One is a decrepit monkey skeleton. The other is a legendary broadcaster who refuses to eat vegetables. And now, they hate each other. It all started a few nights ago when TMZ cameras caught Al Michaels outside a Hollywood bistro (jeez, this gossip writing is almost too easy). Feeling flush with confidence after crushing a 20 ounce Cowboy steak, Big Al gave a big negatory when asked if he thought the Oakland Raiders would ever win another Super Bowl while under the helm of long-time zombie master owner Al Davis. If that wasn’t enough, Michaels twisted the knife into Davis, much like he would a poor, defenseless, liberal broccoli plant: Read the rest of this entry

If you’re an NFL die-hard, you probably spent at least a few moments this weekend reviewing the lists of cuts as NFL teams downsized their rosters in preparation for opening weekend. Every year, you hear a few surprising names: the guy who showed up too fat (Bryant McKinnie), the draft pick who can’t shed the bust label (Vernon Golston), or the reigning two-time Pro Bowl safety who just doesn’t “fit” in with his team because of an unfounded criminal investigation. Wait, what?

And so it goes for Brandon Meriweather, Darius Butler (former 2nd round pick), and David Garrard, he of the 90+ QB rating last year. Cuts like these tell us three things: Read the rest of this entry

Earlier this summer I criticized Manning’s deal, in part, because he had gone under the knife for another neck surgery; never a good sign, especially for somebody with Manning’s remarkable starts streak. I thought the timing for paying him $90 million could not have been worse; regardless of how many jerseys or tickets he sells. The Colts need(ed) upgrades in the backfield; as well as on both front lines.

Sure, it’s easier said then done to replace your team’s most valuable player, and arguably the most valuable player in the league to any team. After all, Manning is asked to do more then any other player in the league; and the fact that his numbers are what they are is nothing short of remarkable. But if the Colts had any idea, or even an inclination, that Manning was going to be out for even part of the postseason, or maybe week one, then they should have made moves to bolster the weaker points of the team anticipating that a) Manning might not be at 100 percent until late in the season for a possible playoff run or b) whoever holds the fort down for Manning won’t be able to effectively replicate his Herculean efforts.

Without Manning, this team is bad; like top 10 draft pick bad. Maybe not the “Suck for Luck” sweepstakes but it’s close. Here’s hoping that Manning gets those nerves working again soon because it’s not like there is anything else going on in Indiana.

Lets get real honest here people, you know it and I know it, every Madden game since ’06 has pretty much been the same.  2006 was when Madden was first released on the new generation of consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360) and you really started to see some leaps and bounds in terms of the graphics for the game.  Sure the graphics have gotten little better every year since 2006 and if you showed me 06 side by side with Madden 12, I would probably scoff at the look of the game, but for all intents and purposes…every game since 2006 is a patch.

There have been minor tweaks in terms of gameplay every year, some good (the hit/truck stick was nice), some bad (why in God’s name did you change how to call audibles???), but on the whole, this game plays virtually the same as it ever has and is still plagued by the problems that it has always had.  In every single version you get balls that somehow get sucked right into your receivers hands, even if he’s not close to the ball.  In every single version you have defenders that should be intercepting the ball somehow have the ball pass right through their bodies like they are some sort of ethereal spirit.  In every version you have announcers that are a beat slow or say something that has no meaning significance whatsoever to the actual situation that is on the screen before you.  In every season you have players stuck in animations and screwing you up making you throw the controller down in anger.  In every season you have players that should be called out of bounds, called in bounds, and vice-versa.  In every season instant replay challenges are a joke.  In every season if you have a quarterback that can run…you will win the game. In every season, the plays are unbalanced in that some work way too well every single time and others will never work at all no matter how out of position the defense should be (helloooo End-Around).

Back in the day, EA Sports also used to have an incredibly in depth franchise mode in Madden that they took out entirely, made into a video game called NFL Head Coach (which bombed since no one wants to play a simulator on a console) and subsequently NEVER REALLY PUT BACK INTO THE GAME.  You could choose the price of the hot dogs you sold in the stands!  The hot dogs, man!! EA Sports instead added several new ways for them to monetize Madden, even more than forking over $60 every year for a patch, by having players purchase online decks of cards for online leagues…that, and please correct me if i’m wrong, are only good for that year’s version of Madden.

The only good thing about the latest Madden games are the Xbox Live and PSN features that allow players to form leagues and play online together.  Those added online league features are generally great…but sadly if you and your friends want to play together with this year’s rosters, all of you have to buy the new version to play together.  Sorry my unemployed friend Mack who has the most time to play this game with us, yet cannot because we’ll all have the new version while you’ll be stuck with last year’s.  You sir will have to wait til you get that job you interviewed for two months ago.  Good luck with that.

Don’t you, the Madden fan, deserve something better than what has been offered the last half a decade? Since the Madden franchise has no legitimate competition out there to drive them to be better (thanks to an exclusive license with the NFL and NFLPA) the only way that Madden will get better is if no one buys their repetitive and boring crap.

I’m not saying Madden is a bad game, its not, its just stale and needs to be better. Why pay for what you already have? Aren’t you tired of plunking down $60 of your hard earned money for what is essentially a roster update and a patch which includes some graphical and playability tweaks?  I know I am.  I voted with my wallet last year and I will do the same this year, I will not be buying any more Madden games from EA Sports until they decide to make actual, real and necessary improvements to their product.

There are just so many times that I can have an interception pass through my cornerback like he was Kitty Pryde from X-Men. I will not take it any more and neither should you.

The only way change will happen is if you let your voice be heard peoples. Take a stand. Vote with that wallet of yours and for the love of God, stop buying Madden.

This is the picture of Arian Foster’s hamstring that he carelessly tweeted yesterday that has gotten a lot of people in an uproar. Every sports network and football blogger has seen it and determined that there is some sort of tear in there and that he is damaged goods and that no one should expect him to be any good this year.  Fantasy sports players are especially worried that this year’s consensus #1 draft pick, might be, dare I say it…damaged goods?  Well, it may or may not be true and there is just one way to find this out.

The only way to get a close enough look at his hammy to determine Arian Foster’s status for the upcoming season is to use some high tech CSI technology to get to the bottom of his MRI photo.

ENHANCE!

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