Trying To Capture Lightning

With Nike releasing limited edition Tokyo 23 versions of the Jordan 5 and CP3.IV exclusively in Japan today, I made it a point to make good use of the holiday and try to land one or the other. First things first, you have to lace up a decent pair of hunting boots when going on the hunt:



With rumors swirling that these would be extremely limited (as low as a several hundred made of each pair), I decided to not take any chances and head to my sneaker spot early. Unfortunately, the mall's parking lot wasn't open yet, but I managed to find a pay lot a couple of blocks away.



As expected, several people were already lined up and waiting. Lots of heat in attendance - Cement III, Fire Red 5, Space Jams - but all the buzz was clearly about the T23 "Lightning" Jordan 5. Oddly enough, there were lots of people waiting in line at the theater as well. Not sure what's more weird, the fact that the movie theater opens at 8:00 in the morning, or the fact that there are actually people who want to watch a movie that early.



Unfortunately, rumors surrounding the production run seemed to be fairly accurate, as the store apparently only had 10 pairs of each shoe in stock. The size run was even a bigger surprise, as they only had 7.5 through 10. Considering the size breakdown, logic suggested that they would likely have no more than 2 pairs of the Jordan 5 in my size (10), and likewise for the CP3.IV.



Rather than risk a stampede when the doors finally opened, the employees did the smart thing and asked customers for their preferred model and shoe size before handing out vouchers. When the girl taking sizes got to me, there was just one pair of the Jordan 5 left in a 7.5, as well as a few pairs of the CP3.IV, with the biggest size being a 9.5. I weighed my options for a minute, but eventually decided to grab the largest available pair of the CP3s, figuring that I could make a 9.5 work with church socks (maybe). This is all that they had left by the time I got to the register:



I let the dude behind me take the last pair of the Jordan Vs. In hindsight, I could have just bought the shoes anyway and flipped them since they'd probably fetch Yeezy-type prices (people online were offering me $500-$600 to land a pair), but I never got into the sneaker game to turn a profit through reselling and all that noise. The dude behind me said that he planned to take the 7.5 pair and try to find someone online that would trade him an 11, and I believe him. I did make it a point to snap a picture of them, considering that it's possible that I'll never see another pair in my life.



Pretty nice huh? I do like the 5 silhouette a lot, but I don't know if I would have ever rocked the T23s, even if I managed to grab a pair in my size. With the Wolf Grey 5 due out on 5/14, I think I can manage without the Lightnings in my life. So, my spoils for waking up early on my day off? One pair of T23 CP3.IVs in 9.5. And some stickers.



I suppose my initial reasoning was that I'd rather have a pair of the CP3s a half size too small than a pair of the Jordans 2.5 sizes too small, but I'm kind of glad that I went with the CP3.IVs since they are really, really nice and just as limited. I'd been looking at those XI-inspired Bred CP3.IVs, but these T23s blow those way out of the water.



Clean. Needed New Orleans to win today to really put a cap on things, but it was still a good day. I'll post more detailed pictures later.

All Of The Lights

Been spending a lot of time ogling pictures of the Sharp Blue Crazy Light that Adidas has put out. They supposedly weigh a mere 9.8 ounces, good enough to earn the title of lightest basketball sneaker on the market.





Although the name of the shoe is a bit dumb, the design is definitely on point, as are most of the colors that are set to release. Derrick Rose has been playing in a nice black/red pair, but it's this shade of "sharp" blue that really punctuates the futuristic feel that the shoe has. The price is a bit steep at about $130 a pair, but if they perform as well as Adidas has promised, they should provide a nice alternative to Nike's current Hyper-everything basketball line.

Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light

Playing:
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
(PS3)

Not really much of a review since the game has been out for 8 months or so now, but I figured I’d post a few thoughts on this one after getting it off of the PSN store on sale for $7.50 a couple of weeks back. I’ll go ahead and call it my second favorite Tomb Raider game in the franchise (behind Tomb Raider II, which remains a sentimental favorite of mine), though you’re free to make of that what you will, as I only really played Tomb Raider through Tomb Raider III on the original Playstation before skipping every PS2 incarnation and jumping all the way to this one.

Although Crystal Dynamics has completely redefined the gameplay mechanics, Guardian of Light is a good deal of fun, providing tons of challenging puzzles in true TR fashion, as well as a multitude of treasures and weapons to collect as you make your way through the game. It plays nothing like the original trilogy, but manages to retain that “Indiana Jones with boobs & automatic weapons” vibe that we all fell in love with back in junior high. Combat feels more like Contra than TR, but the arcade-style shootouts mesh oddly well with the rather contrite puzzles that are scattered throughout the levels. A local co-op mode is also an option, as Lara teams with a spear-wielding God of War-ish warrior of sorts. I managed to beat the game over the course of a few days, although I imagine that a more dedicated gamer could conceivably plow through the whole thing in one sitting. The adventure is a tad on the short side and somewhat easy, but definitely a deal at $7.50, and probably worth the full $15.00 price tag as well if you’ve enjoyed a Lara Croft game in the past. Solid recommendation.

Hey Jealousy

It doesn't happen very often, but once in a while someone down here will pull something out of the closet that manages to really impress me. One of the school's former teachers showed up to visit yesterday with these on his feet:



Metallic Silver 6 Lows? Tough. I think this topped the time when one of the math teachers (different dude) broke out his 2002 Raptor VIIs during one of our basketball tournaments.

New SF X Tekken Trailers

Capcom recently released some new footage for the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken at Captivate 2011. I don't smoke, but I almost needed a cigarette after watching that first trailer.

Wrestlemania XXVII (Part II)

Okay show so far. Last year the two title matches and HBK/Taker really delivered, so we'll see if HHH/Taker and the RAW title match can push this thing over the top. HHH's intro starts off with Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" before Motorhead kicks in. Sweet. On the other hand, I'm not really sure what to think of the Undertaker coming out to Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave." Great song, but it doesn't really work as a wrestling entrance theme.

Undertaker vs HHH
Here we go. It's definitely going to be tough for them to top that epic Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler encounter. Brawl to start things off, and it isn't long before they're destroying things at ringside. HHH tackles Taker through the Cole Mine, which probably sounds more impressive than it looked. That would have probably gotten a bigger pop if Cole were actually in it. Interesting spin on last year's HBK/Taker bout, with Hunter taking on the role of, um, hunter, and the aging Undertaker doing everything in his power to survive. HHH brings out the heavy artillery: tables, chairs, Pedigrees (3 of them), the works, but the Undertaker somehow manages to hold on each time. At one point, Taker goes for a goozle, but he's so battered by then that HHH just shrugs him off and Tombstones him. Awesome.



Hunter goes for the sledgehammer when that doesn't get the job done, allowing UT to catch him with the Gogoplata. HHH fights it forever but eventually taps to give Taker win #19 in the streak. Here's the thing: it was a mess and the outcome was never really in doubt, but the drama was nonetheless there and they managed to tell a pretty good story. It can't touch the two HBK matches, but this one was pretty good in its own right. A lot of people will argue that there was no substance with both guys repeatedly throwing their finishers at each other, but the show desperately needed something that would get the fans out of their seats, and this certainly did the trick.

Trish Stratus, Snooki, John Morrison vs Dolph Ziggler, LayCool
We don't get Jersey Shore down here so this would be my first time actually seeing Snooki. Um, I guess she's sort of cute and all, but well...let's just say that I feel like I ordered a medium and ended up with a large instead. Trish is still looking good, though. She and McCool do the bulk of the work here until the the guys get involved (sorta). I guess Morrison was only allowed one move, so he decides to do the most dangerous thing he could possibly think of given the circumstances and Starship Pain himself all the way to the floor. At this point something weird happens, as Snooki turns into this chubby little ninja and starts doing flips all over the arena, pinning McCool in the process. You know, if only Jersey Shore actually featured fat chicks who do too many Grey Goose shots and then proceed to cartwheel all over the club and body splash other women, I might actually be interested in tuning in.

