Evaluation: NBA 2K12

     Most sports video game fans know that NBA 2K13 has already come out, but I am one of the misfortunate people that has not been able to get it yet so I shall give my analysis on last year's 2K game, NBA 2K12. Don't get me wrong, this game is amazing on all levels of gaming, realism, and sports simulation and is very well-rounded. As soon as you turn the game on you are given an idea of what it is about, and that is the feature to play the historical players with the players of today. (LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, etc.)
      The audience created for this game was obviously basketball fans, and specifically NBA fans. One may not necessarily watch the NBA as much if you buy the game out in a different country, but it is primarily based around the 30 basketball teams in the National Basketball Association and it's 400+ players. Not only that but it's audience is any type of gamer, hardcore or rookie because it's one of those games that you can just pick right up, look at the controls for a minute, and be able to play right away because it really is simple for the rookies. Not only that, but the game has advanced moves that the hardcore users can pull off as well, and at the end of the day it benefits both types of gamers because they both get those two or three points when they make a basket!
     I also think that the game provides you with many different ways to play and several different game modes. One of the game modes is called My Player. This is where the gamer can create their own player and go through a whole NBA career dealing the NBA Draft, talking to managers, talking to reporters, dealing with trades, and everything else that comes with being an NBA player. Another great mode is the Legends Mode where you get to play with legendary, historic players from the NBA/ABA and put them up against players of today or mix and match players to play against each other.
     At the end of the day, NBA 2K12 is a great game for any basketball fan to pick right up and get into. Not only that, but you will playing the game all season long trying to copy what you saw your favorite player do, or even worrying about your own NBA career. It's a game you'll want to play year-round.
   

Reflection: 1st Project of English 101

     I thought that for my 1st project in all of college I did fairly well and didn't procrastinate much at all. That thought lasted in my head until today when i finally got my laptop back from being fixed and opened it up to the blackboard only to realize that for the first time something was due on Friday, instead of Sunday and it just happened to be the biggest assignment we have had in class all year, lucky me. It is nowhere near being the professor's fault at all and I take full responsibility for not checking up on when it was due more often. I will now be getting deducted two letter grades on whatever grade that I do get and so unfortunately, I will not be getting a very good grade. But, I won't come out with this experience angry or regretful. Instead, I will take this as a reality check and realize that it is time for me to get very, very serious with every single class that I have in college and put school above everything. No more procrastination and no more BS'ing (excuse the language). My week will probably ruined to due to my ignorance and mistake but I will bounce back a much better, and more determined student. What I really liked about this project was being put into groups where we send eachother feedback online because we are all very intelligent students and I honestly found every piece of editing that my peers did for me useful. I don't really like the fact that everything is becoming online (like most people) but this is one of first, few things that I have liked that combine online interaction with the classroom. It is great and I would have no complaints if we were to use it again on our next project. It not only gives you feedback but it just simply keeps you writing and practice makes perfect! I did not really dislike anything other than my own mistakes, and I feel that this project was layed out very well, due to a very great professor of course!

Observations #2

(http://www.statepress.com/2011/06/05/mu-to-change-lower-level-policy-to-exclude-non-students)

• Great A/C and can feel it as soon as you walk in
• Great dim lights give great feeling and atmosphere
• Great uplifting music that excites one in the downstairs region of the MU
• Many "Cliques" travel together
• Subway, Burger King, Jamba Juice for anyone's delights that accept ASU ID's with the money that people put into their accounts
• Very loud chatter and you hear all kinds of different conversations as you walk just around the pool tables or past the restaurants
• Wi-Fi of course!
• Must have ASU ID in order to play pool, table hockey, ping pong
• Rates for Ping Pong and Pool are $3 an hour.
• Bowling alley same rates but $1.50 for bowling shoes
• Vending machines leading the way to a water fountain and bathrooms. 
• Two sitting areas with great seats for people to relax and sit and do whatever with their laptops
• Seats all around the many pool tables with friends watching each other and taking turns or people eating or even doing assignments
• Many, many tables surrounding the restaurants

Observations

(http://www.statepress.com/2011/06/05/mu-to-change-lower-level-policy-to-exclude-non-students)

