This blog talks about movies, TV, anime and cartoons. You'll laugh with me, argue with me, disagree with me, but you'll love reading all of these. Check it out!
Let's face it, this year has been an OFF-FIELD story driven year. From the Penn State/Syracuse Scandal to the BCS debacle insulting college football fans, there seemed not to be as much to cheer about on the field. That is until you think about these games that glued viewers to the screens, fans to their seats, left people talking about the game for days after.
12) Rangers/Capitals Game 4 - The Rangers took game 3 of the first round playoff against the Washington Capitals, but the headline going into the game was Coach Bruce Boudreau saying MSG is "not that loud". After the Rangers blitzed the Capitals for a 3-0 lead, the Garden crowd chanted, "Can you hear us?!" Only to see the Capitals rally and force overtime, which didn't disappoint for drama and featured Henrik Lunqvist stopping Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway. The end of the game was cruel and unlikely as Rangers star Marian Gaborik accidently poked a loose puck from Lundqvist and into the crease for Jason Chimera to poke it in and give the Caps a 4-3 win.
11) Michigan/Notre Dame - Under the lights for the first primetime game at the Big House, Michigan supplied a classic game for their already historic rivalry. Forget the previous 58 minutes -which were amazing- with 1:12 remaining in the game, Michigan completed a 17 point comeback when Vincent Smith caught a 21 yard Denard Robinson pass, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the night. Game over? Nope, Notre Dame drives down and Tommy Rees hits Theo Riddick for a 29 yard score, taking the lead right back? Game over? Think again. Michigan drives down and Robinson hit Roy Roundtree with 2 seconds remaining.
10) Lightning/Bruins Game 7 - A trip to Vancouver was on the line for two underdog teams. The only question was which one? The Lightning took out the Penguins and #1 seed Capitals, whereas the Bruins fought off their rival Canadiens and Flyers. This series was back and forth, Game 7 was not. It was a game that every inch of ice was hard to come by and two goalies that gave nothing for shooters. With the game scoreless midway through the third period, Bruins winger Nathan Horton deflected the puck behind Lightning Goalie Dwayne Roloston to give the Bruins the only goal they'd need. They'd only need that lone goal because Tim Thomas was stellar. He stopped 24 shots including a sprawling stick save on Dominic Moore. Later, Thomas would win the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup.
9) VCU/Kansas Elite 8- At the beginning of the NCAA Tourney, all the critics were calling out the NCAA selection committee for selecting VCU. The committee claims that VCU "passed the eye test". Two weeks later, VCU shut their critics up by beating the #1 team in the nation in Kansas. VCU sprinted to an early 18 point lead, which Kansas cut to 2 with 13:11 minutes remaining. However, the slipper was on Cinderalla's foot as VCU went on an 11-3 run immediately and put themselves in the books as one of the biggest Final Four upsets of All Time.
8) Heat/Mavericks Game 4 - The storylines for this game were simple. Heat win and they can backup their promise for a championship. Mavericks win and they continue one of the best underdog stories in NBA history. With everyone in the country outside of Miami rooting for the Mavericks, the Heat and Mavs went back-and-forth in the third quarter, but the Mavericks -led by a flu-ridden Dirk Nowitzki- kept the "Heatles" close until the closing minutes of the game. Nowitzki hit a lay-up with 14.4 seconds left, capping his 10-point fourth quarter. It would also be a game that started a theme for the series- poor Fourth Quarters by the Heat, especially LeBron James. The Mavs surged with a 21-9 run to end the game and leave the Heat sweating. The Mavs would win their first NBA Championship five days later and spark many LeBron jokes. By the way, he can't change a dollar because he won't give the fourth quarter.
7) Rory McIlroy at the US Open - Not a game, but a performance that was as unexpected as any other this year. If you did a soap opera style "Previously...", you would have seen Rory McIlroy at Augusta National choking away his lead and finishing with an embarrassing round for an amateur. Fast forward to June at the US Open where McIlroy did the unthinkable. He shot FOUR subpar rounds on the "Golf's Toughest Test" and set or tied 12 records including the largest win with a 16 shots under par. McIlroy's highs and lows are well documented in 2011, but his high was a memory for the ages.
