Vince Young

[Some Guy 0]

OK, this guy is ranked #4 QB here after a nice run at the end of last season. Looking at ADP right now, he looks to be a great value. It really does not look like he has a lot of help around him unless some of the young WR's step up, plus I believe he is on the cover of Madden. Is anyone else here staying away from this guy? Thoughts? Does the curse end here with Vince?

[nlgb1 0]

im stayin away...he cant produce numbers all on his own. no help at WR or in the running game and a defense that isnt likely to produce turnovers or give him good field position. that being said, hell most likely produce numbers worthy of a backup on your roster....which is an accomplishment in and of itself.

 

and how often has the madden curse failed? good luck vince...

[GobbleDog 914]

Vince Young is Mike Vick with less experience. I think his ADP is little high.

[lowman 4]

I will, like always, be the last one to draft a Qb and VYoung will be one of the Qbs I will be taergeting.

[djrockstar 0]

As a Trojan, I of course, hate Vince Young. This is why he will be awesome this year and will surely break - nay - destroy the Madden curse. I know this to be true because Vince Young himself told me so via his telepathic capabilities when he ran into the corner of the endzone with :19 left in the Rose Bowl and looked me right in the eyes as I stood in disbelief and horror and in a pool of my own tears and urine.

[mobb_deep 919]

Vince Young is Mike Vick with less experience. I think his ADP is little high.

 

I guess it all comes down to how many TD's you think he'll run in. If you've penciled him in for 1000 and 10 on the ground he'll easily be a top 5 FF QB. Even if he only throws for 2500 and 12, the rushing numbers would put him right up there with the 4200 and 26 QB's.

 

People are always quick to bash Vick but he was the #3 FF QB in basic 6 point rush/pass TD leagues last year. Sure he can be a bit inconsistent, but he always finishes top 10, and is a draft day steal year after year.

 

player/2006 ff points

 

Peyton Manning = 372.48

Drew Brees = 314.92

Michael Vick = 306.96

Marc Bulger = 303.44

Carson Palmer = 300.10

Tom Brady = 271.36

Jon Kitna = 268.92

Philip Rivers = 254.42

Donovan McNabb = 239.08

Eli Manning = 237.86

Brett Favre = 231.30

Vince Young = 230.16

[GRAPHIC VIOLENCE 0]

The Madden curse is the only thing holding me back on Young. I heard plenty of experts saying that Vince won't produce this season because he 1)Lost his top receivers from last season, 2)Travis Henry is gone and 3)The Titans defense is going to be horrible.

 

1)He lost what? Drew Bennett is not an all-pro and I think somebody can fill those shoes without too much effort.

 

2)Henry had a solid year but how much did the threat of VY taking off help in that department. So what if Young is the best running back on the team? How does that hurt him from a fantasy standpoint?

 

3)Yes the Titans defense is going to be bad and they will be behind in almost every game. I don't see how this can hurt his fantasy value. He's going to be put in a position that he's going to have to make something happen himself. As far as the Titans record it will be bad but Youngs fantasy numbers will be good.

 

The Madden Curse is the one thing that scares me from taking him but I always wait on QBs so I would be willing to gamble on him. I'll just look for a safe steady backup.

[chidoy 0]

No way I'm touching him this year. As stated already, Madden cover. Nuff said for me. No need for any rebuttal.

[Parja 0]

Vince Young is Mike Vick with less experience.

 

And the mental capacity to know you don't have to rocket a ball at full speed to a guy in the flats.

And 5 inches taller and 13 pounds heavier.

And minus the negative press.

 

But yeah, pretty much the same.

[Dr. Octopus 0]

Vince Young is Mike Vick with less experience. I think his ADP is little high.

 

Young looked better passing the ball during his rookie season than Vick has at any point during his entire career. I was a Young doubter prior to last season, but after watching him play, I'm quite impressed. He accomplished more than most rookie QBs and that experience is only going to make him better.

 

Why is everyone so concerned that he lost his top 2 WRs? It wasn't like they were all that good. In fact Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade wouldn't be sniffing the starting line-up on most teams. Brandon Jones was looking like his go to guy down the stretch anyway and the collection of WRs are just as good/bad as they were last season. Also Ben Troupe should be recovered, and its very possible Justin McCareins will be back in Tennessee. McCareins is also nothing special but is comparable to Bennett and Wade.

