More than one way to animation (EA sports)

[NT80]

I saw this article on the yahoo national sports ticker...good media for NT.....

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More than one way to animation

By RAY BUCK, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

July 15, 2005

DENTON - Strictly hearsay turned to virtual reality for Jamario Thomas on Thursday.

The University of North Texas running back caught his first glimpse of an EA Sports Web site promotion of the hottest, new video game to hit the racks this week: NCAA Football '06.

The 14-second clip shows a 3-D animation of Thomas -- No. 20 for the Mean Green -- taking a pitchout, scampering left, then making a nifty cutback to beat a New Mexico State defender to the end zone.

Touchdown!

"It's fun to see. It gets your name out there, basically," said Thomas, who is unpretentious and exceedingly polite, right down to his "yes sirs" and "no sirs."

The 20-year-old sophomore is EA Sports' running back "demo," created to show PlayStation and Xbox users how to set up so-called Impact Players for the game.

It may seem like an unusual show of recognition for someone who doesn't play football at a BCS school.

The quarterback demo for NCAA Football '06 uses a 3-D animation of UT's Vince Young, who runs a trademark keeper play on the instructional clip.

But, on second thought, Thomas does deserve the honor. Or gesture. Or whatever you want to call it.

He led the nation in rushing last season as a true freshman with a 189.9-yard average.

NCAA Football '06, which debuted Tuesday and is expected to exceed last year's sales of more than 1.5 million copies, has added several new twists, including a way to improve the effectiveness of a player through workouts.

His friends and family members call him to say, "Hey, I'm playing you right now. You got good speed, man!"

Thomas tells them to have fun. Personally, he doesn't plan to buy NCAA Football '06. His favorite video games involve shooting and ducking, not juking and running.

"I play football," Thomas said. "I really don't like sport video games that much."

He prefers Halo 2, a combat-style video game in which powerful aliens threaten "the destruction of the human race," and must be stopped.

Quite unlike the promo for NCAA Football '06, which reads: "You start out as a freshman nobody and build a career that will put you in place to be the next Heisman Trophy winner!"

That already fits Thomas to a capital T in real life.

Patrick Cobbs was supposed to be the Mean Green's workhorse runner last season. He was the 2003 NCAA rushing champion (152.7) as a junior.

But a broken thumb and a sprained left knee in Week 2 ended Cobbs' 2004 season, so he used a medical redshirt to give himself another season of eligibility for '05.

Unlike Thomas, Cobbs is a NCAA Football '06 diehard. Four hours at the controls are nothing.

Each has been given a 90 rating for the new video game. Thomas holds an edge in speed, Cobbs an edge in awareness. Otherwise, they're considered even by the researchers at EA Sports.

"I'm kind of surprised nothing got marked off me," Cobbs said. "I was a 90 last year. I'm a 90 this year. That makes me feel good."

Thomas was a 79 entering his freshman season.

As teammates, Thomas and Cobbs are close. As for their tastes in video games, they couldn't be more different.

Thomas is strictly Xbox. Cobbs is PlayStation 2.

Cobbs prefers NCAA Football '06 to everything else, including Madden NFL. He had his $49.99 ready to spend as soon as it hit the store shelves on Tuesday.

Sure, he could have spent that same money on a season pass to Six Flags Over Texas, plus a light lunch.

Or a mezzanine seat for any weekday performance of Godspell at Bass Hall.

Or a club-box seat to a Rangers-Yankees game at Ameriquest Field next week, with just enough money left over for a hotdog and a soft drink.

But NCAA Football '06 will give him 12 months of entertainment pleasure.

"Fifty bucks. Definitely, it's worth it," Cobbs said.

For the video game, he has created a player named Patrick Cobbs who plays wide receiver for Southern Cal.

"Wide receiver," Cobbs explained, "because it's an easier skill to reach a high score while I'm getting used to the game."

USC, of course, because the Trojans are vying for a third straight national championship.