6) USA/Brazil Women's World Cup - In one of the most thrilling games in the history of Women's sports, USA loaded with talent, took on Brazil -which was considered to be their greatest obstacle. Brazil proved the Analysts right when they tied the game at 1 late in the second half. In extra time, their star Marta would break the tie and assure Brazil victory. That is until time was winding down, seconds ticking off the clock, Megan Repinoe kicked a soccer-style "Hail Mary" toward the net where Abby Wambach was sprinting to the right post. She headed the ball into the empty net and sent the game into penalty kicks. Hope Solo made two saves and moved the Americans on. Had the US won the World Cup, Wambach would be synonymous with Mike Eruzione.
5) Butler/Florida Elite 8- The NCAA tournament features several exceptional games a year- usually a first round upset. This year Florida and Butler played a classic game that said who'd go to the Final Four. Midway through the second half, Butler -2010 finalist- were down 11 to the Gators and Billy Donovan. Butler started to chip away and to tie in regulation, take a 3-point lead in overtime until Florida's Kenny Boyton made a three pointer to give the Gators the lead right back. After a foul, Butler tied the game and then came the unbelievable. On back-to-back plays at the end of regulation, Florida's Erving Walker hit a 3-pointer which was followed by Butler's Shelvin Mack hitting a three to tie. Butler would outwork Florida and win the game at the foul line, but it was a classing game for an already rich history of the NCAA.
4) Jets/Patriots AFC Divisional Playoff - Second Straight year the Jet improbable win makes the list. This game was a shocker for many reasons. The Jets were playing in Foxboro, where their last visit ended 45-3 with them on the short side and the Patriots haven't lost at Foxboro since 2008 (not counting playoffs). On the Jets side, the Patriots haven't won a playoff game since 2007, when they advanced to the Super Bowl. Despite falling behind 3-0, the Jets would back up their talk. Mark Sanchez threw touchdown passes to LaDanian Thomlinson and Brayon Edwards to make it 14-3. Sanchez would fling it to Santonio Holmes to give the Jets a ten point lead that Shonn Greene would add to with a 16-yard touchdown run. The win would send the Jets to their second straight Conference Final and Bart Scott would be remembered for saying, "Can't Wait!"
3) USA/Japan Women's World Cup - How could the USA/Brazil game be topped? Even for the biggest male chauvinist would have to say this game was outstanding even if the game ended the wrong way for the USA. Alex Morgan gave the US a 1-0, only to have Japan tie the game on a USA goof that Aya Miyama capitalized on. Unlike the Brazil game, Abby Wambach didn't wait till the closing seconds of extra time, when she headed in a crossing feed, but Japan wasn't done. Playing for their country that has been ravaged by natural disasters in the last year, the Japanese women fought and tied the game when Homare Sawa managed to redirected a ball past Hope Solo. Japan would win in penalty kicks, but the argument is clear that with the World Cup on the line, this game was the best of the summer.
2) Baseball's Final Day - This isn't a game, but a collective of moments from several games of baseball's final dramatic day. With the Wild Card spots on the line in BOTH leagues, the Braves/Cardinals battling in the NL and the Rays/Red Sox in the AL. Early in the evening, the Yankees did their best to help the Red Sox (I know, weird) by taking a 7-0 lead. In the meantime, the Sox were leading 2-0 over Baltimore, but the Rays would burst out with a 6 run eighth inning. All this built to the ninth, when Jon Papelbon was on the mound trying to save the game in Baltimore, Dan Johnson was down to his final strike against Cory Wade. Johnson would strike Wade's pitch off the foul pole to tie the game as Papelbon blows the save in Baltimore almost simultaneously! Evan Longoria would hit a homerun and punch the Rays ticket to the Wild Card. In the National League, Chris Carpenter and the Cards shut out the Astros while the Braves fell in extra innings to the Phillies. BOTH the Red Sox and Braves completed collapses that saw them leading by 10 games or more in the final week of August.
