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Cubs fan uses jukebox app to troll St Louis fans
In the hours ahead of the decisive game four for the NLDS, a Cubs fan who goes by Clue Heywood on Twitter, and lives in Arizona, pranked Cardinals fans. Hoowee, he pranked them hard. Using a jukebox app, the kind that let you pick a song from the bar's Whurlitzer, he plunked down $50 worth of "Go Cubs Go" by Steve Goodman at various bars throughout the St. Louis area.
Track college football playoffs with ESPN Championship Drive
Major college football entered a new era this fall with the end of the BCS and the launching of an actual playoff to determine college football's real champion. Now ESPN has launched an app that provides users with just about all the information they need to follow the long road to the championship game in early January. ESPN Championship Drive is a free universal app that require iOS 7.0 Users need to have an ESPN account, which is free, or you can sign up using your Facebook login. Once you sign in you can choose your favorite college team or teams. ESPN Championship Drive then compiles news, video, scores and other information about your favorites. The app offers information on more than 100 college teams including all the teams in the major conferences. Users can select the team page for their favorites and see news updates, video, scores, and the future schedule for their team. Users are also able to select news, video, and scores on a national basis so you can track what is taking place with teams in other conferences or other parts of the country. I think the app offers a wide perspective of the college football landscape. You will also find lots of videos that provide access to some of ESPN's regular contributors, such as Kirk Herbstreit, or discussions pulled from ESPN programming. Most of the videos are preceded by a short commercial announcement but not all. I looked at more than a dozen that did come with a commercial and they all ran the same one so that can get old in a hurry. ESPN Championship Drive allows users to set up alerts for their favorite teams or for general college football news. The list of alerts for your favorite school includes team news, the start of the game, score alerts at the end of each quarter and the game, for each scoring play, if the game is close, and a separate alert for just the final score. These are controlled through your device's notifications setting and can be especially helpful if you are stuck somewhere with your significant other on a Saturday and can't watch the big game but must know what is happening. Other apps are available that perform the same functions at ESPN Championship Drive but most mix college football information in with other major sports like the NFL, major league baseball, etc. By using this app, college football fans have a single place to go for all their updates and game information.
Dota 2 International playoffs are live today
The International Dota 2 championship kicks off today with phase one of the playoffs – matches are best of three, with the losing team eliminated. The International finals kick off in full July 18 - 21 at the Seattle Key Arena, but matches are also streamed online. This year's International has a prize pool of more than $10 million, with $4.8 million reserved for the winning team. Twitch has all of the live streams, or you can watch via the Dota 2 website. For uninitiated Dota 2 fans, there's a Newcomer's Broadcast that provides commentary aimed at helping new players and viewers understand what's going on. [Image: Valve]
League of Legends playoffs postponed due to 'frequent disconnects'
Riot Games announced a delay in the League of Legends season 2 playoffs in a news update yesterday. The delay comes after a "series of connectivity issues" at the event's LA venue."We'll be completing the last game of the CLG EU and Team WE quarterfinal match and finishing out the Semifinal Matches in the near future from a new location with a secure Internet connection," the announcement reads. The schedule for the remaining matches will be determined later this week and will still be streamed live, according to the League of Legends eSports Twitter account.
MLB 12 The Show gets price cut, predicts playoffs
With the tail end of baseball season in full swing, Sony dropped the price on MLB 12: The Show to $29.99 for PS3 and $19.99 for Vita. Baseball fans that aren't ready to call it quits can take advantage of the game's cross-platform features at a combined $50, less than the PS3 version launched at in March.Sony's San Diego studio also teamed up with ESPN to simulate this year's MLB playoffs in MLB 12: The Show, and has the Washington Nationals facing the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. The Orioles haven't been in the world championship since 1983, and the Nationals haven't appeared in the World Series at all. Those hoping for an interesting end to the MLB playoffs should keep their fingers crossed for Sony's simulation to come true.
