Vote to save Matt Ryan from the Madden Curse
101111 Atlanta; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) attempts a deep pass in the first half of their game hosting the Baltimore Ravens at the Georgia Dome Thursday night in Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 11, 2010. Jason Getz jgetz@ajc.com
BIRDLAND – Most football fans want nothing to do with a player from their team appearing on the cover of the John Madden football game.
Everybody knows about the Madden Curse.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has a shot to appear on the cover of EA Sports’ Madden 2012. But why would he want to be on the cover? He advanced out of the first round of this bracket styled contest. If you are a true Falcons fans, you’ll vote him out of this madness as quickly as possible.
He’s up against Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis this week.
All 32 NFL teams had one player represented. The voting will be done over a four week period at ESPN.com/MaddenVote.
ESPN show SportsNation, which airs at 4 p.m. on ESPN2 Monday through Friday, will be the TV home for this ongoing event.
In the first week of the voting, Ryan pounded Carolina’s Jordan Gross 89 to 11 percent.
More than 6.8 million votes were cast during the opening round from March 21 – 28.
Round 2 voting is open and fans can make their selections exclusively at www.ESPN.com/MaddenVote to determine which of the 16 finalists/injury candidates advance to the next round.
Chicago voting rules — vote early and often — are in place.
ROUND 1 BREAKDOWN OF MADDEN NFL 12 COVER VOTE CAMPAIGN
* 72% Aaron Rodgers / 28% Ndamukong Suh
* 57% Sam Bradford / 43% Larry Fitzgerald
* 61% Hakeem Nicks / 39% Brian Orakpo
* 62% Danny Woodhead / 38% Steve Johnson
* 66% Maurice Jones-Drew / 34% Dwight Freeney
* 64% Jamaal Charles / 36% Tim Tebow
* 62% Peyton Hillis / 38% Ray Rice
* 89% Matt Ryan / 11% Jordan Gross
* 67% Philip Rivers / 33% Darren McFadden
* 57% Adrian Peterson / 43% Julius Peppers
* 55% Mark Sanchez / 45% Jake Long
* 56% Drew Brees / 44% Josh Freeman
* 76% Michael Vick / 24% DeMarcus Ware
* 69% Andre Johnson / 31% Chris Johnson
* 54% Patrick Willis / 46% 12th Man
* 72% Hines Ward / 28% Carlos Dunlap
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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95 comments Add your comment
Billy
March 30th, 2011
5:36 am
first??
FalconUGAFan
March 30th, 2011
5:36 am
I did my part..Voted for Hillis and Breesus
Manny
March 30th, 2011
6:23 am
Matt Ryan’s not going to make the cover. I can only see Aaron Rodgers, because of how the bracket is broken down. Ryan’s 89% was against Jordan Gross- whose name recognition in the NFL is around 11%.
But I hope we’ll have a good season. Or at least, have a season.
Marcus
March 30th, 2011
6:29 am
DOL,
just based on the Falcons relative anonymity (among casual fans) in comparison to other franchises with national followings .. don’t worry. He won’t rate, as much as we pull for him otherwise on the field.
Swing our vote to our biggest competition for next year, let the curse ride his back: Aaron Rogers .. LOL
Nacho Mamma
March 30th, 2011
7:22 am
F the Falcons……F the NFL……..F the owners…….yada yada yada! Give me college football any Saturday.
SeenThisB4
March 30th, 2011
7:25 am
Fatt Ryan and the falcan’t fans only wish he could be on the cover of Madden, it would mean he accomplished something. Rogers will win this, cause he did something last year, Brees did it the year before. The last time a falcan’t got on the cover…oh yeah, my bad, there never has been, and never will be, not in your life time. The 12th man will be on the cover first before a dirty bird gets there! LOL! Ryan on the cover! LOL! Rich! LOL!
hjones
March 30th, 2011
7:25 am
DOL,
Let’s vote him on the cover and give him the chance to beat the curse. Believing in a curse like this is irrational, and I don’t care how many players you name to support the curse. On the other hand, we need to know if Matt Ryan can win the big games. Let’s put some more pressure on him in addition to the lousy play calling of the OC.
