#yeah big internal debate about which blog this belongs on

[snatcher-no-snatching]

seems there was a mixup at the laundromat

[aselkie]

My journey to my current orientation.

So I currently identify as on the asexual spectrum. But there is a part of me that almost feels like I am ‘faking’ or ‘attention-seeking’ by trying to be different. And it makes me nervous about speaking to people about it or about seeking out new people to connect with over this.

I feel like one of the reasons for this is probably how I discovered this. For a long time, I have been quite interested/fascinated with the sheer number of different sexualities and identities that there are. I think that this first came about when I began questioning myself because I felt quite different to the rest of my friends.  During my 3rd or 4th year of high school (age 14-15, I think), I started to wonder why when all of my friends started talking about people who they thought were “hot” and talking about “sexual” topics, I always began to feel quite uncomfortable or awkward. My friendship group consisted of about 8 individuals, including me, split evenly with 4 girls and 4 boys, so it wasn’t like it was strictly about “hot” males or “hot” females.  Something then sparked it in me to look up the different sexualities and I was fascinated by all of the different terms. I would spend ages looking through the lists, reading the definitions and just being really curious. 

Around this time, I also began to think that I wasn’t completely straight. I wasn’t sure what I was exactly, but I didn’t think I was fully straight. And while there was a part of me that adopted the attitude of “Fuck it, it doesn’t matter, why use labels?”, there was another part of me that just wanted some... descriptor? Something that I could use to identify myself or define myself. I still have this internal debate to this day. 

Anyway, I looked through all of the lists of sexuality definitions that I had bookmarked and looked for one that described me. Eventually, I looked at pansexual. And this is what I defined myself as for about 2 years.  I had come to this conclusion because I thought about it and decided that “sure, I would have sex with a guy or a girl. I don’t think I would mind what bits they had.” For me, that was that. Just thinking that I “wouldn’t mind” meant that I would. Obviously, I don’t think I fully understood the whole sexual attraction thing. I just thought if I wasn’t put off by the thought then, that what I was. 

Later on, when I was 17-18, I came to the conclusion that maybe I wasn’t pansexual. I can’t exactly remember what caused me to rethink it, I just remember a specific conversation I had with a friend when I had identified myself as demisexual, instead of pansexual (though I think specifically, I identified as demi-pansexual, but whatever). I feel like there is a probability that I had ended up thinking about my sexuality again and then dived back into the bookmarks to scroll through lists that had since been updated to include a whole lot more. 

To give this story a bit more context, around the time when I had this conversation, I had gone out with one of the other guys (we’ll call him Guy A) in my friendship group on maybe 2, 3 dates. In our friendship group, everyone was quite close (except me but that’s another story), and Guy A was good friends with all of the other guys.  During the conversation, Guy B (the one that I probably spoke with the most) was giving me a lift home from one of our ‘parties’ because my parents were out of town and he was saving me from having to get a taxi. While we were driving, he asked me if I liked Guy A, as in like-liked him. And I immediately felt awkward because truthfully, I didn’t. At least, not in the way that I felt I should of. But instead of being a good person and explaining this to Guy A? I kind of just dropped off the face of the Earth and tried to avoid him. Don’t judge me. I hate myself for that too.  But I felt like I could explain this to Guy B. So I said that I identified as demisexual and that I thought there were feelings but I needed to let them get deeper before I felt anything real. He seemed cool with it and then the conversation changed. But that was the time when I distinctly remembered identifying as demisexual. 

Now fast forward a year and I am starting university. I have probably been stressing and thinking hard about how to identify and whether I am lying through my teeth and how I am going to cope meeting so many new people. This change also marked the next change in how I identified myself. I now thought that I was asexual. The first time I remember identifying myself as such was when I was walking one of my school friends to my car so I could drive her home. Now, I knew that she was bisexual, she hadn’t tried to hide and was open about it. So when the conversation about how she had been flirting with a guy on her course, I felt a little bit weird. I then remember her mentioning how she “hated” being bisexual because “both guys and girls are hot” (or something to that effect), and I just responded, “yeah, not sure I fully understand, because I think I’m asexual but okay, whatever you say”. I can’t really remember how she reacted, but I think it was very nonchalant and she carried on as if I hadn’t just casually outed myself for the first time. Maybe it wasn’t the best reaction but whatever, I’ve always tried to be very casual about my sexuality and if I found a new label, I just tried to use it and not address the change unless specifically asked about it. 

The next time I ‘outed’ myself was to my best friend who I think I was more honest with. The conversation we had was more in depth and more open than any other that I might have had in the past. And this might have been the time when I thought that maybe I didn’t fit into a label neatly. Basically, it came about because of a job application form. My friend was working in the hospital and had recommended I also apply because of how good they were at working around university timetables. So she got me a form and we were filling it out on her bed while watching some tv show. The form had a section to ensure against discrimination where it asked questions about nationality, religion and sexuality etc.  Under the sexuality heading, I think there were only the basic options; straight, gay and other. So I ticked the box for other. She asked about it and then I just explained it to her. About how I thought I was asexual but that I wasn’t completely sure. She was accepting and didn’t make a big deal of anything, which I think I am grateful for. 