Thomas, who chose North Texas over Arizona State and Mississippi State, quickly came onto the real-life NCAA football scene out of Longview Springhill High School. He has added 23 pounds of muscle since last season.

He said that being selected demo man for NCAA Football '06 "may help people realize that North Texas has a good football program, with good coaching. It's the system," Thomas said.

Neither Thomas nor Cobbs expects any problems in sharing the workload at running back.

"It's up to Patrick ... whatever he wants," said Thomas, the underclassman.

"No matter how it works out, it'll be OK with me," said Cobbs. "We'll both have a lot more energy because of each other, and that will help us more than hurt us."

Spoken like true teammates.

Spoken like a pair of 90s.

[Eagle1855]

He has added 23 pounds of muscle since last season.

anyone else crack a smile at that?

[Guest e-bone]

anyone else crack a smile at that?

No, because my jaw dropped too far to smile.

[Stan R]

Is that right??? If so it puts him from 195 to 218??

[NT80]

Is that right??? If so it puts him from 195 to 218??   

Doesn't that approach Fullback territory?

[meangreendork]

Remember Ron Dayne? He was a mammoth-sized man who had great speed. I'm sure our guy isn't any slower.

[mad dog]

In February/March, he was clocked at 4.41. So I'm guessing it hasn't impacted him THAT much.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

23 pounds of muscle while at the same time running track for the Mean Green is simply put in one word *WOW*

[PlummMeanGreen]

In February/March, he was clocked at 4.41.  So I'm guessing it hasn't impacted him THAT much.

There are a bunch of NCAA D1-A college RB's with 4.4 speed (give or take a tenth), but its what Super Jamario does with that speed that has many of us older nestors thinking we have not seen the likes of this at NORTH TEXAS. I have heard some real old timers talk about Abner Haynes, but I was 5 years old when ol' Abner was on the Mean Green scene in Denton. I have seen his films, though, and he was special. In fact, got to see him strut his stufff as a Kansas City Chief when they came to Houston to play the Oilers.

Our Emerald Express (Sir Patrick Cobbs because I would always answer him with "Sir' if I ever had the opportunity to chat with him); anyway, it was our Emerald Express who started it all with this NCAA rushing title business and we all look for further great things from Sir Patrick.

Yet aren't we one blessed NCAA D1-A school to have these 2 in the same backfield with the exceptional talent they both have BUT even more important-----the class that each one of them exhibits every time they speak?

Edited July 15, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[UNTLifer]

Too bad this article never wasn't written by the DRC or mentioned on the athletic's website.

[GreenBat]

Too bad this article never wasn't written by the DRC or mentioned on the athletic's website.

That would actually take someone doing their job.

Still haven't seen the Outland Trophy watch list announced on the MeanGreenSports.com website.

[Greeneagle87]

WHOA! 23 more pounds of muscle. Johnny Quinn(looking at that recent track photo) looks like he gained like 20 pounds of muscle,we're going to have an AMAZING offensive attack.

Why not run a reverse from J-mo to JQ?

Did we run a reverse last year?

[UNTLifer]

I just hope some of our OL received the same weight gains.

[greenminer]

Remember Ron Dayne? He was a mammoth-sized man who had great speed. I'm sure our guy isn't any slower.

Comparing Ron's speed to Jamario's is oranges and apples.

Ron Dayne was fast, but it took him 10 yards to get his bowling ball-self rolling. What Jamario can do in 10 yards leaves 3 defenders in the dust and 20K fans gasping in awe.

-gm

[PlummMeanGreen]

That would actually take someone doing their job.

Still haven't seen the Outland Trophy watch list announced on the MeanGreenSports.com website.

The quote in small green letters at the bottom of all GreenBat posts is one of my favorite all time quotes that has come from the mouth of the head football coach of the University of North Texas BECAUSE.......Coach Dickey's quote makes me think we will build a football stadium sooner than most seem to think.

Edited July 15, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen