why i did not select shaun alexander with the number one pick (or the madden curse)

Our league's fantasy football draft was Sunday. The number one pick fell to me. What a dilemma. I passed on Larry Johnson because of the Chiefs' losses on the offensive line and their new offensive coordinator. Instead I pulled the tigger on Ladanian Tomlinson and let Shaun Alexander slip to Errickson at number 2. Why did I pass on the back who set the single season rushing touchdown record last year? Let's just say the Madden track record speaks for itself.

Now I'm not a believer in curses or anything like that, but this thing is out of control. Let's take a light stroll through the history of the Madden curse. The first athlete to grace the cover of Madden was Eddie George on Madden 2001. Eddie's season turned out ok, but the following season he ran for less than 1,000 yards and the Titans missed the playoffs. Next in line was Daunte Culpepper in 2002 who missed four games and led the Vikings to their worst record since I've been alive(1984). 2003 sported Marshall Faulk on its cover who underachieved to his worst season since 1996 and led his team to a 7-9 record. He never ran for 1,000 yards again. Now, it gets interesting. Michael Vick posed for the cover of Madden 2004 before breaking his fibula and sitting out 11 games. The curse grew in mystique and intrigue as Ray Lewis agreed to be on the cover of 2005. The linebacker sidestepped the curse for the most part, only missing one game with injury, but he recorded no interceptions and the Ravens missed the playoffs. Most recently, Donovan McNabb's mug on the cover of Madden 2006 led to him missing games and struggling all seson with a sports hernia, not to mention the constant drama with Terrell Owens.

Needless to say, when I saw Shaun Alexander on the cover of Madden 2007, I didn't rush to place him atop my draft list. I've got nothing against the Seahawks, but it's pretty well documented. They're in for a plunge. That said, I have to go now and plunk down forty bucks on Madden 2007 so I can run around the field as Reggie Bush and start throwing those 75 yard Culpepper-to-Chambers touchdown passes.