RAW World Title: The Miz vs John Cena
Miz has a pretty cool intro video set to Nas' "Hate Me Now" with old Real World clips and highlights from his wrestling career so far. Not really a big fan of Miz's trench coat + underpants look. Alex Riley is also here in his ring gear for some reason. And maybe I missed something, but why is he still carrying around the briefcase? Just what the hell is in there? Cena's elaborate entrance features gospel singers and an even better video set to DMX's "Prayer III"...never thought we'd see that. Those poor singers must be wondering why they're getting booed. The match itself was...not very good. It ends in a draw after both guys are counted out, thus Miz retains. The Rock doesn't like that, so he restarts the match, Rock Bottoms Cena, and Miz retains anyway. Ok then. The thing is that the match the people really wanted to see was Cena/Rock, and as such, the crowd was completely dead until the Rock got involved.

Overall? Decent. It felt sort of like WM2000 or WMXVIII, with the final match just leaving you with a foul aftertaste. The show wasn't without its high points (Punk/Orton, Cody Rhodes, HHH/Taker), but aside from the Undertaker match, there wasn't particularly much that stood out as a definitive Wrestlemania moment. The main event really should have been the culmination of something, but it was instead used as buildup to next year's WM. Make no mistake, John Cena vs The Rock will be absolutely off the charts, but it did nothing for this year's show.

Wrestlemania XXVII (Part I)

I'll be doing this in two parts because I can't sit still and watch wrestling for...well, you know the drill. Apparently Sheamus/Daniel Bryan got bumped off the main card and was turned into a dark match. Then it got changed to a lumberjack match. Then it got "out of hand" and was changed to a battle royal. Then the Great Khali won. Alrighty. Glad that I didn't put money on that match, because I was thinking "Sheamus over Daniel Bryan via Brogue Kick," not "Great Khali over 70% of the roster via superior size and strange, whimsical booking decisions." Sucks for Sheamus and Daniel Bryan, because there's no question that they deserved to be on the card.

The Rock starts the show off with his usual promo. I wonder what else they could have done with those ten minutes...

Smackdown World Title: Edge vs Alberto Del Rio
So we're starting off with the world title? Wouldn't this spot have been perfect for, say, I dunno...a US championship match maybe? It's pretty funny that Alberto Del Rio makes Brodus Clay walk to the ring. I mean c'mon, Eddie Guerrero would have let the dude ride shotgun. Del Rio probably hops on a private jet after the show while Brodus Clay catches the greyhound. Anyway. Edge must be feeling frisky tonight because he busts out a goofy looking somersault plancha. Del Rio does him one better with that SLICK springboard enzuigiri of his. Love that move. Del Rio eventually gets his rolling armbreaker, but Edge takes the win after wearing Del Rio out with his wacky Sharpshooter thing and hitting the spear. After the match, Edge and Christian destroy Del Rio's car with a crowbar to really drive the point home. Jeez. I remember when they were into playing with kazoos and stuff.

Rey Mysterio vs Cody Rhodes
Rey's special Wrestlemania outfit this year is...PUCK!! YES!!! Oh wait, never mind, I think he's supposed to be Captain America. Cody Rhodes' special Wrestlemania outfit this year is Richard Hamilton. He has a darker, moodier remix to his music to go along with his "disfigured" gimmick. That's actually kind of cool. The match is chugging along just fine until Rhodes pauses to give Rey a nice, sensual shoulder massage midway through. Didn't he learn anything from Randy Orton back when he was a part of the Legacy? Chinlocks are the way to go. Not a bad match, minus some silliness with Rhodes' mask. The right guy eventually goes over as Rhodes hits the Cross Rhodes for the win. Let the Sin Cara era begin.

