By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS via NYT Sports http://ift.tt/1Id6IaG
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Was there a fake Supreme Franchise Varsity Jacket? Fresh fom Reddit
Was it ever produced?
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 10:49PM by wwok123 http://ift.tt/1FUfZoO
Top 10 Quarterbacks Entering the 2015 NFL Season Fresh fom Reddit
Can't really find any expert lists of these just yet as everyone is busy keeping up with free agency and the draft. I've been watching the NFL for years, and follow multiple teams every season. I tried my best to remain entirely unbiased. This list is intended to trigger "friendly" debates and discussions, so please respect my opinion and the opinions of others. Enjoy guys!
Tom Brady - Don't really see how you could put anyone over him at the moment. 4 Super Bowls wins, including a fresh one. He does it consistently every year and has showed no signs of slowing down in his late 30's. He's also won championships with either "average" or no-name receivers such as David Patten, David Givens, and most recently Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman (without Brady, Jules would be nothing). Arguably the greatest of all time. I see no reason to put anyone ahead of him.
Aaron Rodgers - Absolute stud. The difference between he and Tom Brady right now? Three rings. He's actually very similar to Brady in the sense that he turns mediocre receivers into superstars (e.g Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb, maybe even Jordy, though I think he's a stud on his own). He also has a Super Bowl win of his own against a very good Pittsburgh Steelers team, and damn near almost had another one this past year had the Pack not choked miserably.
Ben Roethlisberger - I may get some heat for this one, but ignore everything you hear on SportsCenter or about "fantasy football" and look at his numbers over the past few years. 32 TD's to just 9 INT's in 2014. He also tied Drew Brees in having the most passing yards with 4,952. 48 yards away from becoming just the 6th player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in one season. He's also the only quarterback to throw for 500+ yards in one game on two separate occasions. In HISTORY! He was also the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl at age 23, and won his second just three years later at the age of 26. The only reason this guy doesn't have a third ring is because of a man by the name of Aaron Rodgers. If only the Burgh's weak secondary hadn't have been exposed by ARod and the Pack Attack, Big Ben could have been just the 5th quarterback ever to win 3 super bowls. The four who have at least 3? Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman, Tom Brady. Three hall of famers, and a future hall of famer.
Andrew Luck - What's keeping this guy from the top 3 are his excessive turnovers. Despite throwing 40 touchdown passes in 2014, he gave the ball away 29 times (16 INTs, 13 fumbles). He was also massacred by the Patriots in the AFC Title game and looked uncomfortable from start to finish. Basically what I'm saying is that in order for this guy to move higher on the list, he's going to have to win the big one. Keep in mind however that this guy is still only 25 years old, and even looks better than Peyton did through his first three seasons in Indy. Another thing I like about this guy is his effort and willingness to work. I've yet to see him quit under any circumstance. He has that "John Elway" type edge where he gets to the point that he'll do absolutely anything to win. In three, hell maybe even two years, this guy could reach the Uno spot. I truly believe he's that good.
Peyton Manning - Peyton is arguably the greatest "statistical" quarterback of all time. He went from breaking hall of famer's records, to breaking his own records within a very short period of time. In 2013 this "old man" threw 55 touchdown passes just two years after having serious neck surgery. Talk about gutsy. Oh, and to top it all off, he's been to the big dance three times, winning once against the Bears in 2006. The reason he is significantly lower on the list than probably expected is the fact that he has undoubtedly deteriorated in his performance over the past year. Not necessarily in terms of his numbers, but in terms of how he plays in big games. To be honest, he was never what we expected him to be in the postseason anyway. Sure he has a super bowl ring, but it was against a very mediocre Chicago Bears team who was quarterbacked by Rex Grossman. Tom Brady has beaten Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, Donovan McNabb, and Russell Wilson. All CLEARLY above average quarterbacks at the time the two faced. Roethlisberger himself has even been tested against Matt Hasselbeck in his prime, and Kurt Warner during one of his best seasons where he had both Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitz to throw to. Call me crazy for putting him this low, but I don't see how one could blame me.
Drew Brees - Breezy is one of my favorite players of all time. I've been a fan of him since he was in San Diego years ago. This guy completely turned the Saints franchise around and brought life back to the city of New Orleans. He's also an incredible guy off the field and a role model for us all to look up to. His numbers speak for themselves, so I won't go into much detail. But I will mention, however, that he is not just the only quarterback to throw for 500 yards twice, but also three times, and also FOUR times. Four times this guy has thrown for 5,000 yards in one season. That is a record that may never be broken. But why is he slightly lower on the list? The fact that he has only won one playoff game since winning the Super Bowl in 2009. He has also failed to advance deep into the playoffs with guys like Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston to throw to. A lot of people wouldn't consider Colston a "great player." My response to that would be to simply look at his career numbers, and watch him play the next time you stumble upon a Saints game on TV. Not to mention that Brees, (like Luck), can be a turnover machine at times. The past three season, Drew's turnover total have been as followed - 2014: 24 (17 INTs, 7 fumbles) 2013: 19 (12 INTs, 7 fumbles) 2012: 24 (19 INTs, 5 fumbles; league leader in INT's that season)
Philip Rivers - Since 2007, Rivers has thrown for at least 26 touchdown passes in each season. He has done so without any starpower of a #1 receiver. Sure, the Chargers haven't been great in recent years, but whenever Rivers manages to seep into the playoffs, he never fails to put on a show. It's not like he's in the same boat as Romo, who has a mere two playoff victories. In fact, Rivers took the Chargers to the Conference Championship back in '07 and played the undefeated New England Patriots relatively tough. Had it been a different scenario, the Chargers could have been playing in the super bowl. Keep in mind that Rivers played in this game with a partially torn ligament in his ACL. One of the gutsiest performances in playoff history. The reason he is where he is on the list is because of his stellar numbers. The reason he's not higher is simply due to the fact that he hasn't really been on any great teams. Sure, football is a team sport, but a lack of surrounding talent never held back Tom Brady, among many others.
Tony Romo - In 9-seasons as the Cowboys starting quarterback, Romo has appeared in the post-season just 4 times and accumulated only two wins. You could make the argument that he hasn't had any surrounding talent, except you would be wrong. This guy has had elite big name receivers to throw to pretty much throughout his entire career, including but not limited to Terrell Owens, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten (TE). Not to mention he had DeMarco Murray to take the load off the passing game, but we won't go there since he struggled to stay healthy during his time in Dallas. Needless to say, his numbers aren't the reason why he's not a top 5 QB. It's how he performs in big games. The good players put up big time numbers. The great players win in the postseason.
