Andrew Hansen

@Jonah:

The comments in the article are taken out of context. Brinkman was brought in this year to essentially build the game up from scratch. The reason is that 2k5 wasn't great, 2k6 wasn't any better, and MLB (and presumably, MLBPA) were not happy about the quality of product. Supposedly, if 2K doesn't get it done right this time, they are in danger of losing the Exclusivity License.

So, what Brinkman (who previously did EA's MVP series) is saying is that 2k7 will be about getting the core baseball playing experience right. 2k8 will add features and focus on an improved Franchise mode. 2k9 will be the culmination of everything with even more added features.

As for Jeter being on the cover, there is no surprise. He signed a multiple-year contract with 2K a couple years ago, I think. Again, this is not a big surprise seeing as how this is the ONLY third-party MLB game available and MLB is convinced that Jeter is the "face of baseball".

Can we get an option on the front page to disable posts by Vlad?

That's a shame.

This isn't another Gensesis/SNES battle.

First of all, both Nintendo and SEGA were going after the same market and had similar, if not identical, games.

The PSP and DS may have the same-named game on their systems, but they will look and play nothing like one another.

The DS was designed to be a game system. The PSP was designed to be featured in a Sharper Image catalogue.

The DS has more great games available for it than the PSP has games, period.

The PSP *needs* the extra functionality of a browser, cell-phone, video player, etc. because they just don't have any compelling gameplay content coming down the pike.

I own a DS. I used to own a PSP. I no longer own a PSP because, while sexy, it wasn't functional for the reasons others have listed, and because I couldn't stand the idea of being locked into Sony's proprietary (re: EXPENSIVE) storage "solultion".

When it comes to portability, I have my DS for games and my 5G iPod for music & video, and that suits me just fine.

#14 - Yeah, they're still athletes. Even Barry Bonds is still an athlete. Taking steroids and sitting on one's @ss won't help that person hit a home run. Like it or not, it *does* take training and skill. Steroids just make the ball travel a helluva lot further when it's hit.

A few other comments I'd like to make:

Did Giambi Admit to steroid use? Yeah. According to leaked Grand Jury testimony, he did. Unfortunately, those are sealed documents and we aren't allowed to see what exactly he said.

No, he didn't specify "I took steroids" when he apologized to fans and to media and to the Yankees organization. But the entire world knew what he was apologizing for. This isn't a case of him not truly being sorry (who knows? he may not be), it's a matter of the law. Giambi would have been in breach of his contract with the Yankees had he said "I took steroids".

I personally think the MLB should use Giambi as a textbook example of how the sport went wrong, how the league fails it's own players, and exactly what happens to a person's body when they take steroids. Witness: Giambi's mysterious "tumor" from a couple of seasons ago.

But all of this aside; Giambi may have denied, in the past, taking steroids. But when he was called out and forced to answer under oath, he admitted it.

Bonds? Nope. Has always danced around the issue.

Palmero? Nope. He is probably the most tragic figure in the steroids issue. He was garanteed HOF material. He was at the end of his career. And he still sits in denial and maintains it was all a mistake -- that he didn't know he was taking steroids or anything that *could* be considered steroids.

I, for one, hate the idea that players are doping. However, let's not say they are ruining the sport. Baseball has *always* been a sports for cheats. It's *always* been about getting an unfair advantage over your opponent. In that way, steroids is no different than "excessive" pinetar, spit, or cutting a baseball.

While I'm excited about the game, I have to point out the obvious -- these are probably pics from the PC version. I say that because the format of the pics is 4:3, not 16x9.

That's not hard proof that they aren't 360 pics, but I'm just saying that they may be images from the PC. I also find it curious that there is't (that I saw) any 360-specific control shown. There's a cursor, but no A,B,X,Y,LT,RT,LB,RB shown anywhere. Again, that's not hard evidence. I just find it curious.

Even if the pics are from the PC, the 360 version will look outstanding. I just wanted to point out that maybe we should temper our excitement just a little.

I pre-ordered mine from EB back in August. Thanks to this site, I knew to check out Best Buy this morning. Our store opened at 8:00, I was there at 7:45. I ended up being first in line and got one of about thirty that they had in stock. About twenty minutes ago, EB called me to tell me that they had received a system for me.

I'm starting to wonder if it is indeed a manufactured shortage. My 360 has a manufacture date of October 22. I can't imagine where the console has sat for the past two months. Just interesting, I think.

A few things I noticed: QUARANTINE: Is labled on the *inside* of the hatch, indicating that it is the *ISLAND* that is "infected," not the resident(s) of the hatch. RUTHERFORD: The name of the dude Jack passed up to save Sarah. (I was surprised by the lack of drama in this choice -- maybe it's because the guy was older [57] or didn't appear to have the same extent of injuries that Sarah did? Is it perhaps ER policy to work on those with more "trauma" first?) THE NUMBERS: Were indeed in the painting. I'm not sure what was viewable in SD 4x3 image, but in HD 16x9, I could see a 4, 8 and a 23. There was also a big 108 in the middle (4+8+15+16+23+42). DESMOND: Is either able to leave the Hatch (fresh fruit; decor in the 70's meets jack in the 90's), or is not the original person put there. HATCH: The "Control Room" that Jack goes into to avoid the light is very reminiscent of a similar room in THE FORBIDDEN PLANET. WALT: Does indeed say "Push the buttons. No buttons are bad." http://www.foxmod.com/lost/lost.html WALT (PART 2): What was Walt wet? He didn't get in the water (that we saw). I think perhaps he was projecting himself for Shannon to see, and wanted to show her that something happened to the raft. A HUMOROUS ASIDE: When Boone died, and Locke was all pounding on the Hatch lid and crying. We now know that the light that came out was just Desmond hearing the pounding and basically coming out, all "Damn kids get off my lawn!" INANE PREDICTION: Ethan was at one point in the hatch with Desmond, but escaped or was kicked out. The steriods/protein shakes gave him his incredible strength. I totally dug the episode. It was great to see a younger Jack that was already burned out and see that his father was once not a complete *sshole. Totally dig this show, can't wait 'till next week.