The Madden Curse

We have all heard about the "Madden Curse" and some people believe it and some people don't.  As for me, I'm not big on believing curses, but I for one will be happy if the cover of Madden never features a Buffalo Bill.  Fortunately for me, I wont ever have to worry about that as the cover always features a breakout player... Here is the history of the Madden Curse. You tell me if its real or not:

 

2000: Detroit running back Barry Sanders.
One of, if not the best Running Backs in the NFL in his time.  Coming off of an amazing year with 1,780 total yards, at the age of 30 he retired unexpectedly from the NFL by sending a fax to the team.

2001: Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George.
Eddie's curse came in the post season, as the top seeded Titans were knocked out in round one of the playoffs due to a rare and game ending fumble for Eddie George.

2002: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper.
After bringing the Vikings, who were thought of as an elite team in that NFL, to a horrible 4-7 start, Culpepper hurt his knee and has season ending surgery.

2003: St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk.
After 5 straight 1000+ yards seasons, Faulk failed to hit the mark ever again after his appearance on the Madden cover.  He also started the least amount of games of his career at that point in 10.  He was never the same RB.

2004: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.
After an outstanding season of being a "joystick" like QB, Michael Vick broke his leg in preseason ONE DAY after the Madden game was released with his mug on the cover.

2005: Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
Ray Lewis had his first career season without an interception.  He also broke his wrist causing him to miss time.

2006: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
McNabb missed 5 games due to a sports hernia.  He also did not make the Pro Bowl for the first time in 5 seasons.

2007: Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander.
Alexander missed six games after breaking his foot.  He never was the same player since the previous year (before the Madden cover) when he was the NFL MVP.

2008: Tennessee Titans Quarterback Vince Young.
Even with a winning record, the team decided not to start Young and eventually cut him.

2009: Brett Favre "retired"
After the announcement of Brett Favre making the Madden cover, which was supposed to be the first retired player on the cover, he signed with the Jets.  The team failed to make the playoffs and Favre dealt with several off the field issues.

2010: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu/ Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Polamalu missed the majority of the season due to knee injuries and the Steelers missed the playoffs after winning the Superbowl in the previous season.
2011: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Brees almost broke the curse by having a good year but the curse may have lingered in to the playoffs as the Saints were knocked out by the big underdog Seahawks after winning the Superbowl a year earlier.

This year the cover will feature Peyton Hillis. Good luck brother...

How to play FOOTBALL

For all the ladies out there, this is how you play the footballs:


Ready Set Hut!  Touchdown!!!!

You take the ball, run to the TOUCHDOWWWWNN!!!

Throw the ball, CATCH TOUCHDOWWWWNNN!!!!

On Defense you TACKLE, then FUMBLE TOUCHDOWN!!!

Coach says "GO GET THE TOUCHDOWWWWWNS!!!"

The fans yell "TOUCHDOWNNNN!!!!"

The coin toss happensTOUCHDOWWWNNN!!!!

The winner is the winner and the loser losses the game.

4th and long, kick FIELD GOAL TOUCHDOWNNNN!!!! minus 3 points

Top 10 things we miss about football

I was laying in bed last night and this show came on NFL network for the top ten things we miss in football. I agreed on a lot of it. So much that some of the things really made me wonder why its not around anymore. Some were just so funny. So I thought I would re post and add some thoughts to it.

According to NFL networks special on the subject:

#10 - Stickum -
The NFL players (mainly receivers) used to use this glue like substance called "Stickum". It actually was allowed by the NFL. You could catch a 90 mile an hour fast ball just by sticking your hand in front of it. It was finally banned from the NFL in 1981

#9 - Barefoot Kickers - Kickers used to have one foot barefooted. Not all kickers, but some did this, even in the snow. Believe it or not, it is NOT illegal in the NFL. And some of the best kicking records are held by barefoot kickers. Including the longest kick in a Superbowl.

