The Madden Curse

So you have the 7th overall pick in your league's fantasy draft, and after a quick run on RB's for the first six rounds you are left without any sexy options at that position. It is way to early to draft a QB, so you go straight to the top of the WR list. Well, Larry Fitzgerald seems like a pretty nice option. He had 1431 yards receiving and a blistering 14 tds last season. The Cardinals re-signed Boldin and kept veteran QB Kurt Warner despite some flirtations with retiring. Fitzgerald is a no brainer, right? Think again. The infamous Madden Curse has found its way over to Fitz and if I'm in the position to get this guy or Andre Johnson, I'm going with Andre, because history does NOT favor this monstrous receiver.

2000- Barry Sanders adorns the cover - RESULT - Retired 7 days before training camp, leaving the Lions cupboard empty.

2001- Eddie George - RESULT - For the first time ever, Eddie George didn't rush for over 1000 yards and the Titans, one year removed from a Super Bowl birth, didn't even make the payoffs.

2002- Dante Culpepper - RESULT - Threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

2003- Marshall Faulk - RESULT - The worst statistical year of his career to this point, was never the same again after this.

2004- Michael Vick - RESULT - Broke leg early in the season, missed most of the year. Went on to explore other career opportunities in underground dog fighting.

2006- Donovan Mcnabb - RESULT - This is the first guy that has had a real career AFTER gracing the cover of the game. He still plays and will be a good QB even this year, but in 05 he had a hernia and played badly and in pain all year, where the Eagles finished a dismal 5-11.

2007- Shaun Alexander - RESULT - Broken foot led to Shaun missing most of the season. FTR, three years later, no longer in the league at the age of 31!

2008 - Vince Young - RESULT - For his career, 22 TDS and 32 INTs in a whopping 29 starts.

Ray Lewis is the only defensive player to be on the cover of the game and is also the only player so far to avoid the "Madden Curse". Brett Favre kinda avoided it by retiring and coming back to play for the Jets, with an ok season, but really wasn't anything to write home about. I am curious to see how this all turns out for the Cardinals, but I do know this: I'm happy I have the third pick of my draft where I can safely avoid John Madden's latest victim and not look silly and superstitious doing so.

Comments

[Ryne]

Fitz may get lucky considering Madden 10 goes with an different approach on this years cover. Larry Fitzgerald splits the cover this year with Pittsburg Steelers SS Troy Polamalu. So, perhaps this year the jinx may actually be avoidable. I personally hope that it continues though. Someone else got Fitz in my fantasy league. Don't want him blowing up on me!!! : )

[Joshua]

DragonAge is amazing...I have it for 360 and there is a few things like the constant motion glitching, and the voice over is alittle off sometime but the action is constant, the set up of your character is very good...I play a Elf Mage, its hard but the spells are devestating...Unlike the warrior class you have to know how to set the commands( battle commands) of your other party members to compensate for the lak of your fighting skills, so you have know what your doing there but if you can endure the minor things, the game is Bioware next best thing, notice I said best thing, cause it dont beat KOTOR 1 & 2