Russell Wilson - There will probably be two types of viewpoints on this one. On one side people will be exclaiming, "Wilson in the top 10?" while the other side will be asking, "How is he not higher?" Since 2013, there has only been one quarterback to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. That player is Russell Wilson. He's the second youngest QB to ever with a championship, just behind Ben Roethlisberger. He was one unfortunate play away from capturing his second ring, becoming the first quarterback to repeat since Tom Brady in '03-'04. Still, his unorthodox style of play that distances itself from the traditional "pocket style" passer tends to turn critics away from placing him in the top tier. At least in my opinion it does. Also, keep in mind that he's playing on possibly one of the best defensive teams ever seen on an NFL stage. It will be interesting to see what he can do with Jimmy Graham. Hawks aren't going anywhere soon, I'll tell you that.
Joe Flacco - I feel many of these spots will be subjected to controversy, and it's safe to say that this one undoubtedly falls into that category. But please, hear me out. Throughout this list, you'll see that while I do take statistics into account (like anyone would), it is certainly not my only (or main) course of judgement. As I stated above, good players put up numbers. Great players win in the postseason. Well what if I told you that since 2008, no other starting quarterback has more playoff wins than Joe Flacco? I wouldn't be lying, and it's not even close. Since 2008, Joe Flacco has posted a 10-5 record in the postseason, including one super bowl victory, and three conference championship appearances. Oh, he was also MVP of that super bowl team in 2012, posting up one of the best super bowl performances by a starting quarterback that I've ever witnessed. Now I'm sure you could name me almost 15 quarterbacks with better numbers than Flacco over the past few years, but you can't even name me one who has more postseason wins than this guy. Hell let's make it a challenge, name me four quarterbacks you'd rather have in the final 2 minutes of the game. Bottom line: the guy's a winner.
Almost cracked the list: Cam Newton Matt Ryan Eli Manning Matt Stafford
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 10:23PM by Croat32 http://ift.tt/1HjGt4K
[Discussion] Should future Destiny weapons be like Pokemon? Fresh fom Reddit
If you don't like both series fine if you understand at least a little of the franchise fine. I was thinking what IF Gally is This game series "Mewtwo" still good years later STILL One of the best weapons in the game with the Wolf tracking rounds.
Surely different sometimes stronger Pokemon (in Destiny's case weapons) come out but nothing beats the original ULTIMATE WEAPON Gally. Oh you can win this game without one same can be said for Mewtwo but both are legend and Mewtwo is still SUPER STRONG 15+ years later. What if THAT'S GALLY! Come Destiny 3 PS5 Destiny game still the best 10+ years later.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:45PM by zeldapsychology http://ift.tt/1OkhrnX
Prokhorov sells the Nets. You're hired as their new GM. How do you turn the franchise around? Fresh fom Reddit
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Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:28PM by cutdeep http://ift.tt/1AZoZU9
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:28PM by cutdeep http://ift.tt/1AZoZU9
Plymouth Whalers Drop their Final Franchise Game to Erie Otters 5-1 Fresh fom Reddit
http://ift.tt/18PEG8X
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:32PM by flashin_leather http://ift.tt/1xMZ7th
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:32PM by flashin_leather http://ift.tt/1xMZ7th
I am humbly posting this with the sincere hopes that it gets to a hardline dev. Thoughts concerning hardcore mode. 1st post ever Fresh fom Reddit
Habitual reddit lurker here. Crawled out from my anonymity rock for my first post. I would like to start off by saying that Battlefield Hardline (BFH) is an awesome game. The cops and robbers take on my favorite genre of games FPS is definitely a frest and very fun experience. Battlefield 4 on ps4 was an absolute game changer to me. My game and my religious play. What got me into battlefield as a franchise was the hyper realism of hardcore mode. It was the most exhilarating play I had ever had ( and I loved CS on pc in its heyday). From that point on playing normal mode just felt silly to me. It was the difference between a one tight burst for a kill, or dump 1/2 to 3/4 of a clip into a guy at any kind of range. I was expecting hardline to replace bf4 as my every day play. After playing the beta both times I was confident that if I could just wait until release, Hardline would be my baby. Now remember, I really like this game. If you devs could find any way to let us ps4 players have a 60% health HARDCORE lobby I would be forever Thankful. I know there is a whole community of hardcore gamers behind me. I want to buy BF premium and love it the same way I loved BF4. Visceral I think you guys did an awesome job with this game but for me it's just missing the my favorite game mark. Don't get me wrong if you never change it I will still play BFH, but definitely not as much or as passionately. PSN skylinkingress
Add me on ps4 hardcore peeps
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:44PM by iAmKinger http://ift.tt/1AZoZTZ
What was your favourite song featured in the franchise? Fresh fom Reddit
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Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:57PM by starmapleleaf http://ift.tt/1LHnHrd
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:57PM by starmapleleaf http://ift.tt/1LHnHrd
Madden 15 Connected Franchise Vs Colts Calling Out The Panthers! Fresh fom Reddit
http://ift.tt/1LHnF2G
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:20PM by tdbarrett http://ift.tt/1xMYAaL
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:20PM by tdbarrett http://ift.tt/1xMYAaL
Is anyone else pissed off about HM moves? Fresh fom Reddit
Hi. I've been playing pokemon since I was about 7. It's been my life. But one thing's been bothering me a lot and I don't see anyone else discussing it.
If you want to play competitive, where you don't necessarily play with your favourite pokemon, you go to pokemon showdown, The battle spot, etc.. If you want to challenge yourself, you play the games normally. But I never actually get a chance to use my favourite pokemon to their full potential. Here's why.
The original pokemon games have a habit of forcing you to have HM slaves. At least 6 of them, but in most occasions 8 or more. You're stuck with those attacks stuck on your pokemon, but only about 2 or 3 of them are good- I'm looking at you, surf, waterfall, and defog. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with cut on my umbreon. Strength on my Arcanine. Dive on my Sharpedo. You get the point.
Call me a drama queen or whatever, I'm just upset. I want to use my favourite pokemon- and I want to actually use them for once, not be forced to fly or ride them to even get far in the game. Maybe gamefreak could introduce a pokemon game with HM moves completely removed? It's a push, but we all know how there are different pokemon "dimensions" so nothing is impossible when it comes to possibilities in the pokemon franchise.
It's a large waterfall. Would you like to use waterfall?
NO. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO USE WATERFALL.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 09:28PM by MrArcanine http://ift.tt/1xMYzDG
Finally got the Vince Lombardi trophy. How long did it take you? Fresh fom Reddit
I've been playing a franchise on coach mode with the Texans. And this is easily the longest I've ever gone into a Madden franchise. There is just something about simming games that bothers me in all sports games. I just hate it.
It took me 9 years to get 5 titles without simming one game. One of my favorite trophies I've gotten so far. It's been fun watching guys I've drafted form into solid plays and balancing out the salary cap for that long. Can't wait for Madden 16.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:31PM by GrapeRello http://ift.tt/1HjlHSV
[H] 140+ Games (Prices Inside), CSGO/TF2 Keys [W] Gift Swapping | Wishlist Fresh fom Reddit
I prefer gift swapping over buying/selling, but if you want to buy a game that I have, buyout prices are listed below. I am negotiable to a certain point.