And that basically brings it to now. Almost a year on from my conversations with my best friend. And I don’t think I’m that much closer to a definite answer on what my orientation is. I am still questioning so much and I nowhere near a definite answer.  And it feels hypocritical that I am here feeling bad about not being certain when on my main blog, I am reblogging so many posts saying “it’s okay to question” and “take your time, there’s no rush”. 

But I think it’s because there is still a part of me that feels like a fraud. That feels like I am just ‘adopting’ this descriptor because it makes me more interesting. That feels like I’m just trying to jump on some bandwagon. 

And I hate that feeling. It makes me like I can’t really get ‘involved’ (I guess that’s the right term) with certain things. Like I see posts about LGBTQIA and there is a debate inside me on whether or not I am included. And I worry that if I tried to include myself, that there will be someone there to make me feel bad or point out that I don’t belong which I think would feel worse than just never having belonged at all. 

Anyway, I have rambled enough and I should probably go to bed. But as it stands right now at 23:41 on the 25th of August 2017, I identify as on the asexual spectrum, or if asked, I would say the label that I feel fits the best is demi-pansexual demiromantic

[ketchupismy911-blog]

Some weird info on german

1. Germans are direct

In the business world and in general, Germans are known as straight shooters and not the most diplomatic bunch. This tendency can sometimes come off as downright rude, especially in cultures where there is a stronger emphasis on indirect communication.

The reason is that Germans tend to be very goal-oriented in their interaction. They want to get right to the point, and not beat around the bush. Germany also doesn’t have as big a small-talk culture as for example the US, where it is much more common to talk to strangers on the street.

The upside of this tendency is that there isn’t that much to decode. A yes is a yes and a no is a no. It’s not meant as an affront or insult but merely serves to state the actual conviction of the speaker.

2. Germans love rules, organization, and structure

Germany has an abundance of laws regulating all aspects of life (see, for example, the German beer law below) and its people like to obey them. This tendency is one of the many leftovers from the values propagated by the Prussians. Prussia used to be a German kingdom known for its unusually well-organised and effective army.

The amount of over-regulation in Germany can sometimes lead to a certain inflexibility. On the other hand it is the Germans’ ability to organize and create structure which has earned them their reputation for being efficient.

This love of rules manifests itself in many ways. For example, crossing the street as a pedestrian at a red traffic light is frowned upon, even if no car is coming. Every house has at least four different garbage cans: plastic and metal, paper, organic waste, and general garbage. Plus, there is even a government office called Ordnungsamt, which literally translates to “office of order.”

3. Germans are punctual

Being on time is considered a virtue in Germany. They would rather be too early than too late. Punctuality is seen as a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. It does not mean that every German is good about this, but they will apologize if they arrive past the agreed-upon time.

On the same line of thought, train and bus schedules are given in exact minutes and yes, people do expect transportation services to be true to their schedule. However, the Deutsche Bahn (German rail service) has a reputation that their timetable is merely an approximate reference for when trains will arrive or leave the station.

4. Germans love football (soccer, that is)

“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” – Gary Lineker

By a wide margin, football is the number one most attended and practiced sport in Germany. It is so popular that it could be considered a national pastime. The German Football Association consists of more than 26,000 clubs and 178,000 teams. There are more football fan clubs in Germany than any other country.

In addition, the German football league, the Bundesliga attracts international superstars and is followed by many people outside of the Germany. The country’s national team is strong in international contests and has won four world cups. Did you catch their most recent victory? In recent years, women’s soccer has also been getting more attention as the women’s national team has two world titles to boast.

5. Germans are well-insured

Germany is a land of insurances. You can secure yourself against almost anything. Personal liability insurance, household insurance, legal insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, car insurance, bicycle insurance, unemployment insurance, you name it. Whether that is due to a special Teutonic need for protection and security is up for debate.

While it definitely makes sense to be insured for some fundamentals (health insurance and car liability insurance are mandatory in Germany), foreigners might think the fact that many Germans have their own personal insurance adviser is taking the whole thing a little too far.

6. Germans are distant

You may have heard that Germans are often described as being a little standoffish and cold. That might be because people’s personal space bubbles are larger here than in other countries. Therefore, Germans have a tendency to treat strangers rather formally, especially at first encounters and – as mentioned earlier – are not always big on small talk.

Though sometimes this might seem like they have sticks in places where they don’t belong, it just means they take a little longer to warm up to others. As a consequence, close friendships with Germans don’t necessarily happen overnight, but when they do form they are generally very genuine.

7.

Germans

love to drink beer

Hell yeah they do! And why wouldn’t they? They’re good at it.

Germany has over 1,300 breweries and more than 5,000 different brands of beer. The country even has a law about which ingredients may be used in the production of the beverage. The beginning of the so-called Deutsches Reinheitsgebot dates back to 1516. Talk about taking brewing seriously.

