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Jimquisition: A-LIE-ns: Colonial Marines
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It happens a lot actually, it's just that people tend not to notice unless it's a game they happen to be interested in or following. Being a big-budget FPS that had FPS junkies drooling due to the liscence attached to it and the cred Gearbox built up from "Borderlands" it's getting a lot more attention because it's comparitively mainstream.
To put things into perspective right alongside this, a company called Gazillion is in the hotseat. They are the ones making the "Marvel Heroes" MMO, which occasionally gets mentioned. They are basically running a "Marvel Ultimate Alliance" inspired MMO where you buy access to specific super heroes and run around in a top-down persistant world beating the crap out of legions of thugs. It's still under development and there have been articles and videos and stuff of it all over The Internet if you look, and it has come up here on "The Escapist".
What Gazillion did was offer people "founders deals" where if you paid to buy characters to play off of them early you'd get these super deals for early adoption. A pretty common gimmick. Well just now they decided to run a deal where they are giving away Jean Gray and Cyclops for free to anyone who buys any level of founder pack from them on Valentines day. This needless to say really slots off anyone who bought those characters specifically to see them being given away free as a promotion for a game that hasn't even come out yet. There is a bit of a storm about it on their forums, I wrote a few messages about it as well.
Then of course we had the entire "Mass Effect 3" contreversy which didn't entirely revolve around the ending just sucking, but that it sucked and was directly contridictory to promises made by the developers as the game was being created, with those promises and statements being used to promote the game. Then there was a "behind the scenes" app showing that the guys doing the game never actually intended for any of those promises to be met... and also a "you can't make crap like this up" bit explaining that the ending they decided to go with was basically coceived by like an
Then of course we had "Duke Nukem Forever" and we see how close that product turned out to the promises made and what footage of the game we actually got to see. Gearbox was ALSO responsible for that, and there are already parallels being drawn here, given the information circulated, lies, fan exploitation, pre-order gimmicks, and everything else. I think Totalbiscuit made this parallel last night in a video he did talking about why you shouldn't pre-order. It's paticularly damning when you consider that this is twice we've more or less beeen looking at the same kind of garbage from the same company.
Then of course we have "Dragon Age 2" which wound up being a mess of brawler mechanics, reused maps, and laughably enough loading screens that instructed you with basic "RPG strategy" about using fighters to block for mages and stuff, when this wasn't even possible in the game given the way enemies dropped ninja like off of rooftops, and pretty much ran right past your characters with no effort, etc... almost like the guys writing those loading screens had no idea the game they were writing it for. This isn't even getting into the entire "Hawke contreversy" where Bioware asked the fans if it was okay to remove character generation and have Hawke always be a human in exchange for voice acting, the response was pretty resoundingly negative, but Bioware said it was positive and did their thing anyway.
Then of course we had "The War Z" a game that didn't even have a fraction of the features (character skills, etc..) promised in the game's advertisement page on STEAM... to name a few things. Leading to a whole laughable series of events not too long ago where the guys running the company were trying to weakly justify why they weren't liars.
The point is not to try and start a giga-post of refighting all these tired battles in one thread, but to point out that these contreversies exist, and happen constantly. People just tend to forget about them rapidly, or just don't care unless it involves a game they happen to like or are interested in. Pretty much every one of those examples above involves a gaming company telling, or showing, people one thing, and then delivering something entirely differant, followed by a titanic shitstorm. We keep seeing it because we let these guys get away with it. It's not like Gearbox did anything here that nobody else did, they just took it to another level, which isn't surprising since the sheer audacity on display here has been climbing for a while.
At the end of the day the same thing is likely to happen here. Your going to have fanboys, like the infamous Biodrones, come out to defend their favorite devs and IPs as mindlessly as possible, filling those devs with validation and taking this as a queue that they got away with it and they still have fans. Understand this isn't a crack just on Bioware fans, The War Z even has it's defenders, and crap.. at the end of the day Colonial Marines will have it's fanatical defenders, both of the game, and Borderlands fans rallying behind Gearbox. People not interested in the game the contreversy is about will sit back and laugh about it and call everyone on both sides idiots (up until it happens to a game they are interested in), and things will die down and then another company will pull a huge lie, and the same thing will happen again. Nothing will change because we will not stop them.
Ideally it would be a case where gamers in general would all thrown down against companies like EA/Bioware, Gearbox, Hammerpoint, and whomever else and show them what level "toxic" can be taken to, not just in expressed online (and snailmail) fury, but also by refusing to buy their products, any product, until they make good for the things they have already done. A situation where fanboys defending things like "Mass Effect 3" or "Colonial Marines" would be horribly singled out and pushed out by the rest of the gaming community as leperous pariahs, as everyone, interested in the games in question or not turned on them, and with pretty much one voice we could tell the gaming industry to get it's crap together, and see lies like we've been seeing actually ruin companies as opposed to providing a five minute uproar on message boards and maybe the gaming press.
Of course it's not an ideal world, so we're not going to see that happen. We'll all get POed about "Colonial Marines", noise will be made. When "Borderlands 3" comes out Gearbox will make a fortune, few will care anymore, and those that do will be shouted down by the "I luv Borderlands, the games were good, why should I care because Colonial Marines was crappy?" crowd, missing the entire point that it's the same company, issues like this aren't about the specific product label.
Such are my thoughts.
I'm glad I dodged that bullet. Although even if I didn't, I'd demand a refund on account of false advertisement.
Well that's a shame, at least we still have Alien vs Predator 2 and the recent Alien vs Predator with their Marine campaigns as well as Aliens Infestation and the hundred other games with Xenomorphs. Either way I hope Gearbox answers to this, I don't like it when developers lie.
Have they even released a statement about how shitty the game is?
Glad I still don't regret buying AvP 2010 on Steam, I actually enjoyed that game and the multiplayer was lots of fun when it worked.
I can't see anything good come from this, Gearbox is in some deep shit and that is an understatement.
I don't know. I grew up up with Aliens and the original Alien is one of the few horror movies that actually scared me. But that was almost 3 decades ago. The AvP PC games were good, but the amount of bad far outweighs the good. For me, I think it's gotten to the point where if I see a new Alien movie or game, that I'll look forward to it with the same amount of enthusiasm as another Michael Bay Transformers Movie or another Call of Duty. Or about as much enthusiasm as banging my elbow on the edge of a table.
Which is probably exactly what happened and would explain why there's no FPP for Xenos. Why spend time adding a First Person Perspective when you can just tack controls onto existing models?
I know Jim is a solid Aliens fan, so I can see why he is upset.
I'm a passing Aliens fan, I really just love the atmosphere.. it is perfect for a game, and I was looking forward to this for at least a year. I just *love* movies like this, and I absolutely would love for games to capture the Aliens atmosphere and intensity. Thank God for Dead Space eh? At least we have something.
Sadly I paid $60 for this the day it was released, I heard it was "average"... by the time it finished downloading I visited Metacritic and.. well, my day was over. =/
AvP 2010 is actually pretty decent. Very flawed in it's design, in that it feels more like a cobbled-together "arena shooter", and not a true "experience".. if that makes sense. However, the game was very technically impressive and tense. It just gets a little stale...
Dead Space is as close we'll ever get to an "Alien" experience, and it's not a bad one to be perfectly honest.
Easily the best episode of Jimquisition I've ever seen.
On Topic:
As a gamer.
As a general consumer.
Damn son, thanks for the refresher, I hadn't thought about that. And while I might say some of those were 'didn't live up to expectations but we still enjoyable/good', it is odd that not only did A:CM fail to live up to expectations but is a BAD game in general.
It's one thing for a licensed property like this to be 'okay' or 'mediocre' but for it to be as bad as people are calling it just has me kind of shuddering.
Hopefully it will come out in the reviews that it was a crock... I really wanted to like this game, perhaps they'll patch it, but doubtful.
I would chime in on this, but I can't even play the stupid thing. The fucking ridiculously bad console port keeps insisting I have a controller plugged in and refuses to accept keyboard commands. Good thing Steam's so cool about giving refunds.
I'm probably one of very few people who think this but, I would have much preferred a good Aliens game instead of Borderlands 2. Hell, I'd take anything over another Borderlands game. In fact, if I was forced to choose between this obviously terrible game and Borderlands 2, i'd still pick ACM.
