There's an interesting (though functionally useless) feature for Rock Band 2 that I discovered last night. In your Band Profile, you can edit the list of "stand-ins" for your band. You can choose from any of your created characters, and assign them to different instruments. I had no idea what the actual result of this was until last night, when I finally assigned some characters to instruments just before playing a few sets.
The "stand-ins" are on stage with you when nobody takes that instrument. For example, my stand-in drummer is Randy Savage (yes, that Randy Savage). I played guitar last night (as Hulk Hogan), and while I played, Randy Savage was the computer player playing the drums.
Is it useless? Completely. Is it a feat of programming? Definitely not. But is it cool? It is. For some reason, it is.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Poll-star
I posted a poll to the right, and I'll live up to it (though I don't know how long it'll take me to get the resulting audio track posted). Anyways, have a look, vote, and get out of my face. (Check it around 2:45 if you just want the highlights)
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Office - Season 5, Episode 7
The latest episode of The Office has been posted on Hulu. I have not watched it yet, so I can't offer any personal commentary, but my brother was watching it and I heard him laugh out loud, so there's probably at least one good joke.
At least.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/44303/the-office-business-trip#s-p1-so-i0
At least.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/44303/the-office-business-trip#s-p1-so-i0
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
I'm always open to new TV shows. I gave Carpoolers a shot. I even watched all six episodes of Cavemen. But sometimes I find out about a show that's simply fantastic.
Enter It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The pilot was filmed by the three main characters on a camcorder, which is just awesome, but more awesome is that the show is actually hilarious. It's depraved and inappropriate, but if that doesn't bother you, this is your kind of show. I'd compare the humor from the show to that of stand-up comedian Daniel Tosh; it's off-the-wall and irreverent, and makes fun of everybody. The show airs on FX every Thursday night, and the episodes get posted on Hulu 8 days after they air.
Here's the link for the show's main page on Hulu, which has links to most of the show's episodes (a few are missing from season 3). I'll post the direct links for new episodes as they come out.
http://www.hulu.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia
Enter It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The pilot was filmed by the three main characters on a camcorder, which is just awesome, but more awesome is that the show is actually hilarious. It's depraved and inappropriate, but if that doesn't bother you, this is your kind of show. I'd compare the humor from the show to that of stand-up comedian Daniel Tosh; it's off-the-wall and irreverent, and makes fun of everybody. The show airs on FX every Thursday night, and the episodes get posted on Hulu 8 days after they air.
Here's the link for the show's main page on Hulu, which has links to most of the show's episodes (a few are missing from season 3). I'll post the direct links for new episodes as they come out.
http://www.hulu.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Let's Stop Driving.
Enough is enough.
On Tuesday morning as I was getting ready for work, my mom told me about a terrible tragedy. A car accident occurred Monday evening in Damascus that claimed the life of Ryan Didone, and has another teenager fighting for her life. Ryan Didone was the son of Tom Didone, a police officer who worked closely with my father (Joseph A. Mattingly) as members of the underage alcohol program in Montgomery County. Chances are, if you were busted at a drinking party in the late 80's or early 90's, they were among the officers who made your night suck.
As many of you already know, my father was also killed in an automobile accident, back in 2003. But they aren't alone. There are about 45,000 transportation-related fatalities a year in the United States. Not fender-benders, not injuries, deaths; 45,000 of them. Of those 45,000 deaths, approximately 42,000 were a result of motor vehicle collisions. The remaining 3,000 include aviation, boating, heavy/light rail, railroad and railroad trespassers (people standing in the way of trains), and others.
But back to the focus here, 42,000 people die every year while driving on, biking on, or walking near roadways. Cars kill people. And despite dramatic advances in technology and information, they haven't really stopped killing people. Air bags, seatbelt laws, anti-lock brakes, these have all been around for over a decade now, and there has been no noticeable decrease in the number of people getting killed by car accidents. And I use the phrase "getting killed by" rather than "dying in" intentionally. Car accidents deserve the same level of villainy associated with heart disease and bears; not completely unavoidable, but very preventable.
I'll probably be making several posts over the next....well, over the rest of my life, arguing that the United States needs to take the lead in reducing our dependence on motor vehicles, with the intent of eliminating them altogether.
