Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Guess who's back, back again...

Today at the Gamescom Confrence Sony made the announcement that a new variation of their Playstation 3 console which made it's debut in 2006 would hit the market no later than 9/1/09 with a price tag of $299.

Pictures - aint it pretty!

The new system is 32% smaller, 36% lighter, and uses 34% less energy. It has a 120GB hard drive, and still retains all the wonderful features of the current PS3 (blu-ray, blue tooth, wifi, ect).

As a current PS3 owner (since 1/07), I am very excited for this news. I could care less about not having the latest and greatest unit. What I am excited about is that the system is now more accessible than ever. At $299 Playstations should finally start moving off shelves and into people's homes. The possibility of having more than 2 people on my friends list who are actually friends gets me pumped.

My one issue is that they reduced the price of the currently available consoles by $100. This makes an 80GB version of the current console the same price as the smaller, lighter, more energy efficient, 120GB version that comes out in 2 weeks. Why in the world would anyone buy that one with a 50% smaller hard drive? I suppose if you subscribe to the theory that new versions of things always have kinks to work out, you might be inclined to get a current console with all things being equal...BUT THEY ARENT! If I could get a bigger hard drive and pay less in energy to run this machine (the PS3 is basically a small computer), there is no way I would pay the same price. I am not sure what the right price point is to move them (249?), but I would guess a sub $299 PS3 will be available for a limited time.

If the lower price entices you to purchase a PS3, great. Enjoy some exclusive games like Uncharted:Drake's Fortune, MLB 09:The Show, Killzone2, and Little Big Planet; watch some blu-rays; and hit me up on PSN (St3ck83) .

Update: Check out this PC world comparison for a true 'cost to own' comparison after the price drop. http://www.pcworld.com/article/170411/ps3_slim_vs_xbox_360_price_fight.html

Monday, August 17, 2009

No need to get Vick'd Off!

Michael Vick is a Philadelphia Eagle. 3 years ago that would have excited Eagle fans to no end, however in light of more recent events there is a much more mixed reaction. There is no need for me to rehash the despicable, disgusting acts that turned Vick into a pariah. The former number 1 overall pick and highest paid player in the NFL has a lot of work to do before he returns to even the above average status he had in the league a couple years ago.

Personally, I would much rather have Vick on my team than face him. He is the most dangerous QB I have even seen with his feet (with his arm, not so much). In the era of the 'Wildcat' offense, I can imagine no more versatile player than Vick. The Wildcat has been employed as a 'trick' play up until now, however with Vick it is possible it could become a regular part of the offense. This is the type of game he was born to play and honestly, I think he will be successful. I am much more nervous about the two times a year the Cowboys have to play the Eagles.

With all this gushing over Vick there are really two questions I need to answer...
1) Have I forgiven Mike Vick?
Honestly, he never did anything to me or my family so I have nothing to forgive him for. What he did was horrible, and there is no excuse for it. He has served his debt to society in prison, appears remorseful, and if his walk matches his talk since he got out of jail he would appear to be a healed man. Could he fall back into it? Yes Is it possible he is just saying the right things to get his job back? Yes Does it matter why he is not torturing/killing animals anymore? NO! People have reasons for everything they do, some noble some not so much. In the end only God can judge our motives, but the man has changed his lifestyle and that is what should matter to society.
2) Do I wish that Vick had signed with the Cowboys?
Right this second? No - the Cowboys just got out from under the TO circus and the last thing they need is the 24/7 media coverage that Vick brings. In a couple years when things have calmed down, if he was productive I would be glad to see Vick in a Dallas uniform. My opposition to Vick isn't Vick himself, its the circus that would follow him. Its the same reason I wouldn't want TO, Brett Favre, or any other player the media has decided to over cover.

Once everyone calms down and as long as Vick continues to walk the straight and narrow, I believe the Eagles will be a better team as much as I hate to admit it. Vick needs to really relish a second chance with a team like the Eagles. A strong organization with management backing him and a strong locker room. If he screws this opportunity up, then he truly does need to be thrown to the dogs.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Celebrate good times...come on!


In honor of my brothers nuptials a few weeks ago, and his receptions here in PA today I would like to post my best man's speech to him and his new wife Marilyn. The speech went over really well and I thought I should share it. Feel free to rip off my idea because it is that good :)
Congratulations to Andy and Marilyn Steckiel!


I’ve know Andy since June 13, 1984 and I’m sure there are pictures somewhere to prove it. We have had up and downs but at the end of the day we play for the same team. He’s my brother and one of my best friends. Whether it’s the goofy ear to ear grin or turning his head to check out some hot sexy …car he has always been the same Andy. Passionate, stubborn, and lovable.

