No doubt, my video game days are behind me. Long gone are the hours spent on Contra, Super Mario Bros. and Metroid. As a teen, my video game time went to Madden Football, Baseball Stars and some basketball video games(have you played Double Dribble this decade? It sucks, and we thought it was awesome), spanning over the Nintendo to the PS2. Now, however, I am old, married and a father, I simply don’t have the time to sit in front of the TV, unless it is showing Toy Story 3. In fact, I got this awesome game on my PS3 that teaches you to play songs on a real guitar. It is really bad ass, and it works. I know because I have played it a total of five hours in the six months I have had it and was able to play the riff to The Rolling Stones “Satisfaction” on my guitar with the game being off. Ah, the unproductive things I could spend hours on if I was a single man.
All that being said, I am very excited to get my hands on NCAA Football 13 here in two weeks. UTSA will be in the game, playing in the WAC, just as they actually will be this year. Not sure how the game will handle realignment or the recent playoff addition, online updates could take of the former, not sure of the latter. Gone are the days of using UTEP and pretending they are UTSA, creating a new team in your schools image or downloading someone’s creation. This is the real enchilada. Perhaps I can take a few hours of my nightly sleep to get involved in this one, think it will be worth it. I haven’t been involved with a college football game in many years. I think the last one I put serious time into had Ron Dayne as the best player, yeah that was a while back. So there is no doubt the game will have features upon features that are new to me, but I doubt they would include these, which I believe would round out the experience from all angles.
Tailgating
Experience what it’s like to plan and participate in tailgating. The week prior to the game, you gather your supplies, food and beer. You have full control of how your tailgate goes. You want a wild party, bring a few bottles of liquor. You want a party that incites fights with the opposing team’s fans, pack tequila and shot glasses. It’s all up to you. At game day you wake up, search for a spot (the earlier the better) and setup camp. Let the party begin, but don’t burn the meat, your guests may turn on you!
Drunk Dodging
If you prefer the experience of being an AD, school president or local celebrity, this may be your game. Every college football game has it’s share of drunks, and drunks get excited by seeing familiar faces. I would think that being called out from 40 feet by a drunk who then runs you down to snap a sweaty pic with you would be quite annoying. I know I would want to avoid these folks. I can’t quite prove it, but I am pretty sure the fabulous Lynn Hickey has drunk dodged me a few times. This mini game gives you missions within the stadium and you have to avoid the annoying drunk fans. For example, Mrs. Hickey needs to meet up with Red Mccombs to thank him for his latest million dollar donation. Only problem is he is sitting in a box on the opposite side of the club level, better dodge the drunks and get there before halftime is over!
Real Recruiting
Sex, payments and alcohol? Sounds like a blast. This would be an enhanced version of the video game recruiting experience. Instead of deciding which coach makes a visit, call or sends an offer, you get to pick the party theme, hookers and cash gifts at recruiting parties. So many of these stories have gone untold, create your own. Throw the best parties, get the blue chippers. Try to find me an 18 year old that picks a school’s engineering program over a stripper who can debone a chicken wing clean in one swoop. Tim Tebow? I will say this about Tebow, he may claim to be a virgin, but he attended a school that has as hot of coeds is there are out there. If that dude is really a virgin after owning that campus for years, he just may be Jesus after all.
Sandusky’s Slaughter
While almost everyone loves college football, everyone would like to get a headshot on this sicko. You choose your arena, a crowded prison, steps of the courthouse or an open field. All weapons are unlocked, and the people want justice.
Olympic Sports Roulette
For fans who also believe that other sports matter to their college. Inspired by Boise State’s screwing of their non-football sports, this game is for the gambler. Take the rewards of big time football affiliation (questionable) at the risk of all your other athletes. Spin it so that it is accepted by your alumni and school president. Be careful, though, if you end up homeless or in the WAC, you may get fired.
Find the Jaguars
Even the best gamer won't be able to win at this game. As well reported and complained about, the South Alabama Jaguars of the Sunbelt Conference will not be in this years version. Sucks for them, maybe they can pretend to be UTSA.
It will be exciting to see what this game has to offer and even more exciting to pretend to be Larry Coker. UTSA national champs within 5 years? In the fantasy world of video games, anything is possible. Now go make it happen!
Thoughts? shafer@cokerchronicles.com Twitter- @shafercc
Thoughts? shafer@cokerchronicles.com Twitter- @shafercc
