Returning to the Game

After a few years’ hiatus from this website, Stat Box Stories is back!

In the time since there was last a new posting here on the site, I’ve put in significant time and energy on sites like Under The Code and GoodGameBro.com, where in both cases I was fortunate to work with a staff of talented and passionate people talking about sports video gaming and the other gaming genres that they loved.

Working the news lines for multiple years (while holding down real-world employment and making time outside of work) comes with consequences, however, especially with regard to it being entirely too easy to get burned out and look at something which was once a refreshing break–the act of writing about gaming–as a chore, as an empty box which needs to be ticked.

Even towards the end of Stat Box Stories‘ previous run of activity, the act of recapping games was something of a slog, especially with my own insistence to myself that every day of the week see some new piece of content coming down the pipeline.

The return of the site is meant to be a return to thoughtful, insightful writing about video gaming and elements of the industry and its communities.  If you’ve been anxiously waiting for something new, I hope you’ll join me in this return!

Both Sides Story: 2013 AFC Championship Game

Here at Stat Box Stories, we traditionally play as the underdog (or as a favorite team) when we put together articles using sports video games.  For this weekend’s NFL Conference Championship Games, the decision was made to introduce a new type of article: Both Sides Story.  With the games of such importance this weekend, instead of playing the game once, each game was played twice: once as each team involved in the match-up.  Both playthroughs had full stats recorded, along with screenshot and video highlights; read on to find out how the Both Sides Story played out for the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots in the 2013 AFC Championship Game!

Both Sides Story: 2013 NFC Championship Game

Here at Stat Box Stories, we traditionally play as the underdog (or as a favorite team) when we put together articles using sports video games.  For this weekend’s NFL Conference Championship Games, the decision was made to introduce a new type of article: Both Sides Story.  With the games of such importance this weekend, instead of playing the game once, each game was played twice: once as each team involved in the match-up.  Both playthroughs had full stats recorded, along with screenshot and video highlights; read on to find out how the Both Sides Story played out for the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons in the 2013 NFC Championship Game!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational: Top 10 Players in 33 Statistical Categories

With this entry, we come to the end of the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational.  As with the Top 10 Team article, this entry is short on words but gives you the Top 10 Player results in 33 different statistical categories which were tracked over the course of this year’s project.  Read on to see which players performed at the highest (and lowest, in terms of statistics like turnovers) level over this year’s 35 Bowl Games!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational: Top 10 Teams in 30 Statistical Categories

On this, the final day of entries for the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational, we’re going out with few words but plenty of statistical reporting to consume.  This entry gives you the Top 10 Team results in 30 different statistical categories which were tracked over the course of this year’s project.  Read on to see which teams performed at the highest (and lowest, in terms of statistics like turnovers) level over this year’s 35 Bowl Games!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational: Team Statistical Averages

For today’s statistical analysis entry on the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational, the topic is team statistical averages over the 35 Bowl Games played this Bowl Season.  These numbers give us a first look at the way the games were turning out, as well as the trends that were happening with each playthrough of NCAA Football 13.  Read on to find out more about what the average game of the Bowl Blitz Invitational looked like this season!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational: Player of the Game Breakdown

One of the first pieces of data we’re looking at from the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational is the Player of the Game data from the 35 Bowl Games played using NCAA Football 13 for this Bowl Season.  In a sport that has become increasingly dependent on the quality of players at the quarterback position, one would have reasonably expected to see that position dominate this category from the project.  Read on to find out if that expectation played out in this year’s games!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational Fan Vote: Game of the Season

One of the new features we’re rolling out for the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational here at STAT BOX STORIES this year is a fan vote for Game of the Season.  When gamers play 35 Bowl Games in NCAA Football and real-life gives us 35 more “takes” on the games of Bowl Season, there can be a lot of memorable results which come about for fans of college football.  This year, we’re taking some time to recognize the more intriguing games of Bowl Season; read on for the nominees!

2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational Final Results & Bowl Blitz Invitational Champion

With the conclusion of Bowl Season last night and the Alabama Crimson Tide’s victory over Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game, the game article portion of the 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational has finally come to a close.  That said, the project continues on this week, and we will be sharing multiple articles recounting all of the statistical data that has been collected over the 35 Bowl Games played over the past month.

The first matter of business, however, is to analyze the “game within a game” here at the Bowl Blitz Invitational; each game is given a “Game Score” based on how close the NCAA Football 13 playthrough score came to the actual real-life result.  The person responsible for playing the game with the lowest “Game Score”—the lower the score, the closer the game came to matching the real-life final—is crowned “Bowl Blitz Invitational Champion,” a largely ceremonial title to recognize whoever managed to most closely replicate reality in the wholly unscientific process of playing a video game.

Last year, Eric Veneziano became the inaugural “Bowl Blitz Invitational Champion” with a Gator Bowl result that earned a “Game Score” of 2; read on to find out who emerged victorious this year!

2013 Discover BCS National Championship: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The 2012-2013 Bowl Blitz Invitational presented by STAT BOX STORIES comes to a conclusion with the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game, which matches up the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1, 7-1 SEC) and the #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0).  STAT BOX STORIES owner Brian Parker opted to play as the underdog Irish in their quest to dethrone the reigning champion Tide and bring the crystal football trophy to South Bend.