nba

Activision is launching "Call of Duty: Black Ops" November 9. So it needs everyone to get very worked up about the idea of a new way to shoot the living daylights out of those who occasionally enjoy the sight of living daylight.

And when I say "everyone," I mean every concierge, every mystery meat salesman, every businesswoman, every Best Buy salesperson, every sportsman, and every comedian. Well, they're everymen too, you know.

So please rejoice in the sight of Kobe Bryant (reportedly a deeply committed "Call of Duty" player) appearing as if he'… Read more

It's World Series time, and if you're a fan of either the San Francisco Giants or the Texas Rangers looking for tickets to any of the sold-out games being played over the next few days, don't despair: You can get in.

Of course, it's not going to be cheap. Since the only tickets that are available are on the secondary market, they're going to cost substantially more than face value. For example, in San Francisco, where tonight's game two, and games six and seven (if necessary) will be held, the average price for all … Read more

Looking for a basketball game this season? The choice is simple: NBA2K11. EA has pushed its contender, NBA Elite, to 2011, so your only option for any action this fall comes courtesy of 2K Sports. Though that might make those who like choice a little apprehensive, the good news is that 2K11 has pulled out some extra surprises to turn what was already a really strong game into a classic overall package.

Adding Michael Jordan on the cover seemed like a publicity stunt at first, but the extra challenge modes and authentically re-created vintage playoff games help add something timeless to a game that's destined to be replaced next year. Maybe the idea's pretty smart: collector's features could make certain editions of sports titles worth keeping.

Jeff: 2K Sports has dominated the basketball video game market for years now, so it's no shock that NBA 2K11 is the most realistic basketball game ever made. Though the game's laundry list of tweaks and improvements are all welcome additions, we were floored to see how deeply detailed the game's Michael Jordan mode has been developed.

The amount of painstaking detail that must have gone into crafting the Jordan Challenge mode in NBA 2K11 should not be overlooked. Sure, we've seen sports games opt for a gimmicky add-on before, but the Michael Jordan features in 2K11 are anything but.

Just getting his Royal Airness to even grace the cover is an achievement in itself, but giving the player the chance to participate in 10 of his most legendary games is something any basketball fan--casual or die hard--can instantly relate to. Not only are 10 of his most iconic games represented with astonishing attention to detail, the opposing teams in which he faced are sized up right down to game-accurate plays. Each of the 10 challenges transports the player back in time--complete with uniforms and fashion styles of that specific era.

Jordan himself has been captured with mind-blowing precision, from his casual mannerisms, shooting technique, even down to his iconic tongue that came out during his spectacular slam dunks. The Jordan Challenge is one of the most substantial side quests we've been presented with in a sports game, and something fans of basketball should not miss.

Scott: As for me, I'm not actually a basketball fan at all. Other than attending a few NBA drafts and watching the Lakers three-peat in the late '90s when I lived in Los Angeles, I've lost touch with who's even playing in the NBA, other than the lineup for the Miami Heat. I've treated sports games as my educational tools. I learned a ton about the NFL through Madden over the years. I'm banking on NBA2K11 to do the same for me and hoops.… Read more

If you're like me, you might have been on a fruitless hunt for a customized iPhone case that touts your beloved sports team, only to discover nobody seems to have any. Is it critical for me to own an iPhone case themed after the New York Jets? Hardly, but I'm a superstitious fellow and I like my digital trinkets and amulets.

Coveroo, which makes custom cases for iPhones, BlackBerries, iPods, iPads, and many other devices, doesn't actually have an NFL teams license, although it does have a license for NFL players. They have NBA and MLB licenses, … Read more

2K Sports recently announced that Michael Jordan will grace the cover of the company's acclaimed basketball game, but now we know that Jordan will not just be another typical cover athlete.

In fact, NBA 2K11 will offer an entire Michael Jordan-focused gameplay mode called The Jordan Challenge. We got a chance to speak with Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports, who explained that this addition to the traditional game will allow players to relive 10 of the most legendary games and moments from Jordan's illustrious career.

These historic game scenarios will task players with matching the hall-of-famer's mind-bending stats. A few of these just-announced scenarios include moments like "The Shrug," where on June 3, 1992, Michael gave the now infamous "I'm not even sure how I'm doing this" shoulder shrug after draining his sixth three-pointer in the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Better yet, these throwback games will feature the look of the era in which they were played, including accurate uniforms, court paint, and even Jordan's specific appearance from the actual game. Players will also be able to take control of the classic Chicago Bulls teams from '85-'86, '89-'90, '90-'91, '94-'95, '95-'96, '96-'97, and '97-'98 seasons.

NBA 2K11 hits stores on October 5 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, PlayStation 2, and PSP, though the Jordan Challenge will only be available on the 360, PS3, Wii and PC versions of the game.

Be sure to check out the full list of 10 Jordan Challenge game scenarios.… Read more

The NBA's most beautifully dysfunctional franchise has not, reportedly, fallen into the hands of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison.

According to reports from both the Bay Area News Group and CSN Bay Area, the winning group has, as one of its pillars, Joseph Lacob, managing director and partner at Silicon Valley venture capital company Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

CSN Bay Area reports that Lacob will be the front man for a group that is co-led by Peter Guber, the chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, while the Bay Area News Group suggests that Lacob, currently a part owner of … Read more

King Tawdry of Cleveland donned a shirt that looked like it came from Mervyn's, took out his earrings, and spoke down to his people. You knew he was serious because he was on ESPN and referred to himself in the third person.

He declared his commitment to leave the joys of his kingdom and "take his talents" to South Beach.

I like South Beach, a little more than I like LeBron James. So, in an attempt to see joy battle punishment, I decided to follow the Twitter feed specially created just for his vastly inflated moment of … Read more

With one leap, he leaves followers in his wake. With one tweet, more than 122,000 followers come to his fingers. Until I finish this post, when it will be at least a few thousand more.

Yes, LeBron James, he who used to laugh at how other NBA players post their latest on Twitter, has now succumbed. He has created Twitter.com/KingJames, a feed which, before it had even been fed, had 45,000 followers.

At around 1:30 p.m. PDT Tuesday, the man who would be king finally tweeted. And the followers kept coming to his court.… Read more