The Blog for the Sports Gamer

As I continue to test each game’s franchise mode, I’m becoming more frustrated with ESPN. There’s just too many oddities for me. Does it bother you when you’re playing a franchise mode and the stats don’t look right? I know for some they could not care less, and I understand that. But it takes away from the game when I see stats that just don’t make any sense, and it makes the stats in the games that I play a bit less meaningful as a result. A few examples of what I’m seeing in ESPN:

• Priest Holmes averaged 6.4 yards per carry for the season. Not only is that like a guy batting .450 for the year in baseball, but the Chiefs then turn around and trade for Clinton Portis! I mean, obviously, you gotta have insurance for your 6.4 yards per carry back so you go out and trade for another top 5 back as his backup and pay him a crazy salary to do so. *Thwap!* Anyone that tells you that ESPN’s AI “Trades for need” is selling you snake oil. In bulk.
  
• I’ve mentioned the QB ratings being exceptionally inflated, but oddly enough the reception totals are surprisingly low. The league leader in receptions usually has about 85 in my test seasons. That’s low. Here, look for yourself.
  
• Sack totals are also out the window. The Jags gave up 79 sacks one year and 6 teams gave up at least 50. Compare this to the NFL. It’s a wee bit insane. When stats break down like this it just skews the whole league. I’m cool with stats that aren’t 100% dead on and it’s unfair to ask a game like Madden or ESPN to do that, but 79 sacks?
  
• Why do so many players retire in ESPN after they have only played 6-7 seasons and are not injured? Just because a guy is the 3rd string HB doesn’t mean he’s gonna pack up and go home when he’s earning hundreds of thousands of dollars. It just doesn’t happen, or at least it’s not common. Guys leave the game because they get hurt or get cut. Every other circumstance is rare. The Browns lost 5 players after 2005: James Jackson, Aaron Shea, Chad Beasley, Melvin Fowler, Roosevelt Williams. Starters? No. But to RETIRE? Not a chance.
  
• I’ve already discussed the horrid draft day AI in ESPN. No need to go over that again but to say, yep, still sucks.

More later today as I go back into Madden’s franchise mode and do some stat checking. I will say this: on the field, I still prefer ESPN. Madden isn’t bad, but ESPN is the smoother, and less predictable game. I just have more fun playing it. That said, I’m a Franchise guy, and playing ESPN in franchise mode is one big headache.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 26th, 2004 at 9:32 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.