If a price is not listed, please post an offer (if your offer is too high, I will tell you so don't worry).
I accept TF2/CSGO/DOTA2 Keys; a Tour of Duty Ticket (ToD), 2 Sack of Gems (2000 Gems), or a Capsule Key for 0.5k values.
Thank you very much for taking your time to read this.
Swaps Since Posting: 0
Swaps From Last Thread: 0
Status: Online
| ✪ Profile ✪ | ✪ Inventory ✪ | ✪ Wishlist ✪ | ✪ Trade Offer ✪ | ✪ Add Me (Please Post First) ✪ |
|---|
Inventory listing by TradeStarter
Helpful Info Below - Feel Free to Ask Questions Too!
SGS Flair Reminder: White Flair: You can only offer TRADEABLE games and items (tf2/csgo keys etc.) through Steam's official trade window. You may receive keys and codes. You may not offer/receive money transfers. Gray Flair: You can now offer the above, as well as offer NOT Tradable games, game serial keys (NOT individual PWYW/Indie Bundle Items!), and gift codes. You may not offer/receive money transfers. Blue Flair: You can now offer the above, as well as offer/receive direct money transfers (Paypal etc.). Important Recent Changes in Steam: Games Bought From Steam Store Are Now Untradeable (But Still Giftable) For 30 Days From Purchase All gifts are now region-locked if bought in an ACRTAG region (Russia, South East Asia, etc.) TF2/CSGO/DOTA 2 Items Purchased In-Game or From Steam Market Are Now Trade Locked For 7 Days E-mail Verification is now Required (if Enabled) for Trade Offers/Trades Gifts With "False Restriction Tags" Are Now Locked if Bought in an ACRTAG region Multi-Pack Games Unpacked in an ACRTAG Region NO Longer Give ROW Copies (If Unpacked After 03/11/15) Sacks of Gems Purchased From Steam Market Are Now Trade Locked For 7 Days Useful Resources (Use Sidebar/Google for Links): Enhanced Steam (Browser Add-on/Plugin) Flair Linker Enhanced (r/SteamGameSwap Browser Add-on/Plugin) Steamdb.info (Website) steamprices.com (Website)
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:32PM by silversuriv http://ift.tt/1xMOUNx
Updated post-FA rosters for 360? Fresh fom Reddit
Anybody know where we can get updated rosters? I'd like to do a franchise between now and the draft. Thanks.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:50PM by swantonsoup http://ift.tt/1IcMpu8
We need a 3rd string QB...at least according to my Madden franchise. Fresh fom Reddit
So I'm playing the Bills in the divisional round of my owner franchise. Midway through the 3rd quarter Luck goes out with a broken rib for the rest of this game and the next game. Fuck. Well at least I'm up 17 to 10 and my defense is strangling the Bills. Hasselbeck comes in and like the pro he is, he manages the game for me and we hold on.
Fast forward to the AFC Champsionship game. Luck is still out with a broken rib so I have to start Matt. Fuck. I'm playing at a snowy Baltimore field. Its the midway through the fourth quarter and I'm down three. Hasselbeck throws an interception and as he's the last person between the DB and the end zone he goes to make the hit. I'll be damned if he didn't get injured for the rest of the game.
I manage to hold them to a field goal, but guess who is up on my depth chart now? Fucking Vinatieri. God damn. The dude can't make a pass in the game in a dome much less the fucking tundra that I was playing on. Cost me the game and a trip to a Super Bowl.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 07:58PM by ae_syn89 http://ift.tt/1xMJqlT
The Harry potter franchise continues! NSFW Fresh fom Reddit
http://ift.tt/1LH5MRm
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:06PM by better_than_ant http://ift.tt/1MZO2Mm
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 08:06PM by better_than_ant http://ift.tt/1MZO2Mm
[Assassin's Creed] Trying to Explain AC Logic Fresh fom Reddit
The main problem that comes from the Assassin's Creed franchise is the hard to explain feats performed by the titular Assassins. In seemingly one day of tutorial missions the main character will be able to run, jump and leap-of-faith all over the place in no time, almost as if they had been doing it all their life. Hopefully this theory will explain some of the issues the series faces with the ineptness of guards, haystacks and benches.
Why does the main character learn everything so quickly?: Abstergo are (or become) a mega-corporation with a large entertainment branch, leading the way for virtual reality and historical accurate adventures. As a company, with the purpose of making money (aside from finding ancient artefacts belonging to an ancient race that influence every faith in the modern world) they have to produce products with a deadline, and as such cuts and alterations have to be made to the raw historical data gained from the Animus. Considering that in any story the first part is rarely the most important this is where most of the cuts are made, meaning the protagonist's slow transformation from noble to killer is edited into a short sequence of objectives. Additionally, sometimes sections of the story must be moved around, explaining why Ezio, Arno etc already have parkour skills. This works for the main Abstergo aswell. If the whole, true story was shown, surely questions would be raised.
Everything else: The Assassin's could only have survived for so long if their members were extremely efficient; killing quickly and disappearing in a similar fashion. Perhaps they were so good at their job that it would seem supernatural to the average person. Take the ninjas as example: people thought they were walking and breathing underwater when they were using small foot-mounted boats to skim across the water, or breathing through a reed to stay submerged for long periods of time. When the assassins hide in a crowd, they may completely change their mannerisms or clothing in an instant, and he same can be said for the other actions they perform: jumps may be extremely calculated and go a long distance from constant practise; they may shift their body mass when leaping large distances and such. Obviously these subtle and near super-human feats cannot be properly simulated by the animus, so in place of it we have haystacks everywhere and stupid guards. Again this helps the big cheeses in Abstergo: it would be better for people to laugh and ridicule the absence of sense in the assassin's actions than to see their ninja-like actions and praise them.
TL;DR: Assassin's Creed is heavily edited history. Assassins are so good they're like ninjas, and the Animus can't simulate their ninja-ness accurately.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:57PM by Poiuyt613 http://ift.tt/1xMDaur
Looking to follow the NFL season seriously for the first time this upcoming season, I'm primarily a hockey guy, which team most closely resembles the Toronto Maple Leafs? I need an NFL team to cheer for. Fresh fom Reddit
I am going to start following Football closely this season but my problem is that, as a Canadian I'm not bound by my geographical proximity like most NFL fans so I don't have a favourite team yet.
I'm a diehard Leafs fan so I am looking for an NFL team that most closely resembles them. I am used to watching a team lose year after year so I'm looking for an NFL team that equally disappoints.
A storied, winning history forgotten by decades of losing is preferred but not required of this NFL franchise.
So NFL fans of Reddit that cheer for a perennial loser; why should I join you?
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 07:00PM by RyanBlack http://ift.tt/1MV9lRi
Question about resigning players Fresh fom Reddit
I just finished year 1 of my Colts franchise and am in the off season resigning players. I have two questions.
Pat McAfee has 4 years left on his contract but wants to resign? I don't understand?
