History of the Madden Curse

Well the very first Madden cover released in 1988 had no players on the cover just the legendary head coach John Madden himself.  However on the 1994 cover it had the Buffalo Bills football field in the background and coincidentally enough the Bills went 7-9 and missed the playoffs, a year after they had appeared in the Super Bowl against the Cowboys. On the 1995 cover (above) which was released in 1994, Cowboys tackle Erik Williams was on the cover. Coincidentally enough he had gotten into a serious car accident that same year causing him to miss most of that season. There was the Madden cover in 1999 that had Madden on most covers, though a couple also had then Niner running back Garrison Hearst.
 But yes coincidentally enough that same year he broke his ankle and was out for 2 seasons, no joke.  And then... You have the Madden 2000 cover (below)...ahh yes...

That cover had Barry Sanders in the background...how coincidentally that same year...Sanders retires after the season...and retires yards short of then Walter Payton's rushing record..

 On the 2001 Madden cover (above), Titans running back Eddie George was featured, still rushed for over 1500 yards that year, but bobbled a critical pass in the playoffs against the Ravens that cost them from advancing.

On the 2002 cover (above), Vikings then quarterback Daunte Culpepper was featured, coincidentally that same season he threw 23 picks and the Vikings finished 5-11, he was never the same.

On the 2003 cover (above), Rams then running back Marshall Faulk was featured, since then his career declined and he never had another 1000 yard season again, true story.

Michael Vick was on the 2004 cover (above), broke his fibula in a preseason game against Baltimore, his team then the Falcons went 5-11 that season.

Ray Lewis made the 2005 cover (above), was determined to beat the Madden Curse, but then had his season cut short that year by Week 15 with a wrist injury, it was also his first year without an interception.

The 2006 cover (above) had then Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who already had problems with injuries enough and sure enough that same season he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee, ending his season abruptly.

Seattle Seahawks then running back Shaun Alexander made the 2007 Madden Cover (above), same season suffered  an injury that made him his first six starts and then was never the same player again, retired shortly afterwards in the 2008 season.

On the 2008 cover (above) was Titans then quarterback Vince Young, was actually not really affected by the “Madden Curse" nor his team. Led them to a 10-6 record in his 2nd season and a playoff appearance, though he suffered a major injury the following year making him lose his job for a year. Till he recovered it in the 2009 season, though it also led to him and coach Jeff Fisher's departure in 2010. But that wasn't due to the Madden Curse, that was due to immaturity issues and as far as we know now...he has never changed...and probably never will.

Madden's favorite, Brett Favre made the 2009 cover (above), suffered an ankle injury with the Jets that same year and sure enough they failed to make the playoffs. Although perhaps the repercussions may have been far more substantial if Favre was featured with a Jets jersey, not a Packers jersey like he was.

Two players made the 2010 cover (above), Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu, the Madden Curse didn't at all affect Fitzgerald, nor the Cardinals who went 10-6 that year and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion, the New Orleans Saints. Polamalu on the other hand has had an injury history since, hasn't been able to stay healthy on the field since.

Drew Brees was on the 2011 cover (above), played first 6 weeks of the season with a torn MCL, threw 22 interceptions that same season and his Saints lost in the Wild Card round to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks.

Cleveland Browns then tailback Peyton Hillis made the 2012 cover (above), missed 5 games of the season due to a hamstring injury, one to step throat, this coming off his 1100+ rushing season with 11 TDs in the 2010 season.

And finally Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson also known as Megatron made the Madden 13 cover (above) as we all know.  Obviously the "curse" didn't affect him as he eclipsed Jerry Rice's single-season receiving record of 1848 yards, not only that but was just 36 yards short from being the first wide receiver ever to have a 2000 yard season.  However the Detroit Lions went 4-12 that season coming off a 10-6 season the previous year, not to mention it was 8 straight losses for the Lions to finish the year.
So with all this being said with the exception of the 2008 cover, the Madden Curse has it's ways it can either affect a certain player for the rest of their career or their team that same season.  Who could be the curse's next victim? All signs point to one of the rookie studs that all the made the playoffs last season, Russell Wilson, RG3 or Andrew Luck.  But one thing is for sure, no matter who it is after this disappointing season I had to see my Lions go through, I pray none of their players make it.  No matter what way you look at it, the Madden Curse is real, you just need to learn to accept it.

Now I normally don't do this but...

