Steve Phillips has gone into hiding after being dumped by ESPN for various "transgressions", but he could be making a return back into your lives real soon. No not on television, but rather as a voice for MLB 2K10. An early preview of the game has Gary Thorne as your play-by-play man, with John Kruk and Phillips the analysts. There is not word if it's too late to delete the former ESPNer from the game. Via Pasta Padre....

Included in the preview is talk about the My Player mode which appears to be primarily focused on clutch situations, the formula for pitching with the right stick being made more accessible, a defensive swing addition, and “hurry-up baseball” option which removes all the presentational elements. Also new is the “Batter’s Eye” which intends to provide the more talented hitters an advantage.

Just as in real life, standout hitters in MLB 2K10 can see certain pitches coming as the ball is released from the pitcher’s hand. You’ll get a quick text pop-up that says “fastball,” “breaking ball” or “changeup” depending on the pitch and the hitter.

Of note is the commentary which has added John Kruk while keeping Steve Phillips along with Gary Thorne. The decision to hold onto Phillips will be somewhat controversial considering the circumstances of his firing from ESPN and that he is currently without any employment or association with baseball. Given that he remains it comes as little surprise that 2K did not advertise the commentary team in the features list.

Well that's convenient. Obviously it would take countless hours to go back and delete him, AND to make the commentary easy to follow, but it will be hard not to hear him in the game and get a little sick to my stomach. More on this when the game comes out on March 2nd.

First MLB 2K10 Preview (Pasta Padre)

If the news of Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery as announcers of the new NCAA Basketball game wasn't enough, this video will completely sell you on the game. CBS has allowed EA to integrate their entire graphics package into the game. Here's the video with bonus Gujo and Raftery interview....

Now that just looks awesome. I think EA has completely sold me on NCAA 2010 now. Bravo gentlemen....bravo.

I haven't bought a Basketball video game in years. The replay value is terrible, and for some reason, I'm absolutely terrible at them (it's probably more the latter). Well EA has gone and peaked my interest in NCAA 2010, by doing something that CBS should have done years ago. They've paired Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery for the call of the games....

The "HA HA!" at the end just gave me goosebumps. Bravo EA, I hope I am now able to play defense in the game, so I don't try to resell it back to Game Stop!

(For more on this, and the announcement of Raftery joining Johnson, head to Hot Clicks)

If I had spent 30+ years, doing the exact same thing each Summer, I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have to do it anymore. Apparently John Madden is going through that feeling now, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him. In an interview with the LA Times, he tells the paper that he's enjoying himself and isn't exactly leaving Football entirely....

Q: How’s retirement treating you?
Madden: It’s going well for me. But you know, it really hasn’t started yet. I retired from broadcasting football. So far, it’s been the off-season for me. The Hall of Fame game is the first game I would have done. So I really haven’t retired from anything until football season starts.

Q: Will you spending a lot more time on the virtual gridiron now?
Madden: That’s one thing I’m really looking forward to. Each week I’m going to watch all the games. I have this thing being built right now where I have nine 63-inch monitors. And I’m going to be able to put every game on television. I can watch them all at the same time.

Then I’m going to see more. When I was broadcasting, I would just zero in on the game I was doing. Doing this, I’m going to see more. I’m going to see all the trends. I’m going to see what every team does. Those trends and the things that they’re doing in the games on Sundays, those are the things we will put in the game.

While the above statement was in reference to his work on the 2011 edition of the Madden video game, there are rumors that you'll be hearing a lot of Madden on the radio. There are already talks to get him on Sirius, and you can expect a lot of guest appearance on shows throughout the country, as the season progresses.

John Madden talks about the virtual gridiron, the Madden Curse and life outside of the broadcasting booth (LA Times)

Madden 2010 comes out this Friday, and while gamers around the world will be lining up at 11pm Thursday night to get a hold of the game, you can plan on seeing a good bit of the game during the Steelers-Cardinals game on ESPN earlier that evening. EA has linked up with ESPN to show random clips from the game. Via the Associated Press....

EA Sports usually launches "Madden" with a party — last year's "Maddenpalooza" was held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. But this year, says marketing director Nathan Stewart, EA wants to "reach all our fans in all corners of the country." The main promotional effort involves a tie-in with ESPN's "Monday Night Football," which returns to television Thursday night.

The first "MNF" game is a preseason rematch between last season's Super Bowl contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Not coincidentally, the cover of "Madden NFL 10" features a player from each team: Troy Polamalu of the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals.

