Campus Confidential

I finally had the chance to sit down and play NCAA 2009.

And the hour I spent was a waste of time. I want a refund for my hour. I deserve a 25-hour day today.

The dynasty mode is out of control. In the hour I wasted I made it through Week 2 of the first season. It's become too much.

I miss the days of NCAA 2003. We used to rack up 60-year dynasties like they were going to expire. We created prospects, made Louisiana Tech the most successful program in college football history, only to leave and do the same at Southern Methodist. There was no making phone calls, no mid-season recruiting, no hard sell pitches. You would offer Ben Farenelli from Brentwood, NY, get him on campus, cut the redshirt junior on your roster who's done nothing in three years and hope he's a 93 overall in a few seasons.

Sure, the graphics are unbelievable. However, the gameplay has also become overwhelming. My head hurts just thinking about mastering all of the controls. It's actually pretty incredible what has been put together by EA and the designers, but I'm ticked about the dynasty mode, so everything else will suffer.

Maybe when I can rough up the University of Virginia 77-0 without blinking, my thoughts will change. But until I can actually get through a season in one day, I'm live in the past with 2003.

--AA