9 finalist for madden cover..

[carpanfan96]

Fitz or Peterson. Beware of the curse.

[goodlay]

Manning would have been on it by now, so it's not him. It's gotta be Big Ben or Fitz, seeing Ben has already won 2 super bowls, and Fitz is coming off a record breaking playoff run.

[rayzor]

i'm hoping for fitz, ware, or jacobs in that order.....and i do believe in the curse.

[outlaw4]

i'm hoping for fitz, ware, or jacobs in that order.....and i do believe in the curse.

I wouldn't necessarily call it a curse...

2002 - Daunte Culpepper: Today's equivalent would be going for Matt Ryan for having a great rookie season. It's like with stocks, past returns doesn't guarantee future returns.

2003 - Marshall Faulk - Placed on the cover when he had at least 6+ seasons under his belts. Even the great backs start seeing diminishing returns at that point of their careers.

2004 - Michael Vick - Similar to Culpepper's scenario, picking someone with early success. And to think that broken leg was only the beginning...

2005 - Ray Lewis - Had a good year but had a season-ending injury the year after. Don't think that counts, though...

2006 - Donovan McNabb - Sports hernia, oops

2007 - Shaun Alexander - Production tanked after he was on the cover and never came back...

2008 - Vince Young - Another example of picking some young phenom and having it backfire

2009 - Brett Favre - Madden's favorite man, way too old and wearing the wrong colors. Oh my.

So there you go. The problem is that the people responsible for choosing the poster boy pick:

1. Someone young player who came into the league, had one great season, got placed on the cover, and then came crashing back down.

or...

2. Someone with many years in the league who just turned in one of their best seasons ever. Problem is that at what cost? Most likely an injury or simply the effects of old age the season after.

[panthersphan]

It's either going to be Fitzgerald or Polamalu...

But Cassel?? That's just stupid. Honestly, if he gets it he's fvcked....

Kind of surprised it's not Matt Ryan instead of Cassel

[rayzor]

I wouldn't necessarily call it a curse...

2002 - Daunte Culpepper: Today's equivalent would be going for Matt Ryan for having a great rookie season. It's like with stocks, past returns doesn't guarantee future returns.

2003 - Marshall Faulk - Placed on the cover when he had at least 6+ seasons under his belts. Even the great backs start seeing diminishing returns at that point of their careers.

2004 - Michael Vick - Similar to Culpepper's scenario, picking someone with early success. And to think that broken leg was only the beginning...

2005 - Ray Lewis - Had a good year but had a season-ending injury the year after. Don't think that counts, though...

2006 - Donovan McNabb - Sports hernia, oops

2007 - Shaun Alexander - Production tanked after he was on the cover and never came back...

2008 - Vince Young - Another example of picking some young phenom and having it backfire

2009 - Brett Favre - Madden's favorite man, way too old and wearing the wrong colors. Oh my.

So there you go. The problem is that the people responsible for choosing the poster boy pick:

1. Someone young player who came into the league, had one great season, got placed on the cover, and then came crashing back down.

or...

2. Someone with many years in the league who just turned in one of their best seasons ever. Problem is that at what cost? Most likely an injury or simply the effects of old age the season after.

HERETIC!!!!!!

the curse is real.

fear it.

[Wolfcop]

Peterson or Fitzgerald, in that order.

ditto

[John Fox]

Why can't it be John Madden, being he retired and was the only one to make it out of the curse (he was on it from 1989-2000, he should be dead by now)

[Brandon]

Why can't it be John Madden, being he retired and was the only one to make it out of the curse (he was on it from 1989-2000, he should be dead by now)

Either that or seeing a retired player on it wouldn't be too bad. I know the curse seems a bit far fetched to some but it's been all to real for many players.

[PanthersFanInGA]

I don't believe in the curse but I would like to see TP, Peyton Manning, or Big Ben make the cover.

[Jangler]

Why can't it be John Madden, being he retired and was the only one to make it out of the curse (he was on it from 1989-2000, he should be dead by now)

That's what I was thinking, have a throw back cover with the man on it himself...

[Nu Guns]

Madden on the cover

[Doc Holiday]

do you have a link to that..lol i would like to read that..lol

I don't know if you can find it on the web, it was in a Issue of EGM "Electronic Gaming Monthly" that was talking about Video game curses and some other stuff. it also mentioned that Brett Favre also refused to do it until he retired that's why you never saw him on the cover until last year.

the Mag went under last year and that's why I don't think you'll be able to find it.

[mr beauxjangles]

My guess at probability:

Fitzgerald: 55%

Polamalu: 35%

AP: 5%

Big Ben: 5%

I think it's a lock that it'll be either Fitz or Polamalu.