The paradox of sports video games

I'm open to almost any kinds of video games but there are some I just have a hard time getting behind, like sports video games, and more specifically, realistic sports video games.

Now, I know some of them are very good, and I do have at least a couple of fond sports-game based memories, like the cool fistfights you could engage your pixelated characters into on the old Blades of Steel hockey game for the NES, or the first time I saw a computer-generated Montreal Canadiens left-wing defence skate around with my scanned face on it thanks to digital technology -- but that's mostly about it.

This is not because I'm not a particularly athletic guy (although it is true that I'm not), but rather, because every time I see people playing the latest edition of Madden Football, NHL Hockey, or Pro Evolution Soccer, I can't help but think "why don't you put the darn controller down and go do the real thing outside."

There are very few types of video games you can state that about. I'm pretty sure you'd get in trouble with the cops if you stole a car and drove around like a maniac downtown while shooting random people as in the Grand Theft Auto games. You would, at the very least, get some strange looks if you ran outside in green tights and a plastic sword, striking up random conversations with total strangers to find out how to save the land from all evil like Link from the Legend of Zelda games.

But stay indoors to play sports games? Really? Especially now that the weather's nice? I don't think there is any excuse for it, particularly for West Islanders. We have an abundance of parks and green space in our area, along with basketball courts, tennis courts, indoor ice rinks, you name it.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out most gamers don't agree with me on this. Year in, year out, sports games tend to sell like hotcakes, despite the fact that each new edition barely has anything well…new about it. Besides roster, graphical and audio updates, there is really not much that changes.

Perhaps to be a sports game lover, you've got to be a sports lover in the first place. Maybe it's fun to pretend you're an NFL football star and plan your team's strategy as if you are a real coach, but for my money I'd much rather have the real pigskin in my hands with sweat on my forehead, rather than just my palms.

So the next time someone suggests a quick round of NBA Live, I'm going to put my runners on, start dribbling the ball, and tell them to shut up and jam.