NCAA Football 2013 Game Review

NCAA FOOTBALL 2013

Game Review: Coach T.J. (GametruckRDU) 

Man I don’t know where to start with this game. I must admit there is a lot to argue on both sides.  For the most part, I like the game for its autonomy, graphic detail,  and career modes. You can truly create your own experiences in the game. Whether you want to be the coach and just call the play and watch your players run it to execution, or you plan on fully participating  as a player on each down, this game gives you plenty of options before you call ‘hike’.  To avid fans of NCAA it’s nothing new to call audibles, blitzes, hot routes, and line protection switches, in the game. However, the pre-play offense is much more fluid than it has been in the past, which fares well for beginners or medium level players. Overall the game feels more realistic than years past.

The New Heisman Challenge Mode offers a fun and interesting dynamic to the game. It reminds me a lot of the recent NBA 2k games where you try and re-accomplish the same milestones Michael Jordan and other Hall of Famers produced in their prime In an effort to unlock the player or other classic teams, jerseys and apparel. In this case, players can contend for a championship by placing one of 10 former Heisman Trophy winners on whatever team they choose to play with. Throughout the mode you set out to accomplish or beat the real life stats of the player in an effort to win the Heisman Trophy and also unlock each player in another game mode, Road to Glory.

I think it’s cool how “real” video interviews with each Heisman Trophy winner are unlocked throughout the season. In them, they discuss the achievements of their glory days.

My favorite mode is the Dynasty Mode. With so much realism and creativity behind the recruiting process in the game, I barely have the drive to play against the computer. I typically simulate the gameplay some weeks, while I focus much of my efforts on recruiting, staying up on ESPN stats, and maintaining job security. I’m telling you, this game has the ability to make you feel like you are really a coach or player for your favorite school.

Overall my grade for the game is: A-.

Negatives:

Way Too Much Going On

Although the game has so much to offer, that is also the problem with it.

There is just too much to do in the game and limits the simplicity of just playing it for fun. A beginner will have a hard time picking this one up with no knowledge of previous NCAA concepts.

Lag between play calls

-The game also has an issue with lagging before and after plays. This disrupts the games fluidity. Which for years has been the best part of the game and what set it apart over Madden.

No In-Game Save Option

-No in game save option. Players still can’t save their games in progress. Like you save your work on your personal computer, a player would also like to save the beat down their putting on their rival school in the first half, just in case they want to finish the second half after a nap or after a long days work. It makes no sense to be able to save highlights and replays if you can’t save the game for which they were acquired.

I hope this one was helpful to you. In the meantime, play safe and play smart.

Dacom's Movin Slow at 3AM in Vegas

John, James, Reeko, Sammy and the rest of the Dacom Music family, have began a journey into the best of times. The guys are all on the same page when it comes to the success of their music and movement. They told me they like to have fun and not live their life under fear, instead they choose to be themselves and live life to the fullest. 

Representing Raleigh, NC, Dacom's movement is one that encompasses the average daydreams of your average young adult. True, their is a heavy cannabis influence in their rhymes, but it's the experiences they have individually and together as well as, the delivery and story telling element of each artist's individual flow that helps bring home their concepts, themes and messages. 

Dacom's new mixtape, 3AM in Vegas, is garnishing much attention from their fans. For an independent hip hop group in their market, they are increasingly exceeding expectations. The group is currently working on a new project that features production from multiple producers, including, BookT and Mr. Raleigh,NC. The group is currently filling up their booking schedule for the fall. Stay tuned.

Rise of the Social Media Manager

In today’s society the way we communicate and deliver a message is far more different from the way people used to do it in the past. These days the social aspects that typically took place at the market, the barbershop or nail salon, happen all day long on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. At any given time of the day you can read someone’s opinion on trending events taking place in sports, politics, religion and many other facets of our society.

With this in mind, companies have taken a new approach towards marketing their products to consumers. Whether it is pay per click emails, affiliate marketing or generating likes and followers for their business or fan pages, the truth is the game has changed. Although many businesses are taking advantage of social media, it is also a viable option for many musicians.

However, in order to reap the benefits of your input, it is important that any artist or band view himself or herself as a company, a brand or small business first. If you don’t establish this mindset before publishing your material or generating awareness for your next project or performance then you are already at a disadvantage. Basically, unless you market yourself like you are a ‘somebody’, nobody will follow your call to action.

I experienced a bit of this early on in my career. Before there was Facebook, I generated an interest in my music by passing out burned cd’s of my tracks; I also did open-mics and karaoke nights. In the end I thought I was making progress, until I saw that much of the work I put in to marketing myself in that way only got me a handclap, or a good job from my target market. Basically everyone felt like they knew me and there was nothing special or unique about what I did. They all thought that it was my hobby, when in actuality it is my passion and my meal ticket.