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 15-19 and 4 games back out of a playoff spot.  Since it's almost halfway through the season and despite a front line of Metta, Pau and Dwight...the Lakers can't play a lick of defense.  That is shocking considering they have a 2x defensive player of the year anchoring the defense in Dwight Howard who by the way to me has been the most disappointing player on that team by far.  With all this being said, I don't normally change preseason picks I stick to them but this one is an exception. So with that I'm here to announce that my NBA Finals pick has officially switched to Miami vs. OKC part II.

Thoughts Last Night From The Freshness

- That Knicks-Nets game was a great game last night, however I wouldn't be quick to call the Brooklyn Nets the Kings of NYC especially since the New York Knicks were without veteran point guard Jason Kidd. Kidd has been a huge reason why the Knicks have been one of the best teams in the East this season with his veteran leadership, without him there is a lack of ball movement and energy as well on both sides of the floor.  However though I was not only dead wrong about the Nets not being a playoff team, but a Finals contender as well as long as Brook Lopez stays healthy of course.
- Looks like Brandon Knight of our Detroit Pistons is finally coming into his own, since he hit the game winning layup against the Raptors, Knight has been averaging 21 points per game.  Knight had a season high 26 last night against the Blazers, absolutely abusing rookie of the year candidate point guard, Damian Lilliard.  Supposedly according to his coaches the reason Knight is starting to flourish is because they told him just to “go with his instinct."

Keep Hope Alive? Matty's Brief Thoughts

Just like the Kanye West song goes...“And I Wonder...." because even though our Detroit Lions are 4-7 at this point, I keep on thinking of teams that finished 8-8 or 9-7 and sneaked into the playoffs.  I am also thinking about how last season our Lions had started off last season winning 5 straight, perhaps they could finish this season winning 5 straight to finish 9-7 and possibly back themselves into the playoffs?  Maybe it is just the Honolulu Blue, Black and Silver faith in me...but like Jesse Jackson once said, Keep Hope Alive.

What's wrong with the Lions? Bigger than football?

At this point last season our Detroit Lions were 7-4, this year they are 4-7, last season they were 2nd in the NFC North, this year they are in last place behind the freaking Minnesota Vikings! Last season QB Stafford and WR Johnson were breaking records, this year they look just broken.  Calvin may still be putting up yards, but he only has four touchdown receptions this year, not to mention he has been playing off an injury as well.  Stafford's struggles can be duly noted as well incompleting passes that he completed last season.  Not to mention last season it looked like the Lions offensive line gave Stafford plenty of time, this year? It looks like they forgot how to block.  WR Titus Young looked destined for a breakout season this upcoming season yet instead has dropped easy TD passes, can not get open and is having serious off the field issues.
The only constant from last season? The secondary being mediocre, allowing big plays to happen consistently, then again maybe it is some serious coincidence with S Delmas being out for a number of games.  In conclusion, the QB losing accuracy, the WRs unable to get open or drop passes, the OL forgetting how to block.  I do not think this is due to a lack of talent, not at all, I know the Lions are a very talented football squad, this looks like to me however...some serious bad luck.  Especially with the bad breaks that have gone our way like the missed passing interference call against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday or the referees not knowing Texans RB Forsett was clearly down on Turkey Day.   To me there is no more question what is wrong with our Detroit Lions, it just seems too obvious with how unlucky this season has looked so far.
 Too coincidental that we are 4-7 at this point, the opposite of the record we were at last season. My official diagnosis? We are infected with the Madden Jinx.  It has become a bad omen for the Lions this season to have had Calvin Johnson on the Madden cover, it may have not gotten him but it surely looks likes it has gotten the whole team.  Has to be a shame since we were just getting over the Bobby Layne curse and now we have a new one in the Madden Jinx.   The good news from the past of the Madden cover is it should only last one season, so we should get back to the Lions football we were playing last season. I do challenge the Detroit Lions however from this point forward to make the Madden Jinx not look real, in fact defeat the Madden Curse, something these teams in the past nor all players have ever done.  I just hope head coach Jim Schwartz, GM Martin Mayhew (though he blew it for not trading up for Jenkins in the second round), offensive coordinator Scott Linehan nor defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham become a victim if it does continue.

