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This Madden curse might actually be a real thing: Peyton Hillis is injured

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST

Peyton Hillis should have known better. During the haze of jubilation when he was voted to the cover of Madden 12, the rational voice in the back of his mind should have warned him. The Curse. Hillis has missed the Cleveland Browns' past two games, and he is expected to sit out Sunday's game at Houston with a hamstring injury that seems so stubborn that it's almost supernatural.

The higher the climb, the harder the fall -- on your hamstring, Hillis. Enjoy your cover art. Muhahahaha.

This Madden curse might actually be a real thing: Peyton Hillis is injured originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: EA developing Madden Curse movie

Justin McElroy — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:20:00 EST

In what has to be one of the odder game-to-movie schemes we've come across, The Wrap reports that EA is currently working on a film based on the "Madden curse" that's supposedly plagued athletes who've appeared on cover art for the venerable football series. Bizarrely, the film is supposedly centered on "a former Madden video game champion who is forced out of retirement just as he finds himself on the corner of the game's cover -- and subject to the curse." So ... wait ... it's someone who plays Madden? You guys ... you guys know what the Madden curse is, right?

You know that game "Would You Rather?" where you have to choose between two reprehensible options? We've become convinced EA is playing a grandiose celluloid version of it. "Would you rather," the company asks, "see a movie about a guy who's good at Madden before he retires from video games or a movie where a kid plays the Sims and accidentally controls the real world?" If "neither" isn't an option, we hope "plucking the foul jellies we call eyes from our skulls before the trailers are over" is.

Report: EA developing Madden Curse movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drew Brees discusses 'Madden Curse,' fan voting for Madden NFL 11 cover

David Hinkle — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:00:00 EST

Even people who avoid sports like the plague know that there is a certain "curse" associated with being on the cover of a Madden game. This year's cover boy, New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, ain't sweatin' it though -- "it is what it is, but I look at it as a challenge," he told ESPN. Heck of a "challenge," Mr. Brees. The majority of your predecessors didn't fare so well.

On a more positive note, Brees also offered some of his opinions on the voting that led to his appearance on the Madden NFL 11 cover. "This game is driven by the fans, so it means so much more to me and to all the Saints players because we understand the bond we've had with our fans and with our city. Certainly when the fans have spoken, that means so much."

The ESPN interview is pretty insightful, including brief talk on the new Hit Stick controls, as well as GameFlow and GamePlan, the pair of managerial game types available in Madden NFL 11. Hit up the source link and give it a read.

[Thanks, Zoot Suit Jedi]

Drew Brees discusses 'Madden Curse,' fan voting for Madden NFL 11 cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You bet the 'Madden curse' will strike again

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:30:00 EST

No seriously, that's what you do on PlayBlackjack.com. For those not in the know, the Madden "curse" has afflicted every athlete featured on the cover of a Madden game. These pros get injured in some way through the course of the season, forcing them to miss a few games. When one of the two Madden 10 athletes, Troy Polamalu, suffered an injury to his left knee, many wondered if Larry Fitzgerald would follow. Well, at least one site is planning on turning that inquisitiveness into a real gambling operation.

To enter the pool, players will have to successfully guess which week Fitzgerald will get injured, with 9:1 odds offered for each possible game. With quite a number of games still left to play, the odds are definitely not in your favor. However, should Fitzergald manage to dodge a bullet, all bets will be called off. "If Fitzgerald does not get struck by the curse and remains healthy all regular season the bets will be graded as no-action and all money bet will be returned to the bettor."

It's certainly a morbid concept to spend money on. We wonder if Madden curse victim Michael Vick is getting in on the action ...

You bet the 'Madden curse' will strike again originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madden curse strikes back, Polamalu suffers knee injury in season opener

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST

Steelers fans witnessed a horrifying scene during last night's season-opening matchup against the Tennessee Titans -- while trying to recover a blocked field goal in the first half, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu sustained an injury to his left knee, preventing him from playing out the rest of the game. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Polamalu was featured on the cover of Madden 10 -- a promotion that has proven to be troubling for NFL players due to the titular "Madden curse."

Polamalu is expected to be out for 3 - 6 weeks, making this one of the least severe examples of cosmic retribution dished out by the curse to date. However, that could just be because said retribution has to be shared between two players this year. For the sake of our fantasy football standings, we urge Larry Fitzgerald to take every safety precaution imaginable during these trying times.

Madden curse strikes back, Polamalu suffers knee injury in season opener originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madden 2010 cover could be auctioned for charity

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:56:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports, Business

Pacman Jones on the cover of Madden NFL 2010? It could happen ... if "Adam" makes it rain on United Way. EA Sports head coach Peter Moore has been pitching the idea of a cover athlete auction to the Madden marketing team, reports Bloomberg.com. The decision won't be made "anytime soon," according to Moore, but the proposal suggests offering up the Madden ~~curse~~, er, cover to the highest bidding NFL player. All proceeds would go to United Way, the NFL's charity partner. "Our research tells us we don't see a huge up-tick or down-tick depending on who's on the cover -- they're buying Madden," says Moore.

Update: Oops! We were going for Pacman during his TNA Wrestling debut and wound up with his tag team partner, Ron "the Truth" Killings, instead (above). Thanks for pointing this out, folks -- needless to say, we don't watch much TNA nor have we ever seen Pacman with his helmet off. (And yes, we place full blame on Google Images.) Rest assured, we've rectified this careless error after the break!)

[Thanks, John]

Continue reading Madden 2010 cover could be auctioned for charity

Madden 2010 cover could be auctioned for charity originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Favre to remain a Packer ... on Madden cover (EA has a plan!) [update]

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:27:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sports, Business

With Brett Favre booked for a one-way ticket out of retirement and into New York (as a Jet!), Madden NFL 09 will look decidedly vintage when it releases next week with Favre on the cover ... as a Packer. Some may attribute the gaffe to evidence of the "Madden Curse" at work (c'mon, it can do better than that!), but EA Sports boss Peter Moore assures, "There's a plan."

While IGN has already confirmed there will be no second printing -- Favre will remain a Packer on the surface of Madden 09, at least -- a Crispy Gamer interview with Moore and marketing director David Tinson published last week addressed the possibility of Favre switching teams; to which Moore offered his vague assurance. "It will ship with what you've seen. Yes. And then we'll have a plan if he's not [a Packer]," Tinson added. Day-one roster update confirmed!

Update: EA will indeed release a day-one update placing Favre on the Jets (and reflecting any other relevant roster changes), reports MTV Multiplayer. But that's not all: "We do not plan to re-issue packaging, but WILL offer a free downloadable cover in the coming days on easports.com featuring Brett Favre in a Jets uniform. Fans can print this new cover out and insert it into the case of Madden NFL 09," a company spokesperson revealed to MTV. See, EA did have a plan! ... But if you're not feelin' it, why not make your own cover?

[Image credit: FirstCuts]

Favre to remain a Packer ... on Madden cover (EA has a plan!) [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Curses! Madden cover jinx strikes again

Dan Dormer — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:08:00 EST

Filed under: Sports

Ah, the best laid plans of game developers and men. Originally selected because of his youth, Vince Young succumbed to the "Madden Curse" this past weekend, suffering a strained right quadriceps muscle in a 13-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (we should have placed that bet!).

He's listed as day-to-day by the Titans, but let this be a lesson to any future cover boys out there: the Curse remains. Just ask Garrison Hearst, Barry Sanders, Dorsey Levens, Eddie George, Daunte Culpepper, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, Shaun Alexander, or of course, Vince Young.

Curses! Madden cover jinx strikes again originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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