Ever since
EA Sports starting putting athletes on the cover of the Madden Football video games in 1999, that athlete has suffered injury or an off year.
For those that doubted the power of the Madden Curse, it is alive and well. Seattle Seahawks
Shaun Alexander, this year’s cover boy for Madden 2007, broke his foot Sunday against the New York Giants and is out indefinitely.
Check the rap sheet of those who have been cursed:
Madden 1999 - Garrison Hearst - Injured; while playing against the Falcons, twisted his ankle.
Madden 2000(1) - Barry Sanders - Abruptly retired during training camp in 1999.
Madden 2000(2) - Dorsey Levens - Cut by the Packers in 2001 and finished his career as a journeyman player.
Madden 2001 - Eddie George - Key fumble vs. Ravens in playoffs; team lost in Divisional Playoff after losing Super Bowl XXXIV
Madden 2002 - Daunte Culpepper - Injured; missed 5 games in 2001; team missed playoffs after losing NFC Championship in 2000.
Madden 2003 - Marshall Faulk - Injured; least productive season as a Ram up to that point; team missed playoffs after losing Super Bowl XXXVI.
Madden 2004 - Micheal Vick
- Injured; missed 11 games after breaking leg in 2003 preseason; team missed playoffs after losing Divisional Playoff in 2002.
Madden 2005 - Ray Lewis - Broke wrist and missed Pro Bowl; Critically seen as an off year; team missed playoffs after losing Wild Card Playoff in 2003.
Madden 2006 - Donovan McNabb - Injured; missed 7 games in 2005; team missed playoffs after losing Super Bowl XXXIX.
Madden 2007 - Shaun Alexander - Injured Week 3; cracked a bone in his left foot during a 42-30 win over the New York Giants. Out indefinitely.
Dwyane Wade Launches Record LabelYet again, another athlete launches a record label.
Shaquille O' Neal has TWISM,
Lamar Odom has Rich Soil,
Ron Artest runs TruWarier,
Carmelo Anthony launched Crossover,
Jon Bender has Akright Records,
Allen Iverson once had Cru Thik and now
Dwyane Wade owns M3Z Entertainment. Wade launched the label with partner Marcus Andrews and their first artist is New Jersey’s Money Malc (www.myspace.com/malcmillion). The album is still in the works but his first single “Where Ya 22’s At” is getting a little bit of buzz down south.
Of course there’s yet to have been an NBA baller to even come close to
Jay-Z or
P. Diddy numbers with their record label “hobbies”. They just need to put out some quality music instead of just copying “what’s hot”. Melo, Bender, and Wade all have artists that are trying to capture a sound that folks like T.I., Yung Joc, Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne have already conquered. Try and come with something different, ya heard?
Shaq Handles Music, Real Estate BusinessShaquille O' Neal has been keeping real busy this offseason. Last week Shaq announced the formation of the O’Neal Group, a real estate company that is investing $1 billion into a residential, hotel, and retail complex in Miami. The complex, titled Metropolitan Miami or The Met for short will have 1,100 residential units, an office tower and hotel, a Whole Foods Market and a 24-hour Fitness/Shaq Ultra Sport Fitness center.
“We've scoured the country to find an appropriate venue through which we could launch the O'Neal Group," O'Neal said in a statement. “Ultimately we decided that the best place to start was in our own backyard with Metropolitan Miami. This is the largest residential development project in downtown Miami proper, and it sits on the site where the historical
Royal Palm Hotel used to be, the property that first launched downtown Miami more than 100 years ago. I am excited about our involvement with The Met and proud to be part of the area's comeback."
Shaq-Diesel also signed on to be the spokesperson for
BurnLounge.com last week, a community run digital music service. As a music fan or artist, you can buy music as well as sell through your own digital music store. Shaq will be using the site to promote his seven albums as well as artists he likes.
"By distributing my albums through BurnLounge, it not only gives me a new outlet to reach my fans, but also gives them the opportunity to become digital-music promoters themselves by legally sharing music with their friends," Shaq said in a statement. "I have always had a passion for music and I'm excited to work with a company that shares the same passion."
Could Shaq also be preparing another lyrical onslaught? You know you can’t stop the reign!
Boston’s Coco CrispHe may be out for the season with surgery on his left index finger, but Red Rox center fielder
Coco Crisp will be milling around promoting HP Hood. HP Hood is New England’s leading dairy company.
“Living in Boston and playing at Fenway, it was clear to me that Hood plays a big role in the lives of our fans and their communities,” Crisp said . “I really appreciate how much Hood has done to support children’s hospitals in New England. I’m excited to go to bat for Hood.”
Crisp will also participate in HP Hood’s philanthropic programs including Kid Nation and The Hood Home Team Advantage. Coco Crisp and milk? Sounds like a winning combination.
Chris Paul Connects with ToyotaToyota
and New Orleans Hornets point guard
Chris Paul announced a partnership that would allow the world’s second largest automaker to use Paul’s likeness and book him for appearances at various events and programs throughout the NBA season. In return, Toyota will become a major sponsor to Paul’s Winston-Salem Weekend. The announcement came at Paul’s inaugural Winston-Salem Weekend in North Carolina during the Celebrity Bowling Tournament, a fundraiser that benefits Paul’s
CP3 Foundation.
"The ultimate goal is to help youth achieve the dream of going to college," Paul said in a statement. "With support from Toyota, the CP3 Foundation will offer full scholarships to hard-working and deserving individuals from the Winston- Salem community."
The CP3 Foundation’s first initiative is to raise funds for the Nathaniel Jones Scholarship. Named after Paul’s grandfather, the scholarship will award a student from local Forsyth County with a scholarship to attend Wake Forest University.
