Top high school games

Santa Ana Mater Dei at Carson, 7 pm, Friday: Last season, Carson upset the Monarchs in the debut of new Coach Elijah Asante. The Colts have offensive fire power with USC-bound receiver Darreus Rogers and new quarterback Kevin McMahon, a transfer from South Torrance. But Mater Dei wont take the Colts lightly this time, and new quarterback Ryan McMahon was impressive in summer competitions. The pick: Mater Dei.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at Gardena Serra, 7 pm, Friday: Notre Dame lost several close games last season en route to an uncharacteristic 2-8 record. Young players who got a chance to play should use that experience to make the Knights much improved. Junior quarterback Kelly Hilinski and junior running back Khalfani Muhammad are highly regarded college prospects. Serra, which has been to consecutive bowl games, was hit hard by graduation but will turn to a talented group of young players. One veteran to count on is receiver-defensive back Raymond Ford, a UCLA commit. The pick: Notre Dame.

Long Beach Poly at Sacramento Grant, 8 pm, Saturday: Grant opened its season with a 43-16 victory over Folsom last week, putting the pressure on Poly to be ready for a top performance. The Jackrabbits are strong in the skill positions, but there are lots of questions about the offensive and defensive lines. The pick: Poly.

Washington Bellevue vs. Westlake Village Oaks Christian at Mission Viejo, 8:30 pm Saturday: Oaks Christian is loaded with experienced players, except at the quarterback position, where Utah transfer Luke Falk will be asked to supply some consistency to the Lions attack. The pick: Oaks Christian.

EWING Gov. Chris Christie said he has not spoken with the owners or staff of either the Jets or the Giants about canceling Saturdays game.

Christie said neither agency has placed pressure on him to allow the games to continue as scheduled because of the possible loss of profits from canceling a preseason game.

The game at The Meadowlands was rescheduled to Saturday afternoon at 2 pm By the time the game begins the state will have shut down a large chunk of Garden State Parkway, halted all NJ Transit trains and likely started using Izod Center next door as a shelter for those forced from their homes in shore towns.

More Hurricane Irene coverage:

College basketball has an unofficial blockbuster tipoff for the first time with the Carrier Classic between projected No. 1 North Carolina and perennial national contender Michigan State on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson on Nov. 11.

The follow-up to this unique experience isnt too shabby, either.

Michigan State will make the trip to New York to play Duke in the first of a three-year deal called the Champions Classic on Nov. 15. Kansas and Kentucky are the other two regulars in this event that will shift from New York to Chicago to Atlanta over the next three years with the four teams rotating opponents.

The headline games at Madison Square Garden (Michigan State-Duke/Kansas-Kentucky) are folded into ESPNs third annual Tip-Off Marathon. Those are hardly the only intriguing games, though.

Got a Nintendo 3DS when it was retailing for $250 and visited the eShop at least once before August 11? You are automatically considered a Nintendo 3DS Ambassador, which means youre now eligible for some free downloadable retro games to make you forget about the $80 you could have saved if you had waited on getting the 3DS. Would reacquainting yourself with some classics from the NES era help ease your pain? Heres how to claim your freebies.

Before you start, make sure your 3DS can connect to your local Wi-Fi network because you will need to access to eShop in order to download your games.

1. On your home screen, tap on the eShop icon to connect to the online store.
2. Scroll to the far left and select Settings/Other. Its the last icon on the left side.
3. Scroll down until you see Your Downloads tap on that option with your stylus.
4. Scroll to the bottom until you see Ambassador Certificate. Tap on the button that says Redownload.
5. You should see the following screen. Tap on the Download button. Once your Ambassador certificate has finished downloading, you will see a Thank You screen.
6. From here, you need to download the free old-school games individually. To see whats available, go back to Settings/Other, tap on My Downloads to grab the titles you like. Note: The free games are denoted by a Redownload button (otherwise it just looks like a long list of content you have downloaded since youve been using your 3DS).

Here are 10 class NES titles available to Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors right now:

• Super Mario Bros
• Metroid
• The Legend of Zelda
• Wrecking Crew
• NES Open Tournament Golf
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Balloon Fight
• Ice Climber
• Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
• Yoshi

These are top-tier NES games get them on your 3DS while they are available, before Nintendo has a chance to renege or offer other less stellar titles. Stay tuned for 10 other Game Boy Advance games coming to 3DS Ambassadors later this year.

