NFL Head Coach

[Menudo]

Well, my XBox 360 is down and out, and I have to send it into Microsoft for repair. It's not under warranty, so it is a flat fee $125 for repair. It was freezing up all over the place, and I tried all of thier troubleshooting steps to no avail. Anyway, I decided yesterday to go to EBGames and pick-up NFL Head Coach for my Laptop. I ended up logging 4 hours on it, though the time flew. I wasn't taking it seriously yet, as I was kind of using it to practice for my real career, which starts tonight.

 

O.k. So, I pop the game in, and it has me create myself as a coach (you can use a current coach, but, that kind of goes against the point of the game). After setting up my look, attire, and choosing offensive coaching style, we are taken to Trey Wingo at ESPN, and during offensive highlights of the Super Bowl (They actually show the Parker run, Randle-El to Ward pass, & Ben's 1st down run to seal the game) they announce that the young, offensive coordinator, me, is the league's hottest commodity. The Steve Sabol comes on with the NFL Films music playing in the background to tell me that my coaching career is about to begin.

 

I'm then in an office, as I look to decide where I want to try for a coaching position. I decide on the Steelers. I'm then sent on an interview with the Steelers owner (made-up guy, not Rooney) and asked several questions, some on my coaching style, who I look up to, strategy questions, etc.) After the interview, I get an e-mail saying that I did great and there are 5 coaching options, each with different money offers to go along with them, and a letter to tell me why I should take their positions. The following teams give me offers: Oakland, Detroit, Houston, New Orleans, Pittsburgh. The Detroit offer was the best, and if this was my actual career, I would have taken it, but, since, I am just learning, I take the Steelers job, which was the least enticing financially.

 

I'm then moved into the Steelers front office, where I meet with the owner, who goes over my goals. I then am in a board room for a coaches hiring meeting. Each coach, one at a time, tells me why I should retain them. (They are the actual coaches: Whisenhunt, Lebeau, etc.) I keep all of my coaches, except for the Tight Ends coach, who I send packing. He gets out of his chair angrily, and storms out of the room. I then setup interviews with coaches to replace him. I do the interviews and have my coaching staff in place.

 

The off-season then begins, and it is a day to day type of thing, with a calendar. You have specific times, and opportunities to scout players, re-sign players, make roster moves, etc. When scouting, you are scouting actual college players, and the rosters are the way they were on the day after the Super Bowl (Randle-El w/ Steelers, etc.) A few guys were made free agents, that actually shouldn't have been, and Bettis was still around, but, other than that, the contracts seemed accurate. For weeks, I am meeting with coaches, scouting, and negotiating contracts. I get some trade offers, but, they aren't real enticing, and they always want my stars (Ward, Roethlisberger, Polamalu). The Scouting director gives you actual reports from the Combines, and guys that you scouted get ranked. You can't scout them all, so you have to choose wisely. It continues along this path until the draft.

 

The draft is pretty cool, it goes to Mel Kiper live at the draft, and you actually sit in the war room watching as the guys get picked. There are 45 seconds for each pick, which I'm not sure if you can skip through or not, if you could, I couldn't figure it out. You have a phone, computer, notebook, and your scouting director there with you. I used my phone to try to trade up in the draft, but, despite coming close on some negotiations, couldn't get anything done. You are limited on how many trades you can attempt. When it was my turn to draft, I was advised to take Kamerion Wimley from my Scouting Director, but, I didnt' listen and picked Manny Lawson, who was the top overall talent on the board. Since this wasn't my actual career, I simmed through the rest of the draft.

 

I was getting tired, but, wanted to get a taste of the rest of the game, so I simmed through a bunch of stuff, and got to training camp. We were doing an inside running drill, where you call the plays and choose which teams are going up against each other (1st Team 'O' vs. 1st Team 'D', etc.) After each play, you can give praise, criticism, or instruction to the whole team, positions, or individual players. Guys ratings can be affected by how you handle them. After seeing what practices are like, I simmed my way all the way to the 1st pre-season game. There was a lot of game-planning and stuff prior to the game, but, I skipped all of it. The game is kind of like playing Madden, except, you don't have controls, you are just picking the plays (or taking your coordinators advice), and watching the action. You can get involved pre-snap with adjustments, motion, audibles, etc.... You also can talk to any players or groups of players on the sidelines at anytime. The game actually played pretty cool, but, the Quarters were just 5 minutes, and I don't think you can change that. It seemed a little too low, and I don't think the stats will come out to well. I 've also heard the game is very interception happy, though in my game, there was only one pick. I won the game 21-17, and really enjoyed it.

 

Tonight, I'm going to start my franchise, and take a team that is down right now, as that will probably be more challenging and fun. I'm going to go slow with it, rather than simming, as it has a lot of potential, if you are in to this sort of thing. It is definitely not perfect, but, I see myself spending a lot of time with it. Well, I thought there might be others around here who are interested, so I decided to give you my insight on the game.

[irish]

I don't know for sure but I think this game might be perfect for me. With the real Madden I actually sim. the whole preseason, regular season and playoffs. My favorite part of the game is all the Offseason stuff-resignings of coaches and players, scouting, signing new players and free agents and then working with them in camp doing the different drills and earning points.

 

By the way, thanks for the input about the game.

Edited June 22, 2006 by irish

[georgemoe]

Thanks pretty interesting.