I'm not going to go into the whole discussion right now, but I do want to handle one point right off the bat. I've talked to several people about this viewpoint of mine, and often one of the first arguments against it that comes up is, "People won't want to get rid of their cars." In the past, I've accepted this as a likely hurdle, and one that would be difficult to overcome. Now, however, I'm realizing that it's perhaps the most foolish hurdle of any. People will initially want to keep their cars, yes, that's true. But I think that most people are smart enough that when they think about it, they'd rather be alive and ride a fancy metro system than be dead and own a Mazda Miata. It's a tough sell, but I think I can pull it off.
On Tuesday morning as I was getting ready for work, my mom told me about a terrible tragedy. A car accident occurred Monday evening in Damascus that claimed the life of Ryan Didone, and has another teenager fighting for her life. Ryan Didone was the son of Tom Didone, a police officer who worked closely with my father (Joseph A. Mattingly) as members of the underage alcohol program in Montgomery County. Chances are, if you were busted at a drinking party in the late 80's or early 90's, they were among the officers who made your night suck.
As many of you already know, my father was also killed in an automobile accident, back in 2003. But they aren't alone. There are about 45,000 transportation-related fatalities a year in the United States. Not fender-benders, not injuries, deaths; 45,000 of them. Of those 45,000 deaths, approximately 42,000 were a result of motor vehicle collisions. The remaining 3,000 include aviation, boating, heavy/light rail, railroad and railroad trespassers (people standing in the way of trains), and others.
But back to the focus here, 42,000 people die every year while driving on, biking on, or walking near roadways. Cars kill people. And despite dramatic advances in technology and information, they haven't really stopped killing people. Air bags, seatbelt laws, anti-lock brakes, these have all been around for over a decade now, and there has been no noticeable decrease in the number of people getting killed by car accidents. And I use the phrase "getting killed by" rather than "dying in" intentionally. Car accidents deserve the same level of villainy associated with heart disease and bears; not completely unavoidable, but very preventable.
I'll probably be making several posts over the next....well, over the rest of my life, arguing that the United States needs to take the lead in reducing our dependence on motor vehicles, with the intent of eliminating them altogether.
I'm not going to go into the whole discussion right now, but I do want to handle one point right off the bat. I've talked to several people about this viewpoint of mine, and often one of the first arguments against it that comes up is, "People won't want to get rid of their cars." In the past, I've accepted this as a likely hurdle, and one that would be difficult to overcome. Now, however, I'm realizing that it's perhaps the most foolish hurdle of any. People will initially want to keep their cars, yes, that's true. But I think that most people are smart enough that when they think about it, they'd rather be alive and ride a fancy metro system than be dead and own a Mazda Miata. It's a tough sell, but I think I can pull it off.
Monday, October 20, 2008
1996 Royal Rumble Match
The 1996 Royal Rumble was right before the Monday Night Wars truly began, and featured many of the big time stars who would make WCW a factor for the next 5 years. Diesel (Kevin Nash), Razor Ramon (Scott Hall), and the 1-2-3 Kid (Syxx, X-Pac) all make an appearance during the Rumble match (though only two of them are actual participants...you'll have to watch to see what I'm talking about).
Below is the link for the 1996 Royal Rumble match. The star power overall is very good, but towards the end, it becomes pretty clear who's going to win the match (at least, if you're a wrestling historian like myself, it does). It's also fun to see some of the stars of the future in their formative years in the WWF (Stone Cold Steve Austin as "Ringmaster," Triple H as "Hunter Hearst Helmsley: the American Blue Blood").
It'll seem like you've only got part 1 of the match, but when part 1 finishes, the page will automatically refresh itself and load part 2. Enjoy.
Royal Rumble Match: 1996
Below is the link for the 1996 Royal Rumble match. The star power overall is very good, but towards the end, it becomes pretty clear who's going to win the match (at least, if you're a wrestling historian like myself, it does). It's also fun to see some of the stars of the future in their formative years in the WWF (Stone Cold Steve Austin as "Ringmaster," Triple H as "Hunter Hearst Helmsley: the American Blue Blood").
It'll seem like you've only got part 1 of the match, but when part 1 finishes, the page will automatically refresh itself and load part 2. Enjoy.
