Rona Titan

And it had to happen to an undefeated team in the NFL. 

The Tennessee Titans are the first team to have an outbreak in the league. Couple handfuls, which includes four players. Two defensive guys, a long snapper, and a backup tight end, as brought up by Titans Wire. Minnesota is not going to take it lightly either as the Vikings suspended activities along with Tennessee. The matchup between Tennessee and Pittsburgh has been postponed with the suggestion of playing on Monday night or Tuesday.

Defensively, it will hurt a little bit if injuries occur. Of course, you need to keep players fresh as a game goes on. Small things can impact a team. The tight end who tested positive I don't think would have gotten any play on the team for the time being.. Barring an injury, not a huge deal. However, that long snapper is going to bite. The Titans have won thanks to their field goal efforts in the closing minutes of games this season. You need a guy that can snap it cleanly for the punter or the field goal/extra point holder. Given how extra points have been since 2015, they are a cog that can dictate the closing seconds of halves.

I don't think it will get as severe as the MLB back in the end of July, but I think you'll see another team get some positives. A lot of concern will come around November and December when flu season hits. Half the league is in cold weather, snow driven areas, regardless of having a domed stadium or not. With how much the NFL has handled things, this should be taken cared of a lot better than baseball.

PS5 Compatibility

Back in June, I believed the PlayStation 5 could do PS4 games and that was it. It was not a surprise to me that it was the only form of backwards compatibility for this upcoming generation for Sony. Not having PS1, PS2, and PS3 games work on it is not a shock. Quite frankly, it's something the hardcore gamers fail to grasp on. Even with taking a glance on what I said a few months back, here's my takes. Probably some repeat stuff in here.

First off, the difficulty in getting well over 8 thousand games combined, maybe more, from three systems is going to be very rough. If I had to guess, you have to figure out all the bugs and stuff in the code to ensure that the game would work. The problem is that it'd be hard to know because of lost source codes, licensing, copyright limbo. Multiple things. It's not as simple as gamers online think. 

Another thing is the technology advancing to where it may not be feasible to get older stuff to work. Even with an 11 year difference, PlayStation 3 struggled at points to run PS1 titles. For every Crash Bandicoot and Syphon Filter that worked, you had issues in games like Mission: Impossible and Medal of Honor. It ranged from audio issues to games not loading properly. Speaking of Medal of Honor, you can get it digitally for PSP, PS3, and Vita. I would be curious to see if it had issues compared to my disc version of it. Even a working game can crash like Tiger Woods 99. This goes into my issue with the PC.

Some like to claim PC is 100 percent backwards. I smell a lie for today. Maybe not back in the mid 90s, but it's in that situation long before PlayStation 3. Even with countermeasures to combat the removal of features of stuff like adding DOSBox, DOS is not always guaranteed to work on every game, even if you have a disc for it. Certain games can only work on a specific operating system. I hear about patches and updates to some games and Virtual Machines. The average person may not want to dabble in it. Same thing with people outside of the hardcore not wanting to hack a PS3 or a Wii just to play other systems. Computers are not always used for gaming. And I doubt most play the most demanding titles out there now these days.

All that being said, not a surprise for PS5. Gamers need to calm the fuck down with backwards compatibility. It's not a make it or break it deal. Nice to have, but taken way too seriously. At some point, I'll say my thoughts on Xbox Series X/S

MLB Postseason Thoughts 2020

The strange world of baseball. When the Miami Marlins tested positive at the beginning of the shortened season, I doubted MLB would get through 60 games. But here we are. Postseason baseball.

There are plenty of question marks. How do the New York Yankees and Houston Astros do? Not exactly the hottest in batting and pitching. Plenty of injuries. The monkey is still on the Tampa Bay Rays to win a World Series. What will the playoffs taste like for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. Some of the veterans will have to guide both teams through postseason play. Particularly Chicago, having not been in contention since 2008. Oakland gets another crack, but it may be another case of moneyball not working yet again. Same with Minnesota. At least they don't face the Yankees. Or will they? Toronto is back in it for the first time in four years, but some of it will be training wheels for this crew.

