Go Manny

In about 2 weeks time Manny Pacquiao will fight Oscar De La Hoya in one of the biggest fights in many years around the boxing circuit. In a bout where there's been so much hype with the De La Hoya's Golden Boy marketing machine in full swing, the question remains as whether or not this will be as epic a contest as the both sides have voiced opinions on what looks to be an unbalanced match-up.

Pacquiao, the current lightweight champion at at 135 pounds has agreed to fight at 147 pounds a weight that De La Hoya hasn't fought at in over 9 fights. At this weight, it will be almost 40 pounds more than what Manny fought at when he first entered the ring as a professional. Add the fact that De La Hoya will have a four inch height and six inch reach advantage, and it's easy to see that this could end up being a one-sided affair if De La Hoya can make weight without giving up his power. Pacquiao only seems to out best him in the speed department and the fact that he is fighting in what seems to be his prime at the moment, though he'll be the first to say that he's still growing.

Though there are extraordinary circumstances that surround this fight and there if there is one person who is not listening to the skpetics, it's Manny himself. No filipino has received this typ of world class attention since Efren 'Bata' Reyes (The Magician) won the World Pool Championships in the late 90's. I remember even back then I was on a vacation back home in the Philippines and found myself glued to the TV to watch as Reyes, covered in local advertisements, won the hearts of a nation when he became world champion. It is no different with Manny and his accomplishments.

When Manny speaks, he speaks on behalf of entire nation. When he smiles, he shows the smile of millions that love him as the brother he is. Though his celebrity and star continue to shine, it is what he gives back that makes him the man he is. Countless times, Pacquiao can be seen giving back whether it though medical facilities build in his name in his home province or through his generous donations of money and food to those in need back in the homeland. One report even quoted his coach Freddy Roach as saying, "Sometimes I think he might just give it all away."

I highly doubt that he'll give it all away. In fact, it's my belief that the more you give the more you receive. When I listen to Manny and his gratefulness for having the abilities that he has and the opportunities that he has, you can tell that he is sincere and that he understands his role in the bigger picture; and that is he is gladly fighting with an entire nation on his back.

Again, this fight has the makings of a total mismatch. De La Hoya is bigger, longer, stronger, and is more experienced than Manny. Many reports all prediciting a De La Hoya KO over his smaller opponent. It isn't the first time Manny has been pegged as the underdog. He was pegged as the underdog in many of his past fights. There's one thing to be said about his speed though. He's known to throw punches that cut like razors and De La Hoya has bee known to not fight well against smaller, faster fighters. Add in the fact that Manny is again fighting in his prime and should be much better physically.

It's a coin toss as far as I can see it. Call it luck or call it fate, but this fight will leave a lasting memory for those that watch it, for reasons we'll have to wait and see. Fortunately, being a Pacquiao fan, luck seems to favor those that are gracious enough to accept all the universe has to offer. For one filipino who has always taken what life has given and given back over and over and over again, there is a feeling that there may be one more fight to be extremely thankful for. And a celebration to follow that will once again bring together an entire nation.

Hello to My EAC Moderators

Just some snippets from a pretty damn long email I had sent out to my moderators introducing myself to them. It's my first intro to any team since I've been back...I feel they are the most important of all the people that I work with next to my coworkers at EA and community leaders running websites of their own. These are the brave souls who deal with a lot of the headaches that occur with some of the harder-core gamers that are truly passionate about our games. I have much respect for these folks and they'll know over the next year how much I appreciate their hard work. I'll probably repurpose this for the EA folks and community leaders ;)
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Guys,

A little background on me: I was born in Vancouver, BC 10 days after my parents landed from the Philippines. I joke saying that they didn’t really love me and I was basically the meal ticket for them and my two older brothers to stay in Canada. I know they love me…but sometimes I wonder. I’m 34 and have been playing video games on a recreational (sometimes intensely-recreational) basis since my first Atari 2600. I’ve also gamed on the Commodore 64, Coleco-Vision, Genesis, Dreamcast, PS, PS2, and now X360 game systems.