In fact, one of the things I was missing was a social media manager. I could have told more people about my music, sold my music, and performed my songs all at the same time without leaving my house. In this case, I would have more time to actively pursue my craft instead of become bogged down by the excessive tweeting and posting online.

As time goes on more artists are increasing their presence online, which allows them to create a closer connection with their target audience while spending more time on their craft. Although some artists may have accounts, blogs, and websites many are not using them to there full capability. This could result in a lack of motivation and output to pursue one’s dream. The excess work can sometimes be too much when an artist has to also manage their online presence in addition to their in-person network, marketing, and production efforts. 

However, it is up to the social media manager to stay on top of the latest trends and the correct way to use and monetize social media. In the end, to help combat this issue, I plan to establish my company, as a key social media management outlet in my target location. Is anyone out there feeling Highly Educated? 

What Does BookT Mean?

After being introduced to my music for the first time many people want to know where my stage name came from. Some theories about the name are that it came from the WWE wrestler, BookerT, Booker T. Washington or Booker T. and the MG’s. In fact, the name 'BookT' stems from the influence of society, family, books and media on me, Thomas Earl Jones Jr. The word, “Book” is a metaphor for hidden knowledge and intelligence. It reflects my view that knowledge before self prepares you for your own purpose and destiny. It also acts as an educational disclaimer that knowledge is within the T; which stands for everything Thomas encompasses that begins with that letter, for instance, Thomas truth, Thomas’ tone, or Thomas’ talent.

I came up with the name in high school, however, since 6^th grade I have been writing poetry, spitting rhymes, entertaining and enlightening people I come in contact with. When I was in school, I was well known on the open mic and talent show scene. Like many rising artists I also passed out the mixtapes and sample cd’s to create a buzz for myself early on. Nowadays I use smarter more precise means of promoting my projects. Social media is a huge part of how I continue to advance the appeal of the ‘BookT’ brand name.

As much as anyone else considering a career in music or entertainment, I want to be successful. On the other hand I realize this generation of young black men continue to face many obstacles. Not to mention many of them still are raised in single parent homes. I want to lead this generation into a positive social enlightenment through my artistry. Basically, I want to use my music and my entertainment as a platform to perform a larger greater work for the social enlightenment of society. I try to listen and provoke thought into people by showing them other routes to take to get their mind out the box. As a teenager I often felt alone, misguided, bitter, hopeless, and aggressive. Instead of channeling that energy negatively, like many others in my community, I chose to remain positive and express myself creatively. In the end, the more you know yourself, the faster you find your way.

Listening to Others Will Get You Somewhere

Creating a detailed business plan is not as easy as some people perceive it to be. Just when you think you have things all figured out there is always something new to add, remove or further modify before unfolding the plan. Which is why research is very key to understanding many different facets of any succesful business plan.

In fact, my research on industry professionals allowed me to not only critique my logistics and business model but also my motives, vision and my integrity behind constructing my company. As Mark Cuban maintains, some of the key aspects to look for in a business plans is if there is an actual need for the product or service. Which led me to find out if there is a need for my service and what location shall I provide that need. As a result I changed the target location of my plan from Los Angeles to Raleigh, NC. Although my plan works in both locations, the need is greater in the smaller market of Raleigh. The following list illustrates main three reasons we decided on changing the location.

1) Most business owners in the location don’t know how social media works or how to use it in its most effective ways.

2) We knew the area better and it was the location base for many of our consultants

3) There was not a large presence of companies like ours in the market

Though it is great to make changes and make sure your bases are covered before going into business, one of the most important sections of a plan is the financial document. Investors want to see have you calculated your expenses, income, and overall risks versus your rewards. They ultimately want to know have you calculated their ROI. One of the key changes I made to my own documents came from when I read an article on Daymond John. He mentioned putting up some of your own money in your initial investment to show investors you believe in your product and in yourself. As a result, I did just that to incorporate more investors into my company. It also helps me pay off my debts faster and reciprocate more down the road. In the end, there is always more we can learn from one another to help nurture ideas and create lasting impressions in our industries.

BookT- ITB (web show) "BookT Returns to Raleigh"

Season 2 of the web series and documentary of BookT. Inside the Book returns with Book still on the road performing tracks from his upcoming album as well as his mixtape Datbullshit (http://www.datpiff.com/BookT-featuring-Thirdnastee-Datbullshit-2-mixtape.286131­.html). We also take a look at the man behind some of the production and the first verse of Book's hit "Feelin Fresh".

Hope you guys enjoy the video. Like it share it.
Big Thanks to everyone involved in bringing this one together,
Third, Mr.RaleighNC, Volume 11 Tavern, Lady C and Collins.
Ja Know!