GAME OF THE YEAR:
1) Cardinals/Rangers Game 6 - In a series that will be held up against the greats, Game 6 put itself on a level with 1993, 1990, 1986 and 1975. A back-and-forth game where the Rangers took and early lead to the Cardinals striking back, but starting with the seventh inning, the game took on a new life. With the score tied at 4, Adrian Beltre hit a go-ahead home run to give the Rangers the lead, but Nelson Cruz hit a towering shot over the leftfield wall right after him. Ian Kinsler would add an RBI single to make it 7-4. The Rangers felt confident with their vaunted bullpen that they would close the game out. The Cardinals had other ideas. In the eighth, super-sub Allen Craig hits a solo home run to close it to 7-5, but in the ninth inning, David Freese struck a Neftali Feliz fastball to right field that eluded Nelson Cruz. That didn't kill the Rangers resolve. "The Natural" Josh Hamilton hit a two-run home run to right, seemingly to write a climax to his comeback story. The only problem was that the Cardinals didn't want to quit. Ryan Theriot had an RBI groundout, then Lance Berkman singled to center off Scott Feldman to tie the game at 9. It was the second time the Cardinals were down to their final strike of the SEASON. The following turn at bat for the Cardinals would force Game 7. David Freese -the eventual World Series MVP- would take a Mark Lowe offering over the centerfield wall as Joe Buck re-created his father's home run call from Kirby Puckett's 1990 Game 6 winning home run, "We'll see you tomorrow night." The Cardinals would not falter at home in Game 7, completing one of the most improbable runs to a championship in baseball history.
These are my games of 2011. I'm kind of shocked that I have two WOMEN's games on here, but gotta hand it to the US Women. They certainly entertained this year. If you have others, please leave a comment here or my Facebook.
Every time Nintendo puts out a Legend of Zelda title, gamers dig in and delve into the land of Hyrule. As gamers play through the game, they may not realize they're getting good morale direction from the game's protagonist- Link (though you can give him any name). The reason is simple, if you weren't a noble-do-gooder than the game would end quickly. However- in directly- Link teaches people many things they may not realize.
Sacrifice for the Greater Good - A theme in most Zelda games is that the characters (not just Link) put themselves at great risk. Whether it's Zoran Princess or the Gorons in Ocarina or Zelda (repeatedly) putting their own lives on the line to stop evil, only to be rescued later. The point is that Link isn't just trying to do good alone. There's others trying as well.
Always Do the Right Thing - It's not just Spike Lee who thinks that- Link does too. Whether it's to help a young girl find her chickens (Ocarina) to helping an old woman (who looks an awful lot like a witch he killed before) get back to her sister (Majora's Mask). Not that this isn't without reward... which will be covered later, but another good example is Link refusing to tell Ganondorf which way Zelda went after fleeing Hyrule Castle in Ocarina of Time. He refused and got a lightning bolt to the face from his adversary. Nice. Before you think, "Well duh, that was all in the moment," remember Link had a premonition of that moment in Ocarina's into. If I knew I'd get a lightning bolt to the face, you can have her, man. In fact, there's only one person Link really screws over in the Zelda series- the man that played the Song of Storms in Kakariko Village.
Someone may not like you... now - Zelda's stories are littered with Frien-emies. Take for instance Lido in Ocarina or Groose in Skyward Sword. Both characters hate Link in the beginning, but their experiences soon lead to a respect for Link. There's always the fairy from Majora's Mask or even Navi from Ocarina, but the chief example is Midna from Twilight Princess. She clearly is not a fan of Link's, but little by little, Midna grows to love her traveling companion, so much so that she thinks he falls in love with her upon seeing her true beauty. Even the majority of Zelda villains are "brainwashed" or "mistaken" creatures that try to kill Link, but come to their senses after Link defeats them. Funny how a little ass-kicking makes you want to befriend someone.
A Stranger is just a Friend You Haven't Met - Streetcar said, "You can always depend on the kindness of Strangers," but it's clear that you're the stranger in Hyrule that has to make everyone's acquaintance. Now Link meets some many colorful characters in his travels. In the first Legend of Zelda, Link meets an ogre who simply says, "Grumble, Grumble." Link brings him some meat and then the guy becomes so nice that he lets you proceed through Level 7. There's the old woman making stew in "Link to the Past" that you give a mushroom to and get back Magic Dust. I'd list the rest of these, but let's face it, I don't want this blog entry to go for days.
