Compelling Soccer

One of my favorite things to do in any sports game is to play the role of GM. As a typical know it all, I like to think I hold the blueprint from which the worst team in sports could find it's way to prominence. Plus, it combines one of my other favorite video game genres, RPGs, into sports. Nothing is more satisfying than finding a diamond in the rough and turning him into the player you always believed he can be. And without the problems of having actual personality and the media to deal with, the fictional sports world can be your oyster.

The FIFA manager modes have always interested me because the soccer landscape is so different from the american sports. Every player is available provided you have the right funds, but there is always a way to handicap yourself readily available. Plus you can have fun with promotion, league cups (little League One side against those Premiership giants) and of course European cup action.

I mean it. I turned on my console and then the next thing I knew it was 7:30 PM, Sunday night.

The patch which makes Manager Mode slightly less glitchy was released for the Xbox360 on Friday so it was time for me to dive into the mode fit for obsessive compulsive weirdos. (Hey, the first step to recovery is admission) I had places to be Friday night, so a lost night was impossible until Saturday. Then there were delays Saturday morning. But around noon on Saturday the TV was mine and I didn't relinquish it. I ended up playing almost half a season and could have played more. The hours flew by on Saturday and Sunday with only Liverpool v. Man U keeping me from turning it into an all day affair. But we'll get to that later. First, the nitty gritty, how the in game action feels.

Kicking off through the haze of early mornings, failing laptops and hockey. Decipher from that what you will.

-Well anytime you start an injured player you gamble. Rafa rolled and got snake eyes with Steven Gerrard Tuesday, as he had to come out before the 30 minute mark. For the record Fabio Aureilo didn't do a bad job. You just can't replicate what a healthy Gerrard will give you, much like the Reds were reminded yesterday with the absence of Fernando Torres. I also find it hard to chastise Benitez for his decision to take the chance.

It's Friday and I didn't feel like my rant on Marathon's inability to comprehend competent play warranted enough in the weekend lead up. So, here's what's kicking around on my brain today.