Royal Rumble Match: 1996
Old Wrestling PPVs
Listen, if you're anything like me (and if you're happy with your life, chances are you're nothing like me), you've got a soft spot in your heart for old wrestling pay-per-views. I'm talking about the classic Royal Rumbles, Summerslams, Survivor Series, and of course, the grand-daddy of them all, Wrestlemania. But you're also interested in some of the classic WCW pay-per-views, like Starrcade, The Great American Bash, and Fall Brawl.
Sometimes I go scouring the Internet for clips of these old wrestling PPVs, and sometimes, I come across the whole entire event, or at the very least, an entire Royal Rumble match. (Those are very good days.) So, I'm going to start posting links to the full wrestling pay-per-views that I find, but only when I can find those full events (or full Royal Rumble matches). If it's just one clip, I'll leave that for another time; maybe I'll put together a "greatest matches" post for a certain wrestler, and include clips of each of those matches.
A heads up, though: These full pay-per-views tend to be split up into multiple clips, so when I post an "event," it'll probably actually be several separate clips. I'll post them in order for you, though, so you can click them one-by-one to go through the event, or open them all at once in new tabs, and then just progress through the tabs with the clips completely buffered. That decision I leave up to you.
I'll have the first event posted later today or tomorrow.
Sometimes I go scouring the Internet for clips of these old wrestling PPVs, and sometimes, I come across the whole entire event, or at the very least, an entire Royal Rumble match. (Those are very good days.) So, I'm going to start posting links to the full wrestling pay-per-views that I find, but only when I can find those full events (or full Royal Rumble matches). If it's just one clip, I'll leave that for another time; maybe I'll put together a "greatest matches" post for a certain wrestler, and include clips of each of those matches.
A heads up, though: These full pay-per-views tend to be split up into multiple clips, so when I post an "event," it'll probably actually be several separate clips. I'll post them in order for you, though, so you can click them one-by-one to go through the event, or open them all at once in new tabs, and then just progress through the tabs with the clips completely buffered. That decision I leave up to you.
I'll have the first event posted later today or tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
So I've Been Playing....Smackdown vs. Raw 2007
As you've probably gathered from my post about my Rock Band 2 band, I've got a soft spot for wrestling. Mostly, that gets manifested in watching old pay-per-views and relating stories to other old school wrestling fans. But, from time to time, it also manifests itself in other media. I saw that awful movie Ready 2 Rumble. I've looked around for MIDI files of old wrestling entrance themes. And I like a lot of wrestling video games.
Recently, I realized that it's been a long time since I played one that I really liked. I believe the last one was Wrestlemania 2000 for the Nintendo 64, which, interestingly enough, came out around the year 2000. It was just the right balance of complex and simple. You could create your own wrestlers, and many moves and outfits of former and other-brand (WCW) wrestlers. The gameplay was fun, and this'll sound foolish, but they had the Royal Rumble, and that's more fun than any other match in any wrestling game. Hell, with the old Super Nintendo games (WWF Royal Rumble and WWF Raw), it was the only match we ever played.
Fast forward to 2008, and it's been a while since I got around to playing any wrestling games. So I went into a local Gamestop and said, "I've got an Xbox 360. What wrestling games are out there?" They directed me to the Smackdown vs. Raw franchise, tossing in their compulsory recommendation to pre-order the upcoming game new. But they definitely recommended the older ones as well (I think Gamestop actually make a much greater profit on used games anyways), and I elected to get the 2007 iteration.
The game is solid. The controls are not intuitive, but the game offers a quick rundown of the buttons during the load screen before regular matches. Additionally, when you're in some kind of specialty match (steel cage, ladder, etc), the loading screen tells you what special buttons are used in that match (how to climb the cage, how to move the ladder, etc). With the relative complexity of the controls, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get comfortable playing.
The season mode is alright, though it's got its share of weaknesses. You tend to feel a little detached from the action, because commentators and other wrestlers only refer to you as "the superstar" or "the champ" or "the contender." I understand that it's part of the limitations that come along with allowing you to select any superstar (including created superstars); I just think it'd be better served by having a more immersive experience, even if it means you can only select a few superstars. (By the way, the upcoming Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 release is following that exact format. It limits you to a few wrestlers, but has a much more personal season experience).
There's another unique feature called GM Mode which I really enjoy, but I'm going to get into that in a future post. It's got enough to it that I don't want to shrink it down to a paragraph.