[Source: Support.Nintendo.com]

Related:

• Already have a 3DS? Nintendo wants to give you free games
• Nintendo 3DS turns Flame Red for the holidays, but will it put sales in the black?
• Nintendo 3DS drops price to $170 on August 12
• Nintendos limited edition Zelda bundle includes gold Wii-mote, $69.99

Dodgers beat Padres, 4-2, for eighth win in nine games

Their record improves to 65-70, the first time the team has been within five games of .500 mark since June 12. Rod Barajas leads offense with a two-run homer; starter Ted Lilly struggles but gets win.

Jetpack Joyride, the new endless game from Halfbrick, is the latest in a long line of 99-cent iPhone apps that have seriously challenged my dedication to console and computer games this year. Like most people, I dont have enough time for gaming. Yet in two days with Jetpack Joyride I have somehow played almost 300 games in close to nine hours, and have no interest in ever stopping. In contrast, the fantastic but finite art game El Shaddai sits completed on my shelf, closed like a book. The open-ended cyberpunk universe of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is still shut inside shrink-wrap. Halfbrick, the creators of App Store favorite Fruit Ninja, have crammed a compelling world into a few megabytes of data and a few minutes of my time.

This is a good opportunity to reassess the state of things. Every week a couple of major titles are put on store shelves, and a slew of small games are released on the App Store. While its a nice feeling to walk to the game store in my neighborhood, chat with the owner at the counter, and grab a new game, the sense of discovery in a physical game store doesnt compare with that of a real record or book store. The real discoveries occur on the screen at home; and in any case, we all know exactly what were getting from the game store from the moment we wake up on release day. On the App Store, meanwhile, the game can be had the instant it is stocked; and new experiences, gameplay insights and artistic visions are gained as quickly as the Krispy Kreme conveyer belt can glaze donuts.

Its a good system because it is adapted to the information overload of modern life. Jetpack Joyride has received more pre-release hype than many iPhone games, in the form of previews and promotional trailers, but ones first encounter with it is likely to be one of wonder, rather than wondering in which ways the game measures up to expectations. Like a song, its simple to tune in and play it for yourself.

Jetpack Joyride presents the following scenario: tough guy Barry Steakfries bursts through a wall, straps on an experimental jetpack, and flies through a laboratory that unfurls to the right like a Looney Tunes chase. Barry inevitably hits an obstacle and dies and the game starts over, with the lure of a higher score. Like the iPhones best endless games–Canabalt, Bumpy Road, Hook Worlds, Doodle Jump, Mechanic Panic and Solipskier–its made to be played in spare moments between daily tasks, and so it must make its case quickly. The art of these games lies in suggesting a much larger world. Halfbricks last game, Monster Dash, sent Barry across continents and centuries, and packed more sightseeing and supernatural forces into two minutes than an Uncharted game could in two hours.

Jetpack Joyride continues to push the art of distraction forward. On one hand, its a decked-out remake of the ubiquitous helicopter game in which a chopper bobs up and down to avoid crashing. Barry must avoid hitting zappers that float on the screen, as well as lasers and missiles; you send him upward with a touch. The further he goes, the faster he runs, and eventually the game is simply too fast to survive. The slightest bad touch does Barry in. The joyride revolves around being paradoxically slow enough for you to understand and admire the action, yet fast enough to stretch your reflexes and keep you at bay, like a dog chasing its tail. Obstacles are arranged on the fly so that danger is always in Barrys way.

But a solid dodging game isnt enough. You can drive bombastic vehicles–including a motorcycle; a mechanical flapping Profit Bird thats a backhanded tribute to competitors Angry Birds and Tiny Wings; and a Crazy Freaking Teleporter that lives up to the moniker–that have unique behaviors. You collect coins between the zappers, which you later use to buy new clothes, jetpacks, upgrades and utilities for Barry. The latter two affect gameplay, and the former are purely cosmetic. Items called Spin Tokens flit through the lab, and you must chase them down like the Golden Snitch in Harry Potters game of Quidditch. After Barrys demise, you can feed the tokens into a slot machine that offers Barry a second chance at life, or a head start in the next game, or heaps more coins for the store, or more Spin Tokens that afford more chances. On top of these micro-games, youre assigned discrete missions to accomplish during your games, which then increase your rank for more coins and eventually a badge. The badge is the Jetpack Joyrides final carrot, and it doesnt do anything. I felt a little cheated when I achieved the highest rank and the game asked me to start all over for a different badge, making clear that it is a circular exercise. Then I realized this would allow me to earn coins faster and finally buy Barry that green mohawk.

