<TABLE class=wikitable><TBODY><TR bgColor=#cccccc><TH>Year of Release</TH><TH>Madden Title</TH><TH>Cover Athlete</TH><TH>Alleged Curse</TH></TR><TR><TD>1998</TD><TD>1999</TD><TD>Garrison Hearst</TD><TD>Injured; while playing against the Falcons, twisted his ankle on very first play of scrimmage</TD></TR><TR><TD>1999</TD><TD>2000<SUP>(1)</SUP></TD><TD>Barry Sanders</TD><TD>Abruptly retired during training camp in 1999.</TD></TR><TR><TD>1999</TD><TD>2000<SUP>(2)</SUP></TD><TD>Dorsey Levens</TD><TD>Cut by the Packers in 2001 and finished his career as a journeyman player.</TD></TR><TR><TD>2000</TD><TD>2001</TD><TD>Eddie George</TD><TD>Key fumble vs. Ravens in playoffs; team lost in Divisional Playoff after losing Super Bowl XXXIV</TD></TR><TR><TD>2001</TD><TD>2002</TD><TD>Daunte Culpepper</TD><TD>Injured; missed 5 games in 2001; team missed playoffs after losing NFC Championship in 2000</TD></TR><TR><TD>2002</TD><TD>2003</TD><TD>Marshall Faulk</TD><TD>Injured; least productive season as a Ram up to that point; team missed playoffs after losing Super Bowl XXXVI</TD></TR><TR><TD>2003</TD><TD>2004</TD><TD>Michael Vick</TD><TD>Injured; missed 11 games after breaking leg in 2003 preseason; team missed playoffs after losing Divisional Playoff in 2002</TD></TR><TR><TD>2004</TD><TD>2005</TD><TD>Ray Lewis</TD><TD>Broke wrist and missed Pro Bowl; Critically seen as an off year; team missed playoffs after losing Wild Card Playoff in 2003</TD></TR><TR><TD>2005</TD><TD>2006</TD><TD>Donovan McNabb</TD><TD>Injured; missed 7 games in 2005; team missed playoffs after losing Super Bowl XXXIX</TD></TR><TR><TD>2006</TD><TD>2007</TD><TD>Shaun Alexander</TD><TD>Injured; Broken foot; out indefinitely.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I guess this is kind of like the Sports Illustrated jinxs.
Actually, speaking from a purely statistical point of view, this (and the SI jinx) are to be expected. All these players get on these covers because they have reached the peak of their professions. There's no place to go but down. It's sort of like putting a gambler who happens to be on an incredibly lucky streak on a box of wheaties. You can't keep it up.
I think they should put a player who's fallen way below expectations on the back of these covers. At the beginning of the baseball season, for example, you could have Carlos Beltran or whoever....
There's no jinx. It's just variance, which all gamblers should understand.
Actually, speaking from a purely statistical point of view, this (and the SI jinx) are to be expected. All these players get on these covers because they have reached the peak of their professions. There's no place to go but down. It's sort of like putting a gambler who happens to be on an incredibly lucky streak on a box of wheaties. You can't keep it up.
I think they should put a player who's fallen way below expectations on the back of these covers. At the beginning of the baseball season, for example, you could have Carlos Beltran or whoever....
There's no jinx. It's just variance, which all gamblers should understand.