The create-a-wrestler feature was initially daunting, but after putting some time in to learn the in's and out's, I'm much happier with it than I originally thought. The ways you can adjust the shape of your created wrestler are a little over the top, but when you're trying to get a guy to look exactly like the Honky Tonk Man, it comes in handy.
Overall, I'm not disappointed with the game. It's got enough features and game modes to keep it pretty fresh. And for a guy like me who has an unhealthy interest in unlocking achievements in Xbox 360 games, there are plenty of challenges to take on. It's a fun game, although I don't expect that it'll be as big a part of my social life as WWF Raw was.
By the way, if anyone wants to get together for another Raw party, all I need is a couple more Super Nintendo controllers.
Recently, I realized that it's been a long time since I played one that I really liked. I believe the last one was Wrestlemania 2000 for the Nintendo 64, which, interestingly enough, came out around the year 2000. It was just the right balance of complex and simple. You could create your own wrestlers, and many moves and outfits of former and other-brand (WCW) wrestlers. The gameplay was fun, and this'll sound foolish, but they had the Royal Rumble, and that's more fun than any other match in any wrestling game. Hell, with the old Super Nintendo games (WWF Royal Rumble and WWF Raw), it was the only match we ever played.
Fast forward to 2008, and it's been a while since I got around to playing any wrestling games. So I went into a local Gamestop and said, "I've got an Xbox 360. What wrestling games are out there?" They directed me to the Smackdown vs. Raw franchise, tossing in their compulsory recommendation to pre-order the upcoming game new. But they definitely recommended the older ones as well (I think Gamestop actually make a much greater profit on used games anyways), and I elected to get the 2007 iteration.
The game is solid. The controls are not intuitive, but the game offers a quick rundown of the buttons during the load screen before regular matches. Additionally, when you're in some kind of specialty match (steel cage, ladder, etc), the loading screen tells you what special buttons are used in that match (how to climb the cage, how to move the ladder, etc). With the relative complexity of the controls, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get comfortable playing.
The season mode is alright, though it's got its share of weaknesses. You tend to feel a little detached from the action, because commentators and other wrestlers only refer to you as "the superstar" or "the champ" or "the contender." I understand that it's part of the limitations that come along with allowing you to select any superstar (including created superstars); I just think it'd be better served by having a more immersive experience, even if it means you can only select a few superstars. (By the way, the upcoming Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 release is following that exact format. It limits you to a few wrestlers, but has a much more personal season experience).
There's another unique feature called GM Mode which I really enjoy, but I'm going to get into that in a future post. It's got enough to it that I don't want to shrink it down to a paragraph.
The create-a-wrestler feature was initially daunting, but after putting some time in to learn the in's and out's, I'm much happier with it than I originally thought. The ways you can adjust the shape of your created wrestler are a little over the top, but when you're trying to get a guy to look exactly like the Honky Tonk Man, it comes in handy.
Overall, I'm not disappointed with the game. It's got enough features and game modes to keep it pretty fresh. And for a guy like me who has an unhealthy interest in unlocking achievements in Xbox 360 games, there are plenty of challenges to take on. It's a fun game, although I don't expect that it'll be as big a part of my social life as WWF Raw was.
By the way, if anyone wants to get together for another Raw party, all I need is a couple more Super Nintendo controllers.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
That Dr. Pepper Song
Some of you know that I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to find the name and artist of a song I heard in a recent Dr. Pepper commercial. It is also often used at sporting events to get the crowd going, and I believe was first used in that manner for the Chicago Bulls teams of the mid-1990s.
Anyways, the song is called Sirius, and it's by Alan Parsons Project. In its original context, it's also used as an introduction to a popular song by the band called Eye In The Sky. Not surprisingly, they're the two highest rated tracks by Alan Parsons Project on Rhapsody. Also, is anyone talking about this site? It's awesome. You can listen to anything they've got on a whim. It's the site I linked to when I wanted you to listen to a song off of a 5-song special release CD from the Dave Matthews Band. I'm gonna do some more research, but best I can tell, this site is just sweet.
Socialism rules!
Yeah, that's gonna bring traffic to this blog, but maybe not the kind of traffic I want...oh, who am I kidding, any traffic is good.