From second to second, Jetpack Joyride feels like several things at once. Its a videogame in the classical sense, asking you to move quickly and avoid failure. Its a bit like gambling–in slots, and in the risky chase for a Spin Token and a handful of coins. Its something like going to work, having you prioritize your various goals and missions and finally come home with a respectable income. It also resembles games of boredom you may have played as a kid. Missions like brush past 15 flashing red lights in one game or high-five 75 scientists remind me of counting red cars on road trips, and stepping between cracks in the sidewalk. All the while you must keep Barry bobbing up and down like a spinning top. Its a hard-to-define experience that touches on, if not explores, a surprisingly wide range of feelings: joy, idleness, responsibility and greed.

Barrys first game, the top-down shooter Age of Zombies, presented his character as a successor to Duke Nukem with wittier one-liners. Since Monster Dash, hes been silent, and more like Mario: best appreciated for what he can do, not for what he has to say. The symbolic power-up here is the machine gun jetpack from Monster Dash. It is a jetpack that slowly propels Barry upward with the recoil of two machine guns pointed at the ground. Like the game, its a marriage of control and chaos, the final screw in a contraption that has a nice handle and weight. You can sense the craftsmanship in Jetpack Joyride as soon as you lay fingers and eyes on it–the game has a gradual but firm pull; the scientists look alive as they run, cringe, and fall; a giant robot is sculpted with a care reminiscent of SNKs arcade hits; Barrys hair even ripples in the wind; and the sound of ricocheting bullets is music to my ears, not to mention the jazz-funk fusion that fondly recalls big shades and keytars.

Like Halfbricks Fruit Ninja, that maddening game about slicing fruit, this is a good-natured entertainment that speaks the language of videogames while masquerading as a trifle. As isolated minutes stretch into hours and hundreds of games, Jetpack Joyride tricks the player by seeming a good deal bigger than it is. Its a skillful solution to a curious problem: How do you entertain those with no time for distractions?

Jetpack Joyride is out now on the App Store.

6. St. Johns at Kentucky, Dec. 1, 7:30 pm, ESPN2 (Big East/SEC Challenge): The Red Storm continue a solid schedule that will, at the very least, raise their power rating (St. Johns plays at Detroit on Dec. 5, a game in which the Titans will honor Dick Vitale). Dont expect the Red Storm to win at Kentucky, but the game will certainly test Steve Lavins young crew.

7. Georgetown at Alabama, Dec. 1, 9:30 pm, ESPN2 (Big East/SEC Challenge): Alabama is a legit top-5 SEC team and desperately needs quality nonconference wins. Georgetown has continued to challenge itself in the nonconference under John Thompson III. The Hoyas will need a number of quality nonconference victories because their conference slate will be rugged for a middling team.

8. Florida at Syracuse, Dec. 2, 6:30 pm, ESPN (Big East/SEC Challenge): The Gators are one of the top three teams in the SEC. Syracuse is one of the top three in the Big East. This is a big-time game in early December that will certainly test Floridas young frontcourt. The guard play in this game, especially with the return of Rutgers transfer/current Gator Mike Rosario, should be stellar.

9. Vanderbilt at Louisville, Dec. 2, 8:30 pm, ESPN (Big East/SEC Challenge): Vandy is my trendy pick as a possible Final Four team. The Cardinals are in line with Syracuse and Connecticut for a potential Big East title. Louisville did get challenged early at the KFC Yum! Center a year ago, losing to Drexel last December. Vandy comes in with a ton of experience. This has the look of a last-possession affair that, like the game above, will clearly benefit both teams come March.

10. West Virginia at Mississippi State, Dec. 3, 9 pm, ESPNU (Big East/SEC Challenge): The Mountaineers arent as experienced this season, but a win in Starkville will go a long way toward determining what kind of toughness this team has in 2011-12. Mississippi State will have one of the nations toughest frontcourts to play against in Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney.

11. Pitt at Tennessee, Dec. 3, 5:15 pm, ESPN (Big East/SEC Challenge): The Panthers have one of their weakest nonconference schedules under Jamie Dixon. Thats why this road game against the rebuilding Volunteers is critical to the overall power rating for Pitt. Lose this game and it will hurt Pitt a bit. Win and the Panthers will only enhance their overall position going into Big East play.

12. Villanova vs. Missouri, Dec. 6, 7 pm, ESPN (Jimmy V Classic), MSG, NYC: The Wildcats are rebuilding on the perimeter, but they have plenty of experience up front. Mizzou will be one of the teams to beat in the Big 12. This is more of a home game for Villanova, unlike the Irishs test with the Tigers in Kansas City. A Wildcats win would do wonders for their confidence going into conference play.

13. Marquette vs. Washington, Dec. 6, 9 pm, ESPN (Jimmy V Classic), MSG, NYC: The Huskies will be able to run as well as any team out West and can push Cal, Arizona and UCLA for the Pac-12 title. The Golden Eagles should be considered as a team that could sneak into the top three in the Big East, much like Notre Dame did a season ago. This will be a contrast in styles.

14. Harvard at Connecticut, Dec. 8, 7 pm, ESPN2: The Crimson are the pick in the Ivy and have a legit shot to be a top-30 team this season. UConn is one of the top four teams in the country. The Huskies should win this game. But it could go down as tougher than advertised and will likely help Connecticuts overall nonconference strength of schedule.

15. Cincinnati at Xavier, Dec. 10, noon, ESPN2: This has been, and will continue to be, one of the best rivalries in college basketball. Both programs are NCAA tournament worthy again. The Bearcats are a top-six potential Big East team. Xavier is the favorite in the A-10 and a sleeper Final Four team.

16. Memphis at Louisville, Dec. 17, 4 pm, CBS: The Tigers are the pick in C-USA. Louisville, as previously mentioned, is one of the best in the Big East. This is an old C-USA rivalry and one that Memphis needs to keep renewing. The Tigers will need plenty of quality nonconference wins, especially with a watered-down bottom of C-USA.

17. Notre Dame vs. Indiana, Dec. 17, 4:30 pm, ESPN2 (Conseco Fieldhouse), Indianapolis: This is a critical game for both schools. Indiana is desperately trying to reassert itself in the mainstream of college basketball. For Notre Dame, it might be a must-win contest before the heart of its Big East schedule begins.

18. Syracuse at NC State, Dec. 17, 6:30 pm, ESPN2: NC State is expected to be somewhere in the middle to lower half of the ACC, while Syracuse is a Big East title challenger. But this is still a true road game and will give the Orange a good test to see where theyre at before the Big East season starts.

19. Memphis at Georgetown, Dec. 22, 7 pm, ESPN2: Once again the Hoyas are showing the difference in nonconference scheduling philosophy. A win at home here would be a great get for the Hoyas. Memphis will prove to be one of the countrys best teams outside a power-six conference.

20. West Virginia vs. Baylor, Dec. 23, 9 pm, ESPN2 (IBN Sports Las Vegas Classic): The Mountaineers arent expected to challenge for the Big East title, but it would be a mistake to count them out of the NCAA tournament discussion prior to the season. Bob Huggins crew always finds a way into the mix and picking off one of the Big 12 favorites on a neutral court could prove vital to differentiating the Mountaineers from the rest of the field.

21. Florida at Rutgers, Dec. 29, 7 pm, ESPN2: Doesnt it always work out like this? Rosario comes back to Rutgers during the season after hes eligible to play again? Rutgers isnt likely going to be an NCAA tournament team. But a road win in what should be a hostile environment certainly helps the Gators. Expect this to be a tough test.

22. Vanderbilt at Marquette, Dec. 29, 9 pm, ESPN2: The Commodores and Golden Eagles put together a high-quality home-and-home series. This will turn out to be one of the better games for Marquette. Vandy has the experience to weather a road contest and will have already played at Louisville.

23. Louisville at Kentucky, Dec. 31, noon, CBS: The Cardinals and Wildcats always provide one of the best environments in college basketball. This shouldnt be any different. Both teams are expected to challenge for their respective conference championships. The game will have the usual venom spewed on both sides. On the court, expect this game to be testy, maybe not as much as two seasons ago in Lexington, but it will still have high intensity.