[Egret]

I've been waiting to hear more about the game. Do you need a controller for the PC?

 

I usually end up spending more time in Madden on the offseason stuff than the actual game these days. This game sounds like it could be awesome.

[Flip_Side]

I doubt I'll play it, sounds interesting but I would want to play not call out plays the whole time, that would get boring. I can do that in the regular madden with game simulator lol.

[Vote Quimby2]

I love the new Madden commercial where the dude tells Jeff Fisher letting Eddie George go was a bad idea. Now go get a water.

[Menudo]

I've been waiting to hear more about the game. Do you need a controller for the PC?

 

 

Nope. No controller needed. I was playing it on my laptop, which worked fine. I think the minimum requirements were something like: 1.2 GHZ Pentium Processor, 256K RAM, 2GB Free HD Space, Radeon 9000 or above Video.......... that is from memory, but, I think that is what they were.

[Youre Going Down]

Menudo, out of curiousity, does the career setting(or whatever it is called)play 15 minute quarters?

[Menudo]

Menudo, out of curiousity, does the career setting(or whatever it is called)play 15 minute quarters?

 

 

From what I'm reading, you cannot change the 5 minute quarters setting.

[T-Scorp]

Thanks for the info. I have been thinking of gettng the game as I am more into role playing than live action games.

 

Maybe you could keep us updated on your Career mode experience?

[Avernus]

I just bought it....it's pretty slow moving so far...but I like it...

[broncosn05]

Will never buy it because I like Madden to much but a rent is a possibilty... Thanks for riminding me about it though saw a commerical a few weeks back.

[wildcat2334]

As a fellow gamer , to play this coach thang- you guys have some serious free time on your hands

[Avernus]

As a fellow gamer , to play this coach thang- you guys have some serious free time on your hands

 

 

no more than the time I would have playing Madden....

 

 

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[Goopster24]

I'm still struggling with the decision whether I want to buy it or not....as of now it looks like a no.

[Menudo]

Just started a career as the Saints coach. I played non-stop from about 4PM to 9PM. I love the game. I'm not even to the pre-season yet. Traded down and took Leinhart in the draft, too tired to explain anymore of it, but, I'm loving it.

[wildcat2334]

Just started a career as the Saints coach. I played non-stop from about 4PM to 9PM. I love the game. I'm not even to the pre-season yet. Traded down and took Leinhart in the draft, too tired to explain anymore of it, but, I'm loving it.

 

 

 

Jesus Menudo Kiper-- this is the off season!! you know that right??

 

Mel has nothing on you

[Avernus]

I am not even a 'week' into it on my offseason.....it's still February....

 

I hate how I can only make 3 substitution moves and then 3 hours goes by and I change tasks...

[CarryTheRock]

Great description in the first post. Sounds perfect for the pC since you don't have to play the games. i could still get the football fix when the wife and kid have control of the TV's.

[Jo]

 

Very nice description...going to check it out this weekend for sure.

[irish]

How much is it?

[Avernus]

How much is it?

 

 

40

[Menudo]

Started my actual franchise with the Saints. I just finished my first pre-season game. I have not simmed anything, so I've logged a lot of hours. Won my pre-season game against the Titans 24-3. 2 TD passes from Matt Leinhart to Donte Stallworth, one for 93 yards. Defense came up with 5 interceptions against McNair.

 

I'm absolutely loving this game. However, I'm concerned that it might end up too easy after that 1st game. I read that the game is interception-happy, and I got 5 in the 1st game. The 5 minutes is just a bit too little. I had the ball a lot more than the Titans and McAllister ended with 19 carries, Bettis had 7, Antowain Smith had 4. Leinhart was 10 of 19 passing. You just can't get enough plays in on 5 minutes to make it realistic for number of snaps.

 

The game has been so much fun so far, but, I am worried that if it is too easy, it will get old fast.

[irish]

I'm going out to get it today. As I stated before I love all the offseason crap on Madden so this game should be perfect for me. And whenever I have the urge to actually play a game I'll just throw on Madden.

[Menudo]

Started my actual franchise with the Saints. I just finished my first pre-season game. I have not simmed anything, so I've logged a lot of hours. Won my pre-season game against the Titans 24-3. 2 TD passes from Matt Leinhart to Donte Stallworth, one for 93 yards. Defense came up with 5 interceptions against McNair.

 

I'm absolutely loving this game. However, I'm concerned that it might end up too easy after that 1st game. I read that the game is interception-happy, and I got 5 in the 1st game. The 5 minutes is just a bit too little. I had the ball a lot more than the Titans and McAllister ended with 19 carries, Bettis had 7, Antowain Smith had 4. Leinhart was 10 of 19 passing. You just can't get enough plays in on 5 minutes to make it realistic for number of snaps.

 

The game has been so much fun so far, but, I am worried that if it is too easy, it will get old fast.

 

 

So much for the game being too easy. Dropped my 2nd pre-season game to Dallas 21-17. Gave up 3 TD passes to Bledsoe, 2 of them were over 60 yards. Couldn't get anything going offensively, one of my TD's was an interception return. Got two more int's on defense and Leinart threw one as well. This is a very cool game, but, I'm curious if the interception-happy trend continues. This game wasn't too bad, but, from what I'm reading, the INT bug is a bad one.