Half the NL playoff teams from last year are back. Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee get their stab at a trophy. Atlanta and St. Louis have some hot bats. I just wonder about the pitching. The Braves have lost some good talent. Can it sustain itself? Like Tampa, the monkey is on the Dodgers to win the World Series. A whole lot of nothing in the last decade. Kershaw's last stand? Probably, but maybe another year or two. The Brewers need to just survive and hope everything clicks. The Chicago Cubs got experience of the postseason. Will some of it rub onto the newcomers as the vets of the 2016 championship go for their second? San Diego may be a dark horse favorite. Let it loose and they could get to the pennant for the first time since 1998. A team just as long is the Miami Marlins, going to the postseason for the first time since 2003. Only their third postseason appearance, this should be a learning lesson. I'm not expecting to go far, but some of it will feel nerve racking. And there's veteran talent on the Cincinnati Reds. Some might consider them a favorite. I'm not sure. But they could play spoiler.

This year might be the World Series year for Minnesota or Oakland. Even with the success, I'm hesitant on saying Tampa gets in. The White Sox could be the one that spoils it for the American League. My National League choices come down to the LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, or the dark horse San Diego Padres. If health wasn't a factor, I'd say Atlanta. An interesting year, this will be a very interesting postseason to watch.

YouTube Videos: Sep 18-24

 

3DS Discontinued

I was kind of expecting it to finish up with production next year, but this isn't surprising. Nintendo 3DS has been around since the early part of 2011. Now in 2020, The Big N has decided to pull the plug on it, giving it one of the more interesting lifespans of any of their handhelds. Obviously coming after the original DS, it would have been difficult to find the next hook. Three dimensional handheld was their gimmick.

It might be hard to believe, but I do kind of remember the complaints about the price. At 250 dollars, it was a bit out of reach for a handheld. The price drop that summer helped stabilize bleeding of sales and it caught on. Just not to the level of the DS. It's problem I think is not many companies jumping in on the handheld bandwagon. Support from Sega, Square Enix, Capcom, and a few others did get releases out there, but in comparison of library size, it didn't get the level of DS. However, eShop had old titles and a share of original games.

If people were to look back at it, I do think there will be a sense of appreciation. Unfortunately, there will be the question of "what if?" put into it. If Western companies were more involved. European publishers or developers like Ubisoft or Rockstar if they would have done anything. The usage of the 3D and if customers enjoyed it. If online was a substantial improvement over the DS. There are stuff in some people's eyes that could have been better.

Where does Nintendo go from here?  I don't think there will be a handheld for a while. Of course, the hybrid of the Switch will be something that will keep customers interested. Why waste resources to make unique versions on a handheld and a console? It is said that Nintendo is not getting rid of online immediately. I'd give it a good two to three years similar to the Wii before it disappears. Whether there's new digital games, I'm not sure. PlayStation 3 got a digital game release back in August. Until then, the 3DS will get its love. Try and get some of the titles now before the prices skyrocket.

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 44

 New episode. 

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-44-The-Mental-Side-ek1434

Microsoft Zenimax

My first experience with Bethesda was through emulation in the mid 2000s playing Home Alone on the NES. The first real experience was in 2011 with Fallout: New Vegas on PlayStation 3. Since then, I've enjoyed the Fallout series, played my share of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Though I've played my share of Id Software games since 1995, I've gotten into most of their properties this generation and their mid-90s releases. Now, Microsoft has acquired Zenimax, the parent company of Bethesda. At 7.5 billion dollars, it's a big risk they are willing to take.

This is a huge gamble with their Xbox Series systems coming out in less than two months. You can speculate all you want on what Microsoft might do. Some online think it could be for Game Pass. I could see it a little bit. To play some of the Xbox One library and have the output they have had since 2013. Comes off a bit attractive. Future titles like Elder Scrolls VI could spike interest in getting Xbox Series compared to PS5 and Switch, though Microsoft can be a little lenient in letting their releases go to competitors. Sony is going that route with some titles as well. The companies Bethesda has can make a hit any time they can.

