EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 22 PLUS YEARS, A VIDEO GAME FEATURING JOHN MADDEN HAS BEEN SOLD. MADDEN WAS THE FORMER COACH OF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS FOOTBALL TEAM. HIS KNOWLEDGE AND PERSONALITY, ALSO LED TO A CAREER IN BROADCASTING. EACH YEAR A STAR PLAYER WAS PAID TO HAVE HIS PICTURE ON THE COVER OF THE GAME. IN 1999, THAT STAR WAS BARRY SANDERS. HOWEVER, SANDERS AFTER AGREEING TO BE ON THE COVER BEFOREHAND, RETIRED OVER DISPUTES WITH THE DETROIT LION'S BEFORE THE 1999 SEASON. THIS WAS THE START OF "THE CURSE", THAT CAME WITH BEING ON THE COVER OF THE GAME. MANY PLAYERS THAT WENT ON THE COVER OF THE GAME, BECAME INJURED OR HAD A LACKLUSTER SEASON THE YEAR THEY WERE FEATURED. NOT EVERY PLAYER ON THE COVER SUFFERED FROM THE CURSE, BUT IT WAS EERIE HOW MANY DID.

THIS YEAR ESPN DID A DOCUMENTARY ON JOHN MADDEN'S LIFE AND AIRED IT ON CHRISTMAS DAY, AND 3 DAYS LATER HE DIED. PERHAPS THIS WILL BE THE LAST VICTIM OF THE MADDEN CURSE.

REST IN PEACE JOHN

UNTIL NEXT TIME

THE BEGGAR'S APPRENTICE