"Madden" will be featured throughout the "MNF" broadcast as well as other ESPN programs Thursday, including "SportsCenter" and "NFL Countdown." The video game will also be promoted across ESPN's Web site and mobile applications.

Per usual, when it comes to things like this, as long as the clips don't overrun the broadcast, everything should be fine. The game does come out the next day, so the deal makes sense. If this was a regular season game, I'd be a little more concerned, but it's a preseason contest....so why not?

FYI- There will be another live-blog, both here and at 12 Step Drop, on Thursday night. We'll be covering the debut of Jon Gruden, as well as whatever fantasy questions there are that evening. Hope to see you there.

EA Sports teams with ESPN to promote `Madden' (AP)

I know this has nothing to do with announcing, but I post this collection of songs every single year. Once again, EA Sports has put together an amazing collection of songs and artists for Madden '10, and here's who you can listen for when the game comes out on August 10th....

2Pac - Can't C Me
Airbourne - Heads Are Gonna Roll
Alice In Chains - Them Bones
B.o.B - Created A Monster
Bang Camaro - Revolution
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Cypress Hill - Get ‘Em Up
Helmet - Unsung
Iron Maiden - Aces High
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Kid Rock - I Am The Bullgod
Killswitch Engage - Reckoning
Korn - Blind
Mastodon - Divinations
Nas feat. Puff Daddy - Hate Me Now
Nirvana - Breed
Pantera - Walk
Public Enemy - Shut Em Down
Rage Against The Machine - Guerrilla Radio
Set Your Goals - Gaia Bleeds (Make Way for Man)
Slipknot - Duality
System Of A Down - Sugar
The Vanity Plan - Before I Die
Young Dre The Truth - Cheah Beah

If you want to check out the songs for the rest of EA's 2010 releases, click below....

EA Announces Fall Music Line Up for Sports Franchises (PR Business Wire)

EA Sports' NCAA '10 comes out the middle of this month, but the video game company is slowly releasing some clips of the game. We had one here last month, when it came out that EA was now on the game, but I had to also share this one. Erin Andrews will now stalk you as a highschool senior, all the way until you graduate College (*ahem*TimTebow*cough*). Oh sorry....in the game....the game people.

Really EA Sports? The Road To "Glory" with Erin Andrews??? Really?!?! I guess "The Road to My Dorm Room with Erin Andrews" made the cutting room floor.

NCAA Football 10 Offers Innovative “Road to Glory” Mode With Copious Erin Andrews (The Rookies)

Scott Van Pelt is your voice for the spanking new version of Tiger Woods '10, and the folks at EA Sports have decided to run some ads with the ESPNer. The premise is that SVP wants to be an actual golfer, but only his voice appears in the game. Thus, Tiger carries around a talking cardboard cutout of Van Pelt, and of course hilarity ensues....

Man that was rather long, wasn't it? However, very funny. "I Will Punch You In The Face!", needs to be in every golf telecast from now on.

Tiger Woods vs Scott Van Pelt, EA Sports Video (NESW Sports)

So Kobe Bryant was revealed as the cover boy of NBA 2K10 this afternoon, but there's a bit of a twist when it comes to how 2K Sports is advertising the game. The video game company will debut a commercial tonight during the NBA Finals, and one of the chief people participating in the super secret spot is the clever, Spike Lee. In fact, Lee is so clever that that he decided to do this to the cover of the game. Via ESPN....

Finally, Lee gets to the last piece of box art. "If Kobe is going to be on the cover, at least put him in the orange and blue," he says, pointing to the altered image of Bryant on the Knicks. "He looks good like that."

Two weeks later, when I catch up with Bryant at the Staples Center after practice, all he can do is laugh at Lee's New York dream.

"That's just Spike doing work," Bryant says.

Funny thing is, the cover art with Bryant as a Knick will be one of four box covers fans of "NBA 2K10" will be able to choose from online starting Friday. The cover with the most votes will be the official box art for the game.

Wait a tic. You can actually vote on this being the actual cover that will be on the game when it's released!??! Ummmm......we need to make this happen. There's nothing more fun than upsetting Laker fans. Here are the others in case you're interested, but I suggest we make the Knicks one happen. Vote starts Friday over at 2K!


"NBA 2K10": Kobe's Got It Covered (ESPN)

Every year I take great pride in picking apart the Madden player ratings, and this year's crop of scores is pretty darn interesting. The biggest shock has to be Nnamdi Asomugha in a tie as the top defensive player with Albert Haynesworth), Polamalu and Ed Reed, but there are certainly a lot more to debate as well. Two to discuss are Donovan McNabb being higher than Philip Rivers, and DeAngelo Williams tied for the third best RB ahead of Portis, Jackson and Gore. Here are the top ten for each position....