I graduated from Centennial high school in Coquitlam, BC where I played football, basketball, hockey, track, and rugby. I went on to UBC on a football scholarship and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelors of Commerce degree in Marketing. For 2 years I ran my own direct sales company (read: door-to-door) and followed that with sales management positions with in the retail, telemarketing, cellular, and hospitality management industries. In the winter of 2003 my girlfriend at the time bought me a PS2 and a couple of EA SPORTS games TW golf and NHL. Yes, I married her. It reminded me of my days playing Madden in high school with my football buddies, and staying up late and not studying for exams in the mid 90’s playing EA’s NHL in university; Joseph, I’m sure you can appreciate that.

A few months later I saw an ad in the newspaper from EA looking for game testers and I thought, what the hell, I always thought that if I ever had the chance to work there, it would probably be the coolest thing in the world. I was hired onto the Def Jam: Fight For New York (probably one of the most underrated games ever to come out of EAC) game testing team in April 2004 and since then I’ve worked on numerous franchises including Need for Speed, FIFA Street, Cricket, NBA LIVE, NCAA Basketball, MVP, NHL, Madden, and NCAA Football in a testing, development support, or marketing capacity.

Earlier this year I went through a brief transition where I left the company to pursue other interests. Other interests did not last long. I worked 2 months at a mobile cellular phone company managing communities in Eastern Europe from an office in downtown Vancouver. There were some language barriers. When I also realized I was no longer in the video game industry I really started to miss it. I was offered a position with Blue Castle Games in Vancouver, a mere few blocks down the road from EA.

I worked with a lot of people I knew that used to work for the mother-ship (it’s what I like to call EAC) and I helped support their recent baseball manager title that’s coming out for 2K.

When I was back at EAC working in a marketing capacity for NHL, I met Marcus and was amazed at his energy and drive in his role as Community Manager. I recall him proposing the NHL Community Days to me and I was stoked about it. I couldn’t believe that there was a role in the company that did the things that Marcus got to do. I supported his initiatives 100% and know that he’s carved a path at EAC, in particular with NHL and NBA/NCAA, that the development and production teams have really bought into.

His drive has helped him move into a role that I know he will be just as successful in. When I found out about the role, I was immediately enthused and confident to take on the task of filling his monstrous shoes. No, we are not alike him and I. I would not consider myself a hardcore gamer…I seem to get my ass kicked online more than I care to talk about. Though I am a great sport and my competitive nature is right up there with crazylegs. Just don’t ask him about my Deion Sanders like pick on the EA field last year…he’s still bitter about it.

There are very big plans in the near future and I want to involve you in all of them from new forums to new website designs, and more ways than ever for the EA Community to be involved. The goal is to grow our community by welcoming new members no matter what type of gamer they are whether they are hardcore gamers or recreational gamers or “I only play when my wife (or husband for that matter) let’s me” type gamers. It’s a vision that I see where we can grow our communities with all types of gamers and freely communicate with one thing in common and that is our passion for gaming; while at the same time solidifying our base of hardcore gamers as the game experts that they are to help others get better…because at one time or another we were all new at a game, right?

This all starts with you and I want to again thank you for all your efforts. I know as volunteers on boards, you take a lot of the heat and sometimes, if not many times, you feel nothing but unappreciated. I want to let you know that I will do my very best to make you feel otherwise. Who knows exactly what the future holds, but I do know that with or without you our forums will grow and more and more gamers will want to let their voices be heard whether it be on our boards writing or talking through their game with screenshots and videos. I hope you all will continue to welcome them here and help us grow and be a part of the EA SPORTS family.

As a team of moderators I hope we can all learn and work together to make our forums the best experience in sports video games. We are now at the phase where we need to plant the seeds and grow it. Millions of people around the world play EA SPORTS games, so we want to hear from them and help them even more to get into our games.

Cheers mods,

Alain Quinto
EA SPORTS Community Manager

When I was a kid...(Part II)

I'll suggest you read Part I before reading the following entry.

