Madden Curse Broken?

by Poundtherock on Apr 10, 2009 12:39 PM PDT

The Madden curse has been with us for at least 8 years, and has a storied history. Like the SI cover jinx, it has its supporters and detractors, but there are some interesting psychology behind this "phenomina."

For those of you who don't know what the Madden curse is, it has infamously led the player who is featured on the cover of the video game "Madden Football" to either injury or a lackluster season.

I don't subscribe to thinking curses are real outside of God, "curses" have an interesting effect on the mind. Maybe the mind makes a self fulfilling prophecy for the mind to follow, or perhaps the fact that these players are generally put on the cover after Extremely good seasons, regression to the mean plays a part in the next season.

Either way, I would like your position on this subject, which I find extremely interesting.

Also, the link below tells that the Madden curse may be a thing of the past, as they are going to feature multiple players on the 2010 Madden cover. What do you think of this?

New Madden cover could feature multiple stars

P.S. My apologies if this has been discussed quite profusely.

Poll

Do you think that the Madden Curse (whether literally a curse, or just mentally shakes the player) has some merit to it?

Yes, litterally a curse.

45 votes

Yes, but only because the player makes it come true.

17 votes

Yes, because of the regression towards the mean.

14 votes

No, it is just a superstition.

30 votes

106 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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Comments

Lewis?

What happened to Ray Lewis? And here are Favre’s stats from last year:
2008 2007
comp: 343 comp: 356
attempt: 522 attempt: 535
comp %: 65.7 comp &: 66.5
yards:3,472 yards: 4155
td: 22 td: 28
int: 22 int: 15
QB rating: 81 QB rating: 95.7
sacked: 30 times sacked: 15 times

He did pretty good in 08 but that is with a team that I would say is worse. He definitely got sacked a lot more. And also at the end of the season he had a torn bicep.

by iaalexeeff on Apr 10, 2009 1:36 PM PDT reply actions

True

But it could be argued that 08 was one of Favre’s worst in his career, with his off season escapades, and all of the interesting discussion about him after his reinstatement, it just didnt feel much like Favre to me… I think last year is most definitely one to take off of his record, because I love Brett, he’s a great guy, and an even better football player/ entertainer. Just he was supposed to be retired when they put him on the cover (hence the GB jersey). It was a weird year for Madden, haha.

by Poundtherock on Apr 10, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Lewis

Wasn’t Ray Lewis hurt during a preseason game the year he was on the cover… and this

Joe and Steve were under the same system for years... don't expect Smith to be super so soon.

by bayboy on Apr 10, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Ravens didn’t make the playoffs that year..
Favre was actually playing with a torn bicep for like the last 4 or 5 games.. and the jets choked and failed to make the playoffs as well

http://www.49ersboard.blogspot.com

by supraman on Apr 10, 2009 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Favre was cursed

did you see his final stats over the last 9 games? Hilarious!

pathetic end to a decent career. I say decent because I hate Brett Favre.

by Andrew Davidson on Apr 10, 2009 3:32 PM PDT reply actions

One thing

P.S. My apologies if this has been discussed quite profusely.

This was actually a refreshing topic in my opinion. Not about our QB siutation, or Crabtree.

Plus, it gives me another chance to say I hate Brett Favre.

by Andrew Davidson on Apr 10, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

+1

"I'll be honest with you, I love his music, I do, I'm a Michael Bolton fan. For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when he sings "When a Man Loves a Woman"

by 49erLou on Apr 10, 2009 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Rec'd

[Site Decorum] Brett Favre… his bawls are never dry thanks to CBS and ESPN…

Blind devotion.

by ProfessorBigelow on Apr 13, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions

Favre sucked this passed year

I wish they’d extend voting so that when QB performance goes down we can make the right decision. Favre was horrific in the last 8 games yet he made the pro bowl. Horse crap.

Fans stuck in the 80's are lame. Respect the past, live in the now.

by maveric_87 on Apr 10, 2009 3:54 PM PDT reply actions

King ofMadden says

Favre, V Young, Alexander, McNabb, Ray Lewis, Vick, Faulk, Culpepper adn E George I think, but they all had an injury or didn’t make it to the playoffs or lost their job. I voted supersticion but it’s doing something!!

by rlott#42 on Apr 10, 2009 8:23 PM PDT reply actions

Madden 99

this game was released in 1998, and what to Garrisonin 98? think Atlanta Falcons, Divisional Playoffs and an ankle going snap. It’s a bad memory to bring up, but Hearst (I believe) was the first to done a cover of Madden.

by Andrew Davidson on Apr 11, 2009 6:45 AM PDT reply actions

Correct

Garrison was in fact the first to don the cover of Madden, he sustained a bad ankle injury on the first play, and did not play again till 2001. This may in fact have been the beginning of a terrible curse. But I would like to think it happened more towards the time of Eddie George being installed as the cover player. His rushing stats dived from 1500 to 900 while on the cover while only having 5 touchdowns and a nagging toe injury, all of this just adds on to the Madden Curse’ history.
But hey, why dont we bring Garrison back? haha, just a thought! IF we could indeed do so at the level he played before, how happy that would make me! haha, oh the hypothetical realm…

by Poundtherock on Apr 11, 2009 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions