TEAMRnD.com vs. The VGAs

This Saturday night, Spike TV will air the 2009 Video Game Awards (VGAs). We at TEAMRnD have taken each category and independently broken them down. What follows is a complete list of every category up for grabs on Sunday. It should be noted, that not all of the picks that follow are our personal preferences. Many of them are predictions. We will be posting the “1^st Annual TEAMRnD Awards” later this month, where you'll find our personal favorites. Until then, we hope you enjoy our breakdown of the categories, and if you agree or think we're out of our minds, let us know in the comments.

Best Shooter

 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

- Halo 3: ODST

- Killzone 2

- Left 4 Dead 2

Nerdcraft's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Jha's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Jha says: “and best shooter goes to... wait for it... *opens envelope*... I can't believe it!! Red Faction: Guerilla.. Its amazing!! First of all I would like to thank... *Kanye jumps on stage* "Red faction is good and all but Modern Warfare 2 had the most amazing shooter eva!!" - This is my prediction of what is "actually" going to happen.”

Omega's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Omega says: “...I just wonder if any of the fans will find out about this... I mean, can you get Spike TV in a tent?”


Best Fighting Game

- BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

- Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny 

- Street Fighter IV

- Tekken 6

Dlev's Pick: Street Fighter IV

Dlev says: “ Not big fan of fighter but my brother swears by this game.”

Jha's Pick: BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

Jha says: “This is a toughy for me.. I love fighting games.. I love the Soul Calibur, Street Fighter, and Tekken series.. Once again though.. nothing new and original, so guess what? BlazBlue ... Bammmmmmmmmmmmm!!”

Omega's Pick: Street Fighter IV

Omega says: “Who still plays this shit? ...besides like 2 guys on my friends list, who play SF4 every single day...”

Best Action Adventure Game

 - Assassin’s Creed 2

- Batman: Arkham Asylum

- Brutal Legend

- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Dlev's Pick: Assassin's Creed 2

Dlev says: “I know Uncharted 2 will win but I love AC2.”

Jha's Pick: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Jha says: “Uncharted 2 makes me want to go purchase a PS3... so obviously my choice is Batman.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Assassin's Creed 2

Nerdcraft says: “The basic idea of being able to climb everything is awesome, and that's why the original Assassin's Creed did so well. The sequel brings that back, while handing us a slew of new or improved features. Everything in this game looks pretty and the story keeps you engaged to round out this title as Best Action Adventure Game..”

Best RPG

 - Borderlands

- Demon’s Souls

- Dragon Age: Origins

- Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Dlev's Pick: Borderlands

Dlev says: “Game of the Year.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Borderlands

Nerdcraft says: “For this to fall into the Best RPG category seems a bit awkward, but I'm really glad it's nominated. Borderlands is a mix of Left 4 Dead, COD:MW, and WoW which makes it an almost instant classic.”

Jha's Pick: Borderlands

Jha says: “Oh I know what you are going to say Jha.. Mario and Luigi FTW.. wait.. no.. Uh Borderlands anyone? If they don't win I will just sit here angrily, and possibly write a blog with a box of tissues..”

Omega's Pick: Borderlands

Omega says: “It is completely ridiculous that Borderlands would fall in to this category. Fallout was the RPG with FPS elements, whereas Borderlands is the FPS with RPG elements. On the other hand, it is superior to basically every other game that came out this year, so I feel like it should win by default. Honestly, I feel it is a better team sports game than Madden, too.”


Best Multiplayer Game

 - Borderlands

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

- Halo 3: ODST

- Left 4 Dead 2

Dlev's Pick: Borderlands

Dlev says: “Game of the Year.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Nerdcraft says: “I had a really hard time choosing in this category just for the simple fact that all those games shine for multiplayer in a different way. CoD:MW2 stands out to me because at the heart it is eventually a multiplayer experience. Millions of frustrated kids with milk on their face will be playing this for 17 hours straight making this the best multiplayer game.”

Jha's Pick: Borderlands

Jha says: “All of these games are fun with friends no doubt but loot whoring with friends is more fun.. so of course I go with dum dummmm dum dum dum dum... Borderlands... If anyone says otherwise then they must not have fun friends to play with.. seriously. ”

Omega's Pick: Borderlands

Omega says: “The only game that could possibly steal this from Borderlands isn't on the list: Red Faction: Guerrilla should be on there, and should win. It isn't, and so it won't, therefore Borderlands should.”