But I’m not here just to roast and toast Andy today. I’m here to celebrate his new life with his wonderful bride Marilyn. From what I have gotten to know of Marilyn she should be able to tame..err…enhance all of my brother’s wonder intricacies. I really do wish you two all the best. If you ever need anything, Nik and I will only be a ghetto town away.

Now what would a wedding be without a little advice from a seasoned veteran of marriage who really hasn’t figured anything out and is constantly apologizing for mistakes. So, without further adieu, I give you 7 songs from Matt’s IPod to help your marriage. I put my IPod on shuffle and these 7 songs did come up.

1. Moby Dick by Led Zeppelin
a. Sometimes all you need is the music. This great song without a single word was meant to showcase the fantastic drum skills of the late John Bonham, but would have never been the track it was without the mad guitar skills of Jimmy Page. While you both will always be the band, sometimes you need to let the other one shine. As you start your life together, never forget you need each other but recognize that each of you has your own talents that need to come through.
2. Foxy Lady by Jimmy Hendrix
a. Pretty comes and goes, but foxy is forever. While you don’t have to run around like Garth in Wayne’s world with the foxy ears; Andy always remember to compliment Marilyn. Telling your wife how beautiful she is never gets old, and never goes out of style. Remind her how good she looks, how she makes you feel, and that she is your one and only foxy lady
3. Sabotage by The Beastie Boys
a. While this song may be best known for my renditions on Rock Band – it tells the story of someone who is being undermined. Throughout your marriage many outside influences will try to sabotage your marriage and undermine the bond that you are trying to strengthen. Make sure you keep your eyes open and be ready to face them together when they come.
4. I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
a. As sure as night is dark and day is light,
I keep you on my mind both day and night.
And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right.
Because you’re mine,
I walk the line.
b. Listen to this song, and think of the one you love. It’s impossible to do without smiling. It tells the story of being focused soley on that special someone and the happiness that true, dedicated love brings. Stay on each others minds and you’ll be happier people. We all know Andy needs it
5. All the Small Things – Blink182
a. When we look back on life, we remember big events. Birth, vacations, graduation, MARRIAGE, etc. But compared to the rest of your time on earth these make up a small percentage of your time. It’s all the small things day to day that will really shape you and your marriage.
6. Livin on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
a. I’m going to make a stretch here and hope I don’t get struck by lightning. Andy, you’re Tommy and I know you don’t work on the docks, and Marilyn you’re Gina and I’m not sure if you’ll work the diner all day; but in the end all you have is each other and the Lord. Never forget that third person in your marriage. Make sure he is always present in your life together.
7. No Phone – Cake
a. So you guys are headed to the great white north for your honeymoon. I’m not sure they have phones in Canada or what – but really enjoy your time together alone. Life will come fast and furious once you get back. Get all you can out of your time away from everything. Enjoy yourselves, relax, and have fun.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

MLB All-Star Game 2009

I will be the first to admit, it has been far too long since I have written anything. What better to post on than the mid-summer classic. I will be doing an expansion of my twitter posts during the game. I did quite a few so this could get lengthy. As always you can follow me on twitter here.

1. Really, all star game starting at almost 9PM EST? Way to reel in the young fans Major League Baseball! Stellar job as usual

This has been a pet peeve of mine growing up and seeing the trend toward later and later games. The first time i remember the lateness coming into play was in 1995 (I was 12). This was the first year of the wild card in the playoffs and the Redsox got in. We had tickets for a game 4, and i remember laying in bed with my radio turned way down listening to game 3 to see if I would get to go to game 4. The Sox ended up losing that game, and I laid in bed crying. I think it was then that I really realized what it was to be a pre-2004 Redsox fan.
Starting the world series before 8pm for the first time in 30 years is a nice step, but why not start the all star game at 8? I mean, aren't Boston and New York the only markets MLB cares about anyway? (sarcasm) Also, young fans care a lot more about the all star game than the world series unless their team is playing in it. I cared far more in 1993 and 1994 about seeing Scott Cooper come in to play 3rd base than I did about the Soxless world series games (1993 only, no WS in 1994). I just really think MLB is doing everything it can to remain an old-timers game, and before you know it those old timers are going to get the early bird special at 4pm and be in bed by 8pm. Good luck with that.

2.
Pujols = All Star game goat? How great would that be!

I love Albert Pujols, you love Albert Pujols, we all love Albert Pujols...BUT there can be too much of a good thing. Maybe its the negative east coast sports fan in me, but by the time the game started Tuesday night I had enough. This post was made in the first inning when Albert let a ball go through his legs. I am back on the bandwagon today, but I had more than enough of the Fox/Espn Albert love-fest.

3.
ugh - Obama, McCarver, and Buck. Surprised my TV hasn't blown up

If Gitmo was still open, they would be re-playing this video there. Cruel and unusual.

4.
Who would want Halladay on their team? What a bum!

During Doc's 3 run second inning. Of course I kid! He would look really good in a Redsox uniform...otherwise he needs to go to the NL. This guy scares the crap out of me.

5.
Its the Buzzsaw!!! BZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZ!

A tribute to 5th inning NL pitcher Chad Billingsly. Affectionately know as the Buzzsaw by the Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast on ESPN. My absolute favorite podcast. Even (especially) if you don't play fantasy sports, this podcast is really entertaining. I encourage all to check it out. Even my wife likes it.

6.
Just when i got comfortable with the amount of Bono in my life, on comes the new Blackberry commercial.

Let the U2 overexposure begin (again)!

7.
Was the MLB Network commercial the best commercial ever, or did it just look that way next to the taco bell commercial (WORST EVER!)?

Please watch this commercial, then turn on your TV and watch the first commercial you see. That will totally explain this.
Also, a follow up to Frank's post about the maker of the commercial needing to update his resume and look for a new job...
@franklyput He should make more commercials, but they need to be for things we DON'T want. Bubonic Plague, cancer, termites, Al Queda, ect

8.
Bud Selig, Cleveland fans thank you for seeing their lone all star take an intentional walk. Home field advantage, gotta love it!

Look, I am all for a competitive all star game that doesn't end in a tie; however, we need to find another motivator for these teams. All the kids in Cleveland who waited until the 8th inning to see Victor Martinez enter the game only to see him thrown 4 consecutive balls out of the zone deserve an apology. I get the strategy. You cant fault Charlie Manuel for the call, but things like this should happen. Each team is required to have an all star to make fans all over the country interested in the game. When something like this happens, you totally take away that appeal.

9.
Few things - MLB ASG plays more like a regular game than any other sport, Paps got the win which was nice, and 2hr 31 minutes that was quick

This was my final tweet of the game. I saw the final score and my first thought was how unlike hockey (high scoring), basketball (high scoring, defense is a joke), and football (barely a 'game') the baseball all star game is. It was a 'normal' score (4-3), there was strategy employed (as much as it stinks for Cleveland fans), and there were some great defensive plays (as evidenced by Carl Crawford getting the MVP for his great catch). I really enjoyed this as another game during the season, however it didn't feel like a big event. If I was a Nationals, Orioles, or Pirates fan and this game was the biggest one of the rest of my season I think I would be kind of bummed. I am really torn about how I feel on this one.
I always appreciate when a Sox player gets something done in this game. Hopefully this will be the only time we see Papelbon with the win and Rivera with the save.
The final statement ties back to the first. This really felt like a real, regular season game. Its like a regular season Greg Maddux start. I do appreciate the length because of the late start time, but I am not sure 'efficiency' is the way to go with what should be a big event like this. On the other hand, we could have used some of this brevity on Monday night with the homerun derby.

The only other impression from the game was some sadness that 17 year veteran and first time all star Tim Wakefield didn't get to throw a pitch. I totally understand the strategy by Joe Madden, however as a Sox fan this really disappointed me. Wake will pitch til he is 60 so he might get another chance, but I was still disappointed.

All-Star game 2009 in the books. AL makes it 13 wins in a row. Really well played game with plenty of drama on the field.


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Frost/Nixon Review

(Note: This may contain spoilers, however if you are over 40 you already know how this plays out)

This was the first movie I have seen in a long while where not a gun was fired or not a crude joke (that I can remember) was made that I really enjoyed. It also has the most appropriate title of any movie I can remember. "Frost/Nixon" sounds like a boxing match (De La Hoya/Pacquiao), and that's exactly what this movie was. The movie really followed the same lines as a boxing movie.
The beginning of the movie lays out were both Richard Nixon (played amazingly by Frank Langella) and David Frost (Michael Sheen) were in their life. Having not been around at the time of Watergate or the actual events of the movie, I found the background information very helpful. They painted Nixon as a defiant, hated criminal; loved only by his closest advisers and family members. David Frost was a media playboy who was known for talk shows and fluff pieces. The evolution of both characters throughout the movie was fantastic.
From there it showed the preparation from both sides. They went into enough detail on what went on in both the camps to prepare for the TV special. Frost's camp coming up with a thousand different ways to 'nail' Nixon, while Nixon's camp was sure that his superior intellect would restore Dick to his former political glory. The movie did a great job of laying out the tactics of both sides, while not getting bogged down in all the historical details. It gave plenty of context to someone like me who had a limited knowledge of the specific happenings of this event.
The third part of the movie was the actual toe-toe interactions between Frost and Nixon. The tension was extraordinary. You could feel them sweating under the 'studio' lights, and struggling for the upper hand as the interview went on. The internal and external turmoil of both characters was told in such a way that your feelings toward them constantly changed. In the end though you feel that each character got what they needed.

