Roster

[mortalsoul3]

Fellas --

I have a saved custom/created with players/teams that I can view and edit. Yet whenever I try to play games, franchises, or practice from this roster, Live 2000 crashes (the infamous "Unhandled Exception error"). Yet the game -- and all of its options -- works fine from all of my other created and default rosters. I assume this is a database problem. Any idea what might be wrong with this roster's file database? Any ideas as to potential remedies to fix the problem(s)?

Hey, thanks, fellas. And Alex, I seem to be on some mailing list of yours where I receive these weird, blank messages with infected attachments. Can you remove me when you have a chance? Thanks again for your help, fellas. Peace.

MT

[alexboom]

hey did you edit this roster with Excel? It can corrupt the database.

About these mails, I'm sorry but I can't do anything about it, it's just that some virus program steal my email to spam some of you. There's really nothing I can do about it as my computer is not infected

[mortalsoul3]

No prob as to the messages. I delete them all. Just wondering about their origin, Boom.

Actualy, I used a database editor to alter this roster, yet I executed my changes via a slew of cutting and pasting from one file to another -- trying to save time. Any potential solutions for this problem?

Thanks.

MT

[alexboom]

i'm afraid i don't have a solution, but at last we could have found the source of this problem

[bullsfan009]

Yeah, sorry mortalsoul, I don't know...

I also get the "unhandled exception" error once in a while, as well as the "case fell through" one.

This one happens where in some arenas, like Toronto, everything'll crash if I attempt a substitution! I'm thinking my game is just getting old...

[alexboom]

nah it's not related to the age of your game... in your case it's mostly either a corrupted cyberface or a DBF error

[mortalsoul3]

Cool. Thanks for giving the matter some thought, fellas. Bullsfan, what's up, man? Are you still playing 2000? What's up with your Bucks franchises? Miss those game summaries. Are you hyped about the real life Bulls in '06 yet? Holler. Peace.

MT

[bullsfan009]

Hey Mortalsoul,

It's good to hear from you again. I bought NBA Live 2004, but it drove me right back to Live 2000 . IMO it's not nearly as good in terms of gameplay, which is the #1 most important aspect for me.

My Bucks franchises are over, and I'm not currently playing any franchise or season at all. Right now I'm trying to help Alex prepare his latest roster update, as I'm giving him ratings adjustments. It's taking some time, but it'll be worth it in the end. After that, by the start of next NBA season, I hope to be playing a Bulls season. Don't know if I'll post it though, as I'm going to be starting college too, as well as working...there's only so much time in a day, you know?

But the real Bulls...oh yeah, I'm hyped. They're in the playoffs right now, and I'm hoping that with a win tonight and an Indiana loss, we'll be in the 6th seed, where we're going to smoke the Nets in the first round. If we end up #7, and play Miami, I have to honestly say I don't like our chances...that team is too veteran, too talented, and they have 2 home-run hitters in Wade & Shaq who we can't match up with. Gordon's going to have to go out of his mind for us to have a chance.

But I'm most excited about the Bulls' future. I honestly think we can be a championship-caliber team within 3 years. We have the Knicks draft pick this year, which should be in the top 3, plus their pick next year if we want to swap ours for it, plus we have tons of cap room this summer. With the continued development of our young core of Hinrich, Gordon, Nocioni, Duhon, Chandler, Deng, Sweetney, and Songaila, and then adding a player in the draft like LeMarcus Aldridge to a free agent like Al Harrington, and the Bulls would suddenly be a loaded team.

Do you think they need a superstar, MT, or do you think the route described above could make them into contenders?

[mortalsoul3]

Congrats on your college admission, Bullsfan, and congrats on the Bulls' success. Championship contention for the Bulls would require the addition of game-changing talent/ability at specific positions. If the Knicks pick in '07 were to somehow afford the Bulls an opportunity at snagging Greg Oden out of OSU, the Bulls would be looking at championship level contention by decade's end and dynastic potential by next decade. No question.

Al Harrington is a good potential addition, long as he's prepared to play a strict downlow four (PF), aside Deng/Nocioni. Skiles has to work out a logical, consistent rotation for his forwards, particularly after Songalia's return. If Deng makes strides in improving his consistently on both ends (his ball creation skills offensively; the consistency of his on-ball fundamentals defensively; and his activity on the boards both ways), he should be a 20pt/6rb starting SF in the NBA for ten years -- where Nocioni can/should be among the deadliest Sixth Men on the wings since my Sixers' Bobby Jones. Deng's improvement, the addition of a four with back-to-the-basket game and a real presence at the 5 will afford these Bulls balance and move them into the Conference's upper echelon in short order.

The Bulls also need a two-guard with some size, athleticism, to-the-rack scoring ability and defensive acumen to rotate with Gordon. They sneak up on such a player via draft or free agency, then size your finger for championship "bling-bling" by 2010. Enjoy, Bulls fan. Peace.

MT

[bullsfan009]

I remember I liked talking to you about the NBA

Great comments, I agree whole-heartedly, especially about Oden- he's going to be a beast. Lemme ask you this: do you think that Hinrich/Gordon is a backcourt that can get it done at the championship level? Or are they too small? The Pistons won back-to-back with Thomas & Dumars, and didn't have anybody else particuarly dominating so far as I can remember, just great defenders and bangers like Rodman, Mahorn, and Lambier. But both Thomas & Dumars were great, great players- hall of famers.