For more music, blogs and video on BookT visit: www.bookttv.com

Business Insight from the Experts

In constructing my business plan for my company, Highly Educated Management & Production (HEMP), I came across a multitude of information, analysis and viewpoints from many knowledgeable experts from various fields of business. In particularly Michael Porter and Daymond John have expressed the importance of a successful business plan many times throughout their career.

Porter is currently the Bishop William Lawrence University Professor, at Harvard University (Burhoe, 2011). I credit Porter with giving me insight into what owners and investors are looking for in a business plan as well as understanding the role of competition. According to Porter competitive forces drive the rivalry of existing companies. It is important that competition is there to maintain the integrity, level the playing field and create constructive analysis for business improvements and satisfaction.

Daymond John is the CEO and President of a clothing company called FUBU.  Using $100,000 in start up capital, he launched his company in 1994, and by 1998, FUBU had made $350 million in revenues (Burhow, 2011). In my opinion this was a great example of putting your money where your mouth is. In this case, I learned from John that it is important to put some of your own money up for startup capital.  According to John, if you are in debt and have nothing to contribute to your business venture, it looks bad to potential investors (2012). 

In the end it is important to adopt concepts to my business plan that are practical and wise. Since both experts have been through the phase of constructing business plans multiple times over I aim to use some of the advice given to cultivate my own success for the future.

Sources

Burhow, S. 2011, March 31. Expert Views on Business Plans.

         Retrieved from http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/

BookT...The Future

 With so many inspirational people passing away year after year from Bernie Mac, Michael Jackson, Don Cornelius and now Whitney Houston, it is no wonder why music and entertainment is in need of a breath of fresh air. Before I get into the article I must send my condolences out to the family of Whitney Houston. Although I never met the woman she was one the pillars of my own dreams for success in music and entertainment. Because of her I believed all my life that I was the future; in the words of Chris Brown “Look at me now”.

I began writing rhymes in a summer school English course back in the 9^th grade. Considering I failed the course during the regular school year due to depression from deaths in my family and divorce, I chose to allow my written words to express my pain and sorrow rather than talking about it freely or conveying actions out of result. In the end, I created the artist BookT. The knowledge before self kid who grew up street savvy but also knew how to process information and ultimately remain socially aware.

Since 2003 I’ve been rapping and producing tracks as well as performing many of my songs on the road; traditionally performing at my fans request. In fact, most recently I had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles and perform for the first time. As a response to various messages from my fans through social media and mobile texts, I decided to come out and give them a show. I have a new mixtape out that I was promoting as well as new music videos on Youtube. Altogether, it was another way to instill brand awareness and recognition for my artists as well as my company Highly Educated Management and Production.

It is important to me that people follow their dreams and listen to the voice inside of them guiding each step of their decision-making. One year ago, I was dismissed from my position as a store manager. I did not know what I was going to do next or how I was going to provide for my family. In the end, I chose to follow my dreams and finally listen to the voice inside. As a result I feel as though I’m ‘destined for greatness’. 

Living a Little Boys Dream in LA

As a young kid from Raleigh, NC I was always a huge follower of the game of basketball. I collected, sold and traded player cards as well as dominated my friends all the time on the court in and after school; mimicking players from Jerry Stackhouse and Vince Carter to Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Whether it was my NCAA team, the UNC Tarheels or the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, I had my teams and players who garnished my full support and ultimately made a fan out of me. Over the last five months I’ve lived in Hollywood, CA I decided to make it a daily objective to live out my dreams.

In fact, one of my life long dreams was to attend a Los Angeles Laker game. I speak in past tense because this week I got the opportunity to check it off the old bucket list. Ironically, I attended the game where the Lakers played North Carolina’s own Charlotte Bobcats. However, it was not an impressive performance by the away team, with Charlotte losing 106-73.  Kobe had 24 points and Andrew Bynum was a ferocious beast inside the paint all night, grabbing 11 rebounds while solidifying his place as the leading All-Star candidate at the Center position.

Although I watched the game I was marveled by the arena and its ambiance of greatness, the banners, the coaches, the players the history and especially my tickets. Thanks to Stubhub.com I sat approximately 10 rows from the court. I could not believe I was sitting right next to major media analysts and journalists like, CBS’s Jim Hill and ESPN’s J.A. Adande. As an aspiring writer and journalist it was as if I caught a glimpse of where I shall be some day.

The interesting thing is that I did not think about going to the game until I took a look at some of the player’s season stats on NBA.com in an effort to cast my vote for this month’s All-Star Game. While browsing the web I was prompted over 5 times by numerous companies to buy tickets for the next home game. At first, I did not pay any attention, but after a while the digital marketing took full affect over my impulse, and for about three days all I could think about was whether I was going or not.