Best Individual Sports Game

 - EA Sports Fight Night Round 4

- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

- UFC 2009 Undisputed

- Wii Sports Resort

Dlev's Pick: Wii Sports Resort

Dlev says: “It's fun and it will let you laugh at yourself so much.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: EA Sports Fight Night Round 4

Jha's Pick: Wii Sports Resort

Jha says: “Tiger woods is lame as a human being, but the golf series is kind of sweet.. not my pick.. UFC Undisputed is actually the most homoerotic manly video game fun I've had in forever, as long as you stay offline... also not my pick.. Fight Night is a sweet series and I think this one will win, but Wii Sports Resort makes me want to have real life friends to have over for drinks and archery.. so the Wii Sports Resort is my pick..”

Omega's Pick: UFC 2009 Undisputed

Omega says: “UFC airs on Spike. The VGAs air on Spike. That's all I have to say.”

Best Team Sports Game

 - FIFA Soccer 10

- Madden NFL 10

- NBA 2K10

- NHL 10

Dlev's Pick: NBA 2K10

Nerdcraft's Pick: NHL 10

Jha's Pick: NHL 10

Jha says: “FIFA will win.. Its insane how many people play that game.. My pick would be NHL 10' even though when I tried to trade it in to Gameslob they only wanted to give me 23 bucks so I sold it on Ebay for 50.. “

Omega's Pick: FIFA Soccer 10

Omega says: “I guess this is all down to what you like, but FIFA 10 is the best selling sports game of all time.”

Best Driving Game

 - Dirt 2

- Forza Motorsport 3

- Gran Turismo (PSP)

- Need for Speed Shift

Nerdcraft's Pick: Dirt 2

Jha's Pick: Forza Motorsport 3

Jha says: “Gran Turismo for the PSP.. hahahaha.... I would like to play some Dirt 2.. would be my pick but then I would be wrong and we can't have that.. Forza it is..”

Omega's Pick: Forza Motorsport 3

Omega says: “People like this series, and Forza is a MS exclusive... and MS is hugely supporting the VGAs. Again, I call endorsements for the win here.”

Best Music Game

 - DJ Hero

- Guitar Hero 5

- LEGO Rock Band

- The Beatles: Rock Band

Nerdcraft's Pick: The Beatles: Rock Band

Jha's Pick: DJ Hero

Jha says: “Has DJ Hero been out long enough for this? If so thats my answer..”

Omega's Pick: DJ Hero

Omega says: “Solely on innovation, I'm going with the new guy. Also, LEGO Rock Band doesn't even make sense, conceptually to me.”


Best Soundtrack

 - Brutal Legend

- DJ Hero

- Guitar Hero 5

- The Beatles: Rock Band

Nerdcraft's Pick: DJ Hero

Nerdcraft says: “The amount of artists packed inside a Hero title is usually not very impressive but DJ Hero delivers and sets itself apart from the franchise's slump that I feel they are in.”

Jha's Pick: DJ Hero

Jha says: “wickiiii wickiii wickiiii...”

Omega's Pick: Brutal Legend

Omega says: “The soundtrack to BL is amazing. More tracks than almost any music game out there, and some epic moments of the game are made incredible by perfect METAL timing.”


Best Original Score

 - Assassin’s Creed 2

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

- Halo 3: ODST

- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Nerdcraft's Pick: Halo 3: ODST

Jha's Pick: Halo 3: ODST

Jha says: “Halo 3 Overly Dramatic Sound Track.. so clever this one.. pick and win..”

Omega's Pick: Halo 3: ODST

Omega says: “It is beautiful, and at times, haunting. I'm not going to lie, I've listened to this soundtrack plenty of times... even while driving.”

Best Graphics

 - Batman: Arkham Asylum

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

- Killzone 2

- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Dlev's Pick: Unchartered 2: Among Thieves

Dlev says: “It looks great, so that's that.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Jha's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Jha says: “This is actually kind of a tough one.. I want to say Uncharted 2.. but no seriously MW2 is visually stunning.. and so it shall be..”

Omega's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Omega says: “Plainly, MW2 is the most photo-realistic game I've ever seen. ”


Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show

 - Ghostbusters: The Video Game

- South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!

- The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

- X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Nerdcraft's Pick: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Jha's Pick: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Jha says: “The Chronicles of Riddick... just can't win lol.. I think they very well might pick Ghostbusters.. why? Fuck I don't know... My pick is Wolverine..”

Omega's Pick: South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!

Omega says: “It keeps the spirit of the show brilliantly, makes fun of itself constantly, and rewards players with classic scenes from the show itself. Perfect for any fan of the series.”