That being said, it’s no wonder that in 2009 the country ranked second place for beer consumption per capita in Europe, eclipsed only by the Czech Republic (and they invented Pilsner). Germans like beer so much that one of the first things they did after establishing colonies in China was build a brewery. To this day, Tsingtao is China’s second largest beer producer.

Apart from that, every German is able to open beer bottles with anything but a bottle opener (and we are not not talking twisty caps here).

8. Germans know how to bake bread

First, let’s make something clear: German bread is awesome. The variety, the taste, the quality, the fact that it is not squares in a plastic bag meant to be placed in a toaster all make it baking heaven. Studies say that lack of proper bread is the number one reason for homesickness among German students abroad.

Okay, that last fact was completely made up, but baking does have a long-standing tradition in Germany and bread is a big part of the traditional cuisine. Bakeries have tons of shelves full of all kinds of different loaves and rolls (which count as bread in Germany). Dark, white, sweet, savory, crunchy, soft, plain, or with all types of seeds – you can have it your way, any day!

A lot of bakeries will even open on Sunday morning just so that people can get fresh bread for their breakfast, even though, by law, all shops are usually closed on Sunday. I still think one could make a fortune by selling German-style bread next to every international student dorm at engineering colleges outside of Germany.

9. Germans love sausage

Unless you like living off potatoes and staple foods, traditional German food is an insult to vegetarians. Meat in general is a mainstay of German cuisine. However, sausage, or Wurst as it is called here, seems to have a special place in the heart of German meat eaters.

Don’t believe me? Watch this: Bockwurst, Wiener Wurst, Blutwurst, Cervelatwurst, Bratwurst, Currywurst, Weißwurst, Brühwurst, Kinderwurst, Sommerwurst, Rostbratwurst, Mettwurst, Teewurst, Fleischwurst, Jagdwurst, Leberwurst.

And that was just from the top of my head.

As a foreigner and newcomer to German culture, it can be hard to sift through the true and false ideas about traditions, customs, and behaviors. You certainly have to be careful with stereotypes, but now you at least know some of the truer stereotypes you can expect to encounter on occasion in Germany. Now that we’re done playing our little game of true and false, let’s play another game: I double dog dare you…to make some German friends, learn more about their country, and confirm or adapt your ideas about German culture through firsthand experience.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And One More Thing…

How would you like to explore authentic German culture while learning German at the same time?

FluentU takes great videos and turns them into language learning experiences so that you can learn real German as people really speak it.

You can start enjoying the same content that native speakers actually watch, right now. We’ve got everything from Volkswagen commercials to funny YouTube videos, scenes from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the hit song “Let It Go” from “Frozen.”

[junker-town]

Let’s replay 25 classic football games with ‘ESPN NFL 2K5’

Classics on classics on classics on classics.

A long, long time ago in 2004, the sports gaming world welcomed a classic.

ESPN NFL 2K5 was released, and football gaming fans have cherished the game for well over a decade. From the cool game modes like First-Person Football that allowed you to view the game from a player’s helmet to the ability to get a phone call from Carmen Electra challenging you to play against her in football, the gameplay, announcing, and ESPN integration made this a complete video game.

One of my favorite game modes was ESPN’s 25th Anniversary. To celebrate, ESPN took 25 scenarios from classic games and turned them into replayable levels so that we could have both a challenge and learn some NFL history in the process.

I decided to play all 25 levels and try to defeat them all without cheating to analyze how difficult each one is. My esteemed colleagues have also decided to chip in with their personal recollections of each game. We also talked with fans about what the classic football moments meant to them.

So for the younger crowd, sit back and learn some NFL history, and for those who do remember these games, feel free to comment on your personal experiences!

Classic name: The Ice Bowl

Teams: Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers

Video:

Play as: Packers

Difficulty: Easy

Luckily, you get to replay one of the coldest football games ever from the comfort of your humble abode. You have a lot of time to complete the drive and win the game. You shouldn't be in a rush to finish this one.

Staff notes:

Go to any neighborhood Wisconsin bar on a Sunday, and you’ll find at least one old man or woman, body pickled by decades of Korbel brandy, who will bring up the Ice Bowl without provocation during that week’s Packers game. Few games hold the combination of Green Bay victory and hometown pride over the elements like this 50-year-old win against the Cowboys.

When you listen to the stories, you’ll assume some of the details have been exaggerated (“It was 35 below! Tom Landry’s thumb snapped off!”), but you can’t really know for sure. - Christian D’Andrea, SB Nation

I saw it live in living color on CBS. I can't remember much at all about the Ice Bowl, except the way it ended with the Cowboys' defenders slipping on the frozen surface as the Packers scored the winning points. But I do very clearly remember what it meant to Cowboys fans. Although they didn't win the game, getting there was sort of a coming out, and taking Green Bay to the end of the game proved that this expansion team from Texas belonged with the original franchises.

Don't forget: This was just four years after the Kennedy assassination in Dallas, and the city and region were still recovering from the stigma of that horrific day. For many, this was a turning point, not just for a young sports franchise, but for the self respect of a whole city. It was just one of many steps in recovering, but it was an important one. And it was the beginning of the Landry run of playoff success. On that day, in truth, the Dallas Cowboys came of age, even in a loss. - Tom Ryle, Blogging the Boys.