There are a number of players that the game says has 1 year remaining on their contract in the salaries menu. They have cap hits in the 2015 column and nothing in the 2016 column. Whats confusing me is not all of these players are available to resign. For example, Sergio Brown and Andrew Luck both have one year remaining on their contracts according to the game, but only Sergio is available to resign. The weird thing is that if I just progress past the resign period without doing anything then Luck is still on my team, but Sergio is not. Is this a glitch. I'm just very confused as to what information the game is telling me about each players contract and when they need to be resigned.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 07:24PM by ae_syn89 http://ift.tt/19HcCpk
What's a good way to look for rapidly growing, yet still small businesses? Fresh fom Reddit
As a freelancer and computer programmer, I like to work with up-and-coming businesses - the guys who are having success, but are still small. This gives both of us a great opportunity - I get to help them build their company and they get the kind of customer service they can't get from a big franchise.
But it can be hard to find these little gems. Are there any shortcuts? Any sites which make it easier to search for fast-expanding businesses? Public accountancy records?
I get most of my business by quite literally brute-forcing it. I'll have to drive around town and look, visually, for new businesses and make educated guesses as to which ones are growing and which ones are failing.
There's got to be a better way!
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:46PM by kavan94 http://ift.tt/1MZBp41
Opinion on Camping Fresh fom Reddit
Hey, new to /r/smashbros but not new to the franchise, but recently I have been watching more and more of tournament matches including some live streams and I noticed one gamer ADHD's technique was literally just to stay around the edge and do his moves. Is this considered camping and if so what's your guys' opinions on camping, I find it annoying but surely in a tournament setting you want the biggest chance to win
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:53PM by brownbear9 http://ift.tt/1FTgZcK
ME3 Fresh fom Reddit
I was late to the Mass Effect Franchise, but I was always a fan of Bioware, playing KOTOR 1 and 2 when I was a kid on the original xbox. Just this year I played through Mass Effect 1 and 2. I heard a lot of negative stories about origin, but it was pretty knew to me.
Anyway I was excited to pay like only $10, and played it for about 2 hours. I left it for a while ignoring it during the week for school. When I tried to log on the next Saturday it asked me for the serial number.
I entered the serial number as I had written down, but it told me it was invalid. So I guess I'm locked out. Serious let down after all the fun I had in Mass Effect 1 and 2.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:02PM by NandalRewman http://ift.tt/1Fm1ACV
Insurgent (2015) takes a promising franchise, and nearly kills it! Fresh fom Reddit
http://ift.tt/1Fm1xXP
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:31PM by TalkieGazette http://ift.tt/1IclKgO
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 06:31PM by TalkieGazette http://ift.tt/1IclKgO
I would really love a new Brothers In Arms. Why did they ever stop making that franchise? Fresh fom Reddit
I loved the mechanics of it. It would be even better if they added a few features from X-Com. Specifically the customization. It cuts a lot deeper when you hand build a character, spend a lot of time upgrading and advancing them but they end up dieing because of a critical error on your part.
I got pretty choked up when my highly decorated wife got killed because I botched a strategy. We need more game mechanics like this and I think BIA would be perfect for it.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:46PM by Strongpillow http://ift.tt/1OjDBHb
For my internet birthday, some vegan brain teasers Fresh fom Reddit
These are a few questions that have arisen during the past year, regarding a few of my favourite things. Ask yourself, what would a vegan do (WWVD)?
In Moby-Dick, you are Ahab. Not Ishmael - get over yourself. You have just found the white whale. What would a vegan Ahab do?
Super Mario Bros (the first one): Is it vegan to use warp tunnels?
Can vegans wear their sunglasses at night?
You are out on a date with the xenomorph from the Aliens franchise (I know, I know, dream come true - bear with me this is my fantasy): The alien orders a side of beef gravy. Wat do? :o
And lastly, you have a tire blowout while driving down a deserted highway late at night. You pull out your spare only to find out that it, too, has a slow leak and won't hold any pressure. To your surprise, a tow truck appears in the distance and comes to a stop beside you, and out jumps the most beautiful or handsome mechanic you could ever dream of. You get to talking some casual conversation and find out that this Adonis or Athena is a FILTHY CARNIST! How do you display your (presumably) extreme displeasure?
Consider your answers wisely vegan --scum-- friends. Best answer by this time tomorrow gets gold for my cakeday. GOOOLD!!
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:55PM by comfortablytrev http://ift.tt/1BjDcuf
[Recruiting][A3]UNSC 9th MEU Now Recruiting Fresh fom Reddit
We an American unit operating in central standard time using primarily the TEI mod for Arma 3 as well as TFAR and CSE. Although we are primarily composed of roughly 60 percent American member's we are also about 30 percent UK members and 10 percent from other countries. We focus on emulating the UNSC seen in the Halo franchise. our website can be found here http://ift.tt/1B3PpCV and the TEI mod can be found here http://ift.tt/1HgrN2X
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:15PM by jakeferret http://ift.tt/1FlPI3U
President/CEO Floyd Reese? Fresh fom Reddit
He's a guy who was a pretty good talent evaluator as our GM, and has close ties to the franchise (he was here from '94-'07). Anybody think this could be our next CEO?
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:17PM by tehJimsta http://ift.tt/1FlPI3M
Hey everyone! I'm very interested in Civ 5 but I have a few concerns. Fresh fom Reddit
As the title mentioned, I am very interested in playing Civ and I have been for awhile. Civ 5 looks the most interesting to me, which is great because it's on sale over at Steam for a little while! I really enjoy space, though Starships and Beyond Earth have some mixed reviews. (Neither of those are within my price range for now anyways, so I'll probably hold out until there have been more reviews to those two.)
Anyways, the biggest concern I have with running Civ 5 is my computer. It's a low-end laptop with a 1.7 GHZ processor and 2 gigs of Ram. I know posting specs is probably a no-no in most gaming threads, and I am sorry if this bothers anyone. I have heard many great things about this game, although I do not really want to buy it if framerate would be a major concern. If anyone has a laptop/low profile computer and has played Civ 5 on it, please let me know of your experiences.
Another question I have is how good the game is. I have considered getting Civ 4 since it is less system-intensive, but the fifth installment seems to have more depth to the game. Is this true, or am I misguided?
A final question I have regards the learning curve. I have played a few 4x style games before, but I have heard that there are tons of different aspects about Civ 5. I really like the idea of a strategy game that requires a decent amount of thinking, although Civ is probably the first full-on strategy game I've ever been really interested in. Admittedly, the closest thing to a strategy game i've played recently is Faster Than Light. I know the two are extremely different, but FTL introduced me to playing with strategy and I've had my eyes on Civ ever since. I also heard that with Civ, you have a lot of control over many different aspects about the game. I think having to manage things like resources and relationships with other rulers would be a lot of fun, and I'm pretty certain that's what the Civ franchise focuses on. I may be wrong, which is why I came here in the first place. I've never really been into strategy/management/4x games, but Civ looks really promising to me.
