New football game gives real-life players a chance to joke
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 07/18/2007
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Desmond Tardy is a competitive person, but he didn't mind losing his first game of "NCAA Football '08," because he was playing against himself and his fellow Boilers.
Tardy and eight of his teammates took over the electronics department of Wal-Mart around 11:45 Monday night for a special 12:01 a.m. release of the game Tuesday. The approximately 15 other people waiting to purchase the game slowly stepped out of the way, some exchanging friendly banter and others seemingly intimidated by the Big Ten football players.
As the athletes waited to purchase the game, they managed to find the official strategy guide, trying to find their rankings along with the rankings of notable college teams such as West Virginia and USC.
When Tardy and junior center Corey Benton got back to their house, Benton quickly selected Purdue as his team. Tardy allowed Benton to be Purdue, but only if Benton put him into the starting lineup. Tardy suggested he should replace sophomore receiver Selwyn Lymon, because Lymon happened to miss a workout on Monday. "If you want to play, you've got to show up for workouts," Tardy explained.
Tardy settled into his swiveling computer chair on wheels, which he calls his "gaming chair," and agreed to take Indiana. He justified his selection of a rival school by saying many of his high school teammates are on its roster.
He started feeling conflicted immediately, when his cyber counterpart, now the Boilers' No. 2 receiver, had an 8 yard catch on the first play of the game. Several plays later when Benton completed a pass to Tardy, real-life Tardy celebrated.
"There you go, Des! That's my dawg!" Tardy yelled at the big screen television, as his real-life teammates sat off to the side watching on the couches big enough to fit four large athletes.
With five seconds remaining and IU down 28-7, IU quarterback Kellen Lewis broke away from the pack and scored a touchdown. Tardy rolled within inches of the TV and yelled at Lewis, then excitedly backed up and flipped his chair over, almost landing on his dog, Capone. "It's not over!" he yelled, seconds before Purdue won, 28-14.
Tardy was named player of the game, after he finished with 66 yards and a touchdown, a stark contrast from his 88 total yards last season. But Tardy wanted his own plays and EA Sports didn't give gamers that option.
"Where my plays at? I'm going to call coach right now," Tardy said, shortly after 1 a.m.
Tardy isn't the only one who had beef with the game. When senior defensive end Cliff Avril appeared in a close-up, Tardy, Benton, sophomore cornerback Royce Adams and senior defensive tackles Jonathan Patton and Jermaine Guynn cracked up at the sight of Avril's cyber beer belly.
Patton, who had just finished a phone conversation with Avril, immediately texted him, telling him "Man, you're fat." Avril immediately called back to get an explanation.
Patton suggested someone take Avril out and put him in, just because of the gut Avril appeared to be sporting. But Avril didn't have the attention of the athletes for long.
When Benton was shown waddling down the field, Guynn started to make fun of him, standing up and shaking his arms at his sides in imitation. Benton retaliated by pointing out that Guynn was rated as the slowest guy not only on the defense, but on the whole team.
"If I'm doing that, you have to be walking or something," Benton said.
"I don't know what's up with that rating," said Guynn, shortly after finishing what he called his "eat great late" meal of Dorritos, milk and a triple-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Maybe it's true in the 100-yard dash, but not in short distances."
Player ratings were a huge topic of conversation throughout the night. Immediately after Benton and Tardy started the game, former wide receiver Kyle Ingraham sent Tardy a message asking about wide receiver ratings. After that, several teammates called to find out their ratings.
No number went without critique. The athletes thought senior wide receiver Dorien Bryant, for example, was a little too tall in the game. They also noticed the Boilermakers' kicker is Tim Dougherty, who is a backup for the real Boilermakers. Starting kicker Chris Summers isn't even in the game.
Safety Torri Williams is overrated according to the group of players. While waiting in Wal-Mart to buy the game with Williams and other teammates, they noticed the strategy guide said Williams was an impact player.
"You've played in eight games your whole career and you're an impact player?" Tardy said.
"Yeah, they actually were going to make me one at wide receiver, too. Just like in high school," Williams replied while standing like a receiver waiting for a play to begin.
Tardy was content with his ratings. What he's not content with is not having any plays. It's too late to get them in the game this year, so all he can do is prove to EA Sports in the real Ross-Ade Stadium that he deserves them in the virtual Ross-Ade Stadium.