My brothers and I never did get a chance to win again the year after. Our parents were separated and my mom had decided to move out to Coquitlam where my younger brother and I stayed while my two older brothers lived with our dad. What sucked about this was that I wouldn't get a chance to redeem myself on that field, though what I didn't realize right away was that I would be able to use that event as the driving force behind accomplishing so many other things, and eventually, karma would return the favour offering up another opportunity for one shining moment.

At the end of grade nine (cue BNL), the JV football team I was on, the Banting Braves, took part in a tournament between 4 local high schools in the Tri-City area as a way to end spring training and for coaches to get a look at the team for the following year. Over the span of 2 days all teams were matched up in controlled scrimages against each other. One team would have 10 offensive plays followed by the other and every time the team scored, they would start back at the 40 until all 10 plays were done.

There would be two rounds of 10 plays followed by a third round of 5 plays. It was considered etiquitte to play your starters in the first round followed by the second stringers and then the third would be the starters or a mix of the two which basically depended on the coach and how many players he was fielding.

We managed to make it to the finals with a 2-1 record tied with the host team from Mary Hill school as both teams won semi-final matches to meet for the summer bragging rights.

The home team had the ball first and managed two scores behind a strong running game and suspect defense on our part. Fortunately, our offense also scored twice including one score on an end around I took 20 yards in to tie the game.

In the second round of plays, the Mary Hill offense didn't make any adjustments and kept their starters on the field. Our team didn't actually notice until they put up 2 scores on 2 plays against our 2nd string defense. By this time a number of the players were calling it out and I just looked up at our coach and said,

"NO FAIR! They can't do that, they're supposed to have their backups in? They're cheating!" I said wondering if would just do the same thing with our set of downs.

I looked up at coach Don McRae and he just looked at me, winked and said, "It's only a game, we'll get our scores."

What did he mean it was only a game? I don't care if it's for a league championship or a backyard throwaround, what's fair is fair especially when all the teams were obliging by the same unspoken rule.

Then I looked around and saw all the people excited for their home team taking the lead but when I looked closer, I saw parents talking to each other and even overheard one say, "Oh that's ok if my son doesn't play, it's only spring training, they have a chance to win here! They'll all get to play on defense."

I still didn't quite understand what to make of it all. I've always been competitive though for the first time I saw what an ugly head competition could rear as even parents threw the local tourney rules out the window for the right to brag about a win, even if it is only a spring event.

They ended up scoring one more TD as our coach refused to make any adjustments and as our 2nd string offense hit the field, I again looked up at him with a gesture that maybe we should do the same thing. Coach just pressed his lips together and looked on.

At least the home team put their 2nd stringers on defense and in 3 plays our backups were able to march 40 yards off of poor tackling and narrowed the gap to 2 TD's. Again I nudged the coach for us to put back our starters to narrow the gap even more. And yet again, he looked down at me and gave me a smile.

Well, he must have known something I didn't as a double-reverse on our next start from the 40 turned into a quick score.

Now within 1 TD I looked over and saw their starters coming in for the Mary Hill defense. This time when I looked up at our Coach he had this glare in his eyes and as I panned to see where he was looking I saw the other coach locked in a staring match with him. Coach McRae just put up his arms gesturing, "What's up?" The other coach just looked away.

"Now can we put in our starters, Coach?" I recall sounding like a sniveling baby.

"No. We'll play it out." There was no questioning him, he had made up his mind. "Between you and me, kid, we wont sink to their level."

Alright then. I got what he said. It wasn't about winning or losing, it was about playing with integrity and fairness. With all those watching and judging, it's in moments of decisons that outcomes were being decided. Though it wasn't the game outcomes that seemed to matter, it was about which team would be respected at the end of the day.

"But coach, don't you want to win?" I tugged one last time.

He turned, nodded and said, "Who said I didn't want to win?"

Our backups would go 7 plays and gain only 12 yards total going into the final round of five plays.

"Ok, listen up!" Coach called in the team before the starting offense made it's way out onto the field. "Don't think about those last 7 plays. In 3 plays we got 2 touchdowns. We have 5 plays, plenty of time. But first you guys," pointing to the defense, "have now got to step up and play hard and go balls out for 5 plays. Don't leave anything behind out there and hit whatever isn't purple and wrap up your tackles."