All that aside, Microsoft could dictate what they want, but let's not jump to hasty conclusions. Bethesda will be in spotlight, but the light will get brighter. When they make games in house, they do have their share of issues. The biggest ones being frame rate issues and locking up titles as you play them. I think the criticism will be a bit bigger. Not to mention the titles. Doom Eternal just released this spring for PS4 and Xbox One. Elder Scrolls VI will come out. The question is when?  I think 2022 or 2023. Wolfenstein 3 is one that is going to come out I believe sooner than later. Could it see release on next generation hardware along with current systems? I wouldn't hold my breath, but New Order got released on PS3 and Xbox 360 along with new generation hardware in 2014.

Take it as you will. Microsoft better not be expecting high expectations. Id is one of the reasons PC got really big in the 90s. Elder Scrolls got its start on DOS. A slow burn should be anticipated. 

NFL Preseason is Good

Yes, we're in a different approach to football. But that doesn't mean all change is a good idea. By this time in the next 24 to 48 hours, the NFL will have to rethink about having less preseason games or none at all. This isn't a season where you can blindly say bad luck. Things are very strange, but we need tune ups to get some rust off of some of these players.

The fact that ACL injuries are the feared ones in Saquon Barkley and Nick Bosa, that's a good indication of how terrible injuries are. Last week, Marlon Mack and Blake Jarwin suffered season ending injuries. And the numbers keep piling up. Concussions, ankle injuries, hamstrings. One would think to take it with a grain of salt, but the lack of facing any opponents in August. That should be a huge warning sign. San Francisco lost a few key guys on offense to add with their defensive end Bosa being hurt.

Other teams include the Packers with a few guys. Carolina losing Christian McCaffrey. Concussion or worse for Sammy Watkins and Kansas City. Regardless of severity, it's big name players. One last thing I'll talk is that we're going to see more of this pile up for the next couple of weeks. Anything after the start of October or the middle of it will be coincidence. Until then, it's anyone's guess who the next person is going to suffer the next severe injury. You hope it doesn't happen, but only a matter of when and who.

YouTube Videos: Sep 11-17

 

30 Years of Invading TV: Tiny Toon Adventures

Cartoons needed a good jolt from the 70s. The 80s were hit and miss depending on the company in question. Warner Brothers being one of those examples. To get the ball rolling in September 1990, you get Steven Spielberg involved and others who worked on cartoons. That's why a show like Tiny Toon Adventures deserves its chance in the spotlight. A syndicated program (later a Fox Kids program in 1992) that exceeded expectations. A period that you could say brought the best of WB.

What is so special? It follows the slapstick nature of Looney Tunes. The difference being the Looney Tune crew being mentors to these teenagers, who are the focal point. More than a dozen characters that follow the footsteps of the legends. Learning how to make a cartoon, getting in sticky situations, the whole production. Nothing low budget. Of course, some favoritism here and there, but what show wasn't like that back in the 80s and 90s? 

Your mileage will vary on the episodes. Some of it follows like a Looney Tune bit. It has its fair share of original content. A lot of parodies that flew over kids heads. They did an episode that was a straight up parody of Citizen Kane, black and white. These writers loved film and television. It's a Wonderful Life for the final episode. One bit that made fun of Carrie, an R rated film based on Stephen King's novel. Those are just small examples.

Overall, Tiny Toon Adventures was a nice franchise that made WB stand toe to toe with Disney for a period of time. Maybe there's legal issues or something (I'm guessing), but a modern version I think could work based on the content that was made. Thirty years of laughs and creating a new generation from the Silver Age when anyone could make a show and most could hook an audience immediately. 

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 43

 Fresh new episode.

