Anytime you have to implement house rules in order to enjoy a game, there's a problem. The more I played madden 10, the more I hated it because I saw it for what it really was, which is a very poor effort.
The only time stars stand out is if they're a running back, or a QB. Every other player is interchangable ; that's makes the franchise mode a waste of time. The devs didn't spend that much time on franchise anyway.