Best Performance by a Human Female

 - Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone

- Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman

- Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes

- Tricia Helfer as Dare

Nerdcraft's Pick: Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman

Jha's Pick: Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone

Jha says: “Wait neither Lilith nor my wife are on here.. shit.. I hate Megan Fox.. although still hot.. my pick is Eliza Dushku..”

Omega's Pick: Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes

Omega says: “This is Spike TV. They'd love to have Megan Fox on stage.”


Best Performance by a Male

 - Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman

- Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

- Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja

- Shia Labeouf as Sam Witwicky

- Vin Diessel as Richard B. Riddick

Dlev's Pick: Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja

Dlev says: “I've had it with these MF snakes on this MF planes.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Huge Jackman as Wolverine

Jha's Pick: Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja

Jha says: “Bill Murray is the man.. so is Samuel L. Jackson.. poop.. Samuel is my pick and also gotta be the winner..”

Omega's Pick: Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja

Omega says: “Although I'd love to see Bill Murray win this, I think Samuel L. Jackson is a shoe-in. I mean, again... Afro Samurai is a show on Spike TV. Jackson has hosted the VGAs how many times now? I just don't see it any other way.”


Best Cast

 - Brutal Legend

- Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard

- Ghostbusters: The Video Game

- South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!

- X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Nerdcraft's Pick: Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Jha's Pick: Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Jha says: “The original cast is in the game? for serious?! well shoot.. guess I can't pick Eat Lead then.. Ghostbusters...”

Omega's Pick: Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Omega says: “The original cast of GHOSTBUSTERS? If this ldoesn't win, every damn bit of the VGAs loses credibility. ”


Best Voice

 - Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn

- Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer

- Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

- Mark Hamill as The Joker

- Nolan North as Nathan Drake

Dlev's Pick: Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Nerdcraft's Pick: Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Jha's Pick: Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Jha says: “Mark Hamill is a companion to video games and nerds alike.. my pick and winner.. he is not.. its gonna be Jack Black..”

Omega's Pick: Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Omega says: “Jack Black is basically playing Jack Black... but in Brutal Legend, he is absolutely flawless.”

Best Downloadable Game

 - Battlefield 1943

- Fat Princess

- Plants vs. Zombies

- Shadow Complex

Nerdcraft's Pick: Shadow Complex

Jha's Pick: Shadow Complex

Jha says: “Who doesn't love a fat princess? My guess is the shadow complex will win though... it is a game that I would have loved to have had a long long time ago.. I grew up with a few fun side scrollers but nothing even close to comparing to this..”

Omega's Pick: Shadow Complex

Omega says: “Metroid. Castlevania. Shadow Complex. Yes, it fits perfectly in that list of classics.”


Best DLC

 - Fallout 3 – Broken Steel

- Fallout 3 – Point Lookout

- GTA IV: The Lost and Damned

- GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Nerdcraft's Pick: GTA IV: The Lost and Damned

Jha's Pick: Fallout 3 – Point Lookout

Jha says: “How comes there are four possible nominees but only two games? Where is that "Dislike" button at? So yeah, I mean I dug pretty much each and every GTA game but hands down Fallout should have nothing but win attached to it.. one exception being the liberation of anchorage.. ewww.. but yea my vote/prediction goes to Point Lookout because I loved the story line and the added area.. awesomeness... Sorry gays..”

Omega's Pick: Fallout 3 – Broken Steel

Omega says: “Jha's right. Limiting the DLC category to these two games is flat-out stupid. That said, it wouldn't matter what the other nominees in this category were... Broken Steel added the level 30 cap, new missions, new enemies, and new weapons. It was everything we wanted from the first Borderlands DLC. It was everything Fallout 3 needed to keep us interested.”

Studio of the Year

 - Infinity Ward

- Naughty Dog

- Rocksteady Studios

- Valve

Nerdcraft's Pick: Infinity Ward

Jha's Pick: Infinity Ward

Jha says: “Borderlands crew isn't on here so I don't care :) (Infinity ward is my guess here though)”

Omega's Pick: Valve

Omega says: “I can't give it to IW this year. If this category were based solely on graphics and musical score, IW would take it. It isn't. Valve consistently develops new surprises for its players. L4D2 is certainly no exception. Every time you think you have everything under control, something new comes along and changes the game.”


Best Independent Game Fueled by Mountain Dew

 - ‘Splosion Man

- Flower

- Osmos

- Trials HD

Dlev's Pick: I don't care.

Nerdcraft's Pick: Trials HD

Jha's Pick: Trials HD

Jha says: “If Trials doesn't win I'm going to boycott Mountain Dew altogether...”

