Probably the most anticipated xbox game of 2010 is the new Madden. Madden has been on the scene for 21 years, and pretty much everyone who is a fan of football or video games has picked it up and played. In order to get shots of all the rookies in their new jerseys, the Madden development team shows up to the annual NFL entry draft. Along with the game's popularity has grown a huge pro gaming industry, and now the world's top Madden players can make a living playing in tournaments or even just online. You may have also heard the term "Madden Holiday"...and it just goes to show how incredibly popular it has become.
You might also think that players are honored and delighted to be featured on the game's cover. Ever since 1999 when John Madden started putting players on the cover instead of himself, those players seem to either perform badly or suffer serious injury.
In the first week of the 2009 season, the Madden curse had already reared it's ugly head. Two players made their way onto the cover of Madden 10 for the first time ever. Both teams from SB 43 are acknowledged, with Troy Polomalu of the Steelers and Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals. In the Steelers' first game of the season against the Tennessee Titans, Polamalu suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain while blocking a field goal. The Steelers had to play the rest of the season without their star defensive player.
You'd think that players and coaches would have learned about the Madden curse by now. Athletes are notoriously superstitious, and next time Madden comes a callin', most would be better off to just decline. If you don't believe in it yet, just take a look at all the historical evidence of a very real "Madden Curse.".
The History of the Madden Curse:
2002: QB Daunte Culpepper was honored with a Madden 02 cover appearance folliowing his team's final four appearance in 2000. He followed this up by missing the last five games of the 2001 season with a hurt knee, and his team missed the playoffs.
2003: After being featired as the Madden 03 cover athlete, Rams' running back Marshall Faulk played the whole 2002 season with a naggin ankle problem, and didn't reach his full potential. He failed to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time in 6 years, and the Rams finished the season 7-9. missing the playoffs.
2004: Atlanta Falcons franchise QB (and a Madden player's favorite QB at the time) missed the entire 2003 season after gracing the cover of Madden 04. His team finished 5-11 (missing the playoffs of course) without him.
2006: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was coming off a Super Bowl appearance, in which his team lost to the New England Patriots. But as the Madden NFL 06 cover athlete, his 2005 was destined for disaster and he suffered a sports hernia in the first game and ended up shutting down for the last seven games of the season.
The evidence is stacking up. Whether it's just the impact on your attitude after being featured, whether it just effects your concentration in the preseason and training camp, or whether it's something more...mysterious, who knows.
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