Also no pre-loading? That is just unforgivable.
While I can agree that the final product being inferior technologically is something something worth condemning.
Several games have done it before to various extents, from just altering the edges of the sequence to make it self contained, to having entire dedicated demo levels.
Yes, the final product is unquestionably shit.
No, the exact sequence of events not taking place is not something that should be complained about.
From what I've heard this game wasn't actually developed by Gearbox and that Gearbox actually outsourced the game to another studio to work on.
If that's true, then my best guess as to what happened is that Gearbox made that demo, then handed it over to whatever other studio made the game and told them "make it like that." And in the end, that studio did "make it like that" since most of the stuff in the demo is in the final game, it's just that the studio didn't "make it like that" very well, and completely missed the point of what most of the stuff in the demo was.
Again, that's just my theory on what happened but I think it's a theory that makes sense. Still, if this IS indeed what happened then Gearbox still deserves all of the blame it's getting.
I don't necessarily think that this demo should've been a Jimquisition video in its entirety, because he's missing so many other things to grip about. This game is so awfil, in not just gameplay its, but how it manipulates and fabricates the truth so much, that if gamers get pissed, really pissed, this could change the nature of pre-ordering, and quite frankly, accountability. This game is, I don't even know what to compare it to, its so bad in its many ways unrelated to gameplay. The ending isn't in the game, thats DLC. Mass Effect 3's ending way have been completely insulting shit, but it was an actual ending. Oh, and the plotholes in Aliens: Colonial Marines are as insulting to your intelligence to the plotholes in the ME3 ending, and like ME3, you're supposed to swallow them wholeheartedly. They appear to piss on one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises for a buck. The developers might just have actually lied to their publisher, and broke the terms of a contract by outsourcing to other studios, so they could expand their studio by buying the Duke Nukem IP, and then they continued to lie (if they were in the first place) by making their hit Borderlands 2. SEGA might be able to sue Gearbox pretty much out of existence if they get any evidence of these rumours. Then there was the Survivor trailer, which was a complete fabrication to make it look like, as everybody knows it, horde mode, and absolutely nobody from Gearbox or SEGA correctly that as hundreds of articles and thousands of threads online were created on forums like this one, all under the assumption that it was, and they never corrected themselves until it was leaked by a Wal-Mart slip that is given to anybody who pre-orders there, which happened less than 48 hours before its digital relase, and of course, the review embargos, which I know serve a point, but that point has been a base point for a quite frankly anti-consumer tactic.
Jim, been following you for years, and your fanship is clouting your judgment. This video should've slammed everything. There is literally a conspiracy behind the launch of the game, which is growing larger and larger. You need to not just slam SEGA and Gearbox, but take this opportunity as an example of many things wrong that are pervading the industry. And since I know he's actually reading this, its up to you, everybody else reading it. If you don't want to deal with this stuff, fine, okay, but we as consumers make part of this problem, I'd like to take this golden opportunity to fix something, if at all possible. I don't want a witch hunt, but we have to show that things like this are intolerable, and regardless of what IP it is being released, regardless of what developer, regardless of whatever is being taken out of the game to be given to people who pre-ordered at a certain outlet, that we're not going to put up with things like this.
This looks like a really bad case of unfinished feature creep, consolitus, and being rushed. Mostly consolitus.
@marsatlas, I understand that you're annoyed, join the club. I don't think flying off the handle at Jim is going to change much. Most of his recent episodes have described and derided exactly the subjects you're saying he should. As for this vid, jim doesn't normally release them on a wednesday. He didn't have to do this one. I for one am glad he took the time out to make this vid, it continues to demonstrate exactly who his videos are for. Us. The people who see and agreet that right now, too many publishers are trying to screw gamers and that too many gamers are allowing, even licensing them to do it.
This vid is spot. Frankly I think he'll prolly cover this in more depth on Monday. Jim's a gamer AND an Alien fan. I can't see this one sliding.
Jesus, now that's sad.
I actually had high hopes for A:CM. I was hoping for a TRUE Aliens experience, what with the press demo and all. But now, All of my expectations are down the crapper.
Gearbox... Where did things go wrong, man? Seriously.
Reminds me of the Iron Man trailer:
Only difference is Iron Man turned out awesome.
I've seen this before. There was once a Mass Effect 1 demo in which you could see the gameplay almost as it is in Mass Effect 2 (which had better gameplay IMO), but that never happened and ME1 ended up with mediocre gameplay, though story was awesome. This on the other hand had neither story nor gameplay and that's why it's a fail.
This is really fucked up. I hope everyone can get a refund.
Most of the demo was probably pre-scripted to get around the AI tricks, so any hope of them releasing the demo is probably null. My biggest concern is what happened to the graphics. It's not impossible to recreate that level of awesome atmosphere in actual gameplay, so I'm wondering which was outsourced or if part of the code was lost somehow.
I see where you're coming from, but it just doesn't sit right with me. The lack of detail in levels - well that's just a case of scaling a PC release to a console release isn't it (and I say that as a console owner, to forestall PC Masterace comments). Aliens not attacking smartly? Jim cites aliens not exiting and then re-entering vents to flank players as a feature that has been removed, but I saw evidence of this as early as the tutorial mission, not to mention through future levels. Aliens not getting the dramatic reveal they deserve ... fair do's, A:CM is pretty much guilty as charged on this point. At the end of the day a video game is much like a film in it's development, which is to say you'll always end up with a section on the bonus disc labelled 'deleted scenes'. I'm not saying A:CM is fault free (far from it in truth) but I am surprised by how quickly people have been to condemn a game whose only real 'crime' - and I use the term very loosely - is being average.
Anyhow I realise you weren't really wanting a back-and-forth but I felt the need to clarify my initial post. May you yourself have a good evening. *doffs cap*
Is it wrong of me to be glad this game is a disaster, in hopes that it might shake up some game publishers' obsession with that fucking movie?
I will be buying the game regardless.
Fucking hell Gearbox, if you've got the skill on hand to make a demo as exciting as that, what happened to the rest of the game? And why make a big fancy demo, and then go through it and take all the good stuff out when putting it in the game? Why would you intentionally do that? Who's idea was that? Fire them! This was all just a big nasty joke, wasn't it?
Through the years as a gamer I have grown from making pre-orders and trusting companies to do right by their customers to Not trusting anything they say prior to the final product being released.
I have made my mistakes but I can happily say that I will never pre-order a game or think twice about trailers/gameplay presentations until I can see actual footage of the final products gameplay to make the decision myself.
The only downside is companies think I have no interest in their product such as with DMC I am waiting for it to go 20 bucks or less on steam. The game got record low sales but I have been burned way too many times by Publishers/Developers to trust them with 60 bucks again.
I have the same hours in the day that you do and multiple game coverage jobs. I've been covering this shitshow extensively for Destructoid (which happens to be my day job) and took time out of that to make this video. Not that I'm saying, "Suck it up and be grateful," I'm saying this is just one part of a boatload of attention I've been giving this around the Internet. Just to prove I've not been idle this week, check these posts out:
My extensive review of Aliens: Colonial Marines.
My captured footage of CM's ridiculous glass damage pop-out:
Review round up:
Patch coverage:
SEGA's outsourcing denial:
I've done a LOT more than just bring up this sham of a demo. And as far as you talking about me addressing wrongs across the entire industry -- you said you've been following me for a while, surely you know I do that on Jimquisition almost every week!
I was not "whining" about the exact sequence of events not taking place. NONE of those events come CLOSE to taking place. The demo is a fabrication on par with Killzone 2's first ever E3 trailer -- and at least Killzone 2 came clean before release and subsequent screenshots/trailers were truthful.
The demo shown here was mined for trailer footage and screenshots for months after its appearance. I'm a massive fan of Aliens, been covering this for years, and not once was I ever led to believe the things I'd seen wouldn't be in the game. Quite the opposite. It's not just that the demo wasn't "exactly" like the game. It was a different game -- period.
To be honest, it isn't ALL Gearbox's fault. Most of the game was developed out of studio, while the demo itself was developed in-house, at least from what I have heard.
If it is 100% true, then I wish Gearbox would have kept the entire thing in-house as it might have been a good game, otherwise. We have a few Gearbox employee's on the escapist. I wish they could go into more detail about this.