#8 - Angry Opponents - Back in the day there was no shaking hands after games. Players weren't meeting at mid field to ask how the family is doing. They hated each other!

#7 - Real Grass - Oh how I miss this. Thankfully in the past decade they have made the turf more grass like. Some teams still have real grass, but it is very odd to find these days. You used to walk off a football field with grass stains and mud and dirt and blood on your pants. Now everyone looks like they could re wear the same uniform for the next game without washing it. When you see stuff flying up at the football games and you think its dirt, its not. Its rubber from the fake turf.

#6 - Nicknames - A-Train, Broadway Joe, The Bus, Comeback Kid, Iron Mike, Snake... Now we have T.O., A-Rod and Big Ben. Boring...

#5 - Goalposts on the goal line - HAHAHA I love this. First of all, I can not believe this ever happened. But how funny would it be if it was still like this? Can you imagine a long bomb from Brees and Colston reaches out and catches it right when he slams in to the goal post? haha. The NFL moved the goal posts to the back of the endzone in 1974.

#4 - Real Fullbacks - I don't have much to say on this, but I do remember fullbacks having a bigger role. You can tell how much they matter now by looking at your fantasy roster. Do you see the FB position?

#3 - QB's calling their own plays - Yeah, Manning does this for the Colts. That's it though! Back in the day they all did it. Now you see the QB running to the sideline for the play or covering their ear holes with their hands so they can hear the coach on the radio. What happened to the K-Gun?

#2 - NFL in LA - I can do without this. Especially since I am a Bills fan and everyone speculates that the Bills are going there since they suck. Remember the LA Rams, the LA Raiders. Bo Jackson!

#1 - Well dressed coaches - First thought for me? Bill Belichick in his gay ass cut off hoody. In the past the coaches looked like boss's. Tom Landy, Paul Brown with the hats and the ties. That was football! Belichick looks like he just rolled out of bed then cut his sleeves off then went to work.

If I were to add my own thing I miss to this list, it would be:

(1) Players who stay on the same team for their career. I miss those days so much. Let the team grow!
(2) Cheerleaders! Half time shows with cheerleaders. Some teams don't even have them anymore!
(3) Leather helmets! Can you imagine with today's speed and size? ouch...



POWER RANKINGS

ESPN came out with their NFL Power Rankings today.  Twitter was going nuts with people not agreeing.  Most of those people were just upset with the rank that their favorite team was given.  There is me for example, everyone knows I love the Bills.  The rank of 31 makes me sick but at the same time, I think they are going to the Superbowl every year and they haven't made the playoffs in 12 years.  But that's what die hard fans do right? Anyway, ESPN's power rankings are below.

1. Packers
2. Patriots
3. Eagles
4. Saints
5. Steelers
6. Falcons
7. Jets
8. Colts
9. Ravens
10. Chargers
11. Giants
12. Buccaneers
13. Bears
14. Chiefs
15. Rams
16. Cowboys
17. Texans
18. Lions
19. Seahawks
20. Titans
21. Cardinals
22. Jaguars
23. Raiders
24. Dolphins
25. Vikings
26. 49ers
27. Broncos
28. Browns
29. Redskins
30. Panthers
31. Bills
32. Bengals

To see details on why they were put in this order Click this link to ESPN/PR
For the most part I feel like its dead on.  Here are the teams I feel should not be so low: Bills(31), Broncos(27), Vikings(25), Raiders(23).  Here are the teams I feel are too high: Chiefs(14), Rams(15).

That doesn't mean I think they should be moved a ton, but a few spots here and there.  I know its preseason and at least half of these teams will be moved by 3-4 spots.  My biggest hope is that the Patriots end the season in the low 20's.  Maybe another leg snap for Brady.