I would really appreciate any and all help that may come my way. I've spent some time looking through google for answers, but the Civ community seems like a better fit. (I got really tired of reading through articles and a live answer seems very refreshing right about now.)
TL;DR Civ 5 looks like a lot of fun but my computer is really weak. Also, is Civ fun? Hard? Worth the buy?
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:21PM by crushfan http://ift.tt/1HgrHbF
[Other] Otonokizaki launch - LoveLive! forums Fresh fom Reddit
Hi guys. I hope it's OK to post this here~
My friend wanted to discuss/chat about School Idol Festival, the LoveLive! franchise as a whole and other subjects all in one place, so he created forums for the fandom.
We'd be very happy if some of you guys wanted to join the fun -- we're all pretty laid-back and always happy to meet other LoveLive! fans.
Since the forums were only launched today, a lot of things are still being worked on, so if you have any suggestions, please do let us know -- although we already have a lot of things planned for our little community, but most of it is still a secret for now. ♪
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:30PM by hanayon http://ift.tt/1HgrJAc
Nationalise the railways and the busses Fresh fom Reddit
We demand that:
Rail and bus franchises are no longer sold to the private sector; That bus and rail organisations set up and owned by the Department of Transport take over operations when franchise contracts run out
That standard fare rises are capped at rate of inflation, fares moderated by the DoT;
That standard fares must never be higher than the equivalent cost of a journey by the average car based on the average fuel price (so it is always cheaper to go by train or bus if two or more people are travelling)
More freight to be moved to rail by undercutting haulage rates.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:32PM by foxybearcub http://ift.tt/1FlPHwS
[WP] People are thrown into "Saw"-like trials. However instead of being fatal and painful, they're just uncomfortable and disturbing. Fresh fom Reddit
I put this as WP and not EU because this isn't suppose to be in the "Saw" (Film Franchise) universe, just used this as reference.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:38PM by Jozius http://ift.tt/1C0Cl5e
I just want to take a minute to appreciate Miyamoto, Aonuma, Game Freak, and every single Nintendo creator out there (whose names currently escape me). Fresh fom Reddit
I'm sure some, if not most of you, know about Kojima leaving Konami after MGSV: TPP. As a Metal Gear fan, I am deeply saddened by this news, and Metal Gear will most likely never be the same without Kojima and Kojima Productions. I know some of you have already experienced this sadness, when Hideki Kamiya (and the rest of Clover Studio) and Shinji Mikami left Capcom, and when Tomonobu Itagaki left Tecmo Koei. I want to say here that I hope no one at Nintendo will have a falling out with the company in the future, and I greatly appreciate every single person involved in the creation, development, and production of Nintendo's handhelds, consoles, and franchises.
Let us take a moment to congratulate and appreciate everyone at Nintendo for their hard work, dedication, and strong will to continue making games and for continuing to stick with Nintendo. Here's to hoping there won't be any falling out of any kind!
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 05:44PM by Flare-Vortex http://ift.tt/1FlPEkH
Lakers Point Guard Nash Retires After Standout Career
By REUTERS via NYT Sports http://ift.tt/19H4t47
Could the Smash Bros. line go beyond the playable characters? And would you want it to? Fresh fom Reddit
I can't remember where I saw this. Or maybe it was an insomnia ridden illusion I had last night. But I thought I saw someone post about their Master Hand custom Amiibo and that got me thinking.
What is the likely hood of them continuing the Smash line of Amiibos with ones for Master Hand, Crazy Hand or maybe even Tabuu? Or do I even dare say the other Master Forms like Master Edges or Master Beast if I am remembering those names correctly.
Doubtful on the Master Forms, but this tick in the back of my head would actually like it if maybe the wave that comes with Mewtwo came with also Master Hand and Crazy Hand just because of their significance to the franchise of Smash Bros.
Thoughts?
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:26PM by Moonlight150 http://ift.tt/1MZa1D8
Why does Nintendo use the same franchises over and over? Fresh fom Reddit
They are a company with so much potential, and yet I'm still playing the same game of pokemon and smash bros., the only difference being graphical quality. I would LOVE to be proven wrong.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:27PM by mysterychallenger http://ift.tt/19bQ92s
[SIB] Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection Fresh fom Reddit
I'm interested in buying in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, but if I ever buy that game, I'm wondering if I should play all the other games of the franchise. I heard many great things about the older Metal Gear games yet I also heard that some of the games controls can be awkward and strange. I saw one available in Amazon for $39.99 and I just wanted to know if it's worth the asking price.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:34PM by Ctec6401 http://ift.tt/19bQbrb
Who set the 100 million bar for contracts? Fresh fom Reddit
It seems that if you're a top qb or the franchise guy, you're getting a 100 million dollar contract. I remember haynesworth striking big but I don't remember the contracts before him.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:39PM by Totally_PJ_Soles http://ift.tt/1CInJtc
Maybe it would be a risk, but does anyone think that WB/DC would be willing to release a "Batman Beyond" movie someday, without doing away with the present day Batman franchise? If done right it could be a brand new genre: A Sci/Fi Superhero movie Fresh fom Reddit
Either way, I look at this type of awesome image, and I imagine a far flung future, true sci-fi, ala Blade Runner, with Batman Beyond fighting rogue replicants. Or a story set in a true future, sci-fi world, where Batman spends the entire movie fighting and chasing down the bad guys from our Lunar cities to remote outposts on Mars.
I think people would be able to handle the idea of 2 versions of the same hero set in 2 different times. Hell, you could even throw in some cool exposition where the "New" Batman could recall "the Batman of the early 21st century, and flash an image of "Batfleck." Not only would it be great fan service, but it would help folks who are a little slow understand the situation.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:42PM by VanByNight http://ift.tt/1Hiv8lE
With History as Their Guide, Ducks Are on a Tempered Roll
By ANDREW KNOLL via NYT Sports http://ift.tt/1Hg86Zd
Anyone with first hand experience with Bright Star care? Do you think it's a good business to go into? Fresh fom Reddit
Anyone here owner of a Bright Star care franchise? I am looking into it and its seems like a solid franchise. Would like some first hand knowledge. Pros and cons. What qualifications do I need to start one? Any opinion you have. Thanks.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:16PM by Hum6L3 http://ift.tt/18PfXl2
[Store] Dark Souls 1(6k) 2(10k), ARMA 2 CO(6k) Complete(7k), AC Brotherhood/Revelations/III(4k) Deluxe(5k), Dishonored GotY(7k), Batman(4k ea), Witcher 2/Mortal Kombat Komplete(3k ea), Total War + 100 more dif. games Fresh fom Reddit
Priority given to people who send trade offers; prices are NOT negotiable.
| OFFER ME | MY PROFILE | MY WISHLIST | INVENTORY |
|---|
Selling TF2/CSGO keys for $1.90 each. Must follow subreddit rules(blue flair or higher), 5 key minimum, and payment must be sent in US Dollars.