 

I have him penciled in for 3,075 yards passing 16 TDs, 485 yards rushing and 6 TDs on the ground which makes me rank him as the 8th QB under my scoring. These numbers might even be a little conservative.

 

As far as the Madden curse: Don't people think people who play fantasy football are dorky enough without making up a video game curse?

[nlgb1 0]

As far as the Madden curse: Don't people think people who play fantasy football are dorky enough without making up a video game curse?

....don't try to tell me it doesnt exist. works every year without fail.

[Belushi 9]

I don't think Young lasts the season, and not just because of the Madden curse. His WR's are all crap, so he'll be scrambling allot more to avoid pressure and to make plays. He doesn't have a solid running game at this time, so again I think he'll be running even more. All that running means getting hit more times, increasing the chance for injury. I just don't see the talent around this guy to make him a top 5 QB.

 

You can talk about last year's stats all you want, but the talent around him as taken a serious nose-dive so those stats don't mean allot.

[jgcrawfish 232]

Two words:

 

MADDEN CURSE

 

'nuff said...

[gatorbait7391 0]

I guess it all comes down to how many TD's you think he'll run in. If you've penciled him in for 1000 and 10 on the ground he'll easily be a top 5 FF QB.

 

[Gepetto 1,180]

People believing in a Madden Curse =

[GobbleDog 914]

I have him penciled in for 3,075 yards passing 16 TDs, 485 yards rushing and 6 TDs on the ground which makes me rank him as the 8th QB under my scoring. These numbers might even be a little conservative.

3,000+ passing yards seems high to me. IMO, the closest comparison to Young is Vick. And Vick has never reached 3,000 passing yards. And as much as Vick runs, only twice out of his 6 seasons has he had 6+ rushing TDs. The rest of the time he had 3 TDs or less.

 

Young is not Vick, but I think that's an indication of how Young's stats will look. 2,600 passing yards, 15 TDs, 700 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs.... minus intereceptions and fumbles (21 turnovers last season). Let's face it, Tennessee isn't a great team to begin with. Young has his work cut out for him.

[Dr. Octopus 0]

3,000+ passing yards seems high to me. IMO, the closest comparison to Young is Vick. And Vick has never reached 3,000 passing yards. And as much as Vick runs, only twice out of his 6 seasons has he had 6+ rushing TDs. The rest of the time he had 3 TDs or less.

 

Young is not Vick, but I think that's an indication of how Young's stats will look. 2,600 passing yards, 15 TDs, 700 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs.... minus intereceptions and fumbles (21 turnovers last season). Let's face it, Tennessee isn't a great team to begin with. Young has his work cut out for him.

 

 

What Michael Vick has done has abosultely nothing to do with Vince Young, I'm not sure why you even bring him up other than the fact that they are both black and can run.

 

Vik is much faster than Young, but much smaller. Young was a rookie last season yet still showed poise, decision making and touch on his passes that Vick has never even sniffed. I don't care how many yards Vick has ever thrown for when discussing Young, just like I don't care how many yards Billy Volek has ever thrown for when discussing Vince Young. The Titans WRs are not as bad as people think and having a threat like Young to take away the defenses focus will only make thme seem even better.

 

Young ran for 7 TDs last year in 13 starts so I'm not sure whay he can't run for 6 this season, (despite what Vick has done ).

[GobbleDog 914]

What Michael Vick has done has abosultely nothing to do with Vince Young, I'm not sure why you even bring him up other than the fact that they are both black and can run.

 

 

They're both run oriented QBs.

[z00g 0]

....don't try to tell me it doesnt exist. works every year without fail.

 

Yeah. I'm not really a believer in the Madden curse, but remember last year guys? SA #3! Don't worry! The curse is just a silly thing! SA is a stud! Take him at 3!

 

[49ER MAN 0]

People believing in a Madden Curse =

 

It happens year in and year out and not just for a year or 2.

[Dr. Octopus 0]

They're both run oriented QBs.

 

Steve Young, Steve McNair, Rich Gannon, Brett Favre (early years), Fran Tarkenton, Donovan McNabb, Randall Cunningham, etc. were all QBs that could run and often did when the situation warranted it. No one would confuse any of these guys with Michal Vick. Just because a QB can run successfully does not mean that they don't have ability to put up passing numbers.

 

Young looked very good as a rookie in both aspects. Vick except for a few occasional big passing days has never looked good passing the ball and certainly hasn't done it consistently yet.

 

I think your comparison is lazy and a real stretch.