ESPN 3D adds the NBA Finals to its broadcast schedule
Take that Mark Cuban. Everyone's favorite HD network owning billionaire called 3D sports DOA after deciding there weren't many people asking about a 3D Super Bowl, but now ESPN's 3D network has queued up its second championship of the year, adding the NBA Finals to its previously scheduled slate of regular season and playoff broadcasts. ESPN 3D has been broadcasting around the clock for a few days now (unless you're watching DirecTV) but while repeats make for easy demo material, if 3D is going to go from an interesting sideshow to an in-demand feature it will take more high profile events like these. If the Mavericks manage to slide past the Lakers or Spurs for a deep playoff run, we'll check back with our friend Mark to see how he'd watch the game if he didn't already have a few seats permanently staked out in the arena.
The Daily Grind: Where are all the sports MMOs?
With the advent of the college football bowl season and NFL playoffs, it's likely that you know someone caught up in the hysteria that surrounds a favored sports team in the thick of a championship chase. You may even be a sports fan yourself, and you also may have wondered -- as we did -- about the discernible lack of sports-based games across the MMO landscape. MMOs and sports would seem to be a match made in heaven. After all, fantasy football is a huge pastime for millions of people, and a box-score-reading sports geek is one of the few folks on earth who could give a stat-parsing MMO min-maxer a run for his number-crunching money. Aside from the occasional F2P game or a beta that few are aware of, MMO sports titles are rarer than a mythical national championship. Today's Daily Grind asks: Where are all the sports MMOs? Would you play one? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
EA predicts Bruins as NHL playoffs champs
The match-ups are set for this year's NHL playoffs, and once again Electronic Arts has peered into its EA Sports-brand crystal ball to predict the outcome of this latest run at the Stanley Cup. EA workaholics played through the playoff race in NHL 09, eventually naming the Boston Bruins as league champs following a six game battle with original six rival Chicago Blackhawks. Not to say the Bruins aren't due following a 37-year drought, but EA also predicted that the San Jose Sharks would come out on top in 2008 (fun fact: they didn't). Clearly reality does not always favor the screen, and it remains to be seen if Boston or one of the other 15 playoff hopefuls will be the team to actually hoist Lord Stanley above their heads.
HDTV to blame for possible NFL playoff blackouts?
The NFL may need to rethink blackout rules in the face of swank HDTV setups and tanking economy. Word is Arizona and Minnesota are both under the gun for possible local TV blackouts of playoff games if enough tickets aren't sold this afternoon. Breaking a string of sellouts for the 0-16 Lions is one thing, being 8,000 tickets short as the Vikings were or 3,700 out for the Cardinals at last count yesterday could leave flat screens dark in the Twin Cities and Tempe this weekend. C'mon folks, someone is going to have to actually go to the game, should we start drawing straws?Read - Arizona gets another blackout deadline extensionRead - Vikings face possible blackout; thousands of playoff tickets still up for grabs
Comcast adds TBS HD in West Lafayette, IN
We can only hope that this has happened in more locales than one, but at least in West Lafayette, Indiana, Comcast has flipped on TBS HD just in time for the MLB playoffs to get going. For those of you there in Purdue-land, it's on slot 926. For everyone else, be sure and let us know if your carrier has also green lit the station in time for baseball's most riveting month.[Thanks, Jason]
Charter trying to nab TBS HD prior to MLB playoffs
While Verizon already secured TBS HD for its FiOS TV customers prior to the start of the MLB playoffs, Charter Communications subscribers may or may not be so fortunate. Particularly for Brewers fans in Wisconsin, the desire need to land this station in short order is crucial to their well being, and according to corporate spokeswoman Anita Lamont, the carrier is working hard to make it happen. Currently, the station isn't slated to go live until October 14th, but that's obviously far beyond the date baseball fans are hoping for. In somewhat related news, Charter Wisconsin is also scheduled to launch Animal Planet HD, Movie Channel HD and Smithsonian HD in mid-October, so even if the whole TBS thing doesn't happen on time, not all joy is lost.[Image courtesy of DiamondHoggers]