Wow, the game was so bad that Jim actually did a "Special Edition" just to express his distaste for it.
I'm probably just trying to force myself, but I at least found the game moderately enjoyable. But then again, I'm a huge fan of the series. I've heard some say that's even more of a reason to feel insulted by this, but by "big fan" I simply mean I love the movies and have liked every Aliens and/or Predator game I've played, yet I'm just ignorant enough of the full scope of the lore that the "Big Canon-Destroying Twist" didn't strike me as a huge mistake.
That said, I won't deny that I'm disappointed in it for the very reason this video exists: it was nothing like what was shown to us. The AI in particular doesn't leave much to be desired, it leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. This game suffered the same fate as Duke Nukem Forever in that it spent almost the same amount of time in developement hell. It never stood a chance of living up to how awesome and amazing it was supposed to be. At least with Duke, there's the flimsy argument of "Well, it IS a Duke Nukem game, just what WERE you expecting?" But in this case, there are examples of genuinely good aliens-based games (AvP2 for the PC standing out as the gold-star example in my book).
But I preordered it which means I bought it. I've completed the campaign but haven't touched the multiplayer yet, I hear that aspect of it is actually pretty good (and the aspect that Gearbox actually worked on while Time Gate did the campaign).
Yes, but the issue is one where you have to ask who will bring the case. We've been down this path before. Take say "Mass Effect 3" for example, when you get past the details of the ending, there is a bottom line where we have tons of solid information and promises saying specifically that is not the kind of ending we'd get, combined with an App showing that behind the scenes they had no intention of keeping those promises. Love it, hate it, or feel the whole situation is overblown... the bottom line is EA/Bioware very clearly and directly lied to people, they promised things they did not deliver on, and were shown to have had no intention of delivering on. I believe there was an attempt to bring this to court, but like most things it fell apart, and I don't think it was ever heard in court, or if it was it probably wasn't represented properly.
See, a big part of the problem is that all of the big lawyers that know enough to fight entertainment companies like this, work for those companies, or at least get paid a small fee to create a "conflict of interests" and prevent them from representing another side. A common tactic for big business, you ensure none of the guys that can seriously hurt you or play the game will ever be able to. Lawyers are in business so they are typically more than happy to take the money. You run into this whenever you want to fight big businesses all the time. For example when I was screwed by my employer, it took an act of congress to even find a lawyer who COULD represent me, and thousands of dollars later he just wasn't able to practically force them to face me off of the Reservation (ie under state/federal law) where I would have won, since he just didn't have the connections and knowhow to work the process. I was badly screwed, and 100% right, but the game was basically loaded against me from the beginning.
The gaming industry also got wise to this a while back, and you might notice they have started writing things into EULAs about people using their products giving up the right to engage in class action suits and/or other coordinated legal action. Meaning you have to pay for your own lawyer and go after them as an individual, as opposed to getting say 5000 angry people together, pooling resources and then being able to potentially finannce and maintain a legal effort against a big business assuming they could find someone with the right expertise to make it possible. How this applies in the case of Gearbox I do not know, but it seems to be an issue, and I remember reading about it (even on The Escapist if I remember) when we first started seeing the trend appear.
That's the problem with big business, the safeguards that exist against them are not practical to use. They haven't done anything illegal by simply making it nearly impossible for you to pursue legal action against them.
At the end of the day any person POed about losing $50 on a video game to the point of wanting to go after a video game company, probably doesn't have any clue of how to contact an expert in the right kind of law, never mind find a lawyer who is enough of an expert to pursue a case like this the right way, from the right angles, with the right precedents to have a chance. Assuming he could find someone, how the hell does he pay that person in what is liable to be a long case? When a business has tons of money, and you operate out of pocket, a common strategy is just to engage in delaying tactics to draw things out and render you unable to sustain your own lawyer/legal team. Then of course by drawing out the process they run up their own legal bills, which in of themselves become a deterrant because then the guy gets stuck with them if they lose. At this level the guy could be gambling his entire future livelyhood on the fact that someone lied to him and cost him a personal stake of like $50.
This isn't exactly expertly written, but it's a general breakdown of why it being illegal doesn't matter. Breaking the law doesn't much matter if you can't afford justice. In theory you could convince the state to pursue it as a criminal matter, but at the end of the day the state probably isn't going to want to use it's resources over something as trivial as a video game producer, they are liable to suggest the civil court system to you anyway. The state can choose when and when not to pursue charges.... which is also incidently why so many businesses pursue govermental contacts and finance politicians. It's high corruption, but if the governor or DA owes you a favor, it doesn't much matter if your wrong or not if the state just chooses not to pursue the case and decides to never accept there being enough evidence even when there is. Sure that's high corruption, and can ruin careers, but only if you can prove that's going on and of course find someone who cares enough about corruption over a business issue to care. If it's something like a video game, the odds of some CNN reporter or whatever with the juice to pull this off deciding to champion your corruption story are slim, because at the end of the day you personally only got screwed out of $50 no matter how big the issue was overall.
I'll also say it's not just an American issue, at the end of the day pretty much every major nation's legal system is corrupt in the same basic ways. It's why the crusading lawyers and cops and such are so popular in the civilized world as fantasy characters... it's escapism from how screwed up the system really tends to be. It's nice to see a fantasy story where the evil corperations take a beating at the hands of some lawyer that (lulz) doesn't care about money, or some DA who (lulz) doesn't care about his political career. UK Crime Dramas, Japan's "Pheonix Wright" games... all kind of tap into the same frustration on some level I think.
At any rate I'm rambling the point is that while it sucks, chances are this is illegal in pretty much every civilized nation they sold it in, but at the same time it's unlikely it could ever be pursued in any of those nations in a practical sense. All of which is why I talk about the fantasy of gamers standing up to the companies by you know, costing them money, and just not buying their products, while ramping up the toxic behavior and letting no supporting voice go unopposed. That's crazy fantasy, but the sad thing is that rallying gamers (which is like herding cats) is more plausible than you know... having the problem handled legally because they did something like fraud... heck the legal system is so messed up that there are probably arguements that could be made now that despite lying and trying to pass off their game as something other than it was, it wasn't actually fraud, and that somehow it was all legitimate to screw people... because the legal system is just that far gone when it comes to this kind of thing.
Jim, why was Rebellion's AvP so... mediocre? I am only just going through it (Picked it up for $5.00) and so far it seems fun. The Marine campaign, while short so far, is actually tense and frightening. Does something happen later in the game that ruins it?
Also, I have to agree wholeheartedly with Aliens: Colonial Marines. I bought the Collector's Edition, only to return it that day after playing a friend's copy at his house. We both beat the game in under 8 hours. That shouldn't happen.
Here's my old review of AvP. I have a kind of weird fondness for it, but it had too many issues for me to simply ignore: http://www.destructoid.com/review-aliens-vs-predator-164318.phtml
Not much of an Alien fan, so I can't really say much about the quality(or lack there of) of the game(especially because I have not played the game).
I was just saying that Jim's argument was more about all the little(or big depending on how you look at it) things that were taken away from the game rather than some parts(levels I guess you could say).
As for people being mad at the game even though it's just "average"? Well, this is Aliens, and that bit of fiction has a very big/passionate fanbase. So, you could say the okay, or good enough is just not "adequate".
Also, don't be sorry about giving me a response! For someone with Grouchy in their name you have been very polite. Thank you for that, and the returned wish of a good time.
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Decoding Google's Referral String (or, how I surviVED Secure Search)Blog Post: May 22, 2013
Hey Tim,
thanks for the great Post!
It all worked fine, but I experience a variety of different referral strings. Does somebody know by chance how to interpret them?
Especially: "QqQIo" (also, but on much smaller scale:"Q-Aso")
Ideas anyone?
And also I get about 25% of the traffic without an addition to the source (just stating "google" as source). How can I interpret this data?