[GobbleDog 914]

Just because a QB can run successfully does not mean that they don't have ability to put up passing numbers.

 

It might not mean they don't have the ability, but a lot of rushing attempts can cut into passing stats. Last year Young started 13 games and had 78 rushing attempts during those games. If you project that out 16 games, he would have had 96 rushing attempts.

 

By comparison, the most rushing attempts McNabb has ever had in his career was 86 and he only had 3,300 passing yards that year. Vick usually averages about 110 rushing attempts and he's never broken 3,000 yards.

 

Since Young has been so sucessful running the ball, I expect 100+ rushing attempts this season which will almost certainly keep him from breaking 3,000 passing yards.

 

[HawgWild 0]

I will stay away from him.. Not sold on him yet and as stated earlier his supporting cast leaves little to be desired.. I am not sure he is even in my top 10 QB's (maybe he comes in at 10)

[mozzy84 0]

Steve Young, Steve McNair, Rich Gannon, Brett Favre (early years), Fran Tarkenton, Donovan McNabb, Randall Cunningham, etc. were all QBs that could run and often did when the situation warranted it. No one would confuse any of these guys with Michal Vick. Just because a QB can run successfully does not mean that they don't have ability to put up passing numbers.

 

Young looked very good as a rookie in both aspects. Vick except for a few occasional big passing days has never looked good passing the ball and certainly hasn't done it consistently yet.

 

I think your comparison is lazy and a real stretch.

You and I must see different things, I didnt think his passing looked all that great or even good last year. Right around 50% comp %, 12 tds and 13 ints. I know he should get better this year, but all the stars will have to align for him to come close to averaging 200 yards passing a game next year like you suggested. I would like him alot more if Henry and bennet (the guy runs great routes and can catch anything thrown his way) were still around to help him out, he has nothing at the moment.

[Wildman 0]

I'm doing a 4-part series on projecting stats. I think anyone forecasting 1000 yards and 10 scores for a QB might want to check out the historical data I'm providing for each position. This will give you a chance to see how "off the chart" such a projection would be...

 

You might be right, but the odds are against it to a huge degree...

 

I'm not convinced Young will be a top 5 QB this year, but I agree he's a much more promising passer than Vick. They are not close to one and the same. Vince Young is more a combo of McNabb-Cunningham-McNair than Vick.

 

The fact defenses will game plan him with more tape at their disposal concerns me. I'm also concerned about the consistency of the Titans running game and the lack of solid receivers. Of course, Drew Bledsoe had some good years before Terry Glenn and with so-so receivers starting for him.

[GobbleDog 914]

I didnt think his passing looked all that great or even good last year. Right around 50% comp %, 12 tds and 13 ints.

Good point. Interesting that out of all the QBs last year who started 5 or more games last year, Vince Young finished dead last in completion percentage at 51.5%.

[t.j 35]

Two words:

 

MADDEN CURSE

 

'nuff said...

 

 

Good point. Interesting that out of all the QBs last year who started 5 or more games last year, Vince Young finished dead last in completion percentage at 51.5%.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Eli Manning only completed 48% of his passes as a rookie, and only 52% as a second year player. (He completed 58% in his third year.)

 

How much Vince can improve is the key. I like his coaching staff, I think he can learn to play the game the right way, so I like his chances to complete about 55% of his passes this year. Still below-average, but he is good for about 3 rushing first downs per game to help keep the chains moving. Also his yards per completion was fairly high (12 ypc which ranks 9th out of 30 QBs with 250 or more attempts).

[onejayhawk 3]

I am already stuck with the guy,

 

Autodraft league. Nuff said.

 

At least I got 2 good RBs, 2 solid WRs and Kellen Winslow first

 

J

[IGotWorms 3,890]

Vince Young is not Michael Vick.

 

For one thing, Young actually can put a little touch on the ball.

 

Also, Young is more durable.

 

More importantly, Vince Young is a proven winner with intangibles. I know that might not convert directly to FF production, but I believe that it does indirectly through good karma.

 

Speaking of karma, Young is much less likely to end up in prison.

 

 

I wouldn't draft Young early because I wouldn't draft any QB early, but he could be a steal in later rounds

[z00g 0]

Vince Young is not Michael Vick.

 

For one thing, Young actually can put a little touch on the ball.

 

Also, Young is more durable.

 

More importantly, Vince Young is a proven winner with intangibles. I know that might not convert directly to FF production, but I believe that it does indirectly through good karma.