Quarterbacks:

1. Peyton Manning- 99
2. Tom Brady- 98
3. Drew Brees- 97
4. Kurt Warner- 94
5. Ben Roethlisberger- 93
6. Donovan McNabb- 91
7. Philip Rivers- 88
8. Carson Palmer- 87
8. Jay Cutler- 87
8. Tony Romo- 87

Running Backs:

1. Adrian Peterson- 97
2. Michael Turner- 95
3. LaDainian Tomlinson- 94
3. Brian Westbrook- 94
3. DeAngelo Williams- 94
6. Clinton Portis- 93
7. Steven Jackson- 92
8. Frank Gore- 91
9. Brandon Jacobs- 90
9. Thomas Jones- 90

Wide Receivers:

1. Larry Fitzgerald- 99
2. Andre Johnson- 98
3. Steve Smith- 97
4. Randy Moss- 96
5. Reggie Wayne- 95
6. Anquan Boldin- 94
6. Roddy White- 94
8. Brandon Marshall- 92
8. Calvin Johnson- 92
10. Terrell Owens- 91

Tight Ends:

1. Tony Gonzalez- 98
2. Jason Witten- 97
3. Antonio Gates- 95
4. Chris Cooley- 91
4. Dallas Clark- 91
6. Kellen Winslow- 90 7. Heath Miller- 88 8. John Carlson- 87
9. Zach Miller- 86
9. Owen Daniels- 86

Defense:

1. Nnamdi Asomugha (CB, Oakland Raiders)- 99
1. Albert Haynesworth (DT, Washington Redskins) - 99
1. Ed Reed (S, Baltimore Ravens)- 99
1. Troy Polamalu (S, Pittsburgh Steelers)- 99
5. Patrick Willis (LB, San Francisco 49ers)- 98
5. Jared Allen (DE, Minnesota Vikings)- 98
5. DeMarcus Ware (LB, Dallas Cowboys)- 98
8. Kevin Williams (DT, Minnesota Vikings)- 97
8. Ray Lewis (LB, Baltimore Ravens)- 97
8. Julius Peppers (DE, Carolina Panthers)- 97

Madden '10 Ratings (ESPN Video Games)

Larry Fitzgerald was on The Jimmy Fallon Show on Friday to promote Madden 2010, and brought along a few clips. The first were just shots of him getting tackled, but then he and Fallon brought out the big guns. Watch as Kellen Clemens goes down, and who his replacement is....

Now that's funny. Those graphics are insane, and I really hope they have the warmup bike in the game as well. Good stuff.

Jimmy Fallon Has Played Madden Already (Outside the Boxscore)

Madden Day is still one of my favorite times of the year, even though I'm thirty years-old (shh...don't tell anyone). The suspense leading up to it is pretty fun as well, and this year EA has decided to release the nine finalists competing for the right to get injured next season....er, get the cover. Here's who they're deciding between. From SBD via EA Sports....

EA Sports has announced the nine finalists to appear on the cover of the "Madden NFL 10" videogame, with the cover athlete to be announced Friday. The finalists are Steelers S Troy Polamalu, Colts QB Peyton Manning, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Giants RB Brandon Jacobs, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and Ravens S Ed Reed

Matt Cassell?!?! Seriously??? Ummm....okay....sure. Other than that, the rest of the candidates seem worthy enough. It would be cool to see someone like Polamalu or Reed get it, because I think the last defensive player on the cover was Ray Lewis. The cover athlete for Madden '10 will be announced on Friday.

EA Narrows Possible Cover Athletes To Nine (Sports Business Daily - $)

Erin Andrews has already blessed the EA NCAA Basketball game, but now the video game company will be adding her to Football. Andrews will be the sideline reporter for NCAA Football 2010, and she will be joined by Brad Nessler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso. Info and video via EA Sports....

Erin Andrews is the newest addition to the NCAA Football 10 broadcast team, joining Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler and Lee Corso in a game that envelopes the excitement and pageantry of college football at its best. Including Andrews as part of the NCAA Football 10 broadcast team complements the franchise commitment to offer the most authentic college football experience available on any gaming platform. Andrews has served as a sideline reporter for ESPN's College Football Saturdays since 2004.

With all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools represented in the game, NCAA Football 10 offers fans an exciting way to experience the thrill of authentic college football year-round. NCAA Football 10 brings the college football atmosphere to life with enhanced stadiums packed with school colors, cheerleaders and mascots. Enjoy the sights of game day with new field goal nets, flags waving in the wind and camera flashes exploding during pivotal moments.