Anyways, the song is called Sirius, and it's by Alan Parsons Project. In its original context, it's also used as an introduction to a popular song by the band called Eye In The Sky. Not surprisingly, they're the two highest rated tracks by Alan Parsons Project on Rhapsody. Also, is anyone talking about this site? It's awesome. You can listen to anything they've got on a whim. It's the site I linked to when I wanted you to listen to a song off of a 5-song special release CD from the Dave Matthews Band. I'm gonna do some more research, but best I can tell, this site is just sweet.
Socialism rules!
Yeah, that's gonna bring traffic to this blog, but maybe not the kind of traffic I want...oh, who am I kidding, any traffic is good.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Rock Band 2 Band Is Made Up Of Former Wrestlers
You would think that the title pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the situation, and you might be right. But I'm going to tell you more.
My band in the original game was a hodgepodge, including Dr. Heimlich (a Southern rock guitarist from Berlin), Sticks McGee (a punk drummer), Dylan (a hillbilly off-the-street singer), and joe2 (a hastily created second guitarist). I also had a female singer, "Chick," created for when girls wanted to join in. That band was fine, and I'm not mad about the way it turned out. But I felt like I was under-utilizing the options the game gives for customizing characters. Then, while visiting the other Joe (from Joe & Joe Sports), he told me his band would be called Donnybrooks, and the members of his band would be assorted trouble-making baseball players.
I liked the idea of having a themed band, and since I've recently been reading about and watching a lot of old wrestlers, I decided it was as valid a theme as any. I was a little worried about how well I'd be able to execute the idea at first, so I started with perhaps the most recognizable face in wrestling history, Hulk Hogan. And I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to craft the Hulkster. The key was the bald top/long around the sides hairstyle. I combined that with a chopper mustache, and I'm looking forward to hearing what people think of it when they see him.
Second on the list was "Macho Man" Randy Savage. I used the same haircut for Savage, but a full beard instead, and made it all black. Savage is also shorter and leaner, and when I get some money together from touring, I'll buy him some sunglasses and a hot pink outfit with a hot pink cowboy hat. It's gonna kick ass.
I've added three more band members for now: Ric Flair, Honky Tonk Man, and UltimateWarrior (so named because I didn't have enough characters to put a space in between the words). I've got face paint on the warrior, as well as tattoos that sort of look like the streamers he'd wear around his biceps.
The band name: The Ring Ropes. See you at the show.
My band in the original game was a hodgepodge, including Dr. Heimlich (a Southern rock guitarist from Berlin), Sticks McGee (a punk drummer), Dylan (a hillbilly off-the-street singer), and joe2 (a hastily created second guitarist). I also had a female singer, "Chick," created for when girls wanted to join in. That band was fine, and I'm not mad about the way it turned out. But I felt like I was under-utilizing the options the game gives for customizing characters. Then, while visiting the other Joe (from Joe & Joe Sports), he told me his band would be called Donnybrooks, and the members of his band would be assorted trouble-making baseball players.
I liked the idea of having a themed band, and since I've recently been reading about and watching a lot of old wrestlers, I decided it was as valid a theme as any. I was a little worried about how well I'd be able to execute the idea at first, so I started with perhaps the most recognizable face in wrestling history, Hulk Hogan. And I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to craft the Hulkster. The key was the bald top/long around the sides hairstyle. I combined that with a chopper mustache, and I'm looking forward to hearing what people think of it when they see him.
Second on the list was "Macho Man" Randy Savage. I used the same haircut for Savage, but a full beard instead, and made it all black. Savage is also shorter and leaner, and when I get some money together from touring, I'll buy him some sunglasses and a hot pink outfit with a hot pink cowboy hat. It's gonna kick ass.
I've added three more band members for now: Ric Flair, Honky Tonk Man, and UltimateWarrior (so named because I didn't have enough characters to put a space in between the words). I've got face paint on the warrior, as well as tattoos that sort of look like the streamers he'd wear around his biceps.
The band name: The Ring Ropes. See you at the show.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
So I've Been Playing.... - Animal Crossing (GameCube)
I tweaked the title of the new feature a little bit to accommodate games that I've played in the past (and thus would not have "just started" playing), but have given renewed attention. The main reason is that this game, Animal Crossing, is one such game.