 

Speaking of karma, Young is much less likely to end up in prison.

I wouldn't draft Young early because I wouldn't draft any QB early, but he could be a steal in later rounds

 

Agree.

 

But on the durability, I have to say Vince is more likely to end up with a season-ending injury by week 5.

[jocstrap 8]

Here's a thought. As noted, his wr's are the worst of the worst. That being said, I see the safeties and cornerbacks taking a peek a Young every play b/c of the lack of respect to Jones, Givens, Gage, and the rookies. That right there is the problem. Young will find a way to break tackles ala Mcnaab of the yester years and Vick, and find his craptastic WR wide open b/c of no respect. He flat out makes plays happen. I went to OU and fluckin' hate Texas. What Young did last year was awesome. I watched all the games (b/c that's what we get here in northern 'bama) and he earned my respect.

 

Projections

3100 passing yards 14 td's

650/700 rushing yards 5 td's

 

That's a #2 backup Qb for me. No way a #1 though.

[dats007 1]

 

It wasn't like they were all that good. In fact Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade wouldn't be sniffing the starting line-up on most teams.

 

 

Atlanta

Baltimore

Buffalo

Chicago

Cleveland

Houston

Jacksonville

Kansas City

Miami

Minnesota

Oakland

Philadelphia

San Diego

San Francisco

Tampa Bay

&

Tennessee

 

would probaly all like to have Drew Bennett come into camp this July. He'll be starting in no time in St. Louis and before long will be a top performer in countless leagues.

[yanivsme 0]

Atlanta

Baltimore

Buffalo

Chicago

Cleveland

Houston

Jacksonville

Kansas City

Miami

Minnesota

Oakland

Philadelphia

San Diego

San Francisco

Tampa Bay

&

Tennessee

 

would probaly all like to have Drew Bennett come into camp this July. He'll be starting in no time in St. Louis and before long will be a top performer in countless leagues.

 

Bennet is great as a #2. The year mason was #1 an dvolek was throwin, bennet shined but then the year after, mason departed, it seemed like bennet didnt get any love as a #1 from mcnair. I wonder why, maybe because his big year was a fluke or mcnair didint like him, either way, i didnt see him shine with young either so, I think not that much better or worse without bennet...

shhhhhhhhhhh.......Bennet huge sleeper as #2 for the rams

 

The sharmutas

aka the hebrew hammer

[davidbostonisgood 2]

My take on Young vs Vick:

 

 

similarities---they both have the ability to gain big chunks of yardage on the ground.

 

differences----

 

Young just has the IT factor. I'm not a huge fan of his, but he seems to be very savvy for how young he is. He seems to have great composure, something that instills confidence to those who surround him, which I believe is a very important thing for a quarterback to have if the team is going to be successful.

 

Vick is has unbelievable athleticism. But he's missing something. He's great in a video game, or even in a 7-on-7 flag football game, but his game management skills, leadership ability, drive and determination to win at all costs?

 

As a teammate, who would you quicker sacrifice your body for: someone like Vince Young, Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Brett Favre OR Mike Vick?

[Some Guy 0]

It happens year in and year out and not just for a year or 2.

Actually, the Madden Curse has yet to fail!!!

 

Madden Curse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Madden curse)

Jump to: navigation, search

The Madden Curse, also known as the Madden Cover Curse, is a myth involving the video game series Madden NFL, stating that the season a player appears on the cover, that player will be cursed with either an injury or poor performance.

 

Before 1998, the cover included only an image of John Madden. Players who have appeared on the cover in subsequent years have generally failed to reproduce their success of the previous years, for a variety of reasons. Marshall Faulk, Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, and Shaun Alexander all have suffered injuries in their season appearing on the cover. These performances and injuries resulted in speculation of a curse. The "Madden Curse" has evolved into a much-reported phenomenon, with several news and sports media outlets referring to it as a phenomenon on par with the fabled Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx.

 

In total, the 10 cover players since 1999 had a total of 39 Pro Bowl appearances prior to their Madden cover appearances, compared with just 4 Pro Bowl appearances afterward.

 

 

 

A little more light reading on the Madden Curse:

 

[edit] Alleged victims

 

[edit] Garrison Hearst (1999)

Garrison Hearst was the first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, appearing on Madden NFL 99. Hearst's 1998 season was the best of his career, rushing for 1,570 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs and a wild card win over the Green Bay Packers, but on the first play of the divisional game versus the Atlanta Falcons, he suffered a bad ankle break and his team would go on to lose the game.

