Welcome to the 2009 NBA Live Challenge bought to you by the folks here at EA SPORTS. This year's NBA Live Challenge returns in search of the best NBA Live gamers around the country.  We will travel to 11 regional stops as one finalist from each city will travel to NBA ALL-STAR weekend in Phoenix, AZ for a chance at $20,000 cash and a $5,000 shopping spree with our official retail sponsor Best Buy.

The EA SPORTS Live Gossip Wire is also back by request to bring you authentic quotes as Commissioner Mike Brown will bring you Q and A coverage with each regional winner.

Los Angeles, CA (Fox Hills Mall)

Los Angeles Live Wire:

This year's finals bracket in Arizona is shaping up to be very familiar to last year's bracket, as Jordan "Hands" Simmons got a little redemption today by claiming the LA regional after a tough loss in Sacramento a few days earlier to mob camp member, J-Swith.

Followed by a controversial loss to another mob camp member the following day in San Francisco, where the infamous XBOX start button was accidentally pressed by Gooch, which resulted in Hands losing the game just as he was about to shoot a 3-pointer to potentially tie the game and force overtime.

"Some people just have big fingers and can't seem to press the right buttons I guess," stated Hands.  Nevertheless, he put it all together after surviving on just a few hours of sleep to make it to Los Angeles.

I caught up with Hands afterwards:

Commish: Your game was on today, what was the difference today opposed to the first few days?

Hands: I just got my revenge today and beat the dude that I lost to in San Francisco. I then got my revenge on the cat that beat Swaggy by blowing him out because he did that to my brother...and it felt great!

Commish: (laughing) what does this do for your confidence heading into the finals in Arizona?

Hands: This basically adds to my legacy after I won the NBA Live Challenge a few years ago and then won New York last year. It's kind of funny because Boss is right, I am Hands-down...hands down the best NBA Live player.

Commish: You seem like you were going to snap after that game in San Francisco, but you pulled it together and ended the situation with a hand shake.

Hands: I'm a man first, the game is the game. I surround myself around good people so I conduct myself as such.

Commish:  The mob camp plans to take over the bracket in Arizona, what are your thoughts about that?

Hands: I would love to negotiate the twins being on different sides of the bracket (wink) once my brother Swaggy wins.  If that can happen, I see us meeting in the final game getting down with a bunch of zany cartoonish game play.

Commish:  Who is the best player of the brothers and do you have any predictions in reference to Swaggy taking the next city?

Hands: To be honest with you, me and my brother are neck and neck, it all depends on the day.  My brother and I will sit down and see what city he wants to travel to next.  I just want to say that I really appreciate this one, I love to talk a little trash just like the next man but at the end of the day, it's great fun and I'm not here to down anyone on a personal level.  So like I said earlier, I'm a man first, the game second. I'm going to take this win and add it to my ten commandment list of victories and put myself into the talks of being the GOAT of NBA Live. This is an honor to me and I wish everyone luck heading into Arizona.

Classy words from a classy gentlemen...tune in to see what happens next weekend as I bring you NBA Live gossip from the Indianapolis regional winner. Commissioner Brown...out!