Dallas Mavs guard Jason Terry wears the next day's opponent's team shorts to bed every night, and he is coming off an NBA championship ring. So maybe these superstitious folks are onto something.
After all, the Curse of the Billy Goat is still going strong, isn't it?
But still, these two are just by chance, right? Probably. Here's another one that really grabs some attention: the Madden Curse. Not only do some of the players have a career-worst season while gracing the cover, but some seem to have their careers entirely derailed after appearing. It simply seems like too much to be a coincidence.
The fan vote for this year's game is down to Cam Newton and Calvin Johnson. Will the winner succumb to the curse? Let's take a look at previous cover boys to see their chances.
2012: Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns RB
To earn his place on the cover, Hillis came out of nowhere to rush for over 1,100 yards. Many claimed he would be a one-year wonder, and after his cover appearance, those people seem to be right. Last year he complained about a contract, had phony injuries and only rushed for 587 yards with just 3.6 yards per carry. Cleveland let him walk and he's now behind one of the most versatile backs in the league, Jamaal Charles, in Kansas City.
Curse: 1 Success: 0
2011: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints QB
Brees played well individually, and even though the Saints got upset by Seattle in the first round after winning the Super Bowl, his stellar season warrants a pass.
Curse: 1 Success: 1
2010: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers S, and Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals WR
Before the fan vote idea (how Hillis won), the Madden franchise considered putting on a player from each Super Bowl team. How did the two fare? Fitzgerald had his typical productive season, but Polamalu wasn't so lucky. He played just five games due to lingering knee problems, and the Steelers missed the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl.
Curse: 2 Success: 2
2009: Brett Favre, Packers/Jets QB
I won't get into this.
Curse: 3 Success: 2
2008: Vince Young, Tennessee Titans QB
He led the Titans to a playoff berth, but had a fallout with the fans shortly after. His career has been a mess since. He's now also hated in Philly for the "Dream Team" remark.
Curse: 4 Success: 2
2007: Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks RB
Alexander was the reigning MVP and a downright beast the year before the cover, rushing for 1,880 yards and 27 TDs. But then he fractured his foot, missed six games the cover season, and was never the same. He retired two years later.
Curse: 5 Success: 2
2006: Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles QB
He missed seven games due to a sports hernia, had the infamous clash with T.O., and missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in five seasons. And never went back.
Curse: 6 Success: 2
2005: Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens LB
Lewis broke his wrist his cover year, but only missed one game. It marked his first year without an interception, but he still had 146 tackles and a solid year overall.
Curse: 6 Success: 3
2004: Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons QB
The day after the game was released, Vick broke his leg in the preseason and had to miss eleven games that season. We all know what happened after that.
Curse: 7 Success: 3
2003: Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams RB
Faulk was hampered by an ankle injury all season, but still rushed for 953 yards. The cover did mark the start of his decline though, as he never did rush for 1,000 yards again after accomplishing the feat seven out of the eight years prior. He rushed for 10 TDs the next season, however, and age was becoming a factor, so a generous no decision here.
Curse: 7 Success: 3
2002: Daunte Culpepper, Minnesota Vikings QB
He had a poor season, and had it cut short after eleven games, needing knee surgery. His Vikings were sitting at 4-7 when he left.
Curse: 8 Success: 3
2001: Eddie George, Tennessee Titans RB
He had a tremendous season, but did fumble the ball crucially in the playoffs, leading to his top-seeded Titans being upset in the first round. That being said, his numbers overall warrant a pass.
Curse: 8 Success: 4
2000: Barry Sanders
Retired, by fax, a week before training camp. John Madden appeared on the cover instead. Eddie George would be the first player to appear on the cover of the video game.
So there you have it. If you are a fan of Newton or Johnson, you might want to consider voting against them in the cover vote. History has spoken.
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