I watched it, but that is so long ago the only thing I remember is what has been shown on replays over the years! Sneaking in on fourth-and-1 having failed three times and with the game on the line was a gutsy call by Vince Lombardi and a heartbreaker for Bob Lilly and the Dallas Cowboys. Can't win the big one was the slogan that attached to the team until they destroyed Miami in Super Bowl V, when Lilly finally got to smoke his victory cigar.

I always know how long I've been following the Cowboys, because it started with those first two Super Bowl years and the NFL Championship showdowns with Green Bay. That rivalry is still going strong. - VAfan, Dallas Cowboys fan

Classic name: The Heidi Bowl

Teams: Jets @ Raiders

Video:

Play as: Raiders

Difficulty: Medium

You have a choice to either tie with the field goal or go for the win. It's your choice. This level isn’t hard, but it isn’t a walk in the park either. If you play your cards right, you won’t have any trouble completing this level.

Staff notes:

Just a few weeks later, these teams played another classic as the Jets got revenge in the AFL Championship Game. That game also was not shown live in New York. It’s amazing how much great football local fans didn’t see between these teams in 1968. - John Butchko, Gang Green Nation

Classic name: Merry Christmas Miami

Teams: Dolphins @ Chiefs

Video:

Play as: Dolphins

Difficulty: Easy

You start off receiving the ball with a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter. You should have no trouble winning this game. You have Dan Marino. You can do this.

If you tie and go to OT it's sudden death and not the new Iftheykickafieldgoaltheotherteamhasachancetokickthefieldgoal rule.

Staff notes:

Ed Podolak’s 350 all-purpose yards, which was a postseason record, was all for naught. It’s incredible this game still stands all these years later as the longest game in NFL history. -Joel Thorman, Arrowhead Pride

Classic name: The Immaculate Reception

Teams: Raiders vs. Steelers

Video:

Play as: Steelers

Difficulty: Super Difficult

This is truly a miracle when you think about it. You have no timeouts and 22 seconds to get in either field goal range or score a touchdown. You have Terry Bradshaw running things and solid receivers on both sides, so you're not completely out of luck. But you're going to have to be smart about how you do this or you will be here for a while.

If you are lucky enough to make it into field goal range, keep calm; don’t let the wind distract you and make the field goal.

I said MAKE the field goal.

Dude.

That’s better.

Staff notes:

In Pittsburgh’s first-ever playoff victory, it took every second for the game to get the job done. In what has become the greatest, and possibly most famous, play in NFL history, there is a reason Franco Harris has a statue of this play at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Everyone remembers Bradshaw scrambling, throwing over the middle, the debate of Frenchy Fuqua potentially making first contact with the pass, and as the ball careened to Harris, the rest is history. - Jeff Hartman, Behind the Steel Curtain

Classic name: The Sea of Hands

Teams: Dolphins @ Raiders

Video:

Play as: Raiders

Difficulty: Easy

You have no timeouts left, but you do start inside the Dolphins 10-yard line and have the full playlist at your disposal. You'll be fine; this isn't that hard of a level.

Score the TD, then do your dance.

Classic name: The Final Comeback

Teams: Washington @ Cowboys

VIDEO:

Play as: Cowboys

Difficulty: Hard, but not impossible

This one is difficult because of the time restraint, but you have a QB with a rocket arm and some WEAPONS.

If you score quick enough then you don't have to use an onside kick. You have a fast punt returner that can make some plays. The second drive is less stressful in my opinion because you know that you only have to score one more time.

Staff notes:

After Washington had demolished the Cowboys a month earlier, this was the sweetest revenge for Cowboys fans. We won the NFC East and helped knock them out of the playoffs. Unbridled joy! Bonus satisfaction as Harvey Martin threw a funeral wreath into Washington’s locker room after the game, a wreath that had been sent to the Cowboys facility earlier in the week, supposedly from a Washington backer. - Dave Halprin, Blogging the Boys

Classic name: The Aints Biggest Choke

Teams: Saints @ 49ers

VIDEO:

Play as: 49ers

Difficulty: Pretty Damn Hard

This is one of the more challenging games on the spectrum, and this comeback is hard to pull off because instead of 15-minute quarters you get five-minute quarters. You might feel the need to get creative with this one.

Notes:

A couple things about that time period. The bagheads were like the worst team in football, where we had been the second worst. We had pretty much sucked for five seasons, where the bagheads had sucked since entering the league. They had some very good players on offense, but nothing on defense, and they had a terrible head coach.

Since inserting the young QB as starter a handful of games before, you could see little flashes giving some hope. This was another, where we put things together in the second half, great TD from Dwight Clark, another from Freddie Solomon. It was kind of like, yeah that was great, a win’s a win, but it’s still the bagheads. - az9rfan

Classic name: Longest Playoff Game Ever

Teams: Chargers @ Dolphins

VIDEO:

Play as: Chargers

Difficulty: Easy

Unlike the other levels where you have to come from behind to win, you're given a 24-point lead in this challenge. If you somehow blow this lead, you should stop playing and sell your console. Your quarterback and halfback are both a 90+ rating. This is all you.