Proper Tools for Proper Work - Link's adventures could have been a game where you swing your sword around, killing ogres and bugs that jump around, but it isn't. Nah, Nintendo has supplied Zelda players with several items both necessary and baffling. Sure the bow is the most obvious need since Silver/Light Arrows are always needed to thwart Ganon(dorf), but there's boomerangs, hammers, bombs, magic rods that shoot fire or ice, candles, boots that allow you to hover for a second, boots that make you sink, gloves that give you epic strength, flippers, a raft, a ladder, invisible capes (yeah Harry Potter stole it), bug catching nets, books for translating, mushrooms for potions, candles to burn down trees... and more. There's many different shields, swords, tunics, rings and grappling hooks; all for Link to use for specific tasks which can be as important as saving the WORLD or as little as helping a person collect bugs. My favorite, the Ball and Chain from Twilight Princess- that thing was bad ass!!!
There's a Girl Out There for You - I know what you're thinking, "Zelda! D'uh!!" Not exactly. Since Ocarina, Link's been a bit of a chick magnet. There was Saria, Midna, the Item Check girl in Skyward. Heck, Zelda isn't even a love interest for most of the series. Skyward Sword is one of the games that spells it out for you, though it is possible for you to treat her like crap and still have her end up in love with you. Geez, I hope that's not a lesson...
Music Is Under-appreciated - Not just having the most iconic music in video game history. In the first Legend of Zelda, the old man tells you in Level 5 that Digdogger hates sounds of a certain kind. AH-HA! You should play this Recorder (or whistle) that four graders play and everyone finds annoying as well. However, it's uses didn't stop there. If you used the whistle later, a whirlwind will take you around all of Hyrule. Since then, music has played a role in Zelda. It unlocks worlds, drains lakes, cures curses and moves you into the netherworld. You've played a Flute, an Ocarina (two of them), a conductor's wand, the howl of a wolf and a harp in the series latest installment. Thank God the quests never required a piano. It's great that Nintendo has continued using music in the game, but if Link is required to use a DJ table then I'm done.
Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses - As you travel around the world of Zelda, you encounter various new villages, lands, kingdoms and species. You can have several sides adventures in these lands, play various mini-games and save up for new items which helps the Hyrule economy from sliding into a depression. You may also see that some people have their own problems; a house of people turned into spiders, a giant whale stuck in a mountain or a demon that needs you to do more good deeds so he can become human. Some many people, some many lands, so much to do...
The Apathy of the World - The previous point leads me to this- don't people ever notice that the world around them is going to shit. There's a black cloud over Death Mountain- which isn't a good name for a mountain you want to hike up one day- or that an entire kingdom is flooded, a princess is missing and maybe the fact that everyone in Hyrule Castle is the WALKING DEAD! Gee, you think maybe delivering milk seems kind of pointless if an evil sorcerer is making the people of the world into the same brain capacity of the Jersey Shore cast! Staying up late with the "All Night Mask" just to get a piece of a heart from the old storytelling woman can wait too. What about the fishing portion? Can't people see Link is busy! No, it's okay, because the idiot does the deeds thinking this falls under the "Do the Right Thing." Doesn't anyone notice the moon getting closer? What the fuck?!!!!
There's Greatness Inside of You - EVERY Legend of Zelda (don't count Link's Awakening) begins with a simple peasant boy that leads a simple life, but there's some act of evil that plunges him into the world where he is completely over his head. One adventure after another and Link discovers that he's armed with more than just his courage. He's been turned into a Wolf, dropped from the Sky, changed into a Fish, a creature made of wood and whatever a Goron is. He's been through the light world, the dark world, the desert, the sea, the sky, the shadow world and underground. Hell the Water Temple in Ocarina is reason enough to respect him. Why does he do it? Because there's alway more to him than being a simple peasant boy. A great hero that the world needs. There's so much more than a simple life.
Fact is that the Legend of Zelda show us more about ourselves than just trying to figure out when to play the flute in level 5. It shows us that we're never complete. There's always something we need to get to move us further in our stories. It lets us realize that there's always someone in need. That there's always a challenge to face, something to stand up for, something to fight for. So go home, play the game...maybe to escape into fantasy, help someone in need or maybe... just maybe... you can see that Link is really a part of you. The part that always wants to make the world a better place and always will fight for what's right.