First of all, it's ridiculous. The game is ridiculous. Your character is a human with some kind of horns or something, maybe a demon? I don't know, but you're like a little kid and not evil at all. Anyways, you move to a new town and get a house and get to know your neighbors. Not like that, sicko, it's rated E. Your neighbors, of course, are different kinds of animals, from elephants to alligators to dragons, as well as the more pedestrian cats, dogs, and chickens.
Your character spends the majority of his/her time running around doing errands, like delivering items for the various animals of your town, fishing, catching bugs, picking up seashells, etc. You can sell most items at the local mart, and use that money to buy furniture for your pad. There's also a museum that houses local fauna, priceless art, and fossils. To dig up fossils, you need a shovel. To catch fish or bugs, you need a fishing pole or a net, respectively. And to acquire art, you just have to buy it or get it from someone for doing one of their errands.
The game sounds a bit simplistic, and truth be told, it is pretty simple. But there's something about the small sense of accomplishment you get when you pay off your mortgage, or complete a T-Rex skeleton, or catch a rare fish, that keeps me going back to the game over and over.
While there's no true multiplayer option, you can have up to four characters living in your village, and there are a number of small, fun ways your characters can interact. You can make posts on the local bulletin board, place signs in the ground and write on them, write letters to each other, and put items in your "gyroid" (a helper robot that manages the business related to your house) to make them available for other players to purchase. Additionally, the animals in the town will gossip about other characters ("Where has player B been?", "Check out this letter Player D sent me!", etc). A little personality gets added to the game when other people live in your town.
It's a pretty cheap game these days, so if you've already got a GameCube or a Wii and it sounds interesting, it's worth checking out. Also, there's this story, which tugs at the heart-strings just a little bit. It probably won't (and shouldn't) affect whether or not you want to play the game; it's just something for you mushes out there.
First of all, it's ridiculous. The game is ridiculous. Your character is a human with some kind of horns or something, maybe a demon? I don't know, but you're like a little kid and not evil at all. Anyways, you move to a new town and get a house and get to know your neighbors. Not like that, sicko, it's rated E. Your neighbors, of course, are different kinds of animals, from elephants to alligators to dragons, as well as the more pedestrian cats, dogs, and chickens.
Your character spends the majority of his/her time running around doing errands, like delivering items for the various animals of your town, fishing, catching bugs, picking up seashells, etc. You can sell most items at the local mart, and use that money to buy furniture for your pad. There's also a museum that houses local fauna, priceless art, and fossils. To dig up fossils, you need a shovel. To catch fish or bugs, you need a fishing pole or a net, respectively. And to acquire art, you just have to buy it or get it from someone for doing one of their errands.
The game sounds a bit simplistic, and truth be told, it is pretty simple. But there's something about the small sense of accomplishment you get when you pay off your mortgage, or complete a T-Rex skeleton, or catch a rare fish, that keeps me going back to the game over and over.
While there's no true multiplayer option, you can have up to four characters living in your village, and there are a number of small, fun ways your characters can interact. You can make posts on the local bulletin board, place signs in the ground and write on them, write letters to each other, and put items in your "gyroid" (a helper robot that manages the business related to your house) to make them available for other players to purchase. Additionally, the animals in the town will gossip about other characters ("Where has player B been?", "Check out this letter Player D sent me!", etc). A little personality gets added to the game when other people live in your town.
It's a pretty cheap game these days, so if you've already got a GameCube or a Wii and it sounds interesting, it's worth checking out. Also, there's this story, which tugs at the heart-strings just a little bit. It probably won't (and shouldn't) affect whether or not you want to play the game; it's just something for you mushes out there.
Buffalo Wings & Beer
First, let me start by saying that the combination of eating buffalo wings and drinking beer is solid. I have no issue with the combination of food and drink, and I like buffalo wings, and I enjoy the occasional beer.
My issue is with the Gaithersburg bar/restaurant that goes by the name, "Buffalo Wings & Beer." I say specifically the Gaithersburg one because I haven't been to any of the others, but my guess is they all suffer from the same weaknesses. The most amazing part is that their weakness is not food quality or service, the two most likely culprits when a meal is ruined. The weakness is in their policies, policies that make you feel like they're really out to get you. And it's not a stretch to think that they might actually be out to get you.
First off, they don't offer free refills on sodas. This has become such a convention in restaurants that it's literally shocking for a place to not have that feature. And the sodas are fountain sodas, not bottles, so it's even more puzzling. Normally this would be bad but not unbearable, as you can just get a water. But at BWB, they also don't offer water at no charge. The only water they make available to customers is bottled water, at a cool $1 apiece. Feel like you're getting screwed yet? Sit tight, we're just getting started.