Staff notes:

Arguably the most entertaining NFL game ever played. Air Coryell at the height of its glory. Longtime backup QB Don Strock comes off the bench for MIA, trailing 24-0 in the first half, and rallies MIA to 24-17 at halftime on a hook and ladder. By the fourth MIA has a 38-31 lead. HOF QB Dan Fouts leads a late TD drive, followed by a blocked MIA FG attempt to force overtime.

In OT, Rolf Benirschke misses a chip-shot FG, and MIA has a second FG blocked. Benirschke gets a chance at redemption and doesn’t miss. HOF Kellen Winslow catches 13 for 166, a TD, a blocked FG, and is cramping in the heat so badly he has to be carried off the field. - Jeffrey Siniard, Bolts from The Blue

Classic name: The Catch

Teams: Cowboys vs 49ers

Video:

Play as: 49ers

Difficulty: Easy unless your defense is trash.

You have two plays to score with a great QB (Joe Montana) and a solid wide receiver core, and you only need 6 yards. There are way harder levels to play in this game. You don't have any timeouts, but that shouldn't be a problem. If you score quickly you have to worry about the Cowboys’ comeback because all they have to do is get into field goal range. I'd suggest shaving some time off the clock with a run play if you're not good at defense.

Notes:

If you had watched the team all year, this wasn’t terribly anti-climatic. Our defense was awesome, offense was good and made plays when they needed to. I was at home, watching with my youngest son who was 10 at the time. My wife at the time had bought him a Cowboys jacket in ‘76, and after they won in ’77, there was no turning him back. So this was gonna be good. Game see-sawed, which gave us both opportunities to rub it in. They score late in the fourth to take a 6-point lead, he’s jumping and screaming all over the place, game over, crap like that.

Still over three minutes left, I tell him, "we got ’em right where we want ’em." Joe marches ‘em down the field, Dwight Clark makes the catch, I go nuts. He gets up, runs to his room, slams the door. I’m like, “wait a minute, it’s not over yet.” He’s not hearing it, in his bed with pillow over his head shedding a few little tears. I try to offer a little comfort/hope, but I gotta go see the rest of this. In the melee after the game, what I remember most was Lawrence Pillers making mud angels on the sideline.

The thing is, very few people can fathom how atrocious this team had been for a very long time prior to ‘81. The field was cement with patches, ugly as sin. The team played down to that level on a routine basis. ’81 was like rising up out of a sewer we’d been in for years, and finally breathing fresh air.

And it wasn’t due to some No. 1 overall pick magic bean QB, or magic bean WR. It was a stud defense that came together in one year, a bunch of guys on offense that could execute a scheme together. Out of those players that had been not much the year before, turned into three pro bowlers on offense, 2 first team all pro’s and three pro bowlers on defense. it was a great time. - az9rfan

Classic name: Greatest Washington Comeback

Teams: Raiders vs. Washington

VIDEO:

Play as: Washington

Difficulty: Super hard

This comeback is a tough one. You start on your own 13 down not 14 points, but 15. As with most of these levels here, the offensive line seems to not care about the health and well-being of the quarterback or running back. It's literally like that time in the Adam Sandler version of The Longest Yard where they stop blocking for him.

You're going to have to go for two at least once. (Twice if you're daring.) You're given two good wide receivers, but since this game gets drop happy you can't just expect them to make these outstanding plays for you all of the time ... or even get them the ball.

Classic name: The Drive

Teams: Broncos vs. Browns

VIDEO:

Play as: Broncos

Difficulty: Medium

This one is in the middle of the spectrum due to Jon Elway's ability to scramble. We all know that in video games, scrambling quarterbacks are king, and Elway gives you that added element that makes this level easier than some of the other ones that involve a drive. You have the option to play for the tie, but if you're like me and you listen to the bad coach conscience, you go for the win right there.

I'd be a terrible coach.

Staff notes:

Remember when beating the Browns was considered an accomplishment? Like half of John Elway’s legacy is based on this one fact, which feels somehow dirty today. - Christian D’Andrea, SB Nation

Many kids turned Broncomaniacs this day. I was one of them. I was too young to care too much about football when there were G.I. Joe’s to play with, but when there are a dozen adults in the room going crazy with each play, I began to watch. I saw The Drive. And then saw every Broncos game I could ever since. - Tim Lynch, Mile High Report

I saw this request and said “Fuck that, I'm not reliving that shit pile of a game where some horse-toothed bastard goes down the field.” - Matt Wood, Dawgs by Nature

Classic name: The 2-second miscalculation

Teams: 49ers vs. Bengals

Play as: 49ers

Difficulty: Fairly easy, but it may take you a few tries.

As hilariously sad as this level is in real life, it's going to take you a couple of tries in this game. It's not like you have an all-time QB-receiver combination at your disposal.

Oh shit, it's Jerry Rice and a store-brand Joe Montana. How convenient.