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-43-Millennium-Series-Edition-ejmp5l

Windows ME

I'm not the only one that had issues with Windows Millennium Edition. Twenty years ago, it started selling to people in stores. It was similar to Windows 95 and 98, but was not stable on certain computers. I've heard that it can do well pending the computer in question and other times being dreadful. Lack of real DOS compatible material and constant lock ups made it an even bigger nightmare when my family had one from late 2000 through 2004.

I got to experience some good gaming on it with stuff I had on 95 and some more complex games. Enjoyed a bit more of Doom II, played my first Need for Speed game with High Stakes. Got into Novalogic games like Comanche Gold. My first experience with Half Life was on ME. Internet wise, it felt new with experiencing gaming websites, movie related sties. I felt that same experience many had way back in the mid-90s. My own father was into PC gaming a little bit with Delta Force and a few sports games. He got deeply into Madden 2003 and 04 along with Deer Hunt and Championship Bass.

But with the good stuff comes the negatives. We went through two monitors before getting an XP laptop in 04 and an XP computer the next year. The image would slide down and it would leave you with a black screen. Floppy drives were still around in 2000, and that bit the dust rather early. Memory issues were a constant at that time. Seemed every week it needed to be defragmented. A lot of blue screen or red screen of deaths. It was not stable.

Unfortunate for Millennium Edition to be that bad because it was a bit better compared to 95 and the features like Movie Maker was very nice. You're better off getting 95 or 98. Other than Vista, this is not how you treat your fanbase if you're Microsoft

Naughty Naughty Borat Back

 I'm not the biggest fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, but he is funny. Whether it's his own material, working with other comedic talents, he is a highlight to many. But one thing that many may realize is being a private person. This was something I read about years ago. Looking at roles he has done and his marriage, that's hard to imagine. But to film a new Borat sequel must have been really grueling.

Many sites have caught wind of what is going on with it. Supposedly, it's already filmed and Cohen screened it. A plot line indicates a focus on politics and being famous. Borat tries to hide from the public because of what he did in the original film and is recognized instantly. A lot of the film will probably be not so much the plot, but the weird and absurd antics of the Kazakhstan reporter. That's what made the first one a huge hit and garnered a lot of acclaim and huge controversy. There were lawsuits involving it. Fun trivia fact is that Todd Phillips was slated to direct, but stopped after the Texas scene drew a lot of criticism. That lead to Larry Charles, a man known for very dark Seinfeld episodes, taking over

Cohen has worked with other Seinfeld crew members on other films such as The Dictator. Whether they came back is a question. I'm curious as to whether or not the film is going to streaming or a studio is going to foot the bill and put it in theaters. Fox had it in 2006, but with Disney acquiring them last year, I don't know. The House of Mouse would be too scared and chicken out of releasing because it would “hurt” their reputation. You can't stick to G and PG movies forever. Maybe it will be somethiung like The Irishman. Stream first and then go to cinemas.

Maybe with all the issues surrounding the world over the last 14 years propelled Cohen to make another Borat film. If there's a time and a place to do it, it's now. Are we ready for a very offensive film? I think so, but many will potentially lash. As Borat says, very nice.

YouTube Videos: Sep 4-10

 

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 42

 Brand new episode. 

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-42-The-Anniversary-Episode-ejbapv

PlayStation at 25

Gaming has gone many directions. A lot of it can be influenced by how PlayStation entered into the industry. It celebrated 25 years in December, but the North American market celebrates with its launch back on September 9, 1995. I'll speak my thoughts, quick history, and one or two other things.

Sony got into gaming in the late 80s, publishing titles for the NES and eventually other Nintendo and Sega systems. They partnered with Nintendo to make an SNES CD add-on, but the house of Mario backed out and worked with Philips. Whatever the case, Sony worked on making their own system and was able to do two things. It had huge support like a Nintendo system, and it marketed like a Sega system. More adult than Sega, but there were games for everyone. Hit at the right time with its 32-bit hardware and the CD being the future for game consoles.

