Take-Two, the company that produces Grand Theft Auto, has turned down a $2 billion dollar takeover bid from Electronic Arts. This doesn’t mean the deal is dead. In fact, it could take place April 30th, the day after GTA IV is released.. The two companies have differing opinions on the bid; Take-Two thinks it’s too low, and of course EA thinks it’s more than fair.

I don’t care what the two sides have to do, but this deal must get done. The combination of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc. could lead to the greatest video game in the history of video games.. Grand Theft Auto: John Madden.

Imagine a game with the GTA crime theme and an NFL storyline. Sorta like Playmakers for Playstation. There are endless directions to take this idea…

The game always starts easy so the first mission would be something simple.. Like using the Madden Cruiser to run over Joe Buck. After that, it’s on.

• Nashville: Take down the notorious Pacman crew that has been terrorizing local strip clubs. Score extra cash by letting the leader make it rain before you take him out.
• Dallas: Use any means necessary to keep the paparazzi away from Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson. You can earn bonus points for rushing Terrell Owens to the hospital before he starts crying.
• Miami: Kidnap Ricky Williams from a yoga studio and get him to Dolphins’ practice before he retires or gets high.
• New England: Escort Matt Walsh from his hotel to the Federal building without Bill Belichick videotaping you or eliminating Walsh.
• Atlanta: Stomp out the Bad Newz dogfighting ring, but watch out for the killer pitbulls. This task is easy if you catch one of the low level guys that is likely to snitch on his boss.
• Cincinnati: One of the hardest levels in the game. You gotta keep every member of the Bengals outta jail for 48 hours.
• Las Vegas: A final showdown in a hotel room with O.J. Simpson. You’ll have to fight Jerry Porter and Levi Jones before you get up to the Juice’s room. Once you’re there, he’s pretty much impossible to put away. I suggest using a white woman to distract him before you make your move.

Who’s not buying this game? Nobody. EA, email me so we can straighten out my royalties.
Take-Two: EA Bid Wrong Price, Wrong Time. Courtesy of The Associated Press

Tags: John Madden, EA Sports, Grand Theft Auto, NFL, video games

I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you. The good news, I’m 7-1 straight up picking games in the playoffs. The bad news, I’m 4-4 against the spread. I had the Packers, Patriots, and Chargers, all winning and covering. I had a feeling the Giants could pull off an upset in Dallas, but I didn’t have the heart to pick two upsets on Sunday. I should have gone with the obvious distraction angle.. I guess I ended up thinking about the game too much.

There’s not much thinking to do this week. Four teams playing for a chance at the Super Bowl, and the ultimate prize, the Lombardi Trophy. The two biggest factors going into the NFL playoff games this weekend are the weather in Green Bay, and the play of Billy Volek. The temperature at Lambeau Field is expected to be in single digits. The New York Giants have seen plenty of bad weather, but on the road at Buffalo isn’t the same as traveling to Lambeau when Brett Favre has a chance to get to the Super Bowl. Billy Volek is gonna have to do his best regular season Todd Collins impersonation, and the rest of the team is gonna have to play lights out for the Chargers to stand a chance… A slight chance.

As always, the home team is in bold type.

San Diego +14 over New England
Sunday 12 pm PST on CBS
Prediction: Patriots 30 Chargers 17

New York +7.5 over Green Bay
Sunday 3:30 pm PST on Fox
Prediction: Packers 24 Giants 17

Tags: NFL Odds, NFL Playoffs, NFL Betting Line, Patriots, Chargers, Giants, Packers

All right… Not a good week last week, but not a bad week either. I went 8-5, 3 games over .500, and now my season mark stands at 29-23-6… If you’re keeping up, I had the Steelers last week as my x Star play. It didn’t work out so well. I didn’t give the fact that Ken Whisenhunt is the former Pittsburgh O coordinator enough consideration. If anybody would know Ben Roethlisberger’s weaknesses, it would be the guy that called his plays his first two seasons. Palamalu getting hurt early, and Big Ben throwing an interception in the endzone both killed my chance to pull out the win. So what does this mean? Nothing. I made a terrible pick.

This week’s bye teams are Cincinnati, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Oakland. As always, the home team is in bold type.

New Orleans -3 over Carolina: The Panthers suck at home. I don’t know why, it’s just how it is. They’re on the road in this game so that was some useless info. I have to believe Sean Payton figured out how to get the offense going during the bye week.

Jacksonville -2 over Kansas City: The Chiefs are coming off the huge win at San Diego while the Jaguars had a bye week. The Jags have already gone into Denver and won, they can do it in Kansas City.

Washington -3.5 over Detroit: The Redskins are another rested up team going up against a team that had a huge victory last week. The Lions 34 4th quarter points last week will leave them without many points this week.

