I didn't get to listen to the whole show but one caller summed it up perfectly. I don't think EA is trying to create a game that's hardcore sim because a majority of the people that buy Madden are casual and have probably never even been to OperationSports. With that said, and like how others have said, there are always sliders that can make this game play as sim as possible. But for me, and I will keep saying this over and over, out of the box before any patches, this game is the most enjoyable Madden I've played since 08.
I don't agree how during the show they kept saying if you liked 11, you will love 12. I absolutely hated 11 because of the suction tackling and the poor running game especially compared to NCAA. The more I played 11, the more I hated it to the point I just stopped playing. With 12, the more I play, the more I am enjoying it with the improved running/blocking, graphics/lighting, etc.