evil_gop_liars Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 MMR: Hating Madden Has Become a Sport Rob Wright July 10, 2006 08:31 The Madden Curse 1. The Madden Curse. Okay, you can disagree with me all you want about the previous nine entries on this list. But you cannot disagree about this one. The Madden Curse is real. Staring with the Madden NFL 2000 version, EA started putting superstar players on the cover of the game box. What happened next makes the "Sports Illustrated" cover jinx look like a series of unfortunate coincidences. I submit the evidence: * In 1999, EA put Detroit Lion Barry Sanders on the Madden NFL 2000 cover, who was on his way to becoming the greatest running back. He suddenly and inexplicably retired during training camp that summer. Green Bay Packer's running back Dorsey Levens was also featured on another cover of the game. He was cut a year later. * Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George is on the cover of the 2001 version. That year, George has a key fumble in a playoff game, leading to a Titans loss. George became injury-plagued after that season and was never the same player. * EA went with a QB for Madden NFL 2002, but Minnesota Viking Dante Culpepper suffered a 4-7 record before having season-ending knee surgery. * Back to running backs! EA put future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk on the cover, but the St. Louis Rams RB struggled that season and never again gained 1,000-plus yards. * Rising star Michael Vick graced the cover for Madden NFL 2004, but the Atlanta Falcons quarterback broke his leg during a meaningless preseason game during the summer and played just five games that season. * Okay, let's try a defensive player this time! EA picked Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, who had been one of the most dominant defensive players in the game - until that season, when he put up mediocre stats and the Ravens missed the playoffs. * And the coup de grace: Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb was featured on the cover of Madden NFL 2006, and he soon endured a nightmare season: a feud with receiver Terrell Owens (who was later cast off from the team), a serious injury that led to a sports hernia (ouch!) and missing the playoffs with a terrible season. Perhaps most unbelievably, the president of the Philadelphia NAACP chapter Jerry Mondesire criticized McNabb, who is black, in a newspaper editorial. Seemingly out of nowhere, Mondesire called McNabb a mediocre player and claimed McNabb wasn't playing the quarterback position like a true African American athlete, i.e. not running and scrambling enough. There is simply no other way to explain that rationally, my friends. I point the finger at the Madden Curse. What will happen for Madden NFL 2007? I'm not sure. Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander has a record setting MVP season last year and led his team to the Super Bowl. Now he's on the cover of the newest version of Madden. If you think some Seattle fans aren't worried about this, then you really haven't digested the fact that an NAACP official lambasted a black NFL quarterback for no apparent reason. I'll tell you this: I thank my lucky stars that none of my New England Patriots have accepted the cover invitation, because nothing would sadden me more than seeing Tom Brady hit by a bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 I don't understan why they don't mention that Faulk missed two games that season with knee troubles, and that Ray Lewis broke his wrist and missed one game in his cover-boy season. Every single guy has missed at least one game due to injury except Eddie George. George is really the only guy that had a great season. The fumble thing is kinda lame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 I don't understan why they don't mention that Faulk missed two games that season with knee troubles, and that Ray Lewis broke his wrist and missed one game in his cover-boy season. Every single guy has missed at least one game due to injury except Eddie George. George is really the only guy that had a great season. The fumble thing is kinda lame. EG's career went downhill after that season.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 EG's career went downhill after that season.... Yeah, but that season, when he was on the cover, he was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 What aobut the Chunky Soup curse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avernus Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 What aobut the Chunky Soup curse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonorator Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 eventually, all the players suffering from the madden curse will die. you can't deny that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigalf03 Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 eventually, all the players suffering from the madden curse will die. you can't deny that. Except of course for Madden, who will grace us with his witty, intellegent, thoughtful comentary until the end of time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 The most appropriate cover for Madden would be Favre in ass chaps...or is it assless chaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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