With that said I am going to give my personal prediction for each division.  AFC first, NFC later:

AFC East
New Eng.      11-5
Buffalo          10-6
NY Jets          9-7
Miami            5-11

AFC North
Baltimore    11-5
Pittsburgh   10-6
Cleveland    6-10
Cincinnati   5-11

AFC South
Indianapolis  12-4
Houston        10-6
Jacksonville  7-9
Tennessee     5-11

AFC West
Denver          9-7
Kansas City  9-7
San Diego    9-7
Oakland       8-8

This may change big time after preseason if over but its just my thoughts.  Vote on the polls on the sides for your thoughts on this.

Criminals in Sports

I was recently reading an article in Men's Health about criminals and they had a few that were pro athletes.  So I thought it would be fun to look up some of the famous athletes that have "broken the law" haha.  I didn't put them all on here, just peoples names that everyone would probably know.  I'm sure I missed some, so let me know!    Enjoy!

NFL

(1) Plaxico Burress - NY Giants - Gun possession (shot himself by accident) - 2 Years in jail
(2) Rae Carruth - Carolina Panthers - Murder - 24 years in jail
(3) Travis Henry - Buffalo Bills/Denver Broncos - Drug trafficking - 3 years in jail
(4) Tank Johnson - Chicago Bears - Weapons possession - 120 days in jail
(5) Jamal Lewis - Baltimore Ravens - Drug dealer - 4 months in jail
(6) Nate Newton - Dallas Cowboys - Drug trafficking - 7 1/2 years in jail
(7) OJ Simpson - Buffalo Bills - Robbery - 9 to 33 years in jail (not for murder)
(8) Donte Stallworth - Cleveland Browns - DUI Manslaughter - 30 days in jail
(9) Michael Vick - Atlanta Falcons/Eagles - Dog Fighting - 23 months in jail

MLB

(1) Willie Mays Aikens - Drug Possession - 20 years in jail
(2) Darryl Strawberry - Drug possession - 18 months in jail
(3) Ugueth Urbina - Attempted murder - 14 years in jail

NBA

(1) Allen Iverson - While in High School - Maiming by mob - 5 years in jail

BOXING

(1) Mike Tyson - Possession of narcotics / DUI - 24 hours in jail

FIGURE SKATING

(1) Tonya Harding - Attack on Nancy Kerrigan/DUI 13 days in jail

FAT Players

I think I know what these guys spend their millions on! These offensive lines could bring a plane down!

Top Five Fattest NFL Offensive Lines:
#5 - New Orleans Saints (1,609 lbs, 38.8 BMI)
#4 - San Francisco 49ers (1,621 lbs, 39.0 BMI)
#3 - Pittsburgh Steelers (1,640 lbs, 39.2 BMI)
#2 - Cincinnati Bengals (1,657 lbs, 39.8 BMI)
#1 - Philadelphia Eagles (1,690 lbs, 40.5 BMI)



Top Five Fattest NFL Players:
#5 - Max Jean-Gilles 358 lbs
#4 - Kris Jenkins 360 lbs
#3 - Brandon McKinney 360 lbs
#2 - Langston Walker 366 lbs
#1 - Herman Johnson 382 lbs



 Top Five Tallest NFL Players (wrong sport?)
#5 - Phil Loadholt 6'8"
#4 - Calais Campbell 6'8"
#3 - Dennis Roland 6'9"
#2 - Jared Gaither 6'9"
#1 - Demar Dotson 6'9" 1/2

Last Weeks Poll Results

Better Sports Movie
Varsity Blues - 16%
Remember the Titans - 0%
Rudy - 66%
Mighty Ducks - 16%

Worst NFL Draft Pick Ever!
Tim Couch - 0%
Ryan Leaf - 100%
Joey Harrington - 0%

Sebastian Janikowski - 0%   If you could chose one former player to return to sports, who would it be? Joe Montana - 0% Babe Ruth - 50% Michael Jordan - 50% Wayne Gretzky - 0% Best Funny Sports Movie Major League - 40% Dodgeball - 20% Happy Gilmore - 40% The Waterboy - 0%