While Rice being on the team is a big help, I actually found A to be open more often. If you do plan on only targeting Rice (and I don't blame you), make sure you figure out where he is on the field before you snap the ball. He pops up in different places depending on the play call.

Classic name: Same old Bucs

Teams: Bucs vs. Cardinals

Play as: Cardinals

Difficulty: F**cking impossible

You want me to score 26 points in five minutes? This is just hell. Forget about not letting the Bucs offense score, because this is about not even letting the Bucs offense take the field because you don't have time for it. I'm not going to lie. I threw my controller a couple of times back then. Softly because of the controller was on a cord.

If anyone ever told me in person that they beat this level not on rookie and not with the penalties turned off (you ain't slick) I still wouldn't believe you. Your QB is 92 over. That's cool. YOU'RE STILL DOWN 25 IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. You have to be an absolute deity at onside kicking to get the ball over and over again with the time limit that you're given. I totally understand if you still haven't. You have to average five points a minute just to tie the game. I don't blame you fam.

Staff notes:

NFC South teams and 28-3 leads, amirite folks? - Christian D’Andrea, SB Nation

In many ways that Nov. 8 in St. Louis was a microcosm of what it meant to be a Bucs during the Ray Perkins era. The Bucs had lured Ray Perkins to replace the atrocious Leeman Bennett after consecutive 2-14 seasons. The Bucs were on the road and that meant the game would be broadcast on local TV, which never happened for lowly attended Bucs home games. To make it better, the team was winning for the first time since 1981: Only the defending champion Bears were ahead in the NFC North, and a playoff spot looked like a real possibility at 4-3. The future looked bright, too, with Vinny Testaverde waiting to take over as the savior of Tampa, and that interception-prone bum Steve Young traded to the 49ers for a second-round pick.

Perkins looked like a genius for three quarters against the Cardinals, exploiting their lack of speed at linebacker. James Wilder and Jeff Smith routinely turned checkdowns into big gains, combining for 130 yards in a 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust era. Quarterback Steve DeBerg danced on the field, Bucs fans like myself danced in front of their TVs, and the Cardinals got agitated. Tampa would enter the fourth quarter up 28-3.

And that’s when life as a Bucs fan in the 1980s happened. Instead of continuing to rely on speed, Perkins tried to outmuscle the Cardinals. Instead of blitzing, they started to play soft, off coverage. Wilder fumbled on an exceptionally obvious running play, and suddenly the Cardinals were down by just 11 points. The Bucs then tried to run out the clock, and instead found themselves down 31-28. DeBerg would give the Bucs one final shot from the 36-yard line, but the wind got into Donald Igwebuike’s kick and it hit the crossbar.

With it fell the Bucs season, as they wouldn’t win another game. Safety Ron Woods criticized his teammates’ effort on defense and was never allowed to suit up again. Perkins turned into the great dictator and would go to spiral out of control, at one point punching a player. He spent the rest of his four seasons in Tampa benching and then unbenching players, losing control at times, and laying blame everywhere but with himself. - William Malzone

Classic name: 49ers do it again

Teams: Bengals @ 49ers

VIDEO:

Play as: 49ers

Difficulty: Easy. You have Jerry Rice.

This is a 92-yard drive, but don't worry because you have GOD MODE JERRY RICE. Seriously you're given Rice. He's given a 100 overall rating. Or use him as a decoy and throw to his other weapons like say the tight end? This is a straightforward one compared to the dream-crushing level I just talked about. How do you blow a 25-point lead in one quarter? ONE QUARTER?! HOW?

Notes:

In retrospect, what seems so foreign these days about the memories of that game was watching them get the ball back with three minutes left inside their own 10-yard line, and yet still knowing — absolutely, unshakeably KNOWING — that they were going to pull it off. I knew it, my dad knew it, everybody else on our living room couch knew it. Uncle Mike knew it, and he had been asleep in the recliner since halftime. Everyone in the stadium knew it (even if half of them weren’t happy about it). Even Sam Wyche knew it.

And that’s what made it such a masterful work of art and so incredible to watch: They just couldn’t stop it. It was like watching a perfectly choreographed dance with just enough drama: Things go well, there’s a setback, then a big teasing false finish to heighten the anticipation, and finally the big finale, which—even though we all knew it was coming—brought forth such an eruption of celebration throughout the Bay Area that we’re fairly certain it prepped the San Andreas fault for Loma Prieta. In the aftermath, my hands were sore from high-fives, my ribs hurt from the hugs and my eyes were stinging from joyful tears, along with a few somber ones after watching Bill Walsh break down in the locker room.

It was incredible, and even after the curbstomping they put on the Broncos the next year, or Steve Young’s masterpiece in 1994, or the "Bummer" comeback, or even The Catch II, the closest I’ve come to how I felt after that play was watching the Vernon Post to beat the Saints, and it still didn’t quite compare. But it was close. - StripedKramer

Classic name: Wide Right

Teams: Bills vs. Giants

VIDEO:

Play as: Bills

Difficulty: If you can kick, you good. Easy.

