial-up 300 baud modems for crying out Pete. Why am I such a Facebook hater?
Facebook stinks.
The truth is, I have no real reason to be anti-Facebook. I have been a computer nerd from way back. Email, AIM, IRC; I was chatting on a BSS on dial-up 300 baud modems for crying out Pete. Why am I such a Facebook hater?
"But I have gotten in touch with so many people I went to (elementary/high school/college) with!"
If they are so great, why did you lose touch with them in the first place?
People used to call their friends or write letters. Then we got email. Email was awesome. Now, these people check Facebook to see if someone sent them a message. They can set it send an email to them when they have a message from someone. That's like having the post office send you a postcard to come pick up a letter that somebody sent you.
I will probably end up doing it. I realize this. This is probably one of the other reasons I am so opposed to it, because I know I will give in, just like I did with the mobile phone.
Bah.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
No Votes For You
I have learned via instructions from the Southeastern District that congregations that share a pastor constitute a "parish" (quotes original) and thus only get 1 shared lay delegate.
This is ridiculous in many and various ways.
Congregations who are vacant get a lay delegate.
Congregations who, during their vacancy (including what are essentially permanent vacancies) are served by the pastor of another congregation, get a lay delegate.
For the last district convention, Nazareth and Christ both got a lay delegate, although only Christ had a called pastor. Now that Nazareth has a called pastor (whom they happen to share with Christ), they are essentially being disenfranchised.
So, because they chose to to call a pastor (which is what a group of Christians should do), because they chose not simply to let the interim pastor hold their hands while the congregation died, a member-congregation of The LCMS is denied a vote in the district convention.
When I complained, both the district secretary and the synodical secretary pointed out that this is, indeed, synodical understanding. It has been since at least the 1960's. I would like to know when they decided that a "parish" meant multiple congregations sharing a jointly called pastor. It certainly isn't how the word parish is in use in The Synod. I guess I am the only "parish" pastor I know (personally - I know they exist).
Note that this will particularly disenfranchise two groups in The Synod - the rural congregations and, increasily, urban congregations like the ones I serve.
The fairness or reasonability of this aside, it also does not reflect our polity or supposed understanding of the Church as centered in the local congregation. Basically, it makes me as the pastor what defines a congregation (sorry, "parish"), not the fact that these are two separate congregations, both members of The Synod for over a century now, with separate constitutions, etc.
I understand not giving me two pastoral votes because I have two congregations. Duh. I do not understand giving congregations that share a pastor a partial vote. It's like the 3/5ths compromise all over again.
I wish I had time to argue about this, but I am sure it won't do any good. In the current climate in The Synod, especially with the Great Synodical Restructuring Thing, they are actively seeking to disenfranchise small congregations anyway, so I doubt if I'd get much sympathy.
This is ridiculous in many and various ways.
Congregations who are vacant get a lay delegate.
Congregations who, during their vacancy (including what are essentially permanent vacancies) are served by the pastor of another congregation, get a lay delegate.
For the last district convention, Nazareth and Christ both got a lay delegate, although only Christ had a called pastor. Now that Nazareth has a called pastor (whom they happen to share with Christ), they are essentially being disenfranchised.
So, because they chose to to call a pastor (which is what a group of Christians should do), because they chose not simply to let the interim pastor hold their hands while the congregation died, a member-congregation of The LCMS is denied a vote in the district convention.
When I complained, both the district secretary and the synodical secretary pointed out that this is, indeed, synodical understanding. It has been since at least the 1960's. I would like to know when they decided that a "parish" meant multiple congregations sharing a jointly called pastor. It certainly isn't how the word parish is in use in The Synod. I guess I am the only "parish" pastor I know (personally - I know they exist).
Note that this will particularly disenfranchise two groups in The Synod - the rural congregations and, increasily, urban congregations like the ones I serve.
The fairness or reasonability of this aside, it also does not reflect our polity or supposed understanding of the Church as centered in the local congregation. Basically, it makes me as the pastor what defines a congregation (sorry, "parish"), not the fact that these are two separate congregations, both members of The Synod for over a century now, with separate constitutions, etc.
I understand not giving me two pastoral votes because I have two congregations. Duh. I do not understand giving congregations that share a pastor a partial vote. It's like the 3/5ths compromise all over again.
I wish I had time to argue about this, but I am sure it won't do any good. In the current climate in The Synod, especially with the Great Synodical Restructuring Thing, they are actively seeking to disenfranchise small congregations anyway, so I doubt if I'd get much sympathy.
Friday, December 5, 2008
College Football Stinks.
Texas and Oklahoma have identical records. Texas beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma is playing in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri, a team with a worse record whom Texas also beat.
For crying out loud, the BCS is horrible.
For crying out loud, the BCS is horrible.
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