 

(It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Madden NFL '99 cover, one with Hearst and the more-common one with John Madden.)

 

 

[edit] Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens (2000)

Barry Sanders shared the cover with the then-customary picture of John Madden on Madden NFL 2000. However, a week before training camp began in 1999, Sanders abruptly retired - ending his career and leaving the Detroit Lions without their star running back of the previous 10 years. Sanders' part in the curse is debated because he is not pictured alone on the box, and he had willingly retired. Dorsey Levens was featured on the 2000 cover that was released in PAL regions. After rushing for 1,034 yards in 1999, he gained only 224 yards from scrimmage in 2000. Ultimately, Levens was cut by the Green Bay Packers after the 2001 season. Levens managed to hang on for three more seasons of journeyman work with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Levens retired as a Packer after the 2004 season.

 

 

[edit] Eddie George (2001)

Eddie George, then of the Tennessee Titans, who graced the Madden NFL 2001 box, is often said to be the next 'cursed' player, even though in the year he was on the cover, he had career highs in yardage and touchdowns. Curse advocates point to the 2001 season following his appearance on the cover, during which he averaged only 3 yards per carry and rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns due to a nagging toe injury that bothered him the entire season. For the rest of his career, he never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry.

 

George's curse can be argued to have started the year he was on the cover because in 2001 AFC Championship game George had a costly fumble that lost the game for Tennessee. He also fumbled 7 times during the 2000 regular season, losing a career high 4 fumbles.

 

 

[edit] Daunte Culpepper (2002)

Former Minnesota Vikings star quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the Madden NFL 2002 cover after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 470 yards and 7 more scores in the 2000 season. However, Culpepper struggled with turnovers in the first 11 games of the 2001 season, throwing 13 interceptions and only 14 touchdown passes. A knee injury ended his season in the 11th game. Culpepper followed 2001 with two average seasons before a stellar reemergence in 2004. However, the following season, Culpepper struggled as the Vikings posted a 2-5 record to start the 2005 season. In the seventh game, Culpepper was carted off after suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury. He would later be traded to the Miami Dolphins. Culpepper started the 2006 season as the Dolphins' starting quarterback but his mobility was limited and he was benched after 4 subpar games. He recently went under the knife for a second surgery and his return to the Dolphins is questionable.

 

 

[edit] Marshall Faulk (2003)

Running back Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who was on the Madden NFL 2003 box, suffered an ankle injury, missing five games. He did amass nearly 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns in limited time in 2002; however, it was a steep decline from his 2,000 yard and 21 touchdown campaign of 2001. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career.

 

 

[edit] Michael Vick (2004)

Five days after Madden NFL 2004 was released featuring Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on the cover, Vick was injured during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, suffering a fractured right fibula. Vick played in only the last 5 regular season games, finishing with just 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs and were already out of contention by the time Vick returned from his injury. The Falcons finished the season with a record of 5-11, a drop from their 9-6-1 record the season prior.

 

 

[edit] Ray Lewis (2005)

Madden NFL 2005 featured Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover of a Madden game. He broke his wrist, an injury that kept him out of the last game of the regular season. It was also Lewis' first season without a single interception, after posting a career-high 6 the previous year - although admittedly, interceptions are a secondary statistic for linebackers. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season (2004), after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the 2005 season, Ray Lewis' season was ended by an injury.

 

 

[edit] Donovan McNabb (2006)

After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles' star quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden NFL 06. Throughout the 2005 season, McNabb had had a highly-publicized feud with his teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens. During the 2005 season, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Even though it needed surgery McNabb continued to play through the injury.[1] In the tenth game of the season, McNabb re-injured his groin when he threw an interception that was returned by Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, and subsequently decided to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia. It should also be noted that in the following season of 2006 -- Game 10 again (week 11) -- McNabb tore his ACL quite suddenly in a loss against the Titans (31-13), ending his season. He had gone into that game tied with Peyton Manning for the league lead with 18 touchdowns and was second in passing yards with 2,569. [2] [3]

 

 

[edit] Shaun Alexander (2007)

Alexander had one of the best statistical seasons ever in the 2005-2006 season, as he rushed for 1,880 yards and scored what was a record 28 total touchdowns. Alexander, who had missed one start in his previous 64 contests, sustained a broken foot after he was on the Madden 07 cover. He missed six starts and failed to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time since 2000.