My first experience was back around Christmas 1997. It was a family system and almost everyone in my family got into it. NASCAR, NFL GameDay, and Crash Bandicoot were our initial titles. Eventually, Tomb Raider games, Blasto, Spyro the Dragon, Medal of Honor, Driver, several demo discs. That's just scratching the surface When it was around, I played it for a good six years until getting a PS2. Unfortunately, my younger brother and myself scratched a lot of the original discs we had and the original hardware had issues. 

Since 2009, I have gotten almost all the titles I have played back and some extras from games I never heard of or rented when I was younger. Keeping the discs in their cases. For the last decade I have appreciated PlayStation even more and it's one of the few systems I'll go back to. The graphical output doesn't bother me too much. It comes down to controls and whether the difficulty is adequate or not. Some of my favorites include the Crash Bandicoot franchise, the Syphon Filter trilogy, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the Medal of Honor games, Doom, Metal Gear Solid, Driver, the early NFL GameDay games. Those are a small sample of what I go back to. The controller is fantastic, especially the analog version. Memory cards could have stored more files, but that's a nitpick.

Do you have any favorite memories of the original PlayStation? Say your thoughts about it.

Xbox Series S Thoughts

 It leaked and Microsoft has confirmed about another version of the Xbox Series X. The Series S, which sites like The Verge have discussed, could be the way people get into the new generation and the tech giant trying whatever they can to win customers back. Come November 10th, which is the supposed date of release (Could be for Series X as well), it will get its share of praise and criticism.

First, the price is one of the only positives that I'm seeing out of it. Starting at 300 dollars, it's not a bad entry for people who want their system on day one. But the drawbacks expose it. Two crucial parts that could lead to buyer's remorse.  One is being just over 500 gigabytes on a solid state drive. For 300 dollars, I can get an Xbox One S with 1 terabyte. Maybe 200 this Thanksgiving, which I did two years ago. That's not a lot. It might have been in 2013, but games have gotten much bigger in these last seven years. I hope people do their research.

Two is that it's an all digital system. Microsoft experimented last year with the One, and I don't think anyone bought into it. That was discontinued earlier this year along with the Xbox One X. As I said, 500 gigs is not a lot today. I can't imagine millions of people over the next year or two going for this. It doesn't justify the price tag.. A couple other things include less powerful chips compared to Series X and less graphical power potential.

Xbox is still looking for ways to get back into the mix. That being said, I'm not sure this is the way to reinvent themselves.

Happy Half-Ass Mario

 In 1993, Nintendo did a great thing with releasing Super Mario All-Stars on the SNES that summer. Their 8-bit Mario platformers were given that 16-bit touch. A way for people to get into those games as the NES was dying out at that point. It's one of the coveted games for the system. To celebrate 25 years in 2010, they re-released it on the Wii and it was the same stuff. No additional features, no nothing. And it rubbed people the wrong way. They are repeating the same mistake for the 35th anniversary with 3D All-Stars. Unfortunately, this will sell.

While I'm not wishing ill will on Nintendo, this is disappointing, but isn't at the same time. To have Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy in one package is nice. Especially considering Sunshine has never seen a re-release at all since it first came out in 2002. But at 60 dollars, it is a little overpriced, though it would be worth it considering Sunshine sells individually for a very high price due to the GameCube resurgence from kids that used to own it back then. I think it being only 3D games is a very bad move. All-Stars 2 could have sufficed. I know  they have the NES and SNES stuff for Switch, but no Mario Land games, no Yoshi's Island. There is a great amount of Mario titles that could have been put into this collection.

What's upsetting is that other companies have done much better compilations over the last 20 years. Sega has done better with theirs and the Sega Genesis Classics is worth getting it for its 50 games and multiple versions of the same game. Konami has put out Contra and Castlevania collections that go back to their 8 and 16-bit roots. Even the Contra arcade games. They have also done a shmup collection. Technos has done one recently of their 8-bit games that includes Double Dragon and River City Ransom. If you want to go back to the PS2 days and earlier, compilations from Taito, Midway, Atari. Capcom had one. Namco Museum. They offered you so much and some small details here and there. Behind the scenes stuff depending on the compilation. Nintendo's effort screams barebones. I don't have that big of an issue with it being a straight port. But they could have put in more titles.

