Want the scoop on a game?

Board Game Geek just celebrated their 11th anniversary. And just added the 50,000 entry to their data base. Check them out here!

Block Long-O is No More

With the announcement yesterday that red-shirt freshman offensive lineman Sam Longo asked for, and was granted, his release from The Ohio State University football program. The ginormous tackle (6'6" 285 lb)is currently looking for another program to transfer to.

We will miss his continued evolution from the rarely seen true freshman year and Rose Bowl trip to the maturation of a red-shirt freshman who was constantly around Pryor on the sidelines guaranteeing prime time photo ops. Where ever he ends up will be getting a potential stud. Remember he is still only 19! Look for him to make a huge impact where ever he goes. Good luck and God speed Sammy!

The Guys from F.E.A.T.

MLK Day

Enjoy the day! Do something good for others today!

New Game

The latest from Mayfair Games was released today. London deals with rebuilding the city after the great fire of 1666. Read the release from Mayfair Games here. I think this is one I most definitely will demo at Origins or GenCon this year!

The Fighter

We went and saw The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, today. Both men give good performances of real life brothers Micky Ward and Dicky Ecklund. The movie follows the career of Micky (Wahlberg) who became a World Champion fighter and his contender, crack addicted, brother (Bale). This is an excellent sports movie but also an excellent movie about real life. Bale gives probably his best performance ever and should win several awards for it. Go see it! I give it 3 and 1/2 Floyds.

Almost GenCon tickets and rooms on sale soon!

Here is some info from the GenCon site:

Happy New Year! 2011 is going to be an awesome year and we want to make sure you are prepared for all things Gen Con!

* Badge Pre-Reg Opens – January 23rd
* Pre-Reg Badge Prices – make sure to get your badge early
* Attendee Housing – measures of improvement
* Event Submission – opening day information
* JW Marriott – new and exciting addition to Gen Con
* Press Coverage –now available on our website



Badge Pre-Reg Opens January 23rd

Now that the holidays are all wrapped up, it’s almost time to purchase your badge for Gen Con Indy 2011! Here’s what you need to know to prepare for Badge Registration:

* Make sure your RUBI account is up-to-date. Go to our Gen Con Indy Home Page and under the “Attend” tab, click “Login” and enter your account information. Once there, click “My Account” to check and edit your contact information.
* If you haven’t already created an account, be sure to do so right away!
* Buy a badge at the discounted price when Badge Pre-Registration opens at Noon (Eastern) on Sunday, January 23rd.
* Be sure to choose the shipping option you want before completing your purchase.
* Book your hotel room through the Housing Bureau’s Passkey portal starting at Noon (Eastern) on Tuesday, January 25th (be sure to use the housing code you receive when you purchase your badge).
* Make sure your friends and family members purchase their badges or buy one for them!

Pre-Registration is only available online through RUBI, the Gen Con registration system. Registration information can be found on our website at our Gen Con Indy Home Page under the “Attend” tab. Remember, when Pre-Registration closes on June 18th, ship-to-me options will end and badge prices increase, so make sure you get your badge early!

More Info here.

really?

This is from nationalchamps.net Hard to believe they have a Top 25 list alreay but here it is.

It seems a little early to me but what the heck it is something to talk about. Bucks are dropped way down due to the pending suspensions. I still think that even if the 5 games hold the Bucks will lose no more than 2 games next season. Road games at Miami and Nebraska could be tougher than usual with out the Tattoo Five in place. My guess is that the NCAA will reduce the suspensions if no one jumps early to the NFL. If any declare, and they have until January 15th to declare, look for the entire 5 games suspension to be served. And don't look for a ruling from the NCAA before the Spring Game.

How accurate is the Early Bird Preview?