NBA Preview: Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference:
Eastern Conference Finals:
New York Knicks vs Miami Heat
1. Miami Heat
Notes: After stealing Jesus Shuttlesworth himself in Ray Allen and also adding Rashard Lewis, the Heat have loaded up and are looking to repeat again. LeBron James carried the Heat to the title last season without a doubt his 45 point performance in Game 6 vs the Celtics to eventually win the series and his guarding of Kevin Durant in Games 2, 3, 4 and 5, completely shutting him down to secure his first NBA title.  My question is what Dwyane Wade will show up? The lackluster one from last season or the one from the 2011 season? If the Wade we are used to is back it could make the Heat dangerous, tough to beat.
2. New York Knicks
Notes: They lost Jeremy Lin to the Houston Rockets, but gained back Raymond Felton and added a veteran hall of fame point guard in Jason Kidd.  Also gained a very good defensive guard in Ronnie Brewer (compliments a pretty good defensive guard in Shumpert by the way) in free agency along with Center Marcus Camby to backup Tyson Chandler. The Knicks even brought back Rasheed Wallace out of retirement, not to mention Kurt Thomas as well. That's the main reason I can see the Knicks finishing 2nd in the East because of their depth with Felton, Smith, Melo, Amare, Chandler, Kidd, Brewer, Novak, Shumpert, Thomas, Wallace.  Might be the deepest team in the league beside the Heat and I don't think that 18-7 finish under Coach Mike Woodson. Not to mention last time Carmelo Anthony came off as an Olympic gold medal winner, he went to the Comference Finals, don't think this time will be any different. My only question is can STAT stay healthy? He's already out for the first six weeks of the season, his health will determine how far they go in the playoffs.
3. Indiana Pacers
Notes: With Bulls Derrick Rose out for a long time the Indiana Pacers are determined to take over the  Central Division. Coming off a 6 game series against the Heat last season, one that was nearly won by the Pacers, George Hill, Danny Granger, Paul George, David West and Roy Hibbert will be looking to do damage again this season along with new additions DJ Augustin and draft pick Lance Stephenson.
4. Boston Celtics
Notes: The Cs may have lost Ray Allen but gained Jason Terry and Leandro Barbosa not the mention the return of Jeff Green could make a huge impact as well.  Rajon Rondo is clearly one of the best point guards in the league and would be the best if he had a better jump shot, however he can disappear vs any team real fast straight to the hole. Rondo is the main reason to keep aging veteran players such as Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce production going.  With Rondo, Terry, the return of a really good defensive guard in Avery Bradley, Pierce, Bass, Garnett, Barbosa, Daniels, Green and draft picks Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, the Boston Celtics are ready to prove once again they are not dead yet.
5. Chicago Bulls
Notes: Even without Derrick Rose the Chicago Bulls are still a really good defensive team, good enough to be 5th in the East.  As they proved last year late in the season, they can still win enough games to be a good team without D-Rose as far as making a run in the postseason? Probably not.  However it might be best for Rose to sit the year out so he won't end up having to get several knee surgeries like the once great player T-Mac.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
Notes: The Sixers may have lost Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets and Lou Williams to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason but with the addition of Center Andrew Bynum, Philly has plenty of size upfront along with Spencer Hawes, Thaddeus Young and Maloy Allen.  Besides that they also have a budding point guard in Jrue Holiday who just signed a 4 year, 41 million dollar contract.  Sixers will always be a threat in the East now with coach Doug Collins at the helm, he knows what it takes to get that team to play tough defense and the addition of possibly the second best center in Bynum shall help, not hurt.



