Strat-O-Matic’s Summer 2009 Lineup
By Glenn Guzzo
The football, hockey and basketball seasons Strat-O-Matic will offer to gamers this summer will feature the usual lineup of current seasons, plus some of the greatest teams in sports history.
Championship versions of the Joe Montana-Jerry Rice San Francisco 49ers and the Bobby Orr-Phil Esposito Boston Bruins are coming soon, both in card and computer form.
Strat-O-Matic projects these tentative shipping dates:
Early August: Hockey (cards and computer Version 9)
Late August: Pro Football (cards and computer Version 9)
Late September: College Football (computer Version 5)
Late September: Basketball (cards)
Late October: Basketball (computer Version 7)
Though previously delayed, the set of baseball Negro Leagues all-stars is expected before the end of calendar 2009, as is the revamp of the game company’s Web site.
Here’s the lineup of football, hockey and basketball seasons:
Pro Football
2008 NFL Season, featuring the dominating defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the sensational passing game of the Arizona Cardinals, the teams that staged one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever.
1989 NFL Season, featuring the 14-2 San Francisco 49ers with QB Joe Montana, RB Roger Craig and WR Jerry Rice – one of the best Strat-O-Matic teams ever.
The six carded teams will be San Francisco, Super Bowl victim Denver (11-5), New York Giants (12-4), Los Angeles Rams (11-5), Philadelphia (11-5) and Cleveland (9-6-1).
College Football
2008 NCAA Season, featuring national champion Florida with QB Tim Tebow, 51-point-per game Oklahoma with QB Sam Bradford and nine other teams that won at least 11 games each.
Hockey
2008-09 NHL Season, featuring 56-goal scorer Alex Ovechkin and the most exciting Chicago Blackhawks team since …
1960-61 NHL Season, featuring Chicago’s only Stanley Cup winner and 50-goal scorer Bernie Geoffrion of Montreal, the only man (to that point) to equal Rocket Richard’s record. All six teams from this Original Six season will be carded.
1971-72 NHL Season, featuring Phil Esposito (66 goals, 133 points), Bobby Orr (37 goals, 117 points) and the rest of the champion Boston Bruins. When 119-point Boston met the 109-point New York Rangers in the finals, it was the first time since 1960 that the top two regular-season teams faced off in the Cup-deciding series.
The six carded teams will be Boston, New York, Montreal (108 points), Chicago (107), Minnesota (86 points) and Toronto (80 points).
Basketball
2008-09 NBA Season, featuring the 66-win Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBronJames, the 65-win Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant, 62-win Boston Celtics with Paul Pierce and 59-win Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard
1978-79 NBA Season, featuring the one title season of the Seattle SuperSonics with Jack Sikma, Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams, and the runner-up Washington Bullets with Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld.
This season will be available for computer Version 7 only.
1974-75 ABA Season, featuring the next-to-last ABA season. Kentucky won the championship with Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel and Louis Dampier. Like Kentucky, the New York Nets won 58 games, with Julius Erving and Larry Kenon leading the Nets. Denver was a nearly unbeatable 40-2 at home en route to the league’s best record, 65-19. Ralph Simpson, Mack Calvin and rookie Bobby Jones were the Nuggets’ stars.
This season will be available for computer Version 7 only.