2011 College Football
Top 25 Preview


1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Louisiana State
4. Oregon
5. Auburn
6. Arkansas
7. Missouri
8. Stanford
9. Texas A&M
10. Oklahoma State
11. Michigan State
12. Wisconsin
13. Boise State
14. Nebraska
15. Virginia Tech
16. TCU
17. Florida State
18. South Carolina
19. Ohio State
20. Notre Dame
21. Georgia
22. Connecticut
23. Mississippi State
24. Michigan
25. Tulsa

The Cape

Ok, I watched the premier of The Cape on NBC. And after two hours I can't decide if it is good, bad, funny or sucks. At times it was all of the above. I think I will have to see a few more episodes to be sure of what it actually is. Villains with names like Chess and the Chef and a crime syndicate called the Carnival of Crime bring back Campy memories of the old Batman TV show. So at this point I have to rate it at 1 Floyd and a bit, for now. Check back in a few weeks for an update.

Free RPG Day!!

Mark your calendars for June 18, 2011. Free RPG Day is Back!!

GenCon Info

Here is a list of Important dates from the GenCon Indy Site.

Key Dates

* January, 2011 – Badge Pre-Registration begins
* January, 2011 – Housing opens
* April, 2011 – Event Pre-Registration begins
* June, 2011 – Badge and Event Pre-Registration close ("Ship To Me" options end) - all shipping method changes must be requested by this time
* June, 2011 – Extended Registration opens for Will Call only orders at full onsite price
* July, 2011 – Housing cut-off date, the last day to make new hotel reservations
* July, 2011 – Final Passkey shut-off date
* August 3, 2011 – Onsite Registration begins
* August 4-7, 2011 – Gen Con Indy show dates

Pre-Registration and Extended Registration will be available online through RUBI (our registration system). We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express for payment. Checks and Money Orders are not accepted at any time. The Marion County admissions tax will be charged for all badge purchases, in compliance with Marion County laws.

Has the Vest been stained?

Has the Vest been stained after the decision to allow the kids to play in the Sugar Bowl? I really don't think so. I mean who are we kidding? These kids are professional football players. Everything is done now by the schools, the NCAA (We will get to them in a moment), the families and the players themselves for the almighty dollar.

Did the kids break a rule? Yes. But is it fair? Does it prevent the richer schools from getting the better players? No. And what about all of the kids who are give math scholarships to OSU, or other schools, that are given gifts? If they sell the awards are we even having a discussion? NO. This situation coupled with the Cam Newton debacle, and the USC fiasco should be enough to rewrite the rules.

The NCAA is to blame here. They need to be taken apart board by board and then rebuilt. Rebuilt to today's world. Rebuilt to recognize the billions of dollars that surround College Football and the student athlete role in it.

Tressel has lost a little bit of his lofty status to some. To me he still is the same guy. A guy who does the right things in life and does the best he can in the unmanageable world of NCAA football.

Should a Christian Play Dungeons & Dragons?

We have all been a part of this discussion. I read this article by William Schnoebelen with an open mind and would encourage all of you to do so as well.

Believe it or not, it has been nearly 12 years since I wrote the original Straight Talk on Dungeons and Dragons. In that time, I have received hundreds of letters and at least a thousand emails about it. This subject is surprisingly controversial, even among Christians. This astonishes me!

The posting of my article on the web and the arrival of email as a means of mass communication have facilitated the process wherein I can engage in dialog with those who defend D&D and Fantasy Role Playing Games (FRPG) in general. In this context, I am amazed at how many so-proclaimed Christians who defend the game, do so with foul and abusive language. This, I think, speaks volumes about the spiritual impact of the game.

Just a quick survey shows the cultural impact of D&D and its offspring. Just recently, a spectacular movie called Dungeons and Dragons was released. Additionally, the pop culture is virtually drowning in sorcery and occult related topics.

Today shelves in major bookstores literally groan under the weight of various of books on Wicca, for example. Some of these books, like TEEN WITCH, are written for young readers. There is even a DUMMIES GUIDE TO WICCA AND WITCHCRAFT!! When D&D started, you could perhaps find four or five books on Wicca in print.

Now, obviously not all of this can be laid at the door of D&D. But in the 1970's, it was one of the major cultural phenomena that planted the seeds that have sprouted into Harry Potter and all the occult books and movies.

Read the rest here.