Omega's Pick: Trials HD

Omega says: “Ya like Excitebike? Ya like really pretty side scrollers? Ya like games that are so damn hard that you'll want to quit... but so damn fun that you won't be able to? Come here, I have something to show you...”

Best Xbox 360 Game

 - Batman: Arkham Asylum

- Halo 3: ODST

- Forza Motorspot 3

- Left 4 Dead 2

Dlev's Pick: Batman: Arkham Asylum

Dlev says: “Really bad choices for this category.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Halo 3: ODST

Nerdcraft says: “This game shook up the pattern of “meh” Halo campaigns and really gave gamers an experience they loved. The Halo universe and side stories are just as exciting as Master Chief's.”

Jha's Pick: Left 4 Dead 2

Jha says: “Oh what the hell?! I don't see Borderlands on here.. Forza? awesome choice. Who picks this shit? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say L4D2 (no I'm not smoking crack neither..)”

Omega's Pick: Halo 3: ODST

Omega says: “Honestly, these nomniees were picked by the advertisers. ODST has to win here, because it simply can't win anywhere else, and it is definitely the most fun out of these choices. Firefight for the win.”


Best PS3 Game

 - inFamous

- Killzone 2

- Rachet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Dlev's Pick: inFamous

Dlev says: “You shoot lightning out of your hand maybe through your ass.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: inFamous

Jha's Pick: Unchartered 2: Among Thieves

Jha says: “Unchartered will take this..”

Omega's Pick: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Omega says: “Please see Halo 3: ODST's reason for why it will win the Best Xbox Game category. This is more of the same. It deserves an award, and has got to get it somewhere...”

 

Best Wii Game

 - MadWorld

- New Super Mario Bros. Wii

- Punch-Out!!

- Wii Sports Resort

Dlev's Pick: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Dlev says: “It's a me MARIO, nuff said”

Nerdcraft's Pick: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Jha's Pick: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Jha says: “How come mario never gets old? Newest Super Mario Bros. Wii”

Omega's Pick: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Omega says: “Side scrolling multiplayer Mario? DO WANT.”

Best PC Game

- Dragon Age: Origins

- Left 4 Dead 2

- Plants vs. Zombies 

- The Sims 3

Dlev's Pick: The Sims 3

Dlev says: “I love RPGs, but wouldn't play Dragon Age on PC anyway.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Left 4 Dead 2

Jha's Pick: Dragon Age: Origins

Jha says: “Dragon Age even though its not an exclusive to the PC, is a fantastic game.. He picks and He wins..”

Omega's Pick: The Sims 3

Omega says: “The most pirated game of all time. That's a recipe for win, right there.”


Best Handheld Game

- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown wars

- Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

- Scribblenauts

Dlev's Pick: Scribblenauts

Dlev says: “You bring anything you want to life by just writing its name.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Scribblenauts

Jha's Pick: Scribblenauts

Jha says: “wait where is Borde... oh umm well for innovation I think it goes to Scribblenauts.. Mario & Luigi is fun but eh.. I still have to get Professor Layton but I don't think puzzle games ever make it... and no, Scribblenauts is not just a puzzle game.. as for Grand Theft.. ask Omega.”

Omega's Pick: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Omega says: “Here's the thing: every one of these games are fantastic. Here's the other thing: all but one of them has some type of flaw that almost ruins it. Scribblenauts has awful controls. Layton is slooooow. Mario & Luigi was fantastic, but just not quite enough. GTA: CW is, honestly, my favorite GTA ever. Yes, read that again if you must. It is, unquestionably, the most fun GTA ever. If you don't believe me, you haven't played it on the DS. Honestly. The touch screen “minigames” in addition to the top-down gameplay really makes this game fun. It doesn't take itself nearly as seriously as its bigger brothers do, and it is truly just a blast to play.”

Most Anticipated Game

- Bioshock 2

- God of War III

- Mass Effect 2

- Starcraft II

- Write In Your Vote

Dlev's Pick: God of War III

Dlev says: “I am buying a PS3 for this game, so yes, it will win.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Brink

Nerdcraft says: “This game looks awesome. Its your standard first person shooter but they added a SMART button control that lets you vault over railings instead of going around or climbing up on top of boxes/cars/spaceships. Okay, so there are no spaceships but this added level of mobility is really going to keep me intrigued. Brink is scheduled to ship in Fall of 2010.”

