Well on Sunday the final match of the FIFA Confederations Cup was played in Johannesburg, South Africa between USA and Brazil. I was (along with most people watching the tournament) totally surprised to watch USA shut out Spain in the semifinals, 2-0 after an abysmal group stage which saw USA barely squeak into the next round after losing to Brazil and Italy 3-0 and 3-1, respectively. Going into the final, many were optimistic about a confident USA squad even if it was against the defending Confederations Cup champions. Personally I was hopeful, but not totally confident in our ability to pull off 2 huge upsets back-to-back.
As the game began, the US came out strong and limited Brazil's ability to break through our defense, and we managed to have a decent amount of time on the ball. In the 10th minute we were treated with a special moment, as Clint Dempsey put one in the back of the net to put USA up 1-0. We continued to put pressure on Brazil and limit the influence of their stars, Kaka and Robinho. Both of those factors were the reasons why we were able to compete with them actively, and how we managed to go up 2-0 at the half behind a goal by Landon Donovan. Despite my doubts, it was looking good after the first 45 minutes.
Sadly, in the second half my fears came true. We came out with much less energy and drive than the Brazilians, and they were quickly able to find their way through our defenses. Almost immediately after the whistle striker Luis Fabiano managed to beat keeper Tim Howard, changing the game quite a bit. From then on USA had a porous defense, and were not able to counterattack effectively through the midfield. We were made to pay toward the end, with a second goal by Fabiano and the go-ahead goal by captain Lucio coming in the 84th minute. At that point it was basically over, and Brazil were crowned champions.
There was a lot to be proud of, weak second half not withstanding. The USA's run from elimination to the final was admirable, and it showed what heart and ability our players can exhibit. I have only seen 1 or 2 matches in which the USA played better than their win over Spain, back in the 2002 World Cup against Portugal and Mexico. Also, Tim Howard was awarded the Top Keeper of the Tournament. Clint Dempsey also got the Bronze Ball award, given to the 3rd best overall player in the tournament. The pain on their faces was also a form of promise of the future: it shows how bad they wanted it and how they truly believed they could have won.
I'm sure some people will talk this tournament up and hype it to death, saying the USA will be a major contender for the World Cup title in a year. This is probably an overestimation, and I'd hate to see a situation like 2006 when we were so hyped up that it put immense pressure on the team and made it seem worse when we performed awfully and had an early exit. What I hope happens is that we take our performance late in the Confederations Cup as a confidence booster going into qualifying and then into World Cup 2010, but that we don't get overly excited and just play the way we know we can.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
On the future of video games?
Being a moderate video game nerd, I tuned in last week to the G4 network for live coverage of E3, the Electronics Entertainment Expo. Starting the whole event off was Microsoft's annual press conference, where various developers and department heads discussed new games and tech in production, with a lot of sneak peeks and teaser trailers as well as a few live demos. Nintendo and Sony, the other big console producers, were to have their conferences the next day. However, even after all three had their chance to capture the attention of the E3 crowd, one announcement seemed to stand above the rest. Microsoft unveiled its next big project, codenamed Natal.
For all who saw Natal in action, certainly it seemed to represent a possible future of video games across the board. It's only been a couple years since the Wii was released by Nintendo, and that appeared to be revolutionary with its new take on the video game controller. Now Microsoft has taken that idea one step further, by removing the controller element altogether. The idea is by using a small box attached to any Xbox 360 system equipped with 3D motion-sensing cameras and a microphone, players can use their bodies to manipulate game interfaces and actions entirely without any physical peripherals. This means that fighting games can become a serious work-out, and racing games will be able to be played easily and intuitively without needing to buy a costly racing wheel peripheral like the ones that currently retail for well over $100 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
The power-packed camera involved can scan objects including the user's body into games, making them appear real-time in the software. The idea being that this will bring gamers even deeper into the world of video games than ever before. An example of this was when a teenage boy scanned the underside of his skateboard into his Xbox, then used it in a a skateboarding game in which he would jump and twist his feet and torso to do tricks in-game.
Another demonstration of the Natal's capabilities came in the form of a boy named Milo. This little digital boy was able to talk to real people through the camera and mic on the Natal, with a level of realism that has never been seen before in a video game. Milo was able to remember facts about people and ask them questions about their lives, as well as give real emotional responses in his discussion with those facing the TV screen. The woman demonstrating the program asked Milo if he had done his homework, only to receive a worried and slightly embarrassed facial expression in return. The final demonstration of the powerful technology involved in Natal featured the woman drawing a picture of an orange fish, holding it up to the camera, which was followed by Milo receiving the picture and commenting on it's color and shape.
A few years ago, when the current generation of consoles came out, I noticed how amazing the graphics power has become with video games. In the past a big part of the technological innovation in the world of games has been to improve the looks of games, but I feel like there is a realism wall approaching. At a certain point the graphics will no longer be able to be improved upon, and I wondered where the technology will go from there. Ideas such as Natal may be the answer I was looking for, it certainly represents a departure from the norm of video game development. No release date has been set yet, but I would imagine Natal is expected to be out winter of 2010-2011.
For all who saw Natal in action, certainly it seemed to represent a possible future of video games across the board. It's only been a couple years since the Wii was released by Nintendo, and that appeared to be revolutionary with its new take on the video game controller. Now Microsoft has taken that idea one step further, by removing the controller element altogether. The idea is by using a small box attached to any Xbox 360 system equipped with 3D motion-sensing cameras and a microphone, players can use their bodies to manipulate game interfaces and actions entirely without any physical peripherals. This means that fighting games can become a serious work-out, and racing games will be able to be played easily and intuitively without needing to buy a costly racing wheel peripheral like the ones that currently retail for well over $100 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
The power-packed camera involved can scan objects including the user's body into games, making them appear real-time in the software. The idea being that this will bring gamers even deeper into the world of video games than ever before. An example of this was when a teenage boy scanned the underside of his skateboard into his Xbox, then used it in a a skateboarding game in which he would jump and twist his feet and torso to do tricks in-game.
