Who's next for Madden series?

[tucker rocky]

Could it possibly be one of these players?

Peyton Manning
Shaun Alexander
Jake Plummer
Bears Defense
Steve Smith
Other

[Emiliano]

I'd say Manning.

[Greyroofoo]

I doubt it will be manning just because he was on the X-Boxes football games all those years.

I'd say LT or Chad Johnson

[kcchief19]

Given the Madden cover trend and history, I'd put my money on Ladanian Thomlinson.

You have to wonder why Manning hasn't been there already. Is Peyton too wise to the Madden Curse?

[kcchief19]

I doubt it will be manning just because he was on the X-Boxes football games all those years.

I'd say LT or Chad Johnson Good point.

[Grammaticus]

I agree, Ladanian Thomlinson seems like the trend they would take.

[miami_fan]

As superstious as athletes tend to be, I am surprised that any one would put themselves on the cover. I will go with Carson Palmer or Chad Johnson

[korme]

I don't want Palmer or Johnson on the cover. How about Hines Ward?

[TroyF]

I would say LT, Alexander or Johnson would be the obvious choices.

TO will get the cover of the next blitz game.

[Grammaticus]

Nothing bad happened to Ray Lewis, did it? Maybe the curse only works on offensive position players.

[INDalltheway]

Nothing bad happened to Ray Lewis, did it? Maybe the curse only works on offensive position players.
He missed 1 game and was hurt most of the year..

[Karlifornia]

What about Alex Smith?

[streetballer22]

I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Carson Palmer after his breakthrough season.

[Grammaticus]

He missed 1 game and was hurt most of the year..

Guess the curse knows no bounds.

[TazFTW]

They should do the NFL a favor and put TO on the cover...

[Raiders Army]

I'd say LT. Shaun Alexander might be a good choice, but there's a good chance he'll change teams next year.

[jamesUMD]

Is it too late to get Mark Brunell on the cover? ;)

[cougarfreak]

Stay the hell away from Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson.

[tucker rocky]

I'd say LT. Shaun Alexander might be a good choice, but there's a good chance he'll change teams next year.

If Seattle lets Alexander walk, it'll be a very big mistake for them.

He has what, 20TD's so far this season, give him the big contract he has rightfully earned.

[stevew]

Definately Carson Palmer. Since he did the NCAA game cover also.

[Butter]

How about Hines Ward?

Please please please make it so.

Yay, my 3,000th post was a Steelers slam!

[Raiders Army]

I would also say that it depends on the new features available. For example, there were various defensive improvements last year and Ray Lewis was on the cover. This year, the vision cone and precision passing were the big improvements so they had a quarterback (McNabb) on the cover.

Maybe they will make significant franchise improvements and put Al Davis on the cover (j/k).

[Joe]

Johnson would work for me

[Daimyo]

Can they afford Manning?

[wade moore]

I would also say that it depends on the new features available. For example, there were various defensive improvements last year and Ray Lewis was on the cover. This year, the vision cone and precision passing were the big improvements so they had a quarterback (McNabb) on the cover.

Maybe they will make significant franchise improvements and put Al Davis on the cover (j/k).
I voted Alexander, but I was going to make this comment also..

It all depends on what features they add to narrow down the possibilities... if they add some big feature to "find the holes" or something it will be S.A. or LT... if they add a "DB control" feature it will be like Shaun Taylor, Charles Woodson, or someone like that...

This has always been the trend....

[Pumpy Tudors]

I know that the NFL GameDay game (or whatever the 989 Sports game was called) is no longer being made, but Tomlinson was on the cover of that one. I would expect EA to put somebody on the cover who hasn't been on a cover recently. That's why I don't think Manning will be there either. McNabb was on an NFL GameDay cover, but that was three or four years ago.

Raiders Army made a great point about the positions of the cover players being tied in to the biggest improvements in the game engine. This year, they did the vision cone; last year, it was defense; the year before that, it was Playmaker (and Michael Vick was on that cover). So far, with the exception of Ray Lewis, it's been all running backs and quarterbacks. I can't really see them doing anything exceptional with receivers or defensive backs, so I think those guys are out. Maybe they'll try to make some improvements involving kick returns or something, but that's not going to get you a cover boy, although Wes Welker being on the cover of Madden would be revolutionary.

I think there are two possibilities here. I'll discuss the stranger one in a second. To me, the obvious choice is a running back. That would almost certainly mean Shaun Alexander if it's not LaDainian Tomlinson. EA has a history with Alexander, too. He was on the cover of NCAA Football 2001. :)

The other possibility is that EA might emphasize team chemistry in the game, most notable the chemistry between a quarterback and his receivers. If they do something like that, I think Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson would be on the cover together. I know that Manning and Harrison are the better pair, but EA already has a history with Palmer, and I think Chad Johnson generally appeals to the younger crowd more than Harrison does.

For now, I'm gonna go with Shaun Alexander. If EA ever brings in the concept of on-field teammate chemistry, though, I think that would be a big step forward for the game.

[dervack]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141257.html

A website is taking bets on who the next cover athlete is going to be.

[MikeVic]

Leave Hines Ward and Alexander out of this!!!

[albionmoonlight]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141257.html

A website is taking bets on who the next cover athlete is going to be.
I assume that there are laws against fixing sporting events for gambling purposes.

And sports leagues have a very big incentive to maintain the perception of fairness and police themselves when it comes to fixing games.

But assuming that this website is located somewhere offshore where there may be little legal protection--especially for something like "fixing" a video game cover.

And assuming that EA does not really care to police itself concerning who is on the cover of Madden.

Would it not be really easy for someone in the know at EA to either get this information before it becomes public and/or fix the result in order to make some money at this gambling website.

This does not strike me as the kind of event that cannot be influenced by external $$ pressure.

[QuikSand]

In a poll like this, you take the field.