On this week’s Operation Sports Roundtable, Operation Sports staffer discuss amongst themselves in closed door fashion what the biggest feature left out of Madden was by answering the question, “What was the most important feature left out of Madden NFL 09?”

Wil McCombs - Online franchise.While the inclusion of online leagues is a plus, the lack of an online franchise mode is highly disappointing, especially since Madden's collegiate counterpart is including Online Dynasty mode this year. While the apparent focus on improving the on-field Madden experience is definitely warranted, I think the absence of an online franchise mode will have Madden playing second fiddle to NCAA in 2008.

Dave Branda - The answer is online franchises. But in the interest of not sounding like everybody else, i'm going to say a playbook editor. Sure they'll have this in Head Coach 09, and sure you can import your playbook into Madden, but you shouldn't have to pay extra to get this feature in a game. The kicker here is a game released in early 1990s (Front Page Sports Football) had this feature and nailed it. Since then Madden hasn't come close to doing the same and its a shame.

Wil Soistman - So I sat and thought about this for 20 minutes and I still could not come up with anything other than Online Franchise. The two games of NCAA and Madden are usually very close in design, but this one just makes me wonder. How can one of these two storied franchises include something so monumental, and yet the other one takes a small step towards it? Are people going to welcome it with open arms? Of course as it is something that has been wanted for a long time. Maybe Tiburon has found a way to make these leagues work extremely well too. Online leagues are a small (and much needed) step, but here's to looking to next year when we hopefully have a full-fledged franchise online.

Noah Weber - Well it's not exactly the biggest feature, but I've been waiting for them to redo the WR/DB interactions for a long time. I want to see more jump ball type animations where bigger wide-outs are going up over corners and taking the ball from them. The fade should be a viable option close to the goal line.

But yeah, online franchises is probably the big one...

Rob Fetter - The biggest thing missing this year from Madden is the accelerated clock. Adding an accelerated clock gives the game a much more realistic feel, it allows teams like the Ravens or Bears to actually play a clock control game. Run the ball, control the clock and shorten the game to allow their defenses to dominate. Sure it'd be nice to have Online Franchise, but the accelerated clock would affect games both on & offline. The most disappointing part is the fact that they've had it in the past, and it doesn't seem like something that would be too difficult thing to put back in the game. Once again it looks like I'll be left hoping "maybe next year".

Matt Blumenthal - Rob's right. Online franchises would have been nice, but it would have been a stretch for a one year implementation. Online leagues were the logical step this year. The accelerated clock was a staple of the Madden NFL series on the last generation of systems, and it puzzles me that it has yet to return. There doesn't seem to be a good reason as to why it's been absent for four years and counting. The accelerated clock allowed for ball control offenses to succeed realistically and gave teams a reason to wear down defenses. It was an important feature for realistic play on the last generation, and it needs to be back in the game next year.

Caley Roark - Well, I'd agree with the rest regarding online franchises, but, to be different, I'm still waiting for a game to add weekly highlight shows, a la NFL2k5. I thought that this feature gave a little more insight into the league that was taking place around me. It let us track hot players, offered insight into the draft, and announced big injuries. A similar, albeit not as effective, presentation was the Tony Bruno Show found in some versions of Madden. I know that Madden is upping the level of presentation, but if its only "in-game," they've missed a large part of what makes effective presentation just that.

Carlos Hernandez - Accelerated Clock.

It was in previous versions and seems to appear and randomly disappear every other year. Not sure why either. I can't understand how something like this is so difficult to add either.

I simply can not enjoy a football title that forces me to play 8 minute quarters to get realistic results. I like all of my games played with realistic minutes. This includes 20 minute NHL periods and 12 minute NBA quarters. I don't play only 6 innings of baseball so why should I be cut short of my football?

Accelerated Clock makes this possible while still getting me realistic stats at the end of the day.

But, accelerated clock can not be added without giving the sim gamer an option to have the CPU play sim instead of chucking up the ball with 15 seconds left on the play clock.

Your Thoughts?

So what about your thoughts? What was the biggest feature the Madden team missed out on putting in the game this year?