Another demonstration of the Natal's capabilities came in the form of a boy named Milo. This little digital boy was able to talk to real people through the camera and mic on the Natal, with a level of realism that has never been seen before in a video game. Milo was able to remember facts about people and ask them questions about their lives, as well as give real emotional responses in his discussion with those facing the TV screen. The woman demonstrating the program asked Milo if he had done his homework, only to receive a worried and slightly embarrassed facial expression in return. The final demonstration of the powerful technology involved in Natal featured the woman drawing a picture of an orange fish, holding it up to the camera, which was followed by Milo receiving the picture and commenting on it's color and shape.
A few years ago, when the current generation of consoles came out, I noticed how amazing the graphics power has become with video games. In the past a big part of the technological innovation in the world of games has been to improve the looks of games, but I feel like there is a realism wall approaching. At a certain point the graphics will no longer be able to be improved upon, and I wondered where the technology will go from there. Ideas such as Natal may be the answer I was looking for, it certainly represents a departure from the norm of video game development. No release date has been set yet, but I would imagine Natal is expected to be out winter of 2010-2011.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
UEFA Champions League Final 2009
This year, in fact mere hours from this writing, FC Barcelona and Manchester United will face off in Rome for the European soccer crown. This match is always exciting, and this particular match-up has great promise. Despite my admitted strong dislike for Man U, they have a great chance of defending their title and making it the second straight year for winning the double of Premier League and Champions League titles. However, the Barcelona side is no slouch either, and if any team in the tournament has a chance to dismantle United, FCB is it.
Barcelona have outscored opponents 34-14 thus far in the tournament, with the Argentinian Lionel Messi currently holding the #1 spot for individual goal-scorers (8 goals). Messi is not the only major scoring threat, Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o and French captain Thierry Henry can both contribute to the attack for a squad that has dismantled several teams by scores of 4-0 and 5-0 this year. Defense could be a potential weakness for Barcelona, with stars Rafael Marquez and Carles Puyol seeming to have a bit of trouble recently. Fortunately, Victor Valdes is certainly capable of clean sheets against most any team in the world. Depth also may be a soft spot for FCB, they don't seem to have quite the same quality off the bench as United.
On the other side of the coin, Manchester United seem to be extremely hard to crack this year. One would be hard pressed to find a more solid team all around, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney leading their attack. Ronaldo came in second place for most goals scored in the Premier League this season, with 18. Not quite as many as last year, probably mostly due to his stint on the sidelines after having surgery. At the moment, however, he seems fit and ready to punish Barcelona's defenders should they slip up. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is also at peak form, and appears unafraid of the multi-pronged attack that Barcelona will bring. Ryan Giggs is a lynch pin in the Man United midfield, recently playing his 300th match for the club. If he is allowed to roam free and distribute the ball, FCB will be in serious trouble.
This match is a tough one to predict because of the sheer talent and ability of both teams, but I for one will be pulling for Barcelona to dethrone the defending champions. There will certainly be goals, I doubt very much either side will play a tight, conservative match until they are forced to. All that's left now is to wait and see how the ball rolls in Rome, and who comes out on top.
I predict a 2-1 victory for FC Barcelona, although if it goes to penalty kicks I think Man U will come out on top.
Barcelona have outscored opponents 34-14 thus far in the tournament, with the Argentinian Lionel Messi currently holding the #1 spot for individual goal-scorers (8 goals). Messi is not the only major scoring threat, Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o and French captain Thierry Henry can both contribute to the attack for a squad that has dismantled several teams by scores of 4-0 and 5-0 this year. Defense could be a potential weakness for Barcelona, with stars Rafael Marquez and Carles Puyol seeming to have a bit of trouble recently. Fortunately, Victor Valdes is certainly capable of clean sheets against most any team in the world. Depth also may be a soft spot for FCB, they don't seem to have quite the same quality off the bench as United.
On the other side of the coin, Manchester United seem to be extremely hard to crack this year. One would be hard pressed to find a more solid team all around, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney leading their attack. Ronaldo came in second place for most goals scored in the Premier League this season, with 18. Not quite as many as last year, probably mostly due to his stint on the sidelines after having surgery. At the moment, however, he seems fit and ready to punish Barcelona's defenders should they slip up. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is also at peak form, and appears unafraid of the multi-pronged attack that Barcelona will bring. Ryan Giggs is a lynch pin in the Man United midfield, recently playing his 300th match for the club. If he is allowed to roam free and distribute the ball, FCB will be in serious trouble.
This match is a tough one to predict because of the sheer talent and ability of both teams, but I for one will be pulling for Barcelona to dethrone the defending champions. There will certainly be goals, I doubt very much either side will play a tight, conservative match until they are forced to. All that's left now is to wait and see how the ball rolls in Rome, and who comes out on top.
I predict a 2-1 victory for FC Barcelona, although if it goes to penalty kicks I think Man U will come out on top.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
No Name Creek: #1
It's been a long time coming after some complications, but here's the first of (hopefully) many comic strips of mine. I couldn't post it here, but here's the link to it :)
http://no-name-creek.blogspot.com/
http://no-name-creek.blogspot.com/
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