We were fired up. The team knew what happened and although we had the chance to do the same we didn't and for some reason that meant something.

"Let's stop these guys, get our boys back out there on O and win this thing. You with me?"

"YEAH" we all replied in unison piled our hands together in a tight huddle.

"Win on three, ONE, TWO, THREE...WIN!"

Our defense hit the field, pumped, and it showed as they stopped two running plays in a row in the backfield. The third play saw the home team go to the air and complete a 20 yard pass on a receiver that got by me followed by a quick out to put the home team inside the 10 for their last play.

I was still pretty upset with that prior play and started to lose focus.

Just one more play, I thought to myself. I shook my head hoping I would shake the memory off and get onto the last play.

As the QB took the snap he dropped back to pass and as the defense spread itself out, he pulled the ball in and ran a draw looking to sneak his way into the endzone. I cheated and left my receiver as I had an inside look and saw him pull the ball down.

There was no way I would catch him from the angle I had. Suddenly our middle linebacker filled the gap forcing him to the outside with a juke move right towards me. Not seeing me as close as I was I met him at the one yard line, put my head down, and drove my shoulder into his ribs as hard as I could knocking him down keeping the game to a 1 TD difference.

We celebrated, though for only a moment as Coach yelled guys to get off the field and set our offense.

With momentum on our side QB Blair Bradley called two passing plays to our tall tight end who managed to get us inside the 10. On our next play we powered the ball off-tackle and what looked to be a TD was signaled to be down on the 1 yard line.

The sense of frustration started to set in as we sensed that all we had left were 2 chances to tie the game. On the next play though, a QB sneak would put Blair into the endzone to tie the game and leave our offense with one last play from the 40 yard line.

Coach McRae called time and brought the team together, "Great job, guys! We have one more play and that's all we need." We all nodded taking in water before the last play of the tournament. Coach told us that there would be no extra downs and that this would end as a tie if we didn't score. "Let's win this. Offense huddle up."

He made an adjustment and put our 2nd string QB to start and moved Blair to tailback. "We're going to run the halfback pass." Coach looked at me and said, "Here you go, Quinto, win the game."

As we lined up I instantly thought of the dropped pass. It was so similar. Sure it wasn't for any season long league championship, in fact we weren't even playing full games with special teams or halftime. This was just a controlled scrimmage for God's sake! But with the adrenalin kicked to level 11 this was anything but just another play. I shivered trying to take a deep breath.

"Red-nineteen! Red-nineteen!"

Catch the ball.

"Set..."

Just catch the ball.

"Hup!"

The QB pitched it to Blair who looked like he was running a sweep to the right side of the field pulling in the safety and linebackers. I stutter steped and faked a block and as the defender took a step forward, I swam my left arm over and pushed him aside with my right as I put my foot on the gas and raced towards the endzone. On the run, Blair cocked back and threw the ball as hard as he could towards me now uncovered inside the 10 yard line.

Just catch the DAMN ball!

I turned my shoulder and saw the ball coming down not the tight spiral I would've hoped a pass of this magnitude to be. My defender now realizing I was uncovered was closing the gap as the ball continued to fall. I was now backpeddling watching the ball fall even closer as it seemed, again, that everything stood still.

I'm gonna catch it.

I put my arms out as the ball bounced off my chest and into my arms. I stopped and couldn't believe it and then immediately realized that I was 2 yards outside the endzone!

"Go!" I heard and turned and took two steps into the endzone just as the defender dove and pushed one ankle into the other knocking me down into the enzone.

I looked at ball...still in my arms.

I then peered up to a team of smiles and cheering and was lifted onto my feet. We may have just won the Super Bowl, it was that kind of moment and celebration. It was such an incredible feeling as I looked for Blair to thank him for the throw and didn't even realize he was standing right in front of me.

"Nice catch!" he yelled over all the hooting and hollering as I thanked him as well.

"Great catch, kid," I heard Coach say behind me. I looked up at him and saw a smile on his face that I'll never forget. I felt a wave of emotion come over me that I had never felt before. It was one shining moment.