Canadians to have no issues watching MLB playoffs this year
Apparently Canucks had some serious issues catching 100% of the MLB playoffs last year, but that shouldn't be an issue this go 'round. A new report from The Globe and Mail asserts that there is only a sliver of a chance that MLB playoff games will conflict with hockey tilts on Rogers Sportsnet. For any potential clashes in time slots, it seems the baseball game in question will be available on FOX. Granted, we have all ideas that most Canadians would actually prefer to catch the on-ice action versus America's pastime, but for those who disagree, this should be music to your ears.[Image courtesy of DayLife]
EA Sports predicts Sharks as Stanley Cup champs
With the puck set to drop tomorrow night for the 2008 NHL playoffs, the prognosticators at EA Sports have once again looked into the future vicariously through the studio's latest NHL video game offering to predict the outcome of the league's 16-win battle of attrition. By way of simulation using NHL 08, EA Sports named the San Jose Sharks as the team to finally earn the right to lift Lord Stanley's Cup, defeating Eastern powerhouse Montreal in seven games. While this writer's favorite team, the Buffalo Sabres, are out playing golf, we agree that the Sharks, behind 2005-06's Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton (not to mention former Sabres defenceman Brian Campbell), present a formidable force for any of the playoff race's 16 teams. Still, there's too much on-ice talent to write this off as gospel just yet, so we'll sit back and probably scream at the TV tomorrow evening as we wait and see if history mirrors EA's crystal ball.
HDTV Listings for May 18, 2007
What we're watching: We've got an NBA doubleheader on ESPN, with the Cavs and Spurs both trying to close out a series while the Nets and Suns fight to play another game. We'll check those out after Lord of War on Showtime.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 24, 2007
What we're watching: Dwyane Wade and Shaq try to even up their series with the Bulls before Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash go head to head tonight in NBA Playoffs action on TNT.Our traditional high-def listings continue below
HDTV Listings for April 25, 2006
What we're watching: As your high definition counsel, when LeBron James is on we cannot in good faith recommend you watch anything else. Cavaliers vs. Wizards, Game 2 tips off at 7 p.m. No really, that's pretty much it, put Veronica Mars, American Idol & everything else on the DVR queue because the King is here.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 23, 2006
What we're watching: Our usual Sunday night standbys, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives take the night off to do recaps of the story to this point. If you've missed a few episodes or haven't watched at all, this may be a good night to check them out. But c'mon, we all know what time of year it is and we know why you got your HDTV. Sports.NBA and NHL Playoffs are kicking off this weekend, with four NBA games today and a couple hockey games. Nice to see the NHL back in the national spotlight and in high definition, playoff action is always must see TV. After LeBron's triple-double last night, Carmelo's attempt to be the last second hero (again), and the Spurs' dismantling of the Kings, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top today.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 22, 2006
What we're watching: NBA Playoffs time is here. The best basketball between the best teams (except for the Eastern conference, three teams under .500? Weak.) Lebron, Gilbert, Dwyane, Carmelo, Ron-ron, Timmay and all their rowdy friends are in HD all day on ABC and ESPN, you gotta love it.Also on deck is some evening NASCAR action from Phoenix, you gotta watch that, if there is one more girlfriend fight they may as well add Jell-o wrestling to the schedule (not a bad thing).Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 5, 2006
What we're watching: Lost continues to grow increasingly convoluted, and yet we can't stop watching. It would have been great to read that map last week in high definition, if it had been written in English of course. Even though March Madness is over, things are just heating up in the NBA, with the playoffs right around the corner and everyone fighting for seedings. Four teams that are going to be a part of the postseason action in the Western Conference are in action tonight in a doubleheader on ESPN-HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