subset: commoncrawl


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Sean Rodriguez impresses the boss
Perhaps no player better embodies the Angels' remarkable organizational depth and versatility than Sean Rodriguez, who is emerging as their new Chone Figgins with his ability to play capably all over the field.
"From the perspective of being an everyday player, he's opened up a new dimension being able to play the outfield every day," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said on Wednesday as Rodriguez was back with Triple-A Salt Lake following two superb games in left field in Minnesota over the weekend. "He's got enough thunder in his bat to play corner outfield. He can play second base every day, shortstop, third base. He's a baseball player, a terrific athlete.
"The way he handled himself on the defensive end [at the Metrodome] is a plus. We've seen glimpses of the power he has. He's putting it together."
The Angels elected to return Rodriguez to Salt Lake and keep Reggie Willits on the 25-man roster because of Willits' ability to do multiple things late in games — pinch run, get a bunt down, hit-and-run — and his superior experience in center field, where he'll support Gary Matthews Jr. in Torii Hunter's absence.
Rodriguez, a natural center fielder who played there at G. Holmes Braddock High School in Miami, transformed himself into a quality middle infielder after signing with the Angels in 2003 as a third-round choice in the First-Year Player Draft.
Developing his infield skills while hitting with power as he climbed the organizational ladder, Rodriguez returned to the outfield, playing all three positions along with the infield, to enhance his appeal as an all-purpose talent. It helped Figgins carve out his career, and now, having settled in full-time in one role, he's one of the game's elite third basemen.
Summoned to the big club from Triple-A Salt Lake, where he's been pounding Pacific Coast League pitching all season, all Rodriguez did in two starts in Minnesota was lash a pair of singles and make two excellent defensive plays in his first start in left field, then bang a homer over the center field wall the following day.
Arriving in Chicago, Rodriguez learned that he was heading back to Salt Lake to make room for Vladimir Guerrero, coming off the disabled list after recovering from a muscle strain behind his left knee.
"It was fun while it lasted," Rodriguez said. He couldn't hide his disappointment, just as Brandon Wood and Bobby Wilson days before him.
Scioscia raved about the impression made by the 24-year-old Rodriguez last season at second base during a lengthy stretch in May with Howard Kendrick and Maicer Izturis both injured.
"This guy can play the game," Scioscia said.
Rodriguez is batting .290 at Salt Lake with 23 homers and 79 RBIs in 81 games. Wood is batting .316 in the PCL with 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 74 games, while Terry Evans checks in at .290 with 22 homers, 76 RBIs in 105 games. Rodriguez has a narrow edge over Wood in slugging, .603 to .597, with Evans at .526.
4 Comments
too bad they sent him back so quickly.. shoulda kept him around a week and sent Vlad down to get his swing back
Vlad is just killing em.
ground balls; double plays. He's just killing em.
My gawd what a terrible mistake to not send him out for a week . . . and then to bring him back hitting 7th..
There are times when Mike S's loyalty and love for players just drives me nuts. I suppose his players love him back. But this is just absurd. They have effectively stopped the most potent lineup in the league, dead in it's tracks.
Dredleelam, I couldn't agree with you more. There should have been a rehab assignment for Vlad as hitting in BP and in hitting against live pitching are two very different things. It is sad to see Vlad so broken down and even harder to watch while opposing teams are pitching around others to get to Vlad. I understand what he has meant to the team in the past, but the team needs look out for itself. There seems to be a common denominator to our sudden lack of offence in Chicago–Vlad. Hopefully Rodriguez and Wood will return to the team and be able to contribute to the pennant run. They, afterall, are going to be next in line when Kendrick finally leaves and Figgy chooses not to return (we hope not).
I believe that Vladdy would have to agree to a rehab assignment for the Angels to be able to send him to the minor leagues because of his time in the majors. Maybe Vladdy wouldn't agree to it. But at least today he hit a home-run. Hopefully he will get things going! Go Angels!
If Scosia was so impressed why does'nt he bring him up so he can help. Get rid of Quinlin and Willits to make room for him.