Everything I am offering is a gift and is tradable unless otherwise noted
| Game Name | Cost (in keys) | MAC Support | Misc |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Days to Die | 7k | ||
| Ace of Spades | 2k | ||
| ANNO 2070 Complete | 7k | Untradable but giftable | |
| ARMA 2 Combined Operations | 6k | X | |
| ARMA 2 Complete Collection | 7k | X | |
| ARMA 2 Operation Arrowhead | 5k | X | |
| Assassin's Creed 3 Standard Edition | 4k | ||
| Assassin's Creed 3 Deluxe Edition | 5k | ||
| Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Standard Edition | 4k | ||
| Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Deluxe Edition | 5k | ||
| Assassin's Creed Revelations Standard Edition | 4k | ||
| Assassin's Creed Revelations Gold Edition | 5k | ||
| Banished | 5k | ||
| The Banner Saga | 3k | YES | |
| Batman Arkham City | 4k | YES | |
| Batman Asylum | 4k | X | |
| Batman Origins | 4k | X | |
| Batman Origins Blackgate - Deluxe Edition | 2k | ||
| Battleblock Theater | 4k | ||
| Binding of Isaac Collection | 1k | ||
| Binding of Isaac Rebirth | 6k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Bioshock Infinite | 5k | ||
| Bioshock Infinite Season Pass | 6k | ||
| Bioshock Triple Pack | 7k | ||
| Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel | 18k | YES | |
| Borderlands II: Game of the Year Edition | 6k | YES | |
| Borderlands II: Headhunter DLC Pack | 4k | YES | |
| Borderlands II: Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 2 | 1.5k | YES | |
| Bulletstorm | 3k | ||
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 | 11k | ||
| Call of Duty: Ghosts | 11k | ||
| Castle Crashers | 2k | ||
| Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Digital Bundle | 5k | Contains: Game + 3 DLC's | |
| Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Ultimate Edition | 7k | ||
| Child of Light | 4k | ||
| Counterstrike Global Offensive CSGO | 5k or 2/9k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Crusader Kings II Collection | 20k | ||
| Crusader Kings II: Rajas of India | 3k | ||
| Dark Souls: PTDE | 6k | X | |
| Dark Souls II | 10k | X | |
| The Darkness II | 2k | ||
| Darksiders Franchise Pack | 4k | ||
| Dead Island Collection | 4k | ||
| Deponia: The Complete Journey | 4k | YES | |
| Depth | 4k | ||
| Dishonored - Game of the Year Edition | 7k | X | |
| Don't Starve + Reign of Giants DLC | 5k | ||
| Dragon Age Origins - Ultimate Edition | 6k | ||
| Dragon Age Origins: Awakening DLC | 1.5k | ||
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Legendary Edition | 10k | ||
| Euro Truck Simulator 2 Gold Bundle | 5k | ||
| Euro Truck Simulator 2 Christmas Bundle | 6k | ||
| Europa Universalis IV Collection | 14k | ||
| F1 2013 | 7k | ||
| F1 2013 Classic Edition | 11k | ||
| Fallout 3 Game of the Year | 6k | ||
| Fallout New Vegas Ultimate Edition | 6k | ||
| Far Cry 3 Deluxe Edition | 6k | ||
| Far Cry Franchise Pack | 8k | No FC4 | |
| Gauntlet Preorder | 6k | Comes with Preorder bonuses | |
| Goat Simulator | 3k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Grand Theft Auto Complete Pack | 9k | ||
| GRID Autosport | 7k | ||
| Grim Dawn | 8k | Untradable but giftable | |
| GUN | 2k | ||
| Half Life Complete | 6k | ||
| Hearts of Iron III Complete Pack | 8k | ||
| Homefront Collection | 4k | Untradable but giftable | |
| The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing - Complete Pack | 4k | ||
| The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II | 3k | ||
| Insurgency | 4k | ||
| Just Cause Collection | 3k | ||
| Killing Floor | 3k | ||
| Killing Floor Bundle | 6k | Old complete bundle | |
| LA L.A. Noire | 3k | ||
| Left 4 Dead 2 | 4k | YES | |
| The Long Dark | 6k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Max Payne 3 Complete Edition | 5k | ||
| Metro 2033 | 3k | ||
| Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition | 3k | X | |
| Mount & Blade Warband | 3k | YES | |
| The Orange Box | 4k | HL2, HL2 Ep1 & Ep2, Portal, & TF2 premium | |
| Overlord Complete Pack | 2k | ||
| Payday 2 | 5k | ||
| Payday 2: Armored Transport DLC | 1.5k | ||
| Payday 2: Big Bank Heist | 1.5k | ||
| Payday 2: Gage Weapon Pack #02 | 1k | ||
| Payday The Heist | 2k | ||
| Payday The Heist: Wolfpack DLC | 1.5k | ||
| Planetary Annihilation | 4k | ||
| Portal 2 | 4k | ||
| Prison Architect | 5k | ||
| Prototype Franchise Pack | 8k | ||
| Rayman Legends | 5k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Resident Evil 5 | 4k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm | 3k | ||
| Saints Row IV: Game of the Century Edition | 6k | ||
| Sid Meier's Civilization V | 4k | ||
| Sid Meier's Civilization V: Brave New World | 6k | ||
| Sid Meier's Civilization V: Complete Edition | 10k | ||
| Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods and Kings | 5k | ||
| Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion | 5k | ||
| South Park: Stick of Truth | 10k | X | |
| Space Engineers | 7k | ||
| Splinter Cell Blacklist Deluxe | 7k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Spore Complete | 8k | ||
| S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Complete Bundle | 12k | Stalker: Call of Pripyat, Clear Sky, Shadow of Chernobyl | |
| State of Decay | 5k | ||
| State of Decay + Breakdown DLC | 6k | ||
| Stronghold Complete Pack | 3k | ||
| The Talos Principle | 8k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Thief: Master Thief Edition | 6k | ||
| Tomb Raider: Game of the Year Edition | 5k | GotY | |
| Torchlight II | 3k | ||
| Total War: Empire Collection | 6k | ||
| Total War: Medieval 2 Collection | 5k | ||
| Total War: Napoleon Collection | 6k | ||
| Total War: Rome Collection | 3k | ||
| Total War: Shogun 2 Collection | 9k | ||
| Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai Collection | 7k | ||
| Transistor | 5k | ||
| Valiant Hearts: The Great War | 3k | Untradable but giftable | |
| Valve Complete Pack | 12k | ||
| Verdun | 3k | ||
| The Walking Dead Season 01 | 5k | ||
| The Walking Dead Season 02 | 5k | ||
| The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition | 3k | X | |
| The Wolf Among Us | 5k | ||
| X-COM: Complete Pack | 2k |
Current Wishlist:
PAYPAL (MUST HAVE RED FLAIR OR HIGHER)
, TF2 Strongbox keys, all keys(capsule key can be used for 0.5 key portion), keys.