24. St. Johns at Duke, Jan. 28, noon, ESPN: The annual series returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium. St. Johns humbled the Blue Devils last season. The Red Storm will be a much improved team to handle this type of game at this point in the season. Duke will be even stronger by late January, too. Playing Duke is always a plus for your power rating.

25. UCLA at St. Johns, Feb. 18, 1 pm, CBS: The Bruins return the home-and-home series after Lavin and the Red Storm went to Los Angeles last season. This is a perfect time to play the game. UCLA will likely be clicking at a high level after the Wear twins become comfortable playing next to Josh Smith. Sneaking in a road test like this toward the end of the Pac-12 season will only make the Bruins stronger. And this could turn out to be a quality W for whomever can grab it.

BOSTON — Alex Rodriguez was asked if this were July, would a sprained left thumb that has kept him out of the lineup the last four games be serious enough to land him on the DL?

The Yankees third baseman said he wasnt sure.

I dont know, Rodriguez said after fielding ground balls during batting practice last night prior to the Yankees 9-5 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Its just a matter of it healing.

BOX SCORE

Rodriguez, who suffered the injury fielding a grounder on Aug. 21, said the taped thumb didnt bother him during yesterdays exercise.

BALTIMORE Alex Rodriguez met with MLB investigators “a little south of two hours” Friday morning at the team hotel for his alleged involvement in illegal poker games.

“I thought it went well,” A-Rod said Friday, shortly after arriving at Camden Yards. “They asked me all the questions. I answered them. And that’s it.”

Asked if MLB asked him to change any specific behaviour, Rodriguez said, “No.” He also said “no” when asked if he thought he’d face discipline of any kind, though wasn’t as direct when asked if he came away convinced the matter was closed.

“They have the information,” he said. “I assume they’ll report to the commissioner and that’s it.”

Rodriguez did not offer any other specifics about the meeting. Among those at the meeting was Rodriguez’s attorney Jay Reisinger, MLB attorney Dan Halem and a players’ association representative.

An MLB spokesperson said: “He answered our questions, but we do not comment on investigations.”

Rodriguez has not spoken extensively about the allegations. On Aug. 4, his spokesperson said that the Star Magazine report contained “numerous factual inaccuracies,” and upon his return to the Yankees’ lineup last Sunday, A-Rod said: “The only thing I have to say about that is it’s extremely inaccurate and unfair. I look forward to meeting with them as soon as possible.”

Despite the allegations in the Star Magazine report, it would be difficult for baseball to discipline Rodriguez because the players’ association would likely fight any disciplinary action.

Rodriguez didn’t detail the inaccuracies in the allegations.

“All the lies you just can’t put up with,” A-Rod said. “You want just facts and you always want to be treated fairly, and I think for the most part I have been.”

McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers

Yes, Tributes, were debuting an exclusive first look at footage from The Hunger Games during the VMAs, and after showing off a teaser photo early Friday morning (August 26), weve got another special donation for you: a snippet of video from the first look itself.

Hit play on the video to peep Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence as the reluctant warrior Katniss Everdeen, running for her life in the kill-or-be-killed tournament known as the Hunger Games. Whats she fleeing from? A tribute with a hankering to spill some blood? A tracker jacker with a hallucinatory sting headed her way? So many questions! All will be revealed at the VMAs.

On show night, Jennifer Lawrence will be introducing the first look. Afterward, well be bringing you an exclusive online-video commentary from Hunger Games director Gary Ross, who will lend insight into the footage and answer some burning questions we have about the adaptation of Suzanne Collins best-selling young adult novel.

The story follows Katniss and Peeta Mellark as two teenagers living in Panem, a land once known as North America but which is now comprised of 12 impoverished districts ruled over by a shining Capitol. Recruited for an annual reality-show tournament called the Hunger Games, the duo is forced to survive attacks, launch their own offensives and maybe just fall in love if theyre ever to see their families again. Its a dystopian tale thats part Truman Show, part Gladiator, and yet utterly original.

So tune in Sunday night, when Katniss joins Gaga and the rest of the music worlds biggest names, and then check back to MTV.com for Ross not-to-be-missed Hunger Games breakdown.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 pm ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last years highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.