Snoop Dogg is backstage looking for talent. This leads to Sir William Regal busting a rhyme:

Straight out of Blackpool, I'm William Regal
Everybody knows that I do nothing legal
Mess with my man Snoop and you won't be chillin'
Cuz I'll show you why I'm straight up villain.

Best Wrestlemania ever. Funny that we have William Regal and Hornswoggle rapping, but not a sign of R-Truth.

The Corre vs Big Show, Kane, Santino Marella, Kofi Kingston
Kind of sad that Kane is stuck in an 8-man after having probably the best year of his career. This one goes a whopping 2 minutes before Show punches Slater in the face. Great job making The Corre look like a dangerous up-and-coming force to be reckoned with losers here.

The Rock and Mae Young are backstage being inappropriate. They talk about strudel and Mae Young being as old as Moses until Stone Cold shows up. Austin and the Rock have a stare down for old time's sake. Ok, that was pretty cool.

Randy Orton vs CM Punk
This should be good. Good lord, these guys must really enjoy getting tattoos. I wonder what they're going to look like at Wrestlemania XXXII. Nice match with Punk working Orton's leg throughout to negate the punt. Punk even busts out Bret Hart's old ringpost figure four. This one felt a little slow overall with so much of the match revolving around Orton's injured leg, but the finish was a hot one with Punk managing to escape an initial RKO attempt, only to springboard directly into a second. Would have liked to see CM Punk go over here, but the loss doesn't really hurt him too much. Best match of the night so far.

Jerry Lawler vs Michael Cole (w/ Jack Swagger)
Funny bit as Stone Cold comes blazing out on his ATV while Swagger is on the ramp doing push-ups. This would probably be the match with the best buildup, but also the one that needs to be over as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case as we are treated to seeing Michael Cole on offense. Josh Matthews: "Look around the ring, there is anguish on the face of everyone in the WWE universe." Josh Matthews, this is true. Lawler eventually makes the comeback and takes it after a fistdrop and an anklelock. As usual, Austin acts a damn fool after the match. This one went on way too long, but at least Lawler got his feel-good Wrestlemania moment. Or so we think, until the anonymous GM reverses the decision to give Cole the win. Whatever.

Part II: Taker/HHH, Miz/Cena.

SHARP IS03

My trusty old SANYO W63SA started acting erratic the other week, so I decided to retire the poor guy after 30 months of service. I considered joining the iPhone revolution but eventually decided against it since the SoftBank coverage is less than spectacular down here. Since I wasn't too keen on the idea of switching carriers, the decision to pick up KDDI's SHARP IS03 was a no-brainer.





Some specs:

• 3.5-inch screen with 960×640 resolution capacitive touchscreen (rivaling the iPhone 4's Retina display)
• world’s first “combination LCD” combining a main display and a secondary memory LCD (which shows the time and battery life even when the main display is off)
• 1GHz Snapdragon processor
• 9.6MP camera with CCD sensor and auto focus
• Android 2.1 with Flash Lite 4.0 support
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• ports: microUSB, microSD/microSDHC (32GB max.)
• apps for YouTube and Twitter pre-installed
• battery life: 200 hours standby, 230 minutes talk time

Pretty impressive. Here's a shot of the "memory" LCD in action. Although the main display is off, the secondary display will always show the time and battery life.



The feature certainly won't change your world, but it's nice to be able to glance over at your mobile and check the time without having to pick it up, especially if you've got your hands full with paperwork. I was also somewhat surprised to find that the phone still had a pull-out digital TV antenna.



In a sense, the IS03 does its best to combine the glitz and power of the new wave of smart phones with the more traditional bells and whistles that have come to define Japan's keitai generation. I'm hearing now that the battery life isn't quite up to par with manufacturer claims, but I guess we'll see.