Well that's gotta be a major selling point, right? They should just put her in every game, and fan boys will be lining up around the block to pick up games. Who cares if Madden is supposed to be on NBC!

Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews will be featured as a sideline reporter in NCAA Football 10 (Worth Playing)

I had already seen the Guitar Hero: Metallica spot where they tie up Kobe and Co. outside and blow up the house, but this one caught me by surprise. Near the end of the Oklahoma-UNC game, this ad featuring Coach K, Rick Pitno, Roy Williams and Bob Knight, came up on the screen....and yes....they are wearing just their underwear too.

We're playing the Guitar HEEEERO! Disturbing, but very very funny.

Update: Annnnd....here are the outtakes!



Ladies And Gentlemen, Welcome To The Best Guitar Hero Commercial EVER. (Fan IQ)

Now I understand the gimmicks of LL Cool J and Lil Wayne coming on the network to talk their favorite teams, and to promote albums. But bringing on 50 Cent to talk shop, for seemingly no reason at all, is beyond infuriating. Now if Curtis Jackson was at ESPN "The Weekend", joking around with Skip Bayless and Jemele on the set of First Take, I'd let it slide. But no....the "Leader" randomly brought on the rapper onto ESPN News to promote his new video game and talk steroids. Here is the clip....

Why in the hell would they put him on ESPN News?! That just makes me angry. Why even call it ESPN "News"? Every time you think that ESPN is taking some steps back to its roots, they take two gigantic leaps back with stunts like this. I fully expect MTV to be bought by Disney within the next ten years, and our regular ESPN programming to be relegated to ESPN2. It's just a matter of time.

At long last, 50 Cent addresses controversies of the sports world (The Sports Hernia)

Well not smarter in the traditional sense, but in the Football sense. That's what a new survey done by EA Sports in conjunction with the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. Via Darren Rovell at CNBC....

The survey revealed that those who played "Madden" were 60 percent more knowledgeable about the game than those who just classified themselves as non-gaming fans of the league.

"This proves that our game is doing a tremendous service to the real sports," Peter Moore, president of EA Sports, told me. "Playing the game creates a better educated and more involved fan. And that means that all the people say gamers are wasting time while playing games on the couch are wrong. We've suspected it for years, but this proves that playing "Madden" helps create a deeper knowledge of the game that just watching on television."

Moore said he recently saw that first hand when he asked how his son knew how to recognize something on the football field. He told his dad that he had seen the play in "Madden."

The survey found that those who played Madden were 79 percent better in their general knowlege [sic] of the game, 54 percent better when being quizzed about game situations and 28 percent better on the rules of the game.

The game is so detailed nowadays that this isn't really a surprise. In fact, I would credit my own knowledge of the game to the game as well. Figuring out offenses is pretty simple, but everything on the defensive side of the ball I learned from Maddens 2003 to present. Now I don't know what "Madden Drinking Games" do to said knowledge, but I'm sure that they don't help. Drinking seven for a TD, and a full beer for a kickoff return, can't help.

Playing Video Games Good For You? (CNBC: Sports Biz)

(Usually) Everyday I'll throw out a photo, you provide the caption, and then hilarity ensues. I'm also adding a handful of links at the bottom of the page that you should check out each day.

Yesterday's Winners....


"Hey wait a minute! I'm a very versatile actor. I was a cop in The Longest Yard remake. In Chuck & Larry I was a cop and in The House Bunny I was a ....WTF where is my agent?"- Jeremy

"BD: 5' 9". 120.
DP: Ding!"
- Mal

"DP: "So how did you and Andy first meet?"
BD: "After his 6th consecutive 2nd round grand slam loss I asked him if he wanted to go shopping first and then have sex. He got so excited when we got to the GAP that we spent 4 hours trying everything on and forgot about the rest of the evening."
- Yanksfan12

"Hook a few electrodes up to Keith Olbermann, grab some cards with a couple of wavy lines, and you've got yourself the beginning of Ghostbusters here."- Anon

"DP: "Remember that time you were in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition?
BD: "Yes, what about it?"
DP: "Yeah....that was awesome"
- Michael

And your winner of a copy of EA's NCAA '09 is (drumroll)........