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Urban Decay has recently added some slammin' new lippies to their Lip Junkie lipgloss line and I was sent a couple of 'em to review. Say 'allo to Obsessed and Trashed.
This is my first time trying these Lip Junkies and I'm really just trying to figure out what took me so long to jump on the bandwagon. These are awesome!
If you're a fan of non-sticky glosses that have a ton of moisture packed in them, I think you'll like these glosses. They are fantastic for wearing over a lipstick and if you don't mind the sheerness, they are okay worn alone too. If you are looking for more pigment, you likely won't find them in any of the UD Lip Junkie lipglosses. But that's okay , UD has other products for you to haul if it's extreme lip color you're looking for.
Obsessed is a pale milky cream of a gloss. I actually really dig how it looks alone.
Trashed is a bright pink with silver shimmer and the shimmer is definitely more apparent when worn over a lipstick.
I'm kinda in love with the packaging of these lipglosses. They are a little on the large size but the top is all fancy and they still manage to fit nicely in my cosmetic bag. Application is easy although if you are a fan of more of an even coverage, your best bet is to apply this gloss with a lip brush.
I got a good 2-3 hours of wear time out of these. You'll definitely have to reapply after eating or drinking but no biggie…I do that most of the time with most lipglosses anyway.
The Beauty BasicsPrice: $19/each.
Availability: Sephora.com, Sephora stores and UrbanDecay.com.
Limited Edition?: No
Worth The Price?: They are pretty expensive for lip glosses but UD lovers won't mind the splurge if they don't mind how sheer these are.
Whatcha think, Urban Decay fans? Have you tried these lippies yet?


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Environmental commission considers lake quality standards
The commission responsible for setting Iowa's water quality standards is expected to make a decision next month on whether to set new measurable standards for the state's lakes.
The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission listened to a presentation at its Tuesday meeting in Mason City from two environmental groups that have petitioned for stricter water quality standards.
The Iowa Environmental Council and the Environmental Law and Policy Center filed a petition last month saying Iowa's plan for reducing phosphorous and nitrogen that pollute lakes doesn't meet federal standards.
The petition requires the commission to consider the proposed standards and either make new rules to carry them out or deny the petition within 60 days.
The commission next meets Oct. 14 in Windsor Heights and is expected to announce its decision.


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After five minutes of deliberation, my roommate and always eager partner in crime, Dan, and I set off for the Belgrade Lakes to hike the in the Kennebec Highlands Nature Reserve.
For an hour and a half, Dan and I trudged through the leaf covered woods listening to the crackling under our feet and the dry wind whistling through the stubborn leaves in the upper canopy.
Hiking through the Maine woods put a smile on my face.
A Walk in the Woods (Picasa).


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Shane Taylor is the type of guy who shouldn't be in jail, according those who want to revise the state's "three strikes" sentencing law.
His first two strikes were burglaries where the only thing reported stolen was a checkbook, according to court filings. One check had been forged. His third strike came nearly eight years later, when police found 0.14 grams of methamphetamine in his wallet. The judge had the discretion to sentence Taylor to a lesser stint but chose to categorize Taylor as a third-striker, which mandates a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
If Proposition 36 passes, Taylor and about 2,700 other inmates could seek resentencing, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. Additionally, most two-strike criminals would no longer face the life sentence when subsequently convicted of nonviolent, non-serious offenses like simple drug possession. Murderers, rapist, child molesters and some others with extremely serious first or second strikes would still face life sentences regardless of the nature of their third felony.
The judge who sent Taylor to prison for life – now-retired Howard Broadman – later said the sentence was too harsh and wrote to the court in support of Taylor's early release.
"I made a mistake, and I'm sorry," Broadman says in an as-yet untitled documentary by Loteria Films. "I sentenced Shane Taylor to 25-to-llfe for a nonviolent third offense. His first two offenses were not significant."
But many law enforcement officials want to keep the option to use the life sentence for nonviolent, non-serious crimes, saying that some of those cases involve career crooks who would otherwise be back on the streets committing crimes.
"I think it's working well," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said of the law. "It gives prosecutors a way to put recidivists away for a long time."
While the California District Attorneys Association opposes Prop. 36, some prominent district attorneys support the measure. Those include Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, who put a policy in place that mirrors Prop. 36's provisions when he took office in 2000. Violent crime in his county has dropped 43 percent in his first nine years in office while the statewide reduction over that period was 26 percent. (Even with the higher rate of reduction, Los Angeles County in 2009 – the most recent year comparative data is available – still averaged 536 violent crimes per 100,000, more than the state average of 453 per 100,000.)
Most other counties, including Orange, continue prosecuting some three-strikes cases that would be exempted under Prop. 36, although the rate varies from county to county depending on each district attorney's policy and inclination.
Michael Romano, an attorney who represents Taylor and who helped Cooley write Prop. 36, said the measure would provide for consistent enforcement of three strikes while upholding the core purpose of keeping hardcore criminals off the street.
"There are some prosecutors and judges who operate outside the mainstream," Romano said. "I understand that some district attorneys don't want to give up the power, but that's not the way a fair justice system works – there's uniformity. And Prop. 36 does not really change the essence of three strikes."
Fewer third strikes already
California voters overwhelmingly approved three strikes when it appeared on the 1994 ballot as Prop. 184, with 72 percent voting the proposal into law. Cases such as Taylor's have prompted several futile efforts to reform the law, including 2004's Prop. 66. That measure lost 47 percent to 53 percent.
Prop. 66 would have required the third felony to be violent or serious. Prop. 36 makes the same requirement – but differs from the earlier measure by exempting convicted murderers, rapists and child molesters, who would continue to face a possible life sentence even if the third felony is nonviolent.
Romano and Rackauckas agree that both judges and prosecutors have increasingly exercised discretion over the life of three strikes, prosecuting and convicting fewer and fewer criminals as third-strikers when the potential third strike is a nonviolent, non-serious crime. Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph D'Agostino said that while Rackauckas' office files an average of 450 three-strikes cases a year, the county since 2008 has seen just one three-strikes conviction that would have been preempted by Prop. 36.
Statewide, there are 8,800 third strikers in prison, with about 2,700 who could seek resentencing under Prop. 36. In the last three years, just 91 third strikers with a nonviolent, non-serious third strikes have been convicted, according to the California District Attorneys Association.
Nonetheless, the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office estimates the passage of Prop. 36 would save $70 million a year because of reduced inmate population and because some state parolees would instead be overseen by county probation departments. Proponents of the measure argue that expenses associated with non-serious, nonviolent third strikes should never have been incurred in the first place.
"It's not what voters intended when they approved this," Romano said.
But Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens noted that just because a third strike may be nonviolent and non-serious doesn't mean the offenders aren't engaged in violent and serious activities. Even if Prop. 36 passes, the cost to society will continue, she said.
"I remember before three strikes when I was a deputy, and these people would keep coming back again and again," Hutchens said. While the law itself may not be a deterrent to crime, keeping habitual criminals locked up is. "If they are in jail, they aren't committing crimes."
Contact the writer: 714-796-6753 or email@example.com