Just get in field goal range and don't blow it am I right? You're QB/WR/RB core is crazy good ratings wise. You also have three timeouts and the two-minute warning.

Staff notes:

This all-New York Super Bowl is the first I can remember watching in my life. It was a much bigger deal just to be awake at 9:30 that night, but I remember the sense of bewilderment as Scott Norwood’s game-winning kick sailed wide right. No one at my parents’ viewing party had much of a stake in the game, but everything went quiet for those brief seconds the ball flipped toward the uprights — and then everything got louder than ever. - Christian D’Andrea, SB Nation

It was heartbreaking for me as a kid to watch my favorite team lose like that. As the 25th anniversary has come and gone and more people look back on the game, Bill Belichick really did a masterful job as the Giants defensive coordinator, but Buffalo had opportunities they needed to capitalize on. Bills fans chanted and cheered for Scott Norwood when the team returned home. No one blames him for the loss, and those Super Bowl teams are still revered in town. - Matt Warren, Buffalo Rumblings

Classic name: Houston's hearts Ripped out

Teams: Oilers vs. Broncos

Play as: Broncos

Difficulty: Medium

God Mode Elway strikes again. All jokes aside, having a quarterback as good that can scramble as well is a good help. It's a 98-yard drive, but Elway is a good in these classic levels, so you should be OK.

Staff notes:

I became a Broncomaniac during The Drive, but it was The Drive II that I was able to fully appreciate. Converting two fourth downs in the final two minutes in the AFC Divisional Round. It was clutch. It was John Elway. I lost my voice and ran around the house like a crazed boy from Lord of the Flies. - Tim Lynch, Mile High Report

Classic name: The Two TD comeback on KC

Teams: Chiefs vs Broncos

Play as: Broncos

Difficulty: Medium

Compared to the other ones, this is sort of a tame level. However, this is still a challenge. You're given 3:30 and John Elway (again) in the nice orange jerseys.

Staff notes:

No Way Elway! Too bad, Chiefs Kingdom ... Elway is still your King. - Tim Lynch, Mile High Report

Elway is enemy No. 1 in Kansas City. This is one of many, many games in which he broke our hearts. - Joel Thorman, Arrowhead Pride

Classic name: The Biggest Comeback Ever

Teams: Oilers vs. Bills

Play as: Bills

Difficulty: Hard as hell, but not as hard as the ‘Same Ol’ Bucs’ level

This level is already hard, and it's even harder when you realize that they only give you five-minute quarters to do so. You have to be perfect; you can't afford to level the Oilers score again. The more times you try to defeat this level, the more frustrated you are with the real-life Houston Oilers for somehow blowing a 35-3 lead. You are given five-minute quarters. How. This might take you days, weeks or months. This took me a long time to defeat on a respectable difficulty level and because of this I forever hate the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

Staff notes:

What a classic game for Bills fans, but most people don’t know it was blacked out in Western New York. I didn’t see the game until years later on DVD. I listened to it on the radio like so many fans. It’s still the most well-attended game in Bills history as easily 250,000 people claim to have been there that day to see it with their own eyes. In fact, a large number of fans left the January game to head to the parking lot only to storm the gates and re-enter when the Bills made their own charge. - Matt Warren, Buffalo Rumblings

Classic name: The Heartbreaker

Teams: Broncos vs. Chiefs

Play as: Chiefs

Difficulty: Medium

You start this level returning the kickoff. Your second-string QB has a higher rating than your first-string quarterback. Your running back is impressive, and you have a good receiver followed by other decent options. Unfortunately, you don't have enough time to afford running the ball.

Staff notes:

If I had to pick my favorite Broncos loss of all time, it would be this game. Watching it, it just felt like I was watching something that would be one for the ages. It was special to see Joe Montana and John Elway go up and down the field in an instant classic. - Tim Lynch, Mile High Report

There is an entire generation of Chiefs fans who are fans because Montana came to Kansas City and this is the instant classic everyone thinks of. You can say “Montana Magic” to anyone in Kansas City and they will go right back to this Monday night game. Two Hall of Famers going at it in primetime with a dramatic ending. It doesn’t get any better than that. - Joel Thorman, Arrowhead Pride

Classic name: The Colts’ Collapse

Teams: Colts vs. Bills

Play as: Bills

Difficulty: Medium, but you have time.

Another Bills comeback? Fine. Ugh. This one is in 1997. You're given three quarters to work with, so while you're still in a deep hole, at least you have more time to chip away at the lead, unlike the Bucs-Cardinals one which I'm still mad about. I'm petty and I don't care. Not having to depend on the air attack is always a relief.

Staff notes:

This game is clearly overshadowed in Bills lore by the team’s Wild Card comeback a few years prior. A former player told me head coach Marv Levy’s speech at halftime included a Booker T. Washington quote that rallied the guys; 'Character, not circumstance, defines the person.' Levy was the perfect leader for those teams. - Matt Warren, Buffalo Rumblings

Classic name: The Super Bowl Drive

Teams: Packers vs. Broncos

Play as: Broncos

Difficulty: Not that hard

This is one of the few levels that start out with the game tied. Once again you're given God Mode Elway and you're already on the Green Bay 49. When you do score, you have to stop Brett Favre from getting you back. Simple enough right? Even if Favre does score you still have Elway the God to deliver you from evil.

