NFL Players learning from Madden?

[Blazin4QB]

Story was posted by Yahoo Games writer Ben Silverman

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NFL players learning lessons from Madden

by Ben Silverman



Playing the game makes you better at the Game.


With its realistic take on NFL football, EA's hit Madden series turns gamers into virtual NFL players.
Just imagine, then, what it might do for actual pros.
An article in the new issue of Wired points out that tons of current players, many of whom grew up playing video games, use Madden as a sort of training tool, giving them an edge over their non-gaming forbears.


The piece centers on Denver Bronco's wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who made headlines last year after using an old Madden technique during a real game: instead of running in for an easy touchdown, he ran down the length of the entire goal line to stay in bounds, burning precious time off the clock to ensure that it was a game-winner. Stokley later said that he had pulled that trick “probably hundreds of times” in Madden.


Other athletes tell Wired author Chris Sullentrop that playing Madden has given contemporary players a football education at a much earlier age than former stars."Back when I was playing football, we didn’t realize what a near or a far formation was, we didn’t really understand what trips meant, we didn’t understand what cover 2, cover 3, and cover zero meant," said Tim Grunhard, an ex All-Pro center for the Kansas City Chiefs. But for current players, Madden "just seemed to help out.


The kids understood where the counterplay or power play was going to open up. Or the middle linebacker lining up for a blitz — where the gaps were going to open up. Madden maker EA Sports has gone to great lengths to connect the dots between Madden and real players. Pros line up to play the game during Super Bowl weekends, which is also when EA hosts the finals of their annual Madden Challenge event. EA even commissioned a study to determine how playing Madden might affect the football mind. The result? Those who play Madden have higher football IQs (though of course that's a bit loaded, as avid Madden fans are likely bigger NFL geeks than average fans to begin with).

[jbrew2411]

This is sad. The game is so base when it comes to football. I coach high school kids and I would never tell them to go play Madden to get better. It can give a person a basic knowledge of football that may not know alot about football but no way this game makes you a better player.

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by jbrew2411

This is sad. The game is so base when it comes to football. I coach high school kids and I would never tell them to go play Madden to get better. It can give a person a basic knowledge of football that may not know alot about football but no way this game makes you a better player.

Agreed, and the whole premise of the story is "centered" around what Stokley did. He never even suggested he learned that from Madden, or any video game for that matter.

He simply said he did it a time or two.

I'm fairly certain that zero players currently in the NFL learn anything from Madden that they haven't previously known about football....

[fahrenheit]

I don't think the article is saying that current NFL players are using madden to become better, but that some have improved their knowledge when they were young.

If a kid can come into his freshman year and know offensive and defensive formations backwards he's got a leg up on the competition.

[MARTZball]

Quote: Originally Posted by fahrenheit

I don't think the article is saying that current NFL players are using madden to become better, but that some have improved their knowledge when they were young. If a kid can come into his freshman year and know offensive and defensive formations backwards he's got a leg up on the competition.

Exactly. Geezus, some people are so "matter-of-fact". If some find this "sad", hmm ...