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Integrated control systems facilitate smart manufacturing for your industrial automation solution. Our Integrated Architecture® system enables you to deploy an industrial control system individually at a machine- or line-level to solve specific needs. It can then be scaled across multiple lines or plants to achieve enterprise-wide business objectives. We have evolved our Integrated Architecture system into a high-performance architecture. It helps converge control and information to deliver the connected enterprise with smarter technology, enhanced productivity, and a more secure environment.
When you integrate your industrial control systems into one plant-wide infrastructure, you increase efficiency and productivity across your operations. If you replace multiple, disparate control systems with one common framework, it enables efficient installation, operation, and maintenance. Our Logix control platform provides the scalability and performance to meet your needs.
Our Studio 5000 Automation Engineering & Design Environment® tool combines design and engineering applications into one framework. With the advanced workflows and library capabilities, you'll be better equipped to respond more quickly to changes in the market or your business. Increase your automation productivity, reduce your costs during the lifecycle of a project, and reduce your total cost of ownership with Studio 5000.
Use Integrated Architecture Builder (IAB) to layout and validate control systems, and generate proposals and BOMs that provide the details of your control system. The tool provides advanced selection assistance and a graphical interface for designing systems. Those systems can include products communicating over networks like Ethernet/IP and subsystems that have components sharing a common backplane like PLCs. You can add I/O, networks, drives, on-machine cabling and wiring, motion control, and other devices to your system.
Download Integrated Architecture Builder from the Product Selection Toolbox executable file or the mobile app.
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Our Integrated Architecture portfolio includes control, visualization, motion, and network families. Additionally, the Studio 5000 design environment is the core infrastructure of integrated control and information.
Improve your processes at every stage of manufacturing, from design and installation to operation and maintenance.


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Reba McEntire is a world-class entertainer and brilliant businesswoman. The "Fancy" singer has announced that she will be releasing her new album, 'Stronger Than The Truth' just days ahead of her hosting the 2019 ACM Awards in Las Vegas.
RELATED: Reba To Host 2019 ACM Awards.
In 2017, Reba released a 12-song collection called 'Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope' which earned her a Grammy. "The response to 'Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope' reinforced my love for recording songs that speak to the heart," McEntire said in a statement. "So when I started selecting songs for this album, I stuck with that same formula – go with the songs that touch my heart, and hopefully when you hear me singing it, they'll touch yours too. That honesty once again revealed itself."
Reba has shared that her 'Stronger Than The Truth' album will take her back to her country roots. Pre-order is available at REBA.com.
Reba is set to share additional details about her project via Facebook Live on Friday, February 15 at at noon CT.
'Stronger Than the Truth' Track List:
1. Swing All Night Long With You | Written by Sidney Cox, Jon Randall
2. Stronger Than The Truth | Written by Hannah Louise Blaylock, Autumn McEntire
3. Storm In A Shot Glass | Written by Mary Browder, Will Robinson, Leslie Satcher
4. Tammy Wynette Kind Of Pain | Written by Brandy Clark, Mark Narmore, Shelley Skidmore
5. Cactus In A Coffee Can | Written by Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin
6. Your Heart | Written by Kellys Collins
7. The Clown | Written by Dallas Davidson, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater
8. No U In Oklahoma | Written by Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Donna McSpadden
9. The Bar's Getting Lower | Written by Kellys Collins, Erin Enderlin, Liz Hengber, Alex Kline
10. In His Mind | Written by Reba McEntire, Liz Hengber, Tommy Lee James
11. Freedom | Written by Jay Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer, John Pierce
12. You Never Gave Up On Me | Written by Billy Aerts, Burton Collins
Photo Credit: Getty Images.


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The new Macbooks are (probably) here! The new Macbooks are (possibly) here! Apple fan site 9to5mac found some links to new laptops on Apple's own site.
Searching for "macbook pro" on Apple's site returns two results called "Macbook Pro Memory Model." Toward the bottom of the description it reads, "Ships: Coming in November."
The links are no longer active, but diligent folks at TheNextWeb posted a screen grab (shown above).
U.S. & World
The URLs might indicate the new processing speeds of the Memory Model:
It could be a glitch in the matrix, but it would appear that a refresh of the product line will include a 2.33 and 2.4 GHz processors, arriving sometime soon.


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What happens when you mix good vegan food with entertainment? We eat until we're full, laugh until we're hungry again, and enjoy until the
evening is over.
Alex & John did this funny improv routine with Succotash and audience members.
Roy playing a Native American flute.
Alex playing a recorder.