7. Atlanta Hawks
Notes: This offseason the Hawks were able to get rid of shooting guard Joe Johnson's big contract to Brooklyn and were also able to get rid of bust Marvin Williams.  With that being said I believe they improved over this offseason especially since they still have a solid 4 and 5 in Josh Smith and Al Horford.  They also have a young and upcoming point guard in Jeff Teague who is quietly making strides each season.  Also added a few guards that can score off the bench like Devin Harris from the Brooklyn Nets and Lou Williams who is a great sixth man from the Sixers. Under coach Larry Drew, don't count out Atlanta, they will be sticking around.
8. Detroit Pistons
Notes: Yes I know this is a bold pick and sounds like a homer pick of mine to pick my Pistons to sneak into the postseason.  However I feel their finish of 21-21 in the second half of the season was no joke under coach Lawrence Frank.  Strides were made last season as the first half the Pistons were allowing over 100 points against an opponent, second half of the season? Under 95. With center Greg Monroe who averaged a double-double last season, bigger strides are expected to be made for him this season.  Second year point guard Brandon Knight ought to be due for a breakout season has he has gotten bigger and faster over the summer.  Draft pick Andre Drummond has looked spectacular in the pre-season if he can translate that into the season Detroit might be looking at a possible budding big 3 in Knight, Monroe and Drummond.  Drummond isn't the only draft pick that could contribute now, there is also second round pick Kim English and 2011 second round draft pick Kyle Singler who could make an impact as well. I see 41-41 as a true possibility this season due to their finish last season, it might not be long now before the Pistons are good again.
9. Brooklyn Nets
Notes: How about this for a shocker? The Brooklyn Nets all of a sudden a favorite by media and some experts since the move to Brooklyn and the move for shooting guard Joe Johnson will miss the postseason.  One reason I say this is even though Deron Williams is clearly one of the best point
guards in the NBA as shown from last season, just his play won't be enough to make the playoffs, he will need help.  Some of this help will have to come from his frontline Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez, the question here is can Lopez stay healthy? If he can they have a chance, his play is very key to their success.  Second year guard Marshon Brooks also seems promising, but another reason I feel the Nets will miss the playoffs, they were all hung up on trying to get Dwight Howard but settled for Joe Johnson instead.  I feel Johnson is the most overrated and clearly most overpaid player in the league, I say this because he takes bad shots and shows no aggressiveness towards the basket. If Williams and Johnson are to be the best backcourt in the league that will most definitely have to
change.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Notes: Fourth year point guard Brandon Jennings has failed to make the postseason since his rookie season, granted it didn't help when his then center Andrew Bogut was hurt for many games.  Bogut last season was traded to Golden State for guard Monta Ellis, Jennings and Ellis together seemed promising dynamic and it was.  However even though Milwaukee competed with New York and Philadelphia for a final spot, they had faltered in the end, just missing the postseason.  Despite the possibilities of Jennings and Ellis's dynamic scoring, their lack of defense together is a major concern.
11. Cleveland Cavaliers
Notes: Last year's rookie of the year Kyrie Irving may continue to make strides, possibly into becoming a top ten point guard in the league this year.  Second year forward Tristian Thompson seems promising and rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters to compliment Irving seems like a recipe for success. Cleveland is definitely on the rise.
12. Toronto Raptors
Notes: Toronto may be another team on the rise, they went 7-1 in the preseason and with Jose Calderon, DeMar Derozan, Landry Fields from the Knicks, Andrea Bargnani, Ed Davis and draft pick Jonas Valencunias they seem like a very promising team for the future.
13. Washington Wizards


Notes: There might be a promising backcourt in John Wall and Bradley Beal along with Nene to help on the front line that's about it though.
14. Charlotte Bobcats
Notes: With GM Michael Jordan finally making the right pick in forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, it will pay off, they won't be the worst team in the league this season. Even though Kemba Walker and Ben Gordon are essentially the same player. My question for this team is can center Bismack Biyombo make strides this season into being a decent center?
15. Orlando Magic
Notes:

MLB Playoff Predictions

MLB Playoffs:

NL Wild Card:

St. Louis over Atlanta

AL Wild Card:

Texas over Baltimore

NLDS:

Washington over St. Louis in 5

San Francisco over Cincinnati in 4

ALDS: 

Detroit over Oakland in 5

New York over Texas in 5

NLCS:

San Francisco over Washington in 5

Detroit over New York in 6

World Series:

Detroit over San Francisco in 5

Thoughts: Unbelievable, to think there was actually one point in the season when the Sox were 3 games ahead of my Tigers with 16 games left that I thought we wouldn't catch up and now here I am actually picking my team to win it all.  You know what they say, once you get yourself in the postseason, anything can happen, I believe if our Tigers pull it off, it will be one of those teams with the lowest victory totals to win it since the 2006 Cardinals.  Speaking of the 2006 Cardinals, I was tempted to pick them to face our Tigers again with a different result however. Many intriguing potential pitching matchups to think of this postseason, Verlander vs. Sabathia, Strasburg vs Carpenter, Lincecum vs. Strasburg, Verlander vs. Lincecum, etc. I don't think there has been any two hotter teams in baseball than our Tigers and the Yankees, both 12-4 in their last 16.

Overall, I believe the way our pitching has looked lately could carry us all the way, this potential    Tigers-Yankees ALCS matchup very well could determine the winner of this year's World Series champion. If intangibles are an indication then you can count on our Tigers who have just owned the Yankees lately, recently in last season's ALDS winning in 5 and in 2006 winning in 4.