The price for the tickets was the major concern for me. Luckily, I clicked on about three to four ticket sites to research the seating location before making my decision. After purchasing my tickets I was asked if I wanted to share my purchase on facebook. In my opinion, this was in an effort to make my friends jealous or build their impulses as well to generate likes or future business. Because I’m such a nice guy I decided not to rub it in. Instead I figured I’d blog about it. Until next time folks.

Video Source:

LA Lakers vs Charlotte Bobcats Full Highlight Jan, 31 2012 [video file] Retrieved    

     from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXj1cFWXMWo

Wake Up! Wake Up!…The Tebow Nightmare is over

For a majority of the NFL season it seemed like Tebow was favored a bit more by the Lord than everyone else on the planet.  His story is more “reel” than “real”. His whole legacy is something out of a Best-Picture winner at the Golden Globe’s.  This guy was the third string quarterback who rose to starter after much hype by fans and the media. The team even released their starter, Kyle Orton to justify making a decisive change at the position.

No other third string quarterback comes to mind as one of the league leaders in Jersey sales like Tebow. This guy brought so much money and attention to the league and the Denver Broncos franchise. The funny thing is that all that’s good about him as a person and a player does not solidify a starting role as QB next season. The Broncos ended their season by getting the ‘smackdown’ laid on them with a 45 to 10 loss to the New England Patriots. Although they ended on a sour note, the team did win their division and they also won their first playoff game in over 5 years.

John Elway has a major project on his hands for next season. As the team manager he must ensure the team continues to progress. If they are going to run the ball as much as they did this season, next season, I doubt Willis Mcgahee is the answer at running back.  I would not be surprised to see them take a running back in this year’s draft. Brady Quinn is a free-agent and the chance at a high draft-pick had been diminished by the success of this season. These two issues both work in Tebow’s favor for solidifying the starting role next season; Although, Elway clearly cannot be happy with a 47.1 completion percentage and low QB rating.

Tebow has got some work to do to call himself a conventional quarterback. There have been many running quarterbacks in the NFL but none more polarizing than Tebow. 

Much of the reason behind his legacy extends far beyond his play on the field.  Kordell Stewart mentioned on ESPN that it’s because he’s white that he gets the opportunity to put up such bad numbers. Stewart maintained that he and many other black quarterbacks had to play multiple positions, like Cornerback or Wide Receivers; before they were trusted enough to play quarterback. Even Brian Urlacher and many other players expressed that Tebow was more of a running back, than quarterback. 

Despite the story behind the man, the point is I am so happy this nightmare is over. I was getting sick of hearing Skip Bayless and other analysts talk about the same person every single day on every single show that ESPN broadcasts.  I’m an avid fan of the network and I must say I was disgusted and perplexed by so much Tebow coverage. At first I was rooting for the guy, but after all that hype on him, I became anxious to wake-up from spell the media once again placed over me and every other fan of the Lord’s work.

We got the truth but...Does anyone Care or Pay Attention

It’s amazing how much people allow to happen right under their noses. Whether it comes from entertainment, religion or the political industry, it sometimes seems people have been purposely psychologically manipulated by the same systems put in place to educate, entertain and govern them.

Call them conspiracy theories or whatever you want, many of the stories that depict the full details of many new developments in our society go heard by a few, instead of by the masses. Remember Kennedy’s speech on corruption and secret societies, building 7, the Eddie Long situation, or even who really killed Biggie and Tupac. There’s so much apathy in the minds of many viewers. It is as if most people just do not know that so many stories go untold or are hidden in plain sight by the mass media.

It takes great control, team building, budgeting, and execution to pull off not telling the truth or the full story.  Sometimes I wonder is the communications industry much like ‘the mob’. It’s like the owners of major broadcast stations have to be involved in lobbying and backing politicians and celebrities on some level. Even Keith Olberman was attacked and suspended on this issue. Not to mention the hero worship that takes place when a new movie by Brad Pitt, or Tom Cruise comes out and how the rest of the world takes a backseat to its issues to enjoy the latest project from Tinseltown.

These may be my opinions but as a human it is as if viewers and consumers share more of an apathetic approach to industry news that may disrupt or cause them to question their opinions on the world around them.

Most notably, politicians are known to illustrate this behavior; for instance, the NDAA’s (National Defense Authorization Act) unpopular support amongst civilians but heavy support in Washington D.C. It is signed and confirmed by the president that American civilians suspected of terrorism or any action or expression the federal government deems a threat against their agenda, may be investigated and ceased and detained without warrant or access to any trial at all. This strikes me as such a major issue while most people are thinking about what new song their favorite artist will drop next or which team will win the next big game.

If you are the person who feels like the only one paying attention, you are not alone.