TheManMike
March 30th, 2011
7:34 am
Nacho Mamma – College Sports are for []Dussies. . .
IdiotsRuleOnBlogs
March 30th, 2011
7:43 am
Enter your comments here
Sid
March 30th, 2011
7:47 am
Darrell, oh never mind.
OneRyder
March 30th, 2011
7:54 am
He doesn’t deserve it over some of the other names.
Your Wrong!!!
March 30th, 2011
7:57 am
Enter your comments here
gabeaux
March 30th, 2011
8:00 am
Seen this B4…does the view from your parent’s basement ever improve? Have you ever been part of any winning organization? An permanent atittude like yours only shows a loser mentality. Maybe if you put the energy you have for running things down into something positive, you just might achieve something. In the mean time, we will just feel sorry for you and anyone who has the misfortune to know you.
UK Falcon
March 30th, 2011
8:15 am
SeenThisB4: I seem to recall a Falcon on the Madden 2004 cover, several years before a Saint had that honour. But like a lot of guys here, I have to wonder why you spend so much time trying to stir up trouble on an Atl message board…
Sydnee
March 30th, 2011
8:23 am
Why is Matt Ryan even an option? How far did the flaky chicken make it last year? Come on seriously? At least put a winning contender on the cover.
Sydnee
March 30th, 2011
8:27 am
Hey Falcons fans… talk when you get a ring.
Ms. KP
March 30th, 2011
8:33 am
Seen this, what Super Bowl team you played on again? If he doesn’t deserve it don’t vote for him, but if your game was as good as your banter you would be a contender also. Unzip your pants and use your fingers for something that is pleasing to you because typing is not your thing.
winkasdad29
March 30th, 2011
9:10 am
College Football is like Seinfeld – the sport about nothing! It’s like going on a date, getting asked if you want to come in for coffee – then the girl asks “who are you?”
Aaron Rodgers will be on the Madden cover.
Contrarian
March 30th, 2011
9:10 am
It looks like the best choice for us homers is Hines Ward. It’d be nice to have a former Dawg QB on the cover and if the curse befalls him, it won’t hurt our Falcons.
just sayin'
March 30th, 2011
9:18 am
and what did Mattie Melt do last year to even be considered for this?…oh yeah, his completion % for 20yds…truly a reason to be on the cover….
swatguy
March 30th, 2011
9:21 am
Matty Ice indeed !! That’s like J Smoove. J aint smoove or smooth. And Matty aint even cool. You’ve been had Falcon fans.
PMC
March 30th, 2011
9:22 am
He’s safe, they aren’t going to put a QB who had his worst game at home in the playoffs on the cover.
It will be Rodgers. He’s the BMOC right now.
PMC
March 30th, 2011
9:25 am
Really though Saints fans… your team freaking wet the bed in the playoffs against the worst playoff team ever.
This is not the time for you to talk crap.
Peachy
March 30th, 2011
9:39 am
Aaron Rodgers will clearly win… and it’ll feel sooooo good when we walk all over them next season (tbd). oh yeahhhh….
phil
March 30th, 2011
9:44 am
Who cares…Join in me in boycotting each and every NFL game this upcoming season, or whenever they play again…don’t watch, don’t listen and don’t attend a single game. Let’s all take a year off and see how they like it…
hello!
March 30th, 2011
9:44 am
Drew Brees broke the curse by not getting hurt last year….. I know the point is to try and sell papers, but Brees broke the curse…. Thank you!
DirtyByrdATLien
March 30th, 2011
9:47 am
#9 Got hurt..(undisclosed knee injury) and his stats were down from the previous season, I say the Madden Curse worked well…not to mention they got beaten by a 7-9 in the playoffs HAHAHA!
Eastside
March 30th, 2011
9:50 am
NO NO NO NO NO
SawThat1nce
March 30th, 2011
9:56 am
Brees broke the curse and didn’t get hurt, then why did he throw 30-something interceptions?