I know now that it was so much more than just a catch and so much more than just a win. I know that our characters are built by the events that shape our lives. Most importantly it's the decisions that we make when faced with these opportunities to grow that are really what matter most.

Though I wouldn't realize it then, I was only 15 after all, this would become one of the highest points in my life and one that even now looking back, still brings upon a wave of nostalgia that I will never forget.

Here to help

It's been a while. Sure I've been busy with the new job and getting up to speed in my new role back at EA and sure it's seems like days have gone by so fast with the amount of work I've tasked for myself; so when I do actually come by here to write something, inspired, do I come to write about work? Maybe I've decided to write about how great it is to be back at the Mother Ship and how I know I'm up for the challenge of managing communities for multiple titles. Maybe I'll write about the excitement that comes with the launch of another EAS title as NCAA Basketball 09 ships this week.

For the past few weeks I've been working longer days, starting work earlier than I ever have, and even coming home and perusing forums to maintain a pulse on what the word is on each title. Today I actually felt a kink in my neck that just didn't seem to go away. Avoiding stress manifested.

Tonight as I look at 12 tabs open and behind me my X360 on the new LIVE Experience dashboard, I hear a someone tumble down some stairs outside followed by a small boy's cry.

I sit in my chair, ear wide open, and listen to see if everything is ok...maybe it's just a sprain. Then the boy cries more and the woman who slipped on the step lets out a small moan and hollers out for help to her sister and niece who had gone inside before her. I continue to listen as the boy's fearful cry drowns out the panicking family members who frantically attempt to lift her onto her feet. The woman fears the worst and refuses to move; the pain is just too much.

"I'll call an ambulance!" I hear from the niece.

I decide not to be another ear in the distance only to listen. I look and see that the woman was carrying her son who was sound asleep. She had missed a step losing grip of her child and putting her own body in harms way adjusts to maintain her grip on the child but tripping and falling waking him in her arms.

I ask the niece to take the boy inside while I assess the situation. I ask her to take a few deep breaths. Little does she know I've already started the flow. I sense that she's in pain near the bottom of her right leg which she has bent at the knee. I ask her where her pain is and she points to the lower leg. I ask to her if it's ok to put my hand on her foot.

"Can you feel my hand?" I ask to help check for broken bones.

"Yes. It's very warm."

I smile and look at her and she seems much calmer. Her sister is there and looks on, slightly confused yet grateful for the help.

"I work with energy. It's called Reiki, a form of hands on healing." They both just nod and I continue to focus on her ankle.

I ask where else she hurts and explain that with every deep breath the pain slowly dissipates. She holds the back of her head. I see it. The bag of ice that I thought would be for her sprained ankle would be better used to take care of the soon-to-be bruise on the back of her head.

I place both hands on her ankle and though I've felt the flow of energy many times, each and every time it flows just a little stronger. I know she felt something, I sensed she fully accepted the healing that flowed through me.

I helped to carry her with her older son up her driveway, a flight of steps, and into her house. The family had her from there. I sensed a sprain, maybe some ligament damage, but no broken bones (possibly some bruised pride which I mentioned to her with a smile).

As she sat down and exhaled a deep breath, the rest of the family looked over to me with a smile.

"Thank you," she and the family said nearly in unison.

"It was nothing. You're most welcome."

It really was nothing to the point that it wasn't me. During the moment, I am only the conduit through which the universal flow can freely move and connect with others. I have practiced the healing art of Reiki for close to 8 years now. Funny thing, until this point I rarely shared it with anyone but me and my family. Why? Let me ask you one question,

"Do you believe me or think I'm crazy?"

Joining the NHL 09 Community

I posted this up on the EASPORTS.com NHL09 boards and thought I would share it here as well.

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I read this whole thread while watching my Canucks beat up on the Leafs on PVR...good times and great community here.

The name's sk88z. Represents my 2 favourite sports: #88WR when I played football in school and 'skates' for my love of hockey.