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Amazon will extended the Kindle DX's reach beyond North America later this month by selling the e-book reader to a wider global audience.
Set for global release on 19 January, it currently looks as though Blighty-based buyers will be forced to purchase the Kindle DX through Amazon's North American website where the gadget is priced at $489 (£305/€340).
The Kindle DX features a 9.7in screen able to display 16 shades of gray. The e-book reader can connect into Amazon's online Kindle Store through a 3G connection and has a 3.3GB memory.
Pre-orders for the Kindle DX can be place online now. ®


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A CORNER of London will have a distinctly Northern flavour today as a mass delegation from Cumbria heads to the heart of Government to win friends and influence MPs.
Dozens of leaders from the tourism, farming, food, drink and the nuclear sectors, are due to arrive in the House of Commons to hoist the flag for the first ever Cumbria Day.
Organised by the county's MPs, Cumbria Tourism and the Taste Cumbria team, around 80 county representatives from micro-businesses to public sector bodies, are due in London.
The aim is to encourage greater government investment and commitment to the county's thriving industries to help them and the county economy grow.
A series of networking events are being held and Cumbrian food-tasting to spread a pro-county message to key decision makers.
All of Cumbria's cross-party MPs are attending in a unique united front.
Few areas of Cumbria are not represented, with attendees heading from the Lake District to Carlisle and from West Cumbria to Appleby, and many more.
Among the South Lakeland contingent were Simon Berry, head of the English Lakes Hotels group; Maria Whitehead and Kate Nicholson, of Hawkshead Relish, Peter Hensman of the Kendal-based Lake District Estates Company, and Nigel Wilkinson, MD of Windermere Lake Cruises.
Richard Leafe, head of the Lake District National Park Authority, Jeanette Edgar representing the Lakeland Arts Trust, Staveley's award-winning MORE bakery, and highly-acclaimed Michelin star chef, Simon Rogan of L'Enclume, were among many others expected.
Also in attendance included acclaimed mountaineer and Lake District advocate Doug Scott, representing Community Action Nepal, First Milk representatives and HM Haverigg
The morning involves a welcome address from Penrith and the Border MP, Rory Stewart.
Among those goodies being served up included Cumberland sausage, Penrith Fudge; marmalade from Dalemain Marmalade Festival near Ullswater and fine ales from the Ulverston Brewing Company; Hard Knott Brewery established in Eskdale but now based in Millom, and Coniston Brewery.
Cheeses from the Lake District Cheese Company and Appleby Creamery; pies and cakes from the Broughton-in-Furness Village Bakery; Green's Bakers and Confectioners from Barrow, and Grasmere Gingerbread.
Also due to speak at the event was Sellafield deputy MD, George Beveridge, who is chairman of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, and has been winning government grants for the county by developing bids with local businesses alongside Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
James Berresford, head of tourism for VisitEngland was due to underline the importance of the Lake District to the country's tourism performance.
The event will be temporarily suspended for Prime Minister's Questions before resuming in the afternoon.
- If you're heading to the event, don't forget you can tweet us at @gazettenewsdesk with your thoughts on how it's going and we'll endeavour to RT as many as possible. Remembering the hashtag #cumbriaday


text: Preparation of Stranded RNA-seq Libraries in 1 Day. High Library Complexity and Low Duplication Rates. RNA Biotype Distribution: High Efficiency of mRNA Enrichment Protocol. Reproducible Transcript Profiles with Different RNA Input Amounts. RNA-seq Data from Highly Degraded RNA.. Stranded RNA-seq libraries can be prepared in just 4–5 h using the QIAseq Stranded Total RNA and QIAseq Stranded mRNA Select Kits, with only 3 h of hands-on time. The compressed total protocol time allows subsequent library QC steps and start of an NGS run on any Illumina NGS instrument in just one working day. QIAseq Kits and kits from Supplier N were used to generate stranded RNA-seq libraries from 100 ng, 500 ng and 1000 ng of UHRR RNA (Agilent). These libraries were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq instrument and reads were aligned to the GRCh38 human reference genome with CLC Genomics Workbench v10 with the RNA-seq plugin. PICARD tools allowed the analysis of duplication rates and estimated library yields, which are direct indicators of the library complexity. [A] Duplication rates are used to measure the proportion of duplicated reads with identical start and end sequences, which are increased in NGS libraries with low-input amounts and higher numbers of PCR cycles. Compared to libraries from Supplier N, QIAseq Stranded RNA-seq libraries show significantly lower duplication rates, which is indicative of high library complexity. The unique protocol included with the QIAseq Stranded mRNA Select Kits results in more usable gene expression data. [B] Estimated library yields are also indicators of library complexity. QIAseq Stranded RNA-seq libraries show significantly higher estimated library yields, demonstrating a more complex library and more usable NGS data in comparison to Supplier N. This suggests that deeper reads will results in more data from QIAseq Stranded RNA-seq libraries. UHRR RNA (Agilent) was used to prepare RNA-seq libraries with the QIAseq Stranded mRNA Select Kit or with a stranded RNA-seq kit from Supplier N. RNA-seq libraries were generated with 50 ng mRNA as starting material, sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq instrument and reads were aligned to the GRCh38 human reference genome. The RNA biotype distribution of uniquely aligned reads was analyzed with the HTSeq-count tool. Supplier N and the QIAseq Stranded RNA libraries show a very high fraction of reads, with more than 96% of reads mapped to protein coding regions. These results are indicative of the high efficiency and specificity of the QIAseq mRNA enrichment and library construction steps. mRNA was captured from different amounts of UHRR Reference RNA (Agilent) (100, 500, 1000 or 5000 ng) and used to generate QIAseq Stranded mRNA-seq libraries for sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq instrument. After the alignment of the RNA-seq NGS reads to the GRCh38 human reference genome using CLC Genomics Workbench, the expression values for annotated transcripts were calculated using the TPM (Transcripts Per Million) normalization method. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for technical replicates with similar or different RNA input amounts of UHRR RNA. QIAseq Stranded RNA-seq libraries show a high degree of correlation (R2 >0.99) between technical replicates, as well with different amounts of starting RNA. RNA was isolated from human non-small cell lung cancer FFPE samples using the QIAGEN RNeasy FFPE Kit. Ribosomal RNA was depleted from the isolated RNA using the Ribo-Zero Gold rRNA Removal Kit from Illumina. Depleted rRNA samples were checked for ribosomal integrity numbers (RIN) using the Agilent Bioanyalizer. To construct an RNA-seq library using the QIAseq Kit, 10 ng of rRNA depleted FFPE RNA with a RIN of 2 was used. RNA-seq libraries were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq instrument and reads were mapped to the GRCh38 human reference genome using CLC Genomics Workbench v10. [A] Even exon coverage of FFPE RNA was observed. Normalized expression data (uniquely mapped read pairs to exons) for different transcript expression levels were plotted against the exon regions (transcript size normalization). Very low bias was detected across the gene body. [B] A high proportion of protein coding RNA was mapped from FFPE samples. Highly degraded FFPE RNA samples show a high proportion of reads mapped to protein coding regions, which can be used to determine transcript expression, as well as lincRNA (long intergenic noncoding RNA).