And the last thing I'll mention is that it's only going to sell for six months. Why deliberately limit it? You got from September 18th through the end of March next year. Unless there's something they are going to do, which I doubt, I can't think of any reason to stop selling. These games barely see re-releases compared to the NES and SNES ones. You could chalk it up as Nintendo being really stubborn. Not everyone can get an N64, GameCube, or Wii. Not everyone is going to shell out whatever those titles are used at a game store. If it was 50 dollars and you add in a few more titles like Galaxy 2 and New Super Mario Bros., I don't think there would be much issue with the minority of people who are upset.

Celebrating an anniversary of a franchise is one thing. Nintendo just likes giving the finger to their blind fanbase because they know they will slurp up anything that has Mario slapped on the box.

YouTube Videos: Aug 28-Sep 3

 

NFL NFC Thoughts 2020

 A little later than what I wanted, but ignoring politics and other issues, here's how I look at the NFL's NFC Conference.

The East is open as there aren't many positives. Potent offenses in Dallas and New York. Each have issues defensively. Facing the AFC North and NFC West won't be easy. Philadelphia has issues on both sides with health and whether Carson Wentz will even be starting. Change could occur. Only a matter of when in the season. Washington seems to be rebuild. Ron Rivera knows how to build a team considering his early years with Carolina. How many chances will he get? Maybe a team you will see be relevant in a couple years if there aren't any major problems.

If I'm looking at the North, I'm looking at Minnesota and Green Bay. They both sport top offenses and can run the ball. One of the few times since 1992 that Green Bay had a back of that caliber. Minnesota may have the edge defensively, but the Packers could prove last year was no fluke despite losing in the Championship game. Chicago is a make or break year. They have a defense that can make plays. Can whichever quarterback play lights out and will the run game be good? Truly Mitch Trubisky's last chance to be relevant. And Detroit is a question mark. Ultimately, health on offense and a defense that desperately needs to be better. For a defensive minded coach, Matt Patricia hasn't done anything. Who knows how many more chances he'll get for a franchise that hasn't had many positives since 1999.

Any team in the South has a legit chance in winning the division. New Orleans has the best opportunity. Most of the offense is intact and the defense has been good the last couple of years. Getting past the hump to another Super Bowl is all that is needed. The many additions to Tampa Bay make it an interesting team. They look ready offensively, but I do question if they'll be healthy throughout the year and the run game. Have an above average defense, and it will be playoffs for the first time since 2007 Atlanta needs the run game badly. Matt Ryan can only do so much. Todd Gurley could solve their issues, but he is injury prone. Health of the defense will also play a factor. Could be a playoff team, but I don't know. Carolina has guys on offense, but I'm not sure for defense. Very slim chance of them being in the postseason, but you never know.

I'd say the West will be the toughest division. All four teams have quarterbacks that can make big plays and the defenses are strong groups. San Francisco loses a little in the run game, but they still got a strong committee that can keep them in games. They lost some guys on defense, but there's still a good chance for the postseason. Seattle's run game can be good when healthy and that will be the key along with the young defensive unit. Is there enough to stop opposing offenses? Arizona could be the dark horse. If they click, they will surprise the league. They got pieces on offense and when good, the defense can hold its own. But they have to be committed every snap they play. And the Rams are a tough group to determine. Jared Goff can be good, but the run game will take a hit and it's hard to know how the defense will be. They did okay last year, but it could be a different story in a little more than a week.

Overall, this should be an interesting season as the league enters its second full century of football.

Geeks and Jocks Episode 41

Fresh and new, the start of the third season.

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-41-Woke-Windows-20-ej0auu