Also, do you think that there is such a player in this draft as you were mentioning to go with Gordon, a big 2? Possibly Brandon Roy or Ronnie Brewer? Do you think we should trade down if we get a top-3 pick to get one of them, or just get someone like Aldridge? He didn't really impress me in the NCAA tournament. I think Tyrus Thomas will be the stud big man of this draft, but Portland will probably snag him #1 overall.

And Tyson Chandler absolutely must develop some offensive game for us! 5 years in the league- he should at least have a little mid-range game or a hook shot...that's frustrating. He seems like a competitor too, I'm not sure why he's still invisible out there on O.

[mortalsoul3]

Great reference and on-point comparison to the late-80s Pistons' backcourt. The differences between the Bulls' current small guards and the Bad Boy Pistons' duo of Thomas and Dumars are twofold: 1) both Isiah and Dumars were outstanding defenders (on the ball and in the passing lanes): world class lateral movement, superior reflexes and instincts, commitment and quick hands. Plus, as you mention, the Bad Boys had a slew of long, strong, tough-minded help defenders behind them on the frontline. With these Bulls, Hinrich is a high-level defender -- fundamentally sound, good foot movement, long-armed and quick-handed. No question, he should be an NBA All-Defensive 2nd team candidate for the next ten-to-twelve years.

Yet Gordon is a non-factor on the defensive end (more Vinnie Johnson than Joe D. -- i.e., he plays solid enough defense to match-up against 2nd team guards, but against the first unit, his slow-footedness and wandering attention are readily exposed). I was at the Wizard game last week; and both he and Hinrich are fortunate that Gilbert Arenas twisted or sprained his ankle (not sure whether this was reported. He begged out of the game on one possession after landing awakwardly on a missed shot attempt) in the 3rd quarter. Before that, Gilberto was destroying those guys. Duhon, too. Pargo is a better defender than all of them aside Hinrich; yet Jannero is marginal as a two guard offensively, and embarassing at the one.

Plus the frontline help behind the Bulls's small guards is decent-to-very good, but, as you indicate, nowhere near the depth and skill level of the contemporary Dee-troit Baske-e-t-ba-a-a-alll Boys, nor the old school Bad Boys.

Fold Two: Isiah and JoeD weren't really all that small matching up with their contemporaries back in the late-80s. 6'6/ 6'7" 2-guards (on paper) such as Mike Jordan and Clyde Drexler were anomalies in those days. Cats like Sid Moncrief, Byron Scott, Jeff Malone, World B. Free, Fat Lever and Alvin Robertson were 6'3". Derek Harper and Jeff Hornacek were considered big guards at 6'4". Now, the likes of Dwyane Wade (6'5"), Antonio Daniels and Eric Snow (both 6'4") are counted as "small" guards. Larry Hughes (6'6", 190) is an NBA guard of prototype desirable size, for purposes on both ends of the court.

I'd love to see the Bulls snag the Razorback Ronnie Brewer (I'm not sure whether he declared), Rod Carney, or -- best of ALL Worlds, as you suggested -- Brandon Roy with their own post-lottery pick. With the shallow quality of this year's draft, I'm not so sure whether any of those guys will be available at 15-18 in the draft; so I'd attempt to trade up into the late lottery using the pick and an expendable toss-in to snag a big two-guard. Use the early Knick pick on Aldridge or your guy Tyrus, and see how this continues to evolve under SS Colonel Scott Skiles.

On Chandler, man, I hate to say it. But I believe this guy is a lost cause. He has talent and heart, but no understanding of the game's low-post nuances whatsoever. Caualty of the college-skipping (without a minor league preparatory structure) culture of the late-90s and early-2000s, like Kwame Brown. With his talent and mindset, there's no reason he coundn't be an impact frontline player ala Channing Frye or Joakim Noah (soon to come). No reason aside the fact that he chose easy "bling", hype and fame over grappling with the game for at least 3 years at Arizona or UCLA. Unfortunate.

MT

ps.: it's funny how Live 2000 remains far and away the most advanced and satisfying of EA's NBA series, despite all of the graphic enhancements of the latter entries.

[bullsfan009]

Yeah, Live 2000 remains #1 for me. IMO the gameplay of the newer games has just gotten worse and worse- more arcade-style basketball, which to me gets really old, really quick. And I don't mind the older graphics. For one, the net actually behaving like a net and not a paper bag attached to the rim makes every made shot more satisfying

Hey, MT, what do you think of the Bulls-Heat series? Sam Smith of the Tribune is predicting the Bulls take it in 6! I could see it happening, but I really don't know...Miami's talent level is far, far superior to ours, as well as their size, and playoff experience.

[mortalsoul3]

Sam Smith is nuts, Bullsfan . . . Heat in Five, no question. Even if the Bulls do somehow miraculously win this series, there is nothing tangible to support, and therefore predict, that outcome. The Trib's Sammy must be attempting to generate bookie action on an obvious April mismatch. Never bet on a miracle, IMHO, especially not in Springtime pro hoop.

MT

ps: unless, of course Shaq goes down in Game 1 or 2, ala Webber in 2003 versus the Mavs. Then, I'll take action on the Chi-South Beach matchup. LOL.

[bullsfan009]

We'll see what happens- I believe in miracles

I'll catch up with you later in the series if you're around.

Peace,
bullsfan