[soopacee 0]

let me state a few things first....i am a titans fans, i am not a vince young fan(still wish they would have drafted leinart), i seen every titans game last year...down for down

 

 

vince young is not a good passer

 

 

now take into consideration he was a rookie, he might be more comfortable this year, and he does seem like a leader, great............but he makes horrible decisions, and forces the ball way too much

 

 

all i needed to see was that one "hook shot" pass into the end zone, and that play right there will make me never take him in fantasy football.....ever

[Dr. Octopus 0]

Atlanta

Baltimore

Buffalo

Chicago

Cleveland

Houston

Jacksonville

Kansas City

Miami

Minnesota

Oakland

Philadelphia

San Diego

San Francisco

Tampa Bay

&

Tennessee

 

would probaly all like to have Drew Bennett come into camp this July. He'll be starting in no time in St. Louis and before long will be a top performer in countless leagues.

 

Drew Bennett has made his reputation in fantasy circles based on a four game stretch against some piss poor defenses in shootouts. I'm not saying he has no talent, but bottom line he isn't any great shakes. He's a league average WR. Good slot guy, decent #2. I guarantee he will not be starting in no time in St. Louis unless there is an injury. He cannot carry Ike Bruce's jock, even at Bruce's age.

 

 

let me state a few things first....i am a titans fans, i am not a vince young fan(still wish they would have drafted leinart), i seen every titans game last year...down for down

vince young is not a good passer

now take into consideration he was a rookie, he might be more comfortable this year, and he does seem like a leader, great............but he makes horrible decisions, and forces the ball way too much

all i needed to see was that one "hook shot" pass into the end zone, and that play right there will make me never take him in fantasy football.....ever

 

 

Most rookie QBs struggle with passing, even the greats like Elway and Manning. He has good poise and the ability to let his receivers get open. His passing mechanics are not ideal but workable.

[The Moz 69]

#4 - WOW

 

If the scoring system is 3 points passing TD and 6 points rushing TD - maybe I can buy it though.

 

6 points all TD's I doubt he is that high - the top 6 are - Manning, Palmer, Brady, Bulger , Brees , McNabb -- After that maybe Young but its a real toss up.

[49ER MAN 0]

Actually, the Madden Curse has yet to fail!!!

 

Madden Curse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Madden curse)

Jump to: navigation, search

The Madden Curse, also known as the Madden Cover Curse, is a myth involving the video game series Madden NFL, stating that the season a player appears on the cover, that player will be cursed with either an injury or poor performance.

 

Before 1998, the cover included only an image of John Madden. Players who have appeared on the cover in subsequent years have generally failed to reproduce their success of the previous years, for a variety of reasons. Marshall Faulk, Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, and Shaun Alexander all have suffered injuries in their season appearing on the cover. These performances and injuries resulted in speculation of a curse. The "Madden Curse" has evolved into a much-reported phenomenon, with several news and sports media outlets referring to it as a phenomenon on par with the fabled Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx.

 

In total, the 10 cover players since 1999 had a total of 39 Pro Bowl appearances prior to their Madden cover appearances, compared with just 4 Pro Bowl appearances afterward.

A little more light reading on the Madden Curse:

 

[edit] Alleged victims

 

[edit] Garrison Hearst (1999)

Garrison Hearst was the first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, appearing on Madden NFL 99. Hearst's 1998 season was the best of his career, rushing for 1,570 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs and a wild card win over the Green Bay Packers, but on the first play of the divisional game versus the Atlanta Falcons, he suffered a bad ankle break and his team would go on to lose the game.

 

(It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Madden NFL '99 cover, one with Hearst and the more-common one with John Madden.)

[edit] Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens (2000)

Barry Sanders shared the cover with the then-customary picture of John Madden on Madden NFL 2000. However, a week before training camp began in 1999, Sanders abruptly retired - ending his career and leaving the Detroit Lions without their star running back of the previous 10 years. Sanders' part in the curse is debated because he is not pictured alone on the box, and he had willingly retired. Dorsey Levens was featured on the 2000 cover that was released in PAL regions. After rushing for 1,034 yards in 1999, he gained only 224 yards from scrimmage in 2000. Ultimately, Levens was cut by the Green Bay Packers after the 2001 season. Levens managed to hang on for three more seasons of journeyman work with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Levens retired as a Packer after the 2004 season.