Jha's Pick: Starcraft II

Jha says: “This is super super hard.. and I don't even really care about the category.. I would say Bioshock 2 but I think its really going to come out Starcraft II”

Omega's Pick: Bioshock 2

Omega says: “I get to go back to Rapture? Oh, thank you so much. The only FPS campaign that comes close to being this interesting and engaging is Half Life 2. By the way, am I ever going to get Half Life 2: Episode 3? ...please?”

Game of the Year

 - Assassin’s Creed 2

- Batman: Arkham Asylum

- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

- Left 4 Dead 2

- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Dlev's Pick: Assassin's Creed 2

Dlev says: “Really wanted Borderlands, but nuff said.”

Nerdcraft's Pick: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Nerdcraft says: “COD:MW2 has everything you could almost ever want in a gaming experience: amazing graphics, incredible single player moments, great pacing throughout the story, captivating characters, multiplayer that is almost flawless when it comes to gameplay, and it packs a huge replay value. Game of the fucking Year hands down.”

Jha's Pick: Unchartered 2: Among Thieves

Jha says: “Wait a second where is Borderlands? I think this election is rigged.. like our last presidential :o Assassin’s Creed 2? Oh a remake in the GOTY category.. that's weird.. I don't think this game has enough mmmmmph to make it. Batman: Arkham Asylum... Not sure why everyone is hung up on this Batman game so much.. kind of cheesy if you ask me. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is asically recycled MW1 but has enough of a fan base to take a lot of rewards. Left 4 Dead 2? Remakes are what its all about I suppose. Unfortunately for this one I don't think it will be enough. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - This is my pick for the Game of the Year winner... I have "looked" at the game and thats it, but something tells me this is the one.”

Omega's Pick: Unchartered 2: Among Theives

Omega says: “ This is one popularity contest that went horribly wrong, for sure. In all the press I've read, I've never once head anyone ask for AC2 to even be considered for Game of the Year. Same goes for L4D2. I'm sure they're both wonderful games, but honestly, GOTY contention? Get the fuck out of here. You're not fooling anybody. Batman got tons of good press, but I'm sure it wasn't even close to the top 5 in sales this year. CoD:MW2, in all honesty, if we're going by sales, should be Game of the Decade. The problem is that it really didn't innovate at all. The gamer's experience is only barely different from CoD4: MW. So, Unchartered 2, you win by default. The most innovative game of the year, Borderlands, doesn't make the list? Yeah, this is some bullshit.”

Final Thoughts

Nerdcraft says: “The Video Game Awards air December 12th at 8pm. I am really excited for everything that is planned, I don't think you can go wrong with Snoop Dogg doing an exclusive performance either. There are a couple of world premiere trailers/teasers scheduled too. Crackdown 2, Medal of Honor, and UFC 2010 have all been announced, but I'm sure there will be tons of ads for new games to keep you busy, or for you to miss when you get up to make a sandwich. So set a reminder for Dec. 12th and kick back and enjoy the show along with TEAMRnD. Don't forget that we would love to hear your thoughts, so comment and let us know who you want to win!”

Jha says: “In Conclusion, I don't know how this whole thing works.. maybe its like picking prom queen/ prom king in high school... They get picked because they are the most "beautiful" or "popular"... What's wrong with substance? Why is Batman still a relevant figure in anything? He isn't even a real Super Hero for crying out loud.. put him up against Thor and see what happens.. hell, put him up against Jubilee. ouch..
I like MW2, but its just another mindless shooter.. not a whole lot of innovation here.. its a popularity contest... I guess whatever makes you money, huh? I'm not hating on the corporation or anything, I just wish that there were a few more requirements to be in the running... I read a bunch of comments on the VGA's and people were complaining about Street Fighter IV not being in the GOTY... really? A remade fighter... *slaps forehead* Christ almighty, community.. seriously? L4D2 is a fun game... for most... I don't mind it but again its a remake... Can anyone answer me this, Did Weekend at Bernie's 2 get an Academy Award?”

Omega says: “I have to say something here. I thought that this would be fun...picking our picks for the winners. I was wrong. As I read through the categories, I discovered that far too many of the categories were missing the title that should have won. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of titles that will get their deserving awards on Saturday, but there are far too many that will be completely overlooked, because they simply weren't nominated. I'm not really sure who the governing body is over the VGAs. I don't know if it is Spike TV, or who it might be. What I do know is that some of the categories were way off base as far as picking the right games. We based our picks on the nominees suggested. At some point before the end of the year, we'll do another combined article, and we'll make our picks from all of the titles of 2009. That's when we'll have some actual gamers' opinions of the best of 2009.”