Tennessee -8 over Atlanta: Hooray for Joey Harrington. He beat Matt Schaub. Is Atlanta still kicking themselves for letting Schaub get away? They shouldn’t be, but people will say they should after the Falcons get stomped in Nashville.

Houston -5 over Miami: Ricky Williams wants back in? He’s obviously still smoking weed. I’m feelin the Texans defense carrying the team to a cover.

Seattle +6 over Pittsburgh: A Super Bowl rematch.. Sorta. Seahawks fans aren’t gonna feel any differently about XL if the team wins on Sunday.. They’ll just say it shoulda been two in a row over the Steelers. Quit your bitchin’ and accept this close loss.

New England -16.5 over Cleveland: If I was in Vegas, gambling with real money, I wouldn’t touch this game. New England has been crushing teams, but starting an NFL game down 17 is stupid. Even if they’ll probably cover.

Arizona -3 over St. Louis: Kurt Warner gets to kick Matt Leinart and his old team in the balls on the same day. Gus Ferrotte gets to try his luck behind the offensive line that got Marc Bulger’s ribs broken. Have fun.

NYJ +3.5 over NYG: The Giants defense isn’t gonna have that performance two weeks in a row. Right? Right?! I felt bad for the Eagles because I’m a fan, but I felt worse for Winston Justice, who I once went to dinner with [| |].

Tampa Bay +9.5 over Indianapolis: I just don’t learn. The Colts were favored by double digits over the Broncos, so I took the Broncs. I lost. I’m basically applying the same theory here, so you’d probably be wise to go opposite of me.

San Diego pick over Denver: Is there a reason the Broncos aren’t favored by at least a field goal over the discombobulated Chargers? The books seem to think so, and that’s good enough for me.

San Francisco +3.5 over Baltimore: No Alex Smith, no problem. Insert Trent f’n Dilfer against his former team, and pray for the best… The Niners have a pretty tough defense and the Ravens offense is weak, so the game should be close. All Trent has to do is avoid the big mistake. That’s all…

Green Bay -3 over Chicago: The Packers get a chance to embarrass the Bears on Sunday night football. The Pack should pile on, and deliver the nail in the coffin to Chi-town. Chicago’s defense has been rough on Favre the last few seasons, but now Brett has a D of his own, while the Bears guard is slipping.

Dallas -10 over Buffalo: The Cowboys have been put in the “assume I’m with them every week until I say otherwise” category. The Boys haven’t exactly beat anybody yet (Giants, Dolphins, Bears, and Rams) so the Bills should be easy prey because they’re a nobody too. Buffalo is awesome by the way… 31st in offense, 31st in passing, 18th in rushing, and 32nd in defense. Awesome is slang for garbage if you didn’t know.

Tags: NFL Week 5 Picks, NFL, Sports, Football Odds

If gambling was abolished, do you know who would suffer the most? The NFL and the NBA referees. Regardless of the NFL’s official stance on wagering, the reason the league is so popular is because of the violence, gambling, and video games. But I’m not here to call the NFL a bunch of hypocrites, I’m here to salute the gridiron gladiators. I am entertained and hopefully my picks do likewise.

I’m superstitious, so I never pick for or against my favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. The home team is in bold type.

Houston -3 over Kansas City: I didn’t see a lot of the Texans in preseason but I saw all of Hard Knocks.

Buffalo +3 over Denver: The Broncos are gonna have a nice season but it’ll get off to a slow start in upstate New York. Under 37 is tempting.

Pittsburgh -4.5 over Cleveland: The Browns aren’t gonna put it together over 1 summer.

Tennessee +6.5 over Jacksonville: The rule of thumb is to decide which team you think is going to win outright, and then bet on that team. I’m breaking the rule. The Jaguars win a close game.

St. Louis -1 over Carolina: If the Rams are gonna be who I think they are, they have to win this game.

Minnesota -3 over Atlanta: Joey Harrington is 1-4 lifetime vs. Minnesota. 0-4 at the Dome. The lone win came last year at home in Miami.

Miami +3 over Washington: I’m not expecting a lot from either of these teams this season but I like Miami a little more.

NYJ +6.5 over New England. I can make an argument for both teams in this game. That makes me think the game will be close.

Seattle -6 over Tampa Bay: Holmgren vs. Gruden. Hasselbeck vs. Garcia. I like the Seahawks in those matchups and the game.

San Diego -6 over Chicago: One of these teams will be almost as good as last year and the other’s qb is gonna end up costing them.

Detroit +1.5 over Oakland: It wouldn’t be Oakland if they didn’t start the season with a quarterback controversy.. Which should start about midway through the 2nd quarter.

Dallas -5.5 over NYG: The Cowboys offense gets all of the attention but that defense is gonna be really tough up front.

Cincinnati -2.5 over Baltimore: If the game was in Baltimore, I would pick the Ravens.

San Francisco -3 over Arizona: Every year is the year that the Cardinals are gonna turn it around. This might really be their time, but not this week.