SawThat1nce
March 30th, 2011
9:59 am
How many different names can STDB4 use on one blog? Is there no limit?
jw
March 30th, 2011
9:59 am
dang – SeenThisB4 – cut him some slack – he has done exactly what he was supposed to do – in 3 years he has the team in playoff contention – EVERY year, not every 10 – they win EVERY year – something that even the great MV couldn’t do – we wanted a winner when MV went to the pound, the franchise has done a great job protecting this guy and giving him some help to prevent him from being bruised and battered like Steve Bartkowski, damaged goods that gave the town all he had, without much appreciation for it – Ryan gives ATL another chance at a Super Bowl – that’s all we want, consistency – in something other than losing seasons.
Maybe it’s the rainy day causing you to be on the attack – it’s kind of cool he is the choice for the game – I do agree, he doesn’t need to be on the cover unless there is a guaranteed no season!
Ueeediot
March 30th, 2011
10:03 am
Besides, Brees and the Aints had there year on the cover of Madden already.
SawThat1nce
March 30th, 2011
10:05 am
Sorry saints fans, but your saints are on their way down in the NFL South.
The teams on the rise are the Falcons, and to some extent, the Bucs.
In fact, the Bucs will more than likely finish 2nd in the South, over the saints and Panthers, in the next NFL season(providing the greedy owners don’t use scabs as players).
Vixzilla
March 30th, 2011
10:10 am
Pending a looming lockout. Just put the helmet of all teams on the cover. That way the curse will be fitting, not singling out any player or club.
HARDCORE FALCON FAN
March 30th, 2011
10:11 am
look for the the new orleans aints to dwell in the celler of the NFC south thier fake best year is behind them…rising??Atlanta falcons..tampa bay..so now aints you have a miserable stinkpot city and a stinkpot football team…ewwwwhh !!i hate new orleans and the aints with a passion..
HARDCORE FALCON FAN
March 30th, 2011
10:16 am
aints remmember ..marshawn lynch in the playoff last year in beautiful Seattle..look for more of that this year..your best year is behind you..the media feel good new orleans story has ended..oh the run by marshawn lynch was so terrific the rowdy crowd in Seattle caused an earth quake..i was lovin it!!
D. Orlando Ledbetter
March 30th, 2011
10:17 am
Save Matty Ice! Save Matty Ice!
Chicago Rules — Everybody, dead or alive, need to vote early and often.
SOUTH GA DAWG FAN
March 30th, 2011
10:25 am
I voted and it says you can vote once a day , haven’t looked for a way around that once a day problem yet
Halsey
March 30th, 2011
10:26 am
The Madden Curse is a nice marketing gimmick. It’s funny how serious some people take the idea of a video game cover having ability to magically curse a player.
SeenThisB4
March 30th, 2011
10:33 am
The last team the Saints beat was, let’s see, ah yes, the falcan’ts, on their supposedly, invincible home field. Uh-huh. The dirty birds have lost a couple in a row at home, I woudn’t be flapping my wings too much about who is on the rise, cause the buzzards did nothing but nose dive at the end of the year.
Like I said, Aaron Rogers will win this and be on the cover. That will, once again, prove me correct.
mjeter
March 30th, 2011
10:39 am
The Madden Curse is real!! But then again, i think if any player has a stellar season (say 2000 yards rushing or 25 sacks) its very hard to repeat such a feat. We will see….does anyone doubt it will be Aaron Rodgers on the cover?
Sydnee
March 30th, 2011
10:48 am
Falcons, all bark and no flight!
Sydnee
March 30th, 2011
10:49 am
I would cheer for the cheating Patriots before I cheer for the Falcons.
SeenThisB4isanidiot
March 30th, 2011
10:59 am
Really? are you 12? you are angry that the falcons are good? The saints are a 10 win team the falcons are a 10 win team… can we be adults about this? this is about a cover on madden on an atlanta message board… you will win no arguement here… go write your ramblings on a saints page… ps the best thing that happened to new orleans was katrina but the worst thing to atlanta because all of you criminals and thugs moved to atlanta… oh and take note to how japan is acting in a crisis… no one there is stealing tvs and jordans…
Packer Fan
March 30th, 2011
11:14 am
I really don’t want to see Aaron Rodgers. He has enough head injuries without being on the cover of anything.
