basketball

2K Sports recently announced that Michael Jordan will grace the cover of the company's acclaimed basketball game, but now we know that Jordan will not just be another typical cover athlete.

In fact, NBA 2K11 will offer an entire Michael Jordan-focused gameplay mode called The Jordan Challenge. We got a chance to speak with Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports, who explained that this addition to the traditional game will allow players to relive 10 of the most legendary games and moments from Jordan's illustrious career.

These historic game scenarios will task players with matching the hall-of-famer's mind-bending stats. A few of these just-announced scenarios include moments like "The Shrug," where on June 3, 1992, Michael gave the now infamous "I'm not even sure how I'm doing this" shoulder shrug after draining his sixth three-pointer in the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Better yet, these throwback games will feature the look of the era in which they were played, including accurate uniforms, court paint, and even Jordan's specific appearance from the actual game. Players will also be able to take control of the classic Chicago Bulls teams from '85-'86, '89-'90, '90-'91, '94-'95, '95-'96, '96-'97, and '97-'98 seasons.

NBA 2K11 hits stores on October 5 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, PlayStation 2, and PSP, though the Jordan Challenge will only be available on the 360, PS3, Wii and PC versions of the game.

Be sure to check out the full list of 10 Jordan Challenge game scenarios.… Read more

Sports fans are raising Twitter's usage to a new level: A goal by Japan's World Cup soccer team against Cameroon on June 14 led to a record number of "tweets per second" for Twitter, only to see the record beaten again a few days later when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the deciding game of the NBA championships.

The Japanese goal, which led to a 1-0 victory for the team, resulted in a peak of 2,940 tweets per second in the 30 seconds following the game according to a post on the Twitter blog. … Read more

Though it might seem otherwise just now, there's more to life than college basketball. Oh, who am I kidding? No, there's not. But you need something to keep you busy during those endless Southwest Airlines commercials, right?

With that in mind, here's this week's batch of new games for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and, soon enough, iPad.

1. Fisher-Price games Not all games are for grown-ups. Fisher-Price's App Store debut includes three titles for the toddler set: Chatter Telephone (99 cents), Little People Farm ($1.99), and See 'n Say ($1.99). I must admit I have mixed feelings about substituting an electronic screen for actual tactile toys--but if these apps can buy you a five-minute break from screaming, then I say, let 'em tap!

2. Frogman Look! Crossing the street! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's...Frogman! This Frogger-inspired, superhero-themed slice of 3D awesomeness isn't in the App Store just yet, but it's due "very soon"--and when you get a peek at the promo video, you'll understand why I can't wait. Kinda makes the original Frogger look like, well, roadkill.… Read more

Monday I, along with many other lost, delusional human beings, will be watching the NBA's Golden State Warriors play the Phoenix Suns. It will be particularly difficult not to reach for an additional beer or an additional embrace from whoever happens to be seated next to me.

For, according to the Associated Press, the team has finally announced that it wishes to be sold. This is terribly important for San Francisco Bay Area sports, for the tech industry, and for every Warriors-committed resident of this world whose ears have become assaulted daily by the mocking laughter of their friends, … Read more

The U.S. will likely experience a slight dip in productivity over the next three weeks as the attention of many workers turns to the climax of the college basketball season: the NCAA Basketball Tournament. For many people, the annual NCAA basketball pool is as much an office tradition as the summer picnic and holiday party.

Google Docs makes it simple to create a tournament-bracket spreadsheet with a form that uses drop-down lists and text boxes to record people's game picks. (You can also print the spreadsheet for making your game selections the old-fashioned way.) All picks are displayed … Read more

Listen up, college-hoops fans: I have good news and bad news about this year's version of the CBS Sports NCAA March Madness On Demand app.

The good: Unlike last year's version, it doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection to stream live games. Now you can watch over 3G or even EDGE.

The bad: CBS hiked the price from $4.99 to $9.99. But let's face it: For any hard-core NCAA fan, that's peanuts for the privilege of watching every game in the tournament on demand.

On the other hand, if you can live without the … Read more

Shot Sports Software's Jump Shot Basketball was the first Windows NBA management simulation game online and has been in constant development for years. The effort shows in its level of detail and sophistication. It accurately simulates what it's like to take charge of an NBA team as owner, general manager, or head coach. You can create leagues, teams, and players, or join an Internet league and compete online. You can play unlimited seasons in franchise mode, draft players, present awards, manage finances, even set arena seating and other factors for each team's town. There are probably worse … Read more

This is like the iPad. Except it's a lot more personal.

I have the faintest wishful whimsy that Oracle co-founder chose Wednesday to finally admit that he is trying to buy the Golden State Warriors in order to upstage the Steve Jobs Traveling Band debuting their little gizmo.

Please allow me to disclose that I have followed the Warriors for quite a few years. I have been present as they have assailed the sporting world with a product that might best be described as, well, Vista. Or AOL around 2000.

The Warriors, over the years, have possessed the ability … Read more

It's one thing for a man to be denied his opportunity to work. It's quite another for a man to be denied his opportunity to Twitter.

The microblogging site, a bastion of free, spontaneous speech, has lost one of its more amusing denizens.

Perhaps you have been buried so deeply in the machinations of your new Nexus One to breathe, wipe the pizza stains from your shirt, or notice that Gilbert Arenas, the slightly waning star of the Washington Wizards, has been suspended indefinitely without pay by the NBA.

The Wizards' hometown Post has described in some delicious microdetail … Read more