Their menu says the following phrase word-for-word underneath the wing prices and flavors:
Speaking of Tuesday, we went in because they have a "deal" (you'll understand the reason for the quotes in a second) where you buy one pound of wings and get a second pound free. The second pound has to be the same flavor, and I have no problem with that. You can't get them boxed up, and I suppose I understand that; I'm sure their hope is that the deal brings people in who will buy drinks. But here's the kicker: you can't share. So if you want to take advantage of the deal, you have to get two pounds of wings yourself, or not get any. They're kind enough to let you share if everyone at the table gets their own double-order; what a bunch of sweethearts.
One last issue that didn't affect me personally but I found laughable was their list of lunchtime specials. You can get an order of a number of appetizers for about half of the normal price. Of course, these orders only contain about half of the food as the regular orders (5 cheese sticks vs. 10, 2 chicken tenders vs. 5, 4 broccoli cheese balls vs. 7). Also, there's a two drink minimum. FOR LUNCH. I'm fully convinced that the only people who can go to this place and not get pissed off are alcoholics.
It's a shame they have such an awful sense of customer relations, because the food is good. The wings are large and flavorful, and despite all of my nay-saying, it's still a valid place to grab some carryout wings from. But don't let them suck you into their den of deceit. You'll walk away angry, or walk away with blood on your hands. Or both. Probably both.
However, in my magnanimity, I've decided to come up with a new marketing strategy for BWB. I like to help even the most villainous of restaurants. So here you go:
Buffalo Wings & Beer: A place that sucks.
Short, catchy, effective. Lock it up.
My issue is with the Gaithersburg bar/restaurant that goes by the name, "Buffalo Wings & Beer." I say specifically the Gaithersburg one because I haven't been to any of the others, but my guess is they all suffer from the same weaknesses. The most amazing part is that their weakness is not food quality or service, the two most likely culprits when a meal is ruined. The weakness is in their policies, policies that make you feel like they're really out to get you. And it's not a stretch to think that they might actually be out to get you.
First off, they don't offer free refills on sodas. This has become such a convention in restaurants that it's literally shocking for a place to not have that feature. And the sodas are fountain sodas, not bottles, so it's even more puzzling. Normally this would be bad but not unbearable, as you can just get a water. But at BWB, they also don't offer water at no charge. The only water they make available to customers is bottled water, at a cool $1 apiece. Feel like you're getting screwed yet? Sit tight, we're just getting started.
Their menu says the following phrase word-for-word underneath the wing prices and flavors:
- Wings are served with either Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing, Two Celery Sticks and Two Carrot Sticks
- Extras.......................... .75
Speaking of Tuesday, we went in because they have a "deal" (you'll understand the reason for the quotes in a second) where you buy one pound of wings and get a second pound free. The second pound has to be the same flavor, and I have no problem with that. You can't get them boxed up, and I suppose I understand that; I'm sure their hope is that the deal brings people in who will buy drinks. But here's the kicker: you can't share. So if you want to take advantage of the deal, you have to get two pounds of wings yourself, or not get any. They're kind enough to let you share if everyone at the table gets their own double-order; what a bunch of sweethearts.
One last issue that didn't affect me personally but I found laughable was their list of lunchtime specials. You can get an order of a number of appetizers for about half of the normal price. Of course, these orders only contain about half of the food as the regular orders (5 cheese sticks vs. 10, 2 chicken tenders vs. 5, 4 broccoli cheese balls vs. 7). Also, there's a two drink minimum. FOR LUNCH. I'm fully convinced that the only people who can go to this place and not get pissed off are alcoholics.
It's a shame they have such an awful sense of customer relations, because the food is good. The wings are large and flavorful, and despite all of my nay-saying, it's still a valid place to grab some carryout wings from. But don't let them suck you into their den of deceit. You'll walk away angry, or walk away with blood on your hands. Or both. Probably both.
However, in my magnanimity, I've decided to come up with a new marketing strategy for BWB. I like to help even the most villainous of restaurants. So here you go:
Buffalo Wings & Beer: A place that sucks.
Short, catchy, effective. Lock it up.
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