• Downstairs ventilation is great and you can feel it as soon as you can walk in from being in the heat outside
• Lighting in the room with the pool tables is dim giving it a great atmosphere because there are no light other than the ones hanging down right over the tables
• Great up-beat, exciting music always on for the pleasure of everyone and attempting to put everyone in an uplifting spirit
• (No racism) many groups of Asians together as well as some Arabians.. "Cliques".
• Very loud chatter and you hear all kinds of different conversations as you walk just around the pool tables or past the restaurants
• Subway, Burger King, Jamba Juice for anyone's delights that accept ASU ID's with the money that people put into their accounts
• Pool Tables all numbered for the workers to assign tables to certain people
• Must have ASU ID in order to play pool, table hockey, ping pong
• Rates for Ping Pong and Pool are $3 an hour.
• Bowling alley same rates but $1.50 for bowling shoes
• Bowling alley has worker putting up and taking down promotional signs in there every once in a while
• Vending machines leading the way to a water fountain and bathrooms. 
• Two sitting areas with great seats for people to relax and sit and do whatever with their laptops
• Seats all around the many pool tables with friends watching each other and taking turns or people eating or even doing assignments
• Wi-Fi of course!
• Right below the ground level of the MU which offers even more restaurants and the Diner for ASU as well as a normal store
• Many people travel in groups and people are constantly going in and out of conversations as they pass eachother
• Many, many tables surrounding the restaurants

Waleed Al-Khafaji Magazine Analysis

An Analysis of a Magazine Cover: Sports Illustrated Cover

     At first glance of the 2006, October issue of Sports Illustrated you see (of course) players of some sort posing to make some type of statement. These players happen to be in the NBA and are (from left to right) LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade. If you really look closer into the cover you realize it gives you a warm, welcoming feeling of wanting to buy the magazine and find out all about this self-proclaimed "New Era". Why are all players smiling? Why is it the "New Era" at that time? It makes you want to read about not only that, but all the other little trinkets of information surrounding these three fantastic players.

     Everyone is smiling to let you know that these players are happy and excited to be part of a new era of younger players taking over and dominating the league. The title right under lets you know that it's time for these young players to take things seriously and for Carmelo and them to step their game up as they slowly become the faces of the league.

     All the other bits of information surrounding the players show that this is an NBA edition to get the fans ready for the upcoming season. Right under that NBA Preview title it gives you an even better reason to reach to the magazine and start reading as they offer you almost 40 pages of scouting report, which is basically the scoop on certain aspects of players and their respective teams to provide you with information you may not know and bold predictions on who could be having a big season. Not only does it cover basketball but it being an October edition means that it was time for the MLB playoffs as they tell you about a team that's coming in hot into the playoffs. 

     This magazine is basically perfect for any basketball fan that knows anything about the NBA because it not only provides you with information about the most popular players that everyone knows, but also inside information and details for the die-hard fans or maybe just the casual fans who want to catch up on their basketball and know how to talk smack when the basketball season arrives. Basically, this magazine is for anyone who enjoys the sport of basketball.

(http://www.sportsblink.com/steiner/carmelo-anthony-denver-nuggets-sports-illustrated-cover-autographed-photograph-3366600.php)

Analysis of a Writing: Jones-Drew Ends 38-day Holdout

     In an article for sportsillustrated.cnn.com titled Jones-Drew Ends 38-day Holdout the writer informs his readers about the current contract disputation going on with Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and his organization. Maurice is one of the top running backs in the Nation Football League and he lead the league last year in rushing yards, but he feels he is very under-paid. The top running backs in the league get payed $10 million and up while he gets payed a measly $4.45 million this upcoming season. He held out for 38 days and eventually realized that it was too much of a distraction for the organization and with one week left before the regular season starts, it was time to come back.

     The writer wrote this article for only one reason, and that was to inform sports fans, football fans, and specifically Jaguar fans about their franchise player finally coming back. The writer lets the reader know all of the details with the events before-hand and now with the contract disputation. Giving great reasoning, facts, and quotes from people around the situation and Maurice himself. He knows his audience and he knows exactly what they need and what questions need to be answered. 

     While reading this article I found it very easy to read and understand, and it flowed greatly and got to the point. It answered all of a fan's (like myself) questions. It wasn't too short and it left you with an excited feeling to see how great this amazing player might do and how he might handle not doing anything with his team for about 40 days. I would reccommend reading this article if you are a football fan and really know your players.