The 149^th episode of the Press Row Podcast gets the our hockey-loving friends together to dive into the brand-new NHL 16. The crew dives into everything NHL has to offer, including analysis of Be A Pro, Be A GM, the returning beauty of EASHL, the overall presentation and gameplay, and a little bit of Ultimate Team as well. It’s an ice-covered episode!

Enjoy the show!

Joining us this week:

Kat Bailey, US Gamer (@The_Katbot)

Samit Sarkar, Polygon (@SamitSarkar)

Glenn Wigmore, Operation Sports (@GlennWigmore)

And your host, Rich Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)      Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2)      Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com 

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run time: 1:25

With Madden NFL 16 and MLB 15 The Show as the currently-available big-time sports games (not for long, though, as hockey, soccer, and hoops games are coming out quickly!) a few of our regular Press Row panelists get together to debate the merits of the two against each other. Kat, Bryan, T.J, and Rich analyze how Madden is faring three weeks after release, and compare and contrast gameplay, modes, and Ultimate Team vs Diamond Dynasty between the two games.

In addition, Kat Bailey drops by (again) to chat about her hands-on time with NBA 2K16 at the development studio. She's very impressed with what was on display and has a lot of interesting perspectives on where the game stands.

Enjoy the show!

As we near the arrival of one of the most anticipated sports games ever - between a new Spike Lee-driven story, significantly upgraded franchise features offline and online, ambitious on-court gameplay additions, and new collaborative modes - host Rich Grisham sits down with two of the NBA 2K16 development team members to talk about what it all means. Scott O'Gallagher and Nino "Da Czar" Samuel join Rich for a wide-ranging discussion on what the NBA 2K franchise really means these days, why they think it's going to be the best basketball game ever made, and what's in store both now and the future.

Enjoy the show! 

Enjoy!

The 146th episode of the Press Row Podcast is our official Madden 16 Review Roundtable. The show is actually another two-parter; up first, host Rich Grisham is joined by Madden Creative Director Mike Young and Assistant Producer Jake Stein to talk about this year's opening cinematic. The three chat about how it came together, the thought process behind it, and the challenges experienced at launch. Up next, Rich is joined by Owen Good, Bryan Wiedey, Chris Sanner, T.J. Lauerman, and Gus Ramsey to explore Madden 16 in depth. It's one of our most popular episodes each year!

Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Bryan Wiedey, PastaPadre and Hit The Pass (@pastapadre)

Owen Good, Polygon (@owengood)

Chris Sanner, Operation Sports (@ChrisSnr)

Gus Ramsey, ESPN (@GusRamsey)

T.J. Lauerman, ThatSportsGamer  (@ThatSportsGamer)

Mike Young, EA Sports (@MySportsPhtog)

Jake Stein, EA Sports (@JStein2469)

And your host, Richard Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)      Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2)      Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com 

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run time: 2:11

Press Row Podcast – Episode 145 – Madden 16 Initial Impressions

The 145^th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a two-parter. Up first, Rich Grisham and Bryan Wiedey talk about their first couple of days playing the brand-new Madden NFL 16 courtesy of the EA Access program. The two go over general gameplay, the new Draft Champions mode, early online experience, and the implications of the new goal-oriented systems in the Franchise mode. Up next, our friend Ian Cummings drops by to chat about his new iOS game Derby King: Quest for the Triple Crown as well as his thoughts on the Madden franchise now that it’s been several years since he was at the helm as Creative Director.

Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Bryan Wiedey, PastaPadre and Hit The Pass (@pastapadre)

Ian Cummings, Derby King (@iancummings)

And your host, Richard Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)      Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2)      Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com 

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run time: 1:45

The 144^th episode of the Press Row Podcast is a two-parter taking a look at this fall’s huge upcoming slate of sports games. Up first, host Rich Grisham is joined by NBA Live 16 Executive Producer Sean O’Brien and Senior Designer Ryan Santos to discuss the big announcements made by the team and the overall state of the franchise. Next, Rich chats with regular panelists Kat Bailey, T.J. Lauerman, and Owen Good about the overall sports game slate for the fall – who’s in the best position, where the challenges are, and how fans of these games are going to deal with a huge selection in a small window.

Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Sean O’Brien, EA Sports (@seanobs)

Ryan Santos, EA Sports (@ryansantos)

Owen Good, Polygon (@OwenGood)

Kat Bailey, US Gamer (@The_Katbot)

T.J. Lauerman, ThatSportsGamer (@ThatSportsGamer)

And your host, Richard Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)      Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2)      Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com 

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

 Run time: 1:25

The 143^rd episode of the Press Row Podcast gets our panel back together for a fun summer conversation. The crew chat about what they’ve been playing, the joys of Rocket League, the jammed fall sports schedule, the EASHL beta, and a whole lot more. First-time guest Chase Becotte joins Bryan Wiedey, Owen Good, Samit Sarkar, and host Rich Grisham.

Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Owen Good, Polygon(@OwenGood)

Chase Becotte, Operation Sports (@ChaseBecotte)

Samit Sarkar, Polygon (@SamitSarkar)

Bryan Wiedey, PastaPadre and HitThePass (@PastaPadre)

And your host, Richard Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)      Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2)      Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com 

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run time: 1:08

The 142^nd episode of the Press Row Podcast is a two parter. Up first, producer Ryan Ferwerda joins host Rich Grisham to describe the process of building Rory McIlroy PGA Tour Golf from the ground up, including how courses are constructed, the approach to mechanics, prioritization of features, online play, and why EA Sports isn’t able to currently discuss the game’s future content roadmap. After that, Rich and Bryan Wiedey get together to talk about their initial impressions of PGA Tour golf, how it compares to The Golf Club, and what they feel EA needs to do to support the game moving forward.

The 141st episode of the Press Row Podcast is a discussion between Owen Good, Samit Sarkar, and Rich Grisham all about the upcoming Rory McIlroy PGA Tour title. Does the limited number of courses and golfers – compared to previous versions – significantly hurt its chances at success? What is the approach that EA is taking with the game, now that it’s evidently not an annual release? Will PGA Tour evolve into a “golf as a service” model? How will it compare with The Golf Club? These and a number of other topics about PGA Tour are debated. Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Owen Good, Polygon (@OwenGood)

Samit Sarkar, Polygon (@SamitSarkar)

And your host, Richard Grisham from Hit The Pass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1) Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast  and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2) Email the show at PressRowPodcast@gmail.com  

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/operation-sports-press-row/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run time: 1:06

The 140th episode of the Press Row Podcast features a breezy, free-wheeling discussion with regulars Kat Bailey, Bryan Wiedey, and Rich Grisham on a whole range of topics. The panel remembers with fondness when July meant NCAA Football, discusses how online leagues impacted how they continued to play games longer than they had before, looks ahead to the upcoming Rocket League title hitting PlayStation 4 (for free!) next week, wonders if arcade sports games could make a comeback, and wraps with Kat and Rich getting into a rather heated argument about FIFA's shooting mechanics on console versus the Vita. Lastly, Bryan and Rich talk about the positive reaction to their new Hit The Pass site and what it has meant to them.

Enjoy the show, and Happy Fourth of July!

Run time: 1:23