OTHER GAME OFFERS
Please do not add me on Steam to trade Steam game keys because you don't have the required flair to trade them here. All game key offers must be presented in this thread. Everything offered here is a Steam gift unless specifically noted.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 03:54PM by FormerLurker http://ift.tt/1EDXfbp
Why Do Soccer Clubs/Leagues Seem to be Run So Poorly Compared to North American Counterparts? Fresh fom Reddit
Now, I'm not trying to do some "HUR DURR MURICA!" thing here so please hear my argument out:
I'm a huge baseball fan. In my opinion, baseball is the most similar NA sport to soccer in regards to the business side of things. There's no salary cap, teams (for the most part) develop their own players, there's limited TV revenue sharing, etc.
My hometown team -- the Pittsburgh Pirates -- was, for 20 years, the most moribund franchise in NA professional sports. 20 straight losing seasons! A record! In 2007 a new ownership group came in with a new front office. They promptly gutted the organization, trading virtually all current assets to stockpile future assets. They also brought in a cutting edge analytics team. We had our first winning season in 2013, and now some experts are predicting us to win the world series.
Point is, despite a payroll 1/3 of the New York Yankees, we've been the more competitive team the last few years. Using ingenuity to outwit your deep-pocketed rivals has been happening all over NA sports. I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with the Moneyball Oakland A's.
Why does this not seems to happen in soccer? I realize there are some counter-examples -- Southampton, Atletico -- but for the most part it seems money is 90%+ the deciding factor in soccer. Why hasn't some team been able to use innovative methods to achieve some level of sustained success? Why does soccer seem so resistant to the statistical revolution that's been happening all over NA sports?
It would seem when making decision that could potentially have $100+ million dollars of impact, you'd want to user every available method to help with these decisions. Is there a soccer equivalent to the Sloan Analytics Conference?
Some might say the nature of soccer is too different for analytics to matter. Hockey, which IMO is the NA sports most similar to the flowing nature of soccer, has recently been undergoing their own analytics reovlution. MLB has recently installed a revolutionary system for tracking defensive plays. Many hope this will lead to new methods to quantify defense - an incredibly difficult thing to do.
Maybe my entire premise is wrong, maybe teams are using these methods and I'm just unaware. Maybe the Porto's and Saints of the world disprove my point. Maybe the business side of things are so vastly different that it's not a valid comparison. Maybe FFP will will revolutionize the game in which these methods have to be adapted since you can no longer just throw money at the problems.
Sorry for the long post, but I've always been baffled at people making million dollar decisions not attempting to milk every competitive advantage out of those decisions. There has to be a way to run a soccer club in which innovation trumps money. Or maybe not.
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 03:56PM by KeepItApathetic http://ift.tt/1AXAcEB
What are some iconic movies from the past 10 years that Hollywood will unnecessarily try and remake in the decades to come? Fresh fom Reddit
Could they really try and reboot franchises like Hunger Games and Harry Potter? Good god, will my children have to go through a Twilight shitstorm as well?!
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 04:06PM by homesousvide http://ift.tt/1LGh6NG
Bill Simmons's 1800-word tribute to Steve Nash "The Book of Basketball" Fresh fom Reddit
- Steve Nash
Resume: 14 years, 10 quality, 7 All-Stars…MVP: ’05, ’06…’07 MVP runner-up…Bill Simmons MVP(’07)…top 5(’05, ’06, ’07), Top 10(’08,’10), top 15(’02, ‘3)…leader: assists(4x), FT%(2x)…4-year peak: 17-11-4, 51% FG, 45% 3FG, 90% FT…3-year Playoffs peak: 21-11-4, 49%FG, 40%3FG, 90%FT(46 Games)…career: 90.3%FT(2nd overall), 43.1% 3FG(5th overall), 9,353 assists(6th overall), 8.5 APG(7th overall)
The case for Nash cracking the top-40 of all time: won back-to-back MVPs, a sentence that looks so unbelievable in print, my eyeballs just popped out of my head Allan Ray-style (only Bird, Magic, MJ, Russell, Wilt, Duncan, Moses, Kareem and Nash did it)…along with Bird and Nowitzki, one of the three 50/40/90 Club members to make an All-NBA team(and he did it twice)[10] …exceptionally fun to watch on the offensive end…willed himself into becoming a Stockton-like crunch-time assassin…you could call him the Evolutionary Cousy(or, Cousy with a jumpshot)…helped bring back three dying art forms: passing, fast breaks and crappy hair…five-time winner of the Guy Everyone in the League Would Have Killed to Play With Award(’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10)…replaced Wayne Gretzky as Canada’s most popular athlete after the Janet Jones gambling scandal…improved the careers of Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire by at least 35 percent…the only player this decade who inspired Tim Thomas to give a shit[11]…drew a handful of “that’s one bad-ass white boy” compliments from Charles Barkley over the past few years…probably would have starred in a Finals if (a)Phoenix’s owner wasn’t such a cheapskate, (b)Joe Johnson didn’t break his face early in the ’05 playoffs, (c)Tim Donaghy reffing Game 3 and the Amar’e/Diaw leaving-the-bench suspensions[12] never happened in ’07, (d)Tim Duncan didn’t hit that crazy three in Game 1 of the ’08 Spurs series, and/or (e)Jason Richardson had boxed out Ron Artest in Game 5 of the ’10 Lakers series…the more Nash plays with his teammates, the better he gets(like Gretzky during his Edmonton days)…and he’s the one modern NBA superstar who lived up to the words “franchise player” through thick and thin.
(When Nash re-signed for three more years in 2009, I remember thinking, “Why the hell would he stay in Phoenix?” In America, we’re accustomed to superstars who find themselves stuck on a sinking ship, then bolt for greener pastures or selfishly demand a trade without considering the ramifications of that request. Once you say, “You guys aren’t good enough to play with me, I need a better team,” the situation becomes irreparable. Nash always understood that. He’s Canadian. He’s loyal. He’s the leader. Franchise players are supposed to lead. So he stayed knowing that his Finals window had probably closed. Now here’s why you have to love sports: in his finest season given his age, Nash banged out a 17-11 with 51-43-94 percentages—unprecented numbers for a thirty-six-year-old point guard—while brewing the league’s best chemistry, performing open-heart surgery on Amar’e Stoudemire[who reinvented himself to the degree that New York stupidly gave him $100 million], leading unproven youngsters like Jared Dudley, Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic,[P43] finally beating San Antonio in a series[and sobbing in the locker room afterwards], and somehow dragging a fringe playoff team within two wins of the 2010 Finals[P44]. Now we’re looking at a career. Ten straight elite years, nine 50-win teams, two MVPs, seven All-Stars, multiple All-NBAs, the best shooting percentages in NBA history, and pole position for the “guard everyone in his generation would have loved playing with most” contest over Kidd. That’s why I moved him from Level 4 to Level 3 for the paperback.)