[edit] Eddie George (2001)

Eddie George, then of the Tennessee Titans, who graced the Madden NFL 2001 box, is often said to be the next 'cursed' player, even though in the year he was on the cover, he had career highs in yardage and touchdowns. Curse advocates point to the 2001 season following his appearance on the cover, during which he averaged only 3 yards per carry and rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns due to a nagging toe injury that bothered him the entire season. For the rest of his career, he never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry.

 

George's curse can be argued to have started the year he was on the cover because in 2001 AFC Championship game George had a costly fumble that lost the game for Tennessee. He also fumbled 7 times during the 2000 regular season, losing a career high 4 fumbles.

[edit] Daunte Culpepper (2002)

Former Minnesota Vikings star quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the Madden NFL 2002 cover after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 470 yards and 7 more scores in the 2000 season. However, Culpepper struggled with turnovers in the first 11 games of the 2001 season, throwing 13 interceptions and only 14 touchdown passes. A knee injury ended his season in the 11th game. Culpepper followed 2001 with two average seasons before a stellar reemergence in 2004. However, the following season, Culpepper struggled as the Vikings posted a 2-5 record to start the 2005 season. In the seventh game, Culpepper was carted off after suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury. He would later be traded to the Miami Dolphins. Culpepper started the 2006 season as the Dolphins' starting quarterback but his mobility was limited and he was benched after 4 subpar games. He recently went under the knife for a second surgery and his return to the Dolphins is questionable.

[edit] Marshall Faulk (2003)

Running back Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who was on the Madden NFL 2003 box, suffered an ankle injury, missing five games. He did amass nearly 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns in limited time in 2002; however, it was a steep decline from his 2,000 yard and 21 touchdown campaign of 2001. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career.

[edit] Michael Vick (2004)

Five days after Madden NFL 2004 was released featuring Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on the cover, Vick was injured during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, suffering a fractured right fibula. Vick played in only the last 5 regular season games, finishing with just 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs and were already out of contention by the time Vick returned from his injury. The Falcons finished the season with a record of 5-11, a drop from their 9-6-1 record the season prior.

[edit] Ray Lewis (2005)

Madden NFL 2005 featured Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover of a Madden game. He broke his wrist, an injury that kept him out of the last game of the regular season. It was also Lewis' first season without a single interception, after posting a career-high 6 the previous year - although admittedly, interceptions are a secondary statistic for linebackers. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season (2004), after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the 2005 season, Ray Lewis' season was ended by an injury.

[edit] Donovan McNabb (2006)

After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles' star quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden NFL 06. Throughout the 2005 season, McNabb had had a highly-publicized feud with his teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens. During the 2005 season, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Even though it needed surgery McNabb continued to play through the injury.[1] In the tenth game of the season, McNabb re-injured his groin when he threw an interception that was returned by Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, and subsequently decided to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia. It should also be noted that in the following season of 2006 -- Game 10 again (week 11) -- McNabb tore his ACL quite suddenly in a loss against the Titans (31-13), ending his season. He had gone into that game tied with Peyton Manning for the league lead with 18 touchdowns and was second in passing yards with 2,569. [2] [3]

[edit] Shaun Alexander (2007)

Alexander had one of the best statistical seasons ever in the 2005-2006 season, as he rushed for 1,880 yards and scored what was a record 28 total touchdowns. Alexander, who had missed one start in his previous 64 contests, sustained a broken foot after he was on the Madden 07 cover. He missed six starts and failed to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time since 2000.

 

I totally agree with you that the Madden curse has been long standing. Gepetto was the one who doesn't believe in the Madden curse. You'd think at some point it would end..maybe it's this year, who knows.

[IGotWorms 3,890]

let me state a few things first....i am a titans fans, i am not a vince young fan(still wish they would have drafted leinart), i seen every titans game last year...down for down

vince young is not a good passer

now take into consideration he was a rookie, he might be more comfortable this year, and he does seem like a leader, great............but he makes horrible decisions, and forces the ball way too much

all i needed to see was that one "hook shot" pass into the end zone, and that play right there will make me never take him in fantasy football.....ever

 

 

Vince Young single-handedly made the Titans an 8 win team with an outside shot at the playoffs last season. Without his heroics in a number of games, they would have been lucky to win 4 games.

 

His completion percentage sucked, he threw more INTs than TDs, his QB rating sucked...but the guy is a WINNER. He will need to improve (he was a rookie after all), but if I were a Titans fan, I'd be damn happy to have him.