DAVID MAROUL Q & A:
MVP 06 NCAA BASEBALL COVER
ATHLETE
What was it like to be chosen as the cover athlete of a
videogame?
David Maroul:
I was pretty excited when I first got the call and was told that I might be on
the cover. Ever since high school, I’ve wanted to make it to the next level and
play college baseball at Texas. When I finally got there, all the players
wanted to know where our videogame was. NCAA Football and Basketball had them,
so it was about time that college baseball was recognized as well. But never in
my wildest dreams did I think that when the first game finally hit the market,
that I would be on the cover. It’s pretty cool.
You played at
UT and have now been drafted by the Giants. For those aren’t familiar with
college baseball, what are some of the differences from the MLB that they can
expect to see in MVP 06 NCAA Baseball?
David Maroul:
The most notable difference is of course the ping of the aluminum bat! Other
than that, the rivalries are huge in college baseball. These rivalries really
drive the intensity in the stadium where the fans go nuts, and you can recreate
them in Dynasty mode with college-specific things like recruiting which is cool.
Another difference is that the pro game is more of a 162 game grind where
players tend to lose their hustle. In college we play like every game could be
our last. I love that part about it. It has an amazing spirit.
What do you
think of the new features of MVP 06?
David Maroul:
I’m starting to really like Load and Fire Batting. It took a while to get used
to at first because I was so used to hitting a button to swing. It has
everything to do with timing and execution, just like on the field. What you do
is “Load” your swing, by pulling down on the right stick. And then to “Fire” you
push the stick forward. If the pitch is coming outside you intuitively move the
stick towards it to make contact. It really makes the game more fun. It’s a
pretty good simulation of actually batting
What about the ESPN Integration?
David Maroul:
That part is awesome! For a sports fan, I can’t think of anything better than
being able to keep up to date with what’s up in the world of sports by watching
the ESPN ticker while I’m playing a game. I couldn’t believe it when I first
loaded the game and heard the Sportscenter jingle and the ESPN Radio update
chime in.
The goal of the MVP 06 is to
make it to the College World Series. What was that atmosphere like last season
when you guys won it all last season?
David Maroul:
It was totally unbelievable. The atmosphere was so perfect. The fans are awesome
and so full of energy, and the guys were so pumped. But just going out there and
playing to win, playing to earn a National Championship for my school was one of
the greatest moments of my life. And being named the MVP on top of that was just
surreal. It’s funny, I just played MVP 06 and played as Texas in Rosenblatt
Stadium, where the College World Series is played, and it looks exactly like
it. I just can’t believe how realistic the game is, especially the stadiums. It
will be pretty sweet to try and win the championship again, but this time in a
videogame. I’m still really nostalgic about college baseball and this is a great
way to get my fix.