I would highly suggest watching Frost/Nixon as it was a really well done, tension filled political drama. It had great acting and a compelling story line as well as all the historical background you needed to understand the plot. I give it an 8.5 out of 10

Disturbing Trend



Below is a paste from the most recent email communication from Gamestop game store...


GameStop Exclusive Super Bowl XLIII Rematch Demo*

While you're waiting for the release of Madden NFL 10, you can relive the Super Bowl in our GameStop-Exclusive Super Bowl XLIII Rematch Demo between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, with four 5-minute quarters! Just reserve Madden NFL 10, and you'll be eligible to receive a code for the demo, while supplies last. The demo should begin in late July, and you should expect to receive your demo code in mid-July.


Wow, if you put $5 down, you are able to receive a code for a demo of the newest Madden game. You are going to get to play the game sometime in August, and now you can use the demo to get some early practice in with the controls to utterly dominate when you receive the full game. Makes a lot of sense.

The purpose of a demo was always to give you just enough of the game to leave you wanting more. You get to play 10-20 minutes of the game, and if the game is good you will go out and rent or buy it. This has worked several times on me (Burnout Paradise, Tiger Woods Golf, and Killzone 2). The demo was a ton of fun, proved that it would be a quality game, and got me to drop my $$.
All of a sudden a demo isn't used to prove how good the game is, it's to reward people who would have bought the game anyway. I really don't understand this from a marketing standpoint. Why not release the demo to the PSN and XBL and maybe have someone beyond hardcore Madden fans pre-order the game. A demo would never get me to pre-order a game.
This may come across as a bit of sour grapes, however I assure you it's not. I am all for rewarding those hardcore fans who pre-order games. Give them something extra...maybe a code to unlock a spcial playbook in Madden, or a special costume in an adventure game, or maybe even an extra car in a racing game.
My issue is that something meant to help move the game based on the quality and build is all of a sudden a gimmick give away. A demo can cause me to want to buy a game, but only before I have to lay down any cash.

Friday, June 5, 2009

The Smorgasbord

Hope your hungry kiddies, cause its time for the smorgasbord!

I was dead wrong on David Ortiz. He is batting .204 with 17RBI in 127 at bats (35 games played) since the home run game. Now the news comes out that he is getting his eyes checked. I am just sad about this. I still love Papi, and it would be great if he could come back but my hope is gone.

I shocked some 'older' folks this week when I said I had never seen The Godfather (1972), Apocalypse Now (1979), and Scarface (1983). Obviously I need to catch up and see these classics. It got me thinking though, when I'm 50 what movies will I be teasing the kids about not seeing? Saving Private Ryan? No Country for Old Men? The Matrix? I'm not sure that they belong in the same class as those. Oh yeah - and I've never seen Titanic and do not intend to.

I went to get a haircut yesterday and came away with a few observations. The only place they are more wrong on your 'wait time' than a restaurant is at Hair Cuttery. 30-45 minutes turned into 90 minutes. I need to make an appointment next time around because as Charles Barkley would say "Thats ridiculous." Next, all under-30's that cut hair are required to have their nose or lip pierced. I'm not necessarily against it. "Ok, now for the final piece of your interview...nose or lip?" Finally, do not tell a hair dresser you use anything other than salon products. You will get a lecture.

I watched all 3 of the big E3 press confrences (see them here) and here are my impressions:
Microsoft - Great game lineup. Splinter Cell looks fantastic. Was initially blown away by the Natal demo, but the more I thought about it am I really going to sit and paint elephants? Do i really need to take the remote out of my hand to find a movie? Is it that inconvenient? The Milo demonstration was cool, but it really needs more 'baking' before I would be convinced it worked. My initial excitement is gone, however it is definitely something to keep an eye on. Beatles Rock Band is a must buy for me.
Nintendo - Mario+Zelda+Metroid seems to be the winning formula for Nintendo. We have seen Wii Motion plus before. I think its cool that they are supporting more mature games (Deadspace, Resident Evil) but do those really sell for Wii? The flinger clip thing seems like the most ridiculous peripheral ever.
Sony - Alot of stuff was leaked early for them including the PSP Go, Team Ico game, and PSP Metal Gear. Sequals look really good (Uncharted 2, God of War 3, Gran Turismo 5). Motion control was neat, but leave that stuff to Nintendo please. Final Fantasy 13 looks fantastic, and FF 14 will be really cool too. Im not a big online guy, but might give FF14 a shot.

Please buy my house. There's an open house Sunday from 1-3.

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I'll be on vacation in Vermont next week which im really pumped for.

Til next time!