Staff notes:

Everyone was rooting for Elway to get the monkey off his back and win his first Super Bowl — especially seeing as Favre had earned his the year prior. Watching him helicopter his way to a first-and-goal situation gave the world the iconic Elway highlight we somehow still can’t escape. Do us all a favor on this one and just slide for the first down. - Christian D’Andrea, SB Nation

Growing up in Northern California the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, it was brutal being the only Broncos fan around. So when the Broncos finally won it all, it was a moment that I’ll always cherish as a fan. I still get goosebumps when I watch the game. - Tim Lynch, Mile High Report

It was supposed to be a glorious repeat for the Packers, a hearkening back to their back-to-back wins in Super Bowls I and II. The Green and Gold were dominant most of the year, but just a bit less so than in 1996. The fans — myself included — were overconfident, and it seemed the team thought it was just going to be a walk in the park. Then Terrell Davis and John Elway happened. I can still remember a certain 10-year old sitting on the living room floor in disbelief. - Evan “Tex” Western, Acme Packing Co.

Classic name: A Yard Too Short

Teams: Rams vs. Titans

Play as: Titans

Difficulty: Easy

You have one play to win a Super Bowl for Steve McNair. You score the touchdown ...

and then kick the field goal for the tie ...

SIKE I LIED

Classic name: Vinatieri Strikes again

Teams: Rams vs. Patriots

Play as: Patriots

Difficulty: Medium

We've reached the young Tom Brady era. In this level, you have a chance to use the 86 overall Tom Brady OR the higher-rated Drew Bledsoe, who is the backup because of the Tom Brady origin story. Just get the ball to Vinatieri’s range.

and watch him work!

Staff Notes:

My favorite part of the Patriots final drive is John Madden saying that New England should just play for overtime, and then watching Tom Brady chip his way down the field and into field goal range. When you watch the drive over again, now with 17 years of Tom Brady in our minds, it makes sense. It’s the same Brady that you see come back against the Atlanta Falcons. No fear. No panic. He’s simply a machine. - Rich Hill, Pats Pulpit

Classic name: The Botched Snap

Teams: Giants vs. 49ers

Play as: 49ers

Difficulty: Medium

Not the hardest level in the "How did they blow this lead" category. This is actually a three-possession game if you convert on 3/3 attempts. It's your risk to take, though. You have a Hall of Fame-caliber wide receiver in Terrell Owens and a Jeff Garcia who has scramble capabilities. You have to contain Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber, so this is no cakewalk.

Staff notes:

When the 49ers fell behind 38-14 in the third quarter, I decided to get up and walk around our coffee table during the 49ers next drive. I just couldn’t sit there. The 49ers scored a touchdown and converted the two-point conversion. Suffice to say, I walked around the coffee table for the rest of the game. I’m sure my superstition didn’t swing the game, but you can’t prove it didn’t! - David Fucillo, Niners Nation

Classic name: 4th and 26

Teams: Packers vs. Eagles

Video:

Play as: Eagles

Difficulty: Medium unless you get bailed out.

This one looks difficult at face value, but there is a workaround to this level. Yes, a fourth-and-26 is difficult to convert; however, if you can draw a defensive penalty this level gets infinity easier. This level would have earned a harder rating if not for this workaround, but with that being said this is still going to take you a couple of tries either way.

Staff notes:

Fourth-and-26 will live on forever in Philadelphia history. The Eagles simply had no business converting that play. I remember having no faith they could do it. After two straight years of losing in the NFC Championship Game, the Eagles were about to choke again and get bounced at home in the Divisional Round.

But then it happened. Donovan McNabb hit Freddie Mitchell RIGHT at the first-down marker. It couldn’t have been closer. There are even some Eagles players who will privately admit they didn’t think he got it. But he did, and it was glorious. The crazy thing is that Mitchell was a big bust in Philly but he made some of the most memorable plays in franchise history. That was one of them. - Brandon Lee Gowton, Bleeding Green Nation

F****ing 4th and 26. That down and distance still makes Packers fans cringe.

That Packers team had the best offensive line and running back in football, and they blew it. But while most people will remember Freddie Mitchell’s catch to keep that drive alive, I remember two other things vividly. The first was middle linebacker Nick Barnett dropping only about 15 yards deep in zone coverage on that play instead of carrying his coverage to the first-down marker, where he could have been in position to break up the play. The second was the fact that this game went to overtime, and the defense got a three-an-out on the Eagles’ opening possession.

However, on the Packers’ only offensive snap of the extra period, Brett Favre threw a terrible, terrible interception, and Philly put the game away. That game exemplified the biggest problem with Mike Sherman’s tenure as head coach: He couldn’t rein in Favre from making some awful decisions, even when he had one of the league’s best running games at his disposal.” - Evan “Tex” Western, Acme Packing Co.