I'm on old skool gamer: 1st EA SPORTS game was Madden on the Genesis way back when. First played NHL in 94 in the dorms at UBC - Go T-Birds - and when the PS2 came out the gf thought it would be a good idea to get one because we didn't have a DVD player at the time and she knew I kinda wanted one, so she picked one up for my bday one year. I've been gaming ever since. Yes, I married her;)

Teams I watch or keep tabs on: Vancouver Canucks - Bobby Lou is the man. My love-hate realationship with the 'nucks go back to '82 when it was only when they were playing was I able to stay up late and watch TV with the ol' man. King Richard, Snepts, Smyl, Gradin, oh man. Great home stretch this week. Glad Demitra's back.
BC Lions - sooooo close, argh! time to get the clubs out and catch a plane to some warmer weather.
Buffalo Bills - fan since those SB days...praying for them to win the big one just once before I die. best fans in the NFL.
NY Jets - how can this be? I respect the old guy playing QB there. Favre's passion goes well beyond what 'should make sense' and that's why on any given Sunday (or Thursday) he can gunsling his way to the top of the AFC East.

To answer the question before it's asked... Bills over Jets.

Currently playing NHL and a little Madden and looking forward to NCAA BB release this week.

Though new to the boards, I've come by time to time over the past year as the activity has grown into one of the most vibrant communities in sports gaming. Main job here is to work with you all to get the issues to the team and maybe kick some butt online if there are any takers (I'm all talk...I'd say I'm your average player on the sticks ;)

See you online.

EAS.com NHL09 Forum

I just wanted to repurpose a news item i created for work. Check it out:

Are you ready to tame the Tiger?

EASPORTSWorld shootout winner

EA SPORTS World: shootout winner

Lucky and grateful

For the change that's in the air. I watched as the polls in the US elections close down and Barack Obama becomes the 44th President. As a Canadian, I watch with approval as I can't exactly say that the last 8 years have been prosperous for our neighbours down south.

At the end of the day though, I don't get the chance to vote and even if I did have a strong opinion about things, I digress and leave the debate for those that have voted.

On the topic of change, though, today was my second day back at EA SPORTS, where I left a few months back after some time with their Marketing and QA teams. There's been a lot of chatter about the recent layoffs, and though I've been there in the past when this has occurred before, I was not there this time around, but all I can imagine is that it just goes to show that even the video game industry is not immune to the tough times of the current economy.

I'm not a business analyst though...yes, I went to business school but I joke around saying that I majored in football and minored in partying. And business over 10 years ago is a lot different than business is now. Personally, I am very grateful to have the opportunity to have come back knowing that there were some people that I did know that were part of the cuts. Maybe lucky...very grateful.

I was welcomed back though as their newest Community Manager at EA Canada, a role that is still fairly new and still being defined with many gaming companies. Mainly a role that's been regarded with mostly MMO gaming, more and more companies, whether it be the video game industry or any industry, are looking to grow communities to help sell products.

Though it's a new role for me, it's not an unfamiliar one. I worked closely with the previous Community Manager during my stint as a marketing assistant on the NHL franchise, and was totally on board when approached about bringing in the community to meet and spend time with the dev teams. The way I saw it, at the end of the day, these are the guys and gals that play and spread the word about our games. Good or bad, these folks spend their own time passionately following ours and many other companies' games and communicate with a large number of users that business need to open to working with.

So I'm totally grateful for the chance to make a difference in the creation of our games. I'm not saying that I know everything about community management...every community requires different traits. All I can do is put it the effort and time to be as active as I can and communicate as much as I can. I know there will be some challenges, and with that, there will also be some great wins. From what I've seen so far, plans for the near future are looking really exciting and I'm sincerely enthused to be a part of some big plans. Very lucky...I'm tellin' ya.

Lastly, one of the perks are intramurals at EAC's indoor gym. I got to re-join my ball hockey team, the Ice Hogs, in their 3rd game of the season. They were 0-2 so far. We won 6-2. I celebrated each goal like it was an overtime one in game 7 of the Stanley Cup, scoring one and assisting on a few others with some nice passes. I may have been overcelebrating...ok...my bad.

Sorry...can you blame me?