"C'mon Brooklyn, they're not even all that funny. Most of these AA caption contest winners are just recycled Saved by the Bell quotes anyway."- Lammy742

We had almost 100 entries, and almost all of them were hilarious. Lammy decided to tap into my self-deprecating side, and came out victorious. Don't fret though my commenting friends....you still have four more chances! Scroll down for shot #2!!!
_______________________________________

Okay folks it's time! We're raising the stakes, and for this week and this week only, you will be playing for a copy of EA Sports' NCAA 2009. The rules are simple....you have to submit your caption with a registered blogger profile, have an email address linked within said profile, and you have to be funnier than everyone else (sorry Anons, you won't win if you don't register). If all of the above holds true, I'll get your information, and EA will send you the game on either PS3 or XBOX in the next week or so. It's that easy!

NCAA Basketball '09 (EA Sports)

Are you funny enough to create a caption for this photo of Magic Johnson at a release for his new book "32 Ways to be a Champion in Business" at the NBA Store in New York City?

It's been a few days since a Federal Jury ordered that the NFLPA was to pay over $28 million dollars to former players for using their likeness various years on Madden's video game franchise, and the announcer has yet to make a comment regarding the suit.

The back story is simple, and if you've ever played the game you'll know exactly what the lawsuit refers to. For years the Madden games would have "All-Time" teams that used just former player's numbers and likenesses, but not their names. A group sued on their behalf and it even came out in testimony that one official even told EA to "scramble" the players names and numbers so they couldn't be paid.

Now that they've been awarded the money, some of the ex-players want to hear at least some comments from Madden himself. Via Fox Sports....

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2007 on behalf of 2,062 former NFL players, about 570 of whom were found to have appeared in various versions of "Madden" without compensation. The games include 142 vintage teams, among them the '66 Packers, the '71 Cowboys and a seemingly inordinate number of Raider teams. According to a plaintiff's exhibit, the Madden '05 Collector's Edition for PlayStation 2 includes every Raiders team from 1967-1977 except '73. Anyone who played for Oakland in those years played for Madden. In fact, the plaintiffs include any number of storied Raiders, guys like Ken Stabler, Jim Otto, Dave Casper and Ben Davidson.

"If John Madden knew that they were scrambling us, it's a disgrace," said Herb Adderley, a Hall of Fame defensive back who initiated the suit. "If he didn't know, well, no blame to him. ... But I'm sure he's seen some of these video games himself. I mean, I played against the Raiders in the Super Bowl. He can obviously see that the guy on '66 Packers and the '71 Cowboys is Herb Adderley.

"He should say something. It would really help if he would come out and say something to heal the animosity between the current and the retired players. It's been a real bad thing."

I never really thought things like this were a big deal, but if someone were to use my likeness in say a blogging video game and I didn't get anything out of it, I'd probably be a little upset too. And I'm pretty sure a Sports Blogging video game probably wouldn't approach the profits that Madden has. It'll be interesting to see if Madden discusses the issue, but if I were Herb Adderley, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Madden can be agent for change in NFL union (Fox Sports)

The good people at EA Sports decided to forward me a behind the scenes clip of how the announcers are brought into the mix. While I normally try to stay away from pimping products, EA actually directly thought of the readers and relevance of the clip before sending it along. I check it out, and it's certainly worth a look. If not for the technical aspects and voice overs, but at least for Erin Andrews. Enjoy!

Good stuff and now onto that announcement I mentioned earlier. EA has actually decided to sponsor the "Create A Caption" contest all of next week! The winner each day, as chosen by me, will receive a copy of the game which comes out next Tuesday. I will have copies on both XBOX and PS3, so hopefully you'll get the one that works for you.

I'm out for the rest of the day, but S2N will be by tomorrow for the PWCs. Have a good one, and be sure to get your funneh ready for next week!

Guitar Hero has sparked a virtual movement (no pun intended) in the video game world and in promoting their latest release, World Tour, they've turned to athletes A-Rod, Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant, for their first campaign.

Paying tribute to the famous lip- and guitar-syncing scene that appeared in the popular film “Risky Business,” each ad will highlight different celebrities jamming on instruments from Guitar Hero World Tour to the song “Old Time Rock and Roll,” performed by Bob Seger. The first commercial, which debuts today, features Kobe Bryant rocking the mic, Alex Rodriguez and Michael Phelps dancing while ripping it up on the exhilarating new guitars, and Tony Hawk sliding in on a skateboard to play the drums. The new commercials are an extension of the “Risky Business” inspired Guitar Hero ads starring American Idol season seven-winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuletta that aired during the American Idol season finale on May 21, 2008.

While it's a very good ad, I just can't stand Michael Phelps anymore. His presence almost ruins the entire thing for me. Still though, while the franchise certainly needs no help, ads like this certainly won't hurt it.

Guitar Hero World Tour Ad (Activision)