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Package Deal Part IV
Sacramento Vintage Ford's Mail-Order F-100, Bobco Builds the Bed and Hangs the Tilt Hood.
Last month we formally introduced our plan to build the first 100-percent aftermarket truck, and explained the method to our madness. Basically, with the availability of the Bebop's cab and Walton Chassis, we added a Pro's Pick bed, Bebop's fenders and running boards, and a Fairlane hood. The next thing we knew, we had a rolling chassis. Assisting greatly in this endeavor was Sacramento Vintage Ford, who carries each and every one of these components in their catalog.
For this installment, we continue our stay out at Bobco in Lake Elsinore, CA. Bob and the crew (which today includes F-100 guru Bill Lee) are going to install the CPP hood tilt kit onto the Fairlane hood. Since the hood was made to work with stock hardware, while the tilt kit was made for use with a steel hood, some extra modification was necessary for the two to mesh properly. The same goes for the hood mating to the cowl and fenders--it was a decent fit. But even after some fine-tuning by Bobco, some glasswork will be necessary once the truck gets to the body shop. As we've said many times before, some fitment issues are to be expected when meshing aftermarket parts from several different manufacturers. But truth be told, we left Bobco in better shape (literally) than we originally planned.
Also in this installment, we bolted together our new steel bed from Pro's Pick and hung the glass fenders and running boards from Bebop's. Again, there were a few modifications necessary to make the bed mesh better with the Walton chassis, and all of the mounting holes need to be measured and drilled, but all in all, this bed kit has proven it is worth its weight in gold. You'll see what we mean during prep and paint. Follow along as we forge ahead on our mail order F-100, and contact Sacramento Vintage Ford about any of the fine products you see being installed using the information in the source box.


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Friday, July 29, 2011
ESPN And SPEED: The Unholy Alliance
With the Sprint Cup Series TV pie cut into three pieces, fans see the races on FOX and TNT until ESPN debuts at the Brickyard 400 on July 30. Along the way, TV also has to produce and cater to the hardcore fan who wants to watch coverage of the practice sessions and qualifying.
Most of that "support" coverage is on SPEED. The network, which has no Sprint Cup Series points races, acts as a TV platform for extended coverage of the series. In addition to the practice and qualifying, SPEED also provides shows like Trackside and RaceDay that bring added attention.
Along the way, TV viewers become used to seeing on-air talent move easily back and forth between SPEED, FOX and TNT. There is a big pool of announcers and reporters needed to handle all the on and off-track programming.
There is no better example of this than Lindsay Czarniak, who is pictured above. Working the summer races for TNT, she also reported for SPEED on practice and qualifying sessions. Ironically, Czarniak has now departed both of those roles and headed to ESPN to work full time as a SportsCenter anchor.
Every year since 2007, that spirit of cooperation between NASCAR TV networks ends on this weekend. When ESPN comes to the Sprint Cup Series, an unholy TV alliance begins that lasts for the remainder of the season.
The concept is pretty easy to understand. No ESPN announcer or reporter will ever work on any SPEED coverage. As you might expect, none of the SPEED talent will appear on any of the ESPN practice and qualifying sessions.
ESPN cherishes what is called exclusivity. The upside of this is that the announcers are only seen on ESPN and can easily be identified with just that brand. The downside is that often ESPN folks have plenty of time to kill when SPEED is providing most of the support programming.
By the time the ESPN Sprint Cup Series package rolls around, fans who watch the support programming are much more familiar with names like Wendy Venturini, Matt Yocum and Bob Dillner than the ESPN pit reporters. The SPEED team has been a constant companion for the first five months of the season.
Although ESPN has also been following the NASCAR trail since February, the efforts of that network have been restricted to the Nationwide Series. Despite the fact that ESPN is enamored of the Cup drivers in those Nationwide events, none of the ESPN pit reporters have worked the Sprint Cup Series trail.
It's certainly an interesting on-air dynamic that for the rest of the season there will be two completely different groups of announcers working side-by-side at the track, nose-to-tail in the TV compound and often back-to-back on the air on the exact same NASCAR series.
There is little doubt that this disjointed effort where practice, qualifying and support shows are concerned will be addressed in the upcoming NASCAR TV contract negotiations. It's been suggested that SPEED handle all these telecasts for the sake of continuity.
In the meantime, get used to channel-hopping between ESPN and SPEED as it's that time of the year again. This weekend SPEED focuses on Friday, ESPN on Saturday and both networks are working hard on Sunday. It's going to be another interesting run down the stretch.
We invite your comments on this topic. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
6 comments:
- Sophia said...
I had no idea SPEED was going to be on TV Friday with racing from Indy with Practice & such. Will be great to see these guys & we won't see much of the race on Sunday (as far as camera work & racing shots as is the rule of races anymore except for TNT (minus that one race they screwed up w enhanced audio cam, but I digress) Will see better shots during SPEED's practice, I'll bet.
Going to be VERY HOT & Muggy in this area this weekend. I worry about the drivers,crews, fans & tv people in this stuff..and remember, when dew points are in the 70s, rain/thunderstorms can pop up in w no warning. Heat indexes been over 100 again.
It's going to be too hot to venture out the house Friday so I shall enjoy the SPEED guys on the tv.
Wish they could cover quals but will take what I can get!
Stay cool everybody, hydrate, hydrate & hydrate some more.
Even JPM was tweeting how HOT Indy was today.
- July 29, 2011 at 12:21 AM
- w17scott said...
That's why there's a 'previous' or 'back' button on the remote control ...at least with SPEED, there is a consistency factor to tell the story of the race/pre-race ...unfortunately ESPN seeks only to tell its 'scripted' story ...will be interesting to see how NASCAR addresses this issue in upcoming negotiations
- July 29, 2011 at 6:53 AM
- terri said...
I have no illusions as to what the rest of the season will be like with dSPN - crap.
- July 29, 2011 at 8:13 AM
- Buschseries61 said...
I've never understood ESPN's unwillingness to work with anybody - including SPEED. Nascar Nation is a smart group, we know ESPN is not the only network at the track.
The cooperation of FOX/NBC/SPEED in the previous contract period brought the sport to its highest levels. Practice & qualifying were no longer tape delayed or stuck on unheard of channels. Anyone else remember when qualifying was stuck on a second rate CNN channel that ten people in America had?
- July 29, 2011 at 1:58 PM
- GinaV24 said...
unholy mess is what it will really be with the practice and qualifying pre-empted half the time or "tape delayed".
I like Allen and Lindsay, that's about the only reason I'm even going to give ESPN a chance again this season.
- July 29, 2011 at 2:55 PM
- Andy D said...
The quality of coverage between network and cable is not appreciably different. They both have commercials. So I won't pay for an equal product that once was free and won't be tuning in to Speed.
This Sunday, as in most, I'll be stealing the cable signal and watching ESPN. I can get most of my baseball and football for free, how can NASCAR compete when I have to pay for their 4 hour long advertising-fests?
- July 29, 2011 at 3:41 PM