I'm Going To Write About Sports - Why? - Because I Have A Penis - That's Why!

Do you believe in the Madden Curse? Electronic Arts executives announced Seattle Seahawks Running Back Shaun Alexander would be on the cover of the 2007 version of the Madden Franchise. It was recently announced that Alexander would be out indefinitely with a broken foot. Now it turns out that it will be approximately two to three weeks before Alexander can return to the team.

Detroit Lions Running Back Barry Sanders - Sanders appears on the 2000 edition of the Madden Franchise. Known as one of the best running backs in NFL history, Barry Sanders abruptly retired one week before training camp started for the season. At the height of his career, Sanders retired just 1,500 yards short of becoming the NFL's All-Time Leader in Rushing Yards.

Tennessee Titans Running Back Eddie George - George appears on the 2001 edition of the Madden Franchise. The previous year, George led his team to the Super Bowl. George had a career season that year, however, he bobbled a pass in the playoffs that year, which led to a turnover, which was returned for a touchdown, which cost the Titans the game. The following season, his rushing average sank to an all-time low.

Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Daunte Culpepper - Culpepper appears on the 2002 edition of the Madden Franchise. The previous year he had led his team to the NFC championship game. The year he was on the cover, the Vikings struggled to a 4-7 record, until Culpepper was shelved with a season-ending knee injury.

St. Louis Rams Running Back Marshall Faulk - Faulk appears on the 2003 edition of the Madden Franchise. Faulk led the St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls in the three previous years, and had more than 1,300 yards rushing in each of those seasons, before appearing on the cover of the Madden football game. The year Faulk was on the cover, he suffered an ankle injury, dropped to under 1,000 yards rushing, and had a bad season overall. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career.

Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick - Vick appears on the 2004 edition of the Madden Franchise. Vick fractured his right fibula in a preseason game ONE DAY after the game hit store shelves. Vick played in only 5 regular season games, finishing with only 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs, finishing the season with 5 wins and 11 losses, a stark contrast on the team's 9-6-1 record the season prior.

Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis - Lewis appears on the 2005 edition of the Madden Franchise. Lewis suffered 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. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season, after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the following year, Ray Lewis' season was ended by a torn hamstring.

Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb - McNabb appears on the 2006 edition of the Madden Franchise. In the first game of the regular season, McNabb took a hit to the chest from the helmet of Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Chad Lavalais. After the game, it was revealed that McNabb had a 'sports hernia' that needed surgery. Refusing to have the required season-ending surgery while the Eagles (who had made the Super Bowl the previous season) still had a chance to make the playoffs, McNabb played in discomfort and pain throughout the season. On November 21, 2005, McNabb, on the advice of his doctors, opted to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia; the Eagles had been eliminated from playoff contention and finished the year with a 6-10 record.

Madden is on the cover of the Hall of Fame edition of the game this year. Will he make it through the 2006-2007 season? We're going to have to wait and see.