SECond best no more

Well Jim that 300 lb monkey is finally off of your back. Thank you Solomon Thomas. Thank you Cam Heyward and Terelle Pryor. Thank you Sammy Longo!! Ohio State dominates the first half 28-10 and hangs on to win 31-26. Pryor is named the games outstanding player after rushing for 115 yards and throwing for 221 yards and two TDs.

A scary second half (give credit to Arkansas here) and an unbelievable last two minutes give OSU one of their best bowl wins ever. This game, in my mind, is right there with the 02 Championship game, the 97 Rose Bowl and the 69 Rose Bowl.

Go Bucks!!

Game Day or did you eat Pork for dinner?

Well here we go Ohio State vs anyone from the SEC in a bowl game. We all know how that has worked out in the past. Ohio State is currently 0-9 versus the SEC. Here are the results of those games:


1978 Sugar Bowl - Alabama 35, Buckeyes 6
1990 Hall of Fame Bowl - Auburn 31, Buckeyes 14
1993 Citrus Bowl - Georgia 21, Buckeyes 14
1995 Citrus Bowl - Alabama 24, Buckeyes 17
1996 Citrus Bowl - Tennessee 20, Buckeyes 14
2001 Outback Bowl - South Carolina 24, Buckeyes 7
2002 Outback Bowl - South Carolina 31, Buckeyes 28
2007 BCS Championship - Florida 41, Buckeyes 14
2008 BCS Championship - LSU 38, Buckeyes 24

So how do they beat Arkansas?

1. Pressure, pressure, pressure. They can not allow Ryan Mallett to sit in the pocket and pick them apart.

2. Pryor being Pryor. He must create on offense. He must take the game over like he did in the Rose Bowl win over Oregon.

3. "O" Line. They must win the battle up front. Mike Adams can not be his usual sluggish self out there.

4. Special Teams. No mistakes. Kick coverage must be better than it has all year.

Predictions

Mallett throws for over 300 yards and three TD's.
Pryor throws for 225 and rushes for over 100
Defense comes up with 4 turn overs
Bucks finally beat a SEC team 38 - 21

Go Bucks!!

Super Hero Movies

Here is a partial list of Super Hero / Comic Book movies coming out in 2011 and their release dates. Looks like the advantage has swung back to Marvel.

* Jan 14 - The Green Hornet
* Mar 4 - Priest
* May 6 - Thor
* Jun 3 - X-Men: First Class
* Jun 17 - Green Lantern
* Jul 22 - Captain America: The First Avenger
* Jul 29 - Cowboys & Aliens
* Aug 19 - Conan

Thor is coming

Here is a link to the new Thor movie due out later this year. See the first trailer here, and the official site here.

Fill your hand, you Son of a Bitch!

I went and saw the remake of the classic western True Grit. It stars Jeff Bridges as Rooster Gogburn, Matt Damon as Ranger LeBouef, Barry Pepper as Ned Pepper and Hallee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross.

I was worried about the Coen Brothers, who make great movies, making too many changes and spoiling the simplistic slendor that was the original True Grit. I was wrong. And I was prepared to walk out if they messed with my favorite scene of any movie ever the incomparable Fill Your Hand showdown scene. They didn't. They left the dialogue alone and it was awesome. My eyes welled up and a tear was in my eye as Rooster charged the Lucky Ned Pepper gang. My biggest problem was the male leads all talked the same way. But Overall I enjoyed it.

Well Done Coen's! Go see it and I'll give it 3 Floyds!!

Origins Pre Reg

This is from the Origins site:

Origins 2011 Online Registration Live!

Online registration for the 2011 Origins Game Fair is now live! Join us in Columbus, Ohio June 22-26.

Early-bird registration has been extended to January 15th.

From now until January 15th, you can register for the Origins Game Fair at the early bird registration rate of $55. After that, you can pre-register for the show at $65.

The Origins Game Fair is one of the biggest hobby game conventions in the country. Last year, we welcomed over 10,000 attendees. Origins is located in the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Everyone is welcome at Origins. Come shop, eat, and play games at the 36th annual Origins Game Fair.

To register for Origins, visit http://www.originsgamefair.com and click on the ‘Registration’ link on the left side of the page. See you at Origins! Where Gaming Begins!

Happy New Year