[RGiles36]

Community Day was about a month ago today so it's a little late to put this thread together. But the integrity and objectivity of the 8 guys chosen is still coming up and I wanted to make a non-combative attempt to address it.

I was roaming the boards this morning when I saw a little something that caught my attention:

Quote:

Seriously, anybody that has been flown down to Orlando as one of the very few to play the game months in advance doesn't really have an unbiased opinion anymore. Companies spend lots of money lobbying people with influence ... and getting that type of VIP treatment seems like an effective method of lobbying. And most of the guys who were flown down to Orlando seem like stand up dudes, whose opinions i've respected in the past. But each of the 8 dudes that were flown down there have come back as Tiburon apologists.

I've seen posts of similar content for the past month, so this particular one is not all that different. But if I could, I'd like to throw my thoughts out there.

It appears that some members of the OS community now look at us as one of them. Apparently, since we've come back from Orlando, we've had nothing but complimentary things to say about Madden 10 and the new direction. We're even coined as being bias now by some accounts . I once saw where a guy flat out said, "What happened to the old LBzRules???"

Certainly, I was not naive enough to think that everyone would unanimously be on board with the 8 guys chosen and that everything would resume being 'reesy piecey' post Community Day. I knew we'd be looked at as tainted or sipping the Kool-Aid . But the truth of the matter is we've still been critical. We have still commented in threads pertaining to features that need improvement. And as Adem has said on a few occasions, much of the critical stuff is contained in our feedback Word documents that for obvious reasons, you guys can't see.

Still, I get the feeling that some will continue to think we're bias until we rip EA and the development staff a new one as I'm sure some of us have done in the past. I can't speak for the other 7 guys, but chances are you won't see that from me.

You won't read where I said, "These guys aren't trying. They're lazy. They need to hand the license over to 2K...etc." But I think that's what some of you are looking for as an indication that we're not bias.

I challenge anyone (emphasis on anyone) to first be invited down to Orlando, get to know the team, take an in-depth look at their office and workstations, and come back and say that Tiburon doesn't get it. And I bet the other 7 guys feel the same way. If recognizing that the guys down in Orlando are busting their tails is considered sipping the Kool-Aid, then give me a refill . And no, I don't have a comment on the past Community Day reps and how those games were received once reaching the public.

Without a doubt, the proof is still in the pudding and it'll remain that way. No amount of us babbling over the next three months will erase 4 years of memories of underwhelming Madden releases. But if you're looking for a reason for what some may define as a change in attitude, I wanted to shed some light on that.

Feel free to discuss.