The case against Nash cracking the top forty: Struggled with a bad back during his first four seasons, missing 64 games in all(and rendering the first third of his career moot)…an ineffective defensive player who doesn’t get steals and can’t be hidden against elite point guards…looks like a cross between Jackie Earle Haley and James Blunt…the validity of his consecutive MVP trophies can be picked apart, although he should have won in ’07…of all players who benefited from the rule changes before the ’05 season, Nash was number one on the list…creamed offensively in the playoffs by Mike Bibby(’02, ’04) and Tony Parker(’07, ’08), a huge reason for his team’s exits in those years…you have to wonder about the top-forty credentials of anyone who was offered a perfectly reasonable six-year, $60 million free agent offer by Phoenix in his prime, asked Mark Cuban to match that offer and had Cuba basically say to him, “Sorry, that’s a little rich for my blood; we’d rather spend that money on Erick Dampier.” I mean, when Cuban wonders about the fiscal sanity of a contract, THAT is saying something.
So why stick Nash this high? For three reasons that went beyond everything we just mentioned. First, he played for a series of all-offense/no-defense teams in Dallas and Phoenix and never landed on a quality defensive team that protected him the way the Lakers protected Magic. His deficiencies were constantly exposed on that end, so we were always thinking about them. That’s not totally fair. If you think Nash sucked on defense, you should have seen Magic pretending to be a bullfighter in the late eighties and early nineties. Ole! Ole! But Magic’s teammates could protect him. When Nash’s opponents beat him off the dribble, they scored because he never had smart team defenders or a shot blocker behind him. It’s like Kate Hudson’s performance in Almost Famous—she’s a semi-abysmal actress, but give her a fantastic script and a great part and suddenly she’s getting an Oscar nomination. Had Nash switched places with Tony Parker(another lousy defender) for the past four years and gotten protected by Popovich and Duncan, we wouldn’t have complained about his defense as much. It’s all about situations.
Second, former teammate Paul Shirley argued Nash’s MVP credentials with me once by emailing me an excellent point about how valuable Nash really was to Phoenix, saying that Nash’s style was contagious to the rest of the Suns as soon as he showed up from Dallas. Within a few weeks, everyone started playing unselfishly and getting each other baskets, like his magnanimity had seeped into everyone else by osmosis…and when you think about it, that’s the single most important way you can affect a basketball team. In my lifetime, only Bird, Magic, Kidd and Walton affected their teams to that same degree. And Isiah Rider, if this were Bizarro World.
Third, Nash’s magnificent performance during the ’07 season—ironically, the season when he didn’t win the MVP—pushed him up a level for me. He never had a killer instinct until that year; even when he dropped 48 in an ’05 playoff game because the Mavs were blanketing his teammates and daring Nash to score, he seemed sheepish about it afterward. But falling short in ’05 and ’06 hardening him; maybe he didn’t go to the dark side like Danny LaRusso during the Terry Silver era, but he developed a nasty edge that nobody remembered seeing before. My guess: Nash spent the summer mulling over his career and everything that had happened, ultimately realizing that he couldn’t do anything more other than win his first title. Then he thought long and hard about how to do it, ultimately cutting off his hair(feel the symbolism, baby!) and getting in superb shape so he wouldn’t wear down in the playoffs again. When he showed up for training camp and realized the Marion-Stoudemire soap opera would be an ongoing problem[13] , Boris Diaw was out of shape, and new free agent Marcus Banks couldn’t help, something snapped inside him. Exit, nice Steve Nash. Enter, icy Steve Nash. Suddenly he was tripping guys on picks, barking at officials and getting testy with his own teammates, eventually righting the ship and leading the Suns to the highest level of offensive basketball we’ve witnessed in twenty years. Really, it was a virtuoso season for him as an offensive player and a leader; borrowing the same tactic that once worked so well for Magic, Isiah and Stockton, Nash used the first 40 minutes to get everyone else going, then took over in crunch time if the Suns needed it. Sometimes he’d even unleash the “Look, there’s no way we’re effing losing this game!” glare on his face, an absolute staple for any MVP candidate.
Somewhere along the line, he won me over. Once one of the harsher critics of the voting for his back-to-back MVPs, I ended up writing the following about Nash during the ’07 playoffs: “Regardless of what happens in San Antonio ,I love what happened to Nash this season; his competitive spirit, toughness and leadership reminds me of Bird, Magic, MJ and Isiah back in the day. That’s the highest praise I can give. At the very least, you know the Suns won’t get blown out—they’ll be in the game and fighting until the very end. You can count on that from them. He’s the reason.”
You could go to war with Steve Nash, and really, that’s all that matters.
Footnotes:
[10]The 50-40-90 Club covers anyone who topped 50% FG, 40% 3FG and 90%FT shooting in one season. Not easy. Five players belong to the club: Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Dirk Nowitzki, and Steve Nash. Nash has hit these astronomical percentages four times(and missed a fifth by .001%); the next highest count belongs to Bird with two.
[11]No small feat. Here’s how I described Tim Thomas in 2008: “Is there an NBA forward alive who couldn’t average 31 minutes, 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, miss 70 percent of his 3-pointers and allow his guy to score at will? If baseball has VORP(value over replacement player), then basketball should have VOTT(value over Tim Thomas). He’s such a dog that PETA might protest this paragraph.” Ten months later, Basketball Prospectus unveiled a WARP stat that reveale Thomas scored exactly at replacement level for the ’08 and ’09 seasons. Stu Scott, give me a boo yeah!
[12]We can’t use seatbelts, and we can’t put a rope around the bench because a player could go flying into the rope during play and get practically decapitated…but what about an electric-fence-type device where they’d get shocked if they ventured onto the court, like what people use with their dogs in the backyard? Wouldn’t that be worth it just to see Eddy Curry zone out, stand up to stretch and accidentally electroshock himself?
[P43] We invited Nash and Dudley to an ESPN dinner at the 2010 Sundance Festival. Nash said there were three reasons he wasn’t aging: a no-sugar diet, a sleep journal and a steady supply of undetectable PEDs.(Fine, I made the last one up.) He said the no-sugar diet made him recover faster after games; half the 2010 followed suit and cut their sugar intake, including Dudley, who lost 20 pounds and became an elite bench player. I wouldn’t have believed it until we watched Jared read his menu aloud and ask Nash, “Can I have this? What about this?” not only does Nash make his teammates better, he orders for them!
[P44]Nash added to an unfortunate record that spring: 118 career postseason games without making an NBA Finals. Nobody else is in triple digits.
[13]They had an alpha dog battle that revolved around important stuff like “why did he get the best seat on the charter last night?” and “Why is his locker in a better spot than mine?” Also, they fought over a chew toy once. Whoops, I’m thinking of my dog. Sorry.
Simmons, Bill. "Steve Nash." The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy. New York: Ballantine/ESPN, 2009. 428-32. Print
Submitted March 21, 2015 at 03:50PM by Nicheslovespecies http://ift.tt/1xoqU8P