Deadspin
So, you know how Vince Young is on the cover of Madden 08, and how Chargers fans breathed deep sighs of relief? Well, according to Darren Rovell at CNBC, LaDainian Tomlinson was supposed to be the cover boy but turned it down.
Multiple industry sources have told me that Tomlinson, in fact, was asked of his interest, was presented with an offer, and told Electronic Arts he was not interested. Tomlinson's turning down of Electronic Arts, we're told, doesn't have much to do with the highly publicized curse, which has been attributed to the recent misfortune of Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb and Shaun Alexander. It has more to do with the fact that the people at Electronic Arts know that, for many, their cover is seen as the "Wheaties box endorsement" — in that athletes are usually so honored they are willing to do it for less than market value. Tomlinson wasn't.
The deal usually pays the cover athlete $100,000 to $200,000 and requires multiple appearances to pump up the game. Since the Madden game sort of sells itself, the athlete on the cover doesn't really matter that much, but expect more NFL stars to turn down the cover in the future, not because of the curse, but because the price is just too low.
Eventually, if the asking price remains too low for big stars, we're going to see a kicker on the cover. Or maybe Ethan Albright!
Tomlinson Turns Down Madden [CNBC]
Begin Preparing For The Vince Young Injury [Deadspin]
Ethan Albright Strikes Back [The Phat Phree]
Comments
The return of the original Ginger, one of the funniest posts ever.
Ethan Albright Is In Fact Able To Walk Upright
Alright, I'm clearly retarded. How do you post a link?
Ethan Albright shits bigger than Madden
sweet jesus I love that Albright post.
mostly due to the idiots who thought it was real
Matt Millen just got a self-induced YAHTZEE!
Of course LT turned it down. You don't fuck around with supertitions and curses and whatnot. Everybody knows that.
@Lady Andrea: Now go outside turn around three times and spit.
@Lady Andrea: Hee hee 'supertitions'.
$100-200k to endorse the biggest video game in the entire country... All that competition is making you too generous, EA.
A couple more hundred grand, and LT would have been willing to send his career off the rails. Use the evil power that you have because you have it, Electronic Arts! Don't be so stingy!
supertitions=boob mythology.
Like, "Jose Lima's wife's are totally real."
I think what LT is going to regret most is not being able to hang out with those cool dudes from Madden Nation.
Shouldn't Devin Hester be the cover boy... AND work for free... after being gifted the "100" in the speed category??
What a whiny a-hole
@Hank Scorpio: yay, West Wing.
@Rob Iracane: goddamit.
Oh and: yes.
Be careful about those creole women. You'll fuck around and get a ruut put on your ass.
Gene Upshaw would've been able to negotiate the fee down to 25K and a Sega Genesis version of Madden 2008 for LT
And is there any chance that we can get Nibbles on the cover?
Marcus Vick is willing to do it for cab fare.
@Weed Against Speed: And being cradled in Madden's ample bosom while eating his celebratory turducken.
@Hank Scorpio: It's curse.
I believe this will reverse the curse.
The video game gods know it was supposed to be LT. Therefore, LT will still get hurt and Vince Young will tear up the league.
Now, anyone who turns down an EA Madden cover will be cursed while the sloppy seconds back-up choice will reign supreme.
Sometimes I look at the Gawker art and think I'm too stupid to get it and then I realize I don't care
Can we nominate TO?
@MattMillenFanClub: Here you are.
@UkraineNotWeak: And he's not particular about the "it" part.
@Pinata:
He'll do it if EA picks up the co-pay on his prescriptions...
sean salisbury submitted a suggestion for the 08 madden cover, but was rejected.
Ray Lewis would kill to appear on the cover again.
What exactly does one have to "do" to be on the cover of Madden? Seems like all they need is a picture of you playing football, which in most cases shouldn't be too hard to come by.
$100-200k to endorse the biggest sports video game in the entire country...
the makers of Halo and Grand Theft Auto have corrected your post
I suppose should the Chargers win the Super Bowl (c) then LT won't be going to Disney either.
Joey Porter was crazy about the idea of being on the cover.
just for karma's sake, i hope that unoriginal bastard LD gets hurt ANYWAY despite his declining of coverboy status.
Tom Brady turned down the cover of Madden 08 since he;'s already going to be on the cover of the new EA game coming out called "Baby Daddy 08"
Chris Henry thought it was a petty crime that he wasn't considered for the cover.
i'll pay 200k to put matt millen on the cover.
@StevieY19:
"Spit."
"Spit and curse."
"Do everything. Go!"
LT called EA Sports offer "classless and offensive," then proceeded to blame their president.
My boy Vince is doomed for sure now.
LT requested that the entire Patriots roster be put on instead
Madden's wife says, "No, thank you" to Madden all the time.
Maybe they could put Al Davis on the cover? So that he'd die?
@apostles03:
Pat Summerall tried to say "No, thank you" to Madden, but that didn't stop him.
@Hit Bull Win Steak: Pretty sure that Madden sells more than both Halo and GTA -- the only game to sell more than it recently is The Sims.
Tom Brady was selected to be on the cover but pulled out at the last minute.
Hornets 86, Clippers 83 - Sports fans talk about "meaningless games" towards the end of the regular season. Those are contests held after a team is already in or out of the playoffs and seeding isn't a major issue. It's a common indicator of an exciting team in baseball.
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