Chris from New Mexico
March 30th, 2011
11:21 am
Let’s put Roger Goodell on the cover.
Katherine
March 30th, 2011
11:24 am
Vote for anyone but matt ryan!
Katherine
March 30th, 2011
11:25 am
Sydnee
March 30th, 2011
8:23 am
Why is Matt Ryan even an option? How far did the flaky chicken make it last year? Come on seriously? At least put a winning contender on the cover.
Ok…who would you suggest and we will all vote for him…who is your team
Katherine
March 30th, 2011
11:27 am
phil
March 30th, 2011
9:44 am
Who cares…Join in me in boycotting each and every NFL game this upcoming season, or whenever they play again…don’t watch, don’t listen and don’t attend a single game. Let’s all take a year off and see how they like it…
Good luck with that…….oh and btw…it won’t happen.
jw
March 30th, 2011
11:41 am
That’s kind of a carnac the magnificent “duh” – and we will let him get the curse – and all the packer fans will unload on the game when it happens. And yes – the curse is real – whether freakishly coincidental or not – just do a little research Halsey and you will find that many of the folks on the cover have suffered injury (at the time, our own MV) – just research the deal before you blabber!
FalconUGAFan
March 30th, 2011
11:46 am
@Katherine….well played..yes seen..I mean Sydnee…we will be happy to vote for your rep..oh wait I did
Ummmm
March 30th, 2011
12:03 pm
@SeenThisB4 A Falcon has been on the cover before. Before a Saints player, no less!
AFL Rules
March 30th, 2011
12:07 pm
Go Ga. Force………NFL sux
Richard Dawson
March 30th, 2011
12:33 pm
Matty pre-empted the curse with a curse of his own, the horrid performance against Green Bay. Hard to believe he’s doing so well in the voting given that season-ending major disappointment. I love the guy, but he is not in the top 5 QBs. Maybe not top 10.
Richard Dawson
March 30th, 2011
12:33 pm
Ahh, I see why he’s doing so well. He’s up against Jordan Gross. Whoever that is.
Richard Dawson
March 30th, 2011
12:36 pm
gabeaux, you’re worse than seen this b4. Why someone would want to spend so much time and energy running down another person is hard to understand. I feel sorry for you and anyone who has the misfortune to know you. Folks like you, who attack someone for having a different opinion than you, are below scum. Ditto to UKFalcon.
Curses To You, Matty Ice
March 30th, 2011
12:42 pm
[...] The Atlanta Journal Constitution has launched a campaign asking fans to vote against their beloved Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to make the cover of Madden 2012. Why? Because they live in fear of the infamous Madden Curse. The makers of the game have set up a bracket-esque contest to pick the next cover boy. The voting will be done over a four week period at ESPN.com/MaddenVote. Ryan’s already advanced to the second round. This week, he’s up against Peyton Hillis and this Saints fan will certainly do whatever it takes to make sure he makes it all the way!! [...]
SawThat1nce
March 30th, 2011
1:14 pm
STDB4 @10:33am……..STDB4 calling out another team for nose-diving at the end of last season, after it’s saints had a melt-down themselves.
Showing your ignorance.
After their performance for the entire year, they were lucky to even make the playoffs.
jarvis
March 30th, 2011
1:16 pm
@sydnee….i didnt know the NFL give rings to the fan too……..hey but i’m a falcon fan so what do i know, huh!!!
jarvis
March 30th, 2011
1:20 pm
Maybe Matt Ryan being on the cover will counter the curse he have playing in the off season. Anybody think of that?
jarvis
March 30th, 2011
1:21 pm
i meant post season
jarvis
March 30th, 2011
1:22 pm
or playoffs
Falkin Phraud
March 30th, 2011
1:25 pm
How can Ryan even be the subject of a “curse”? He hasn’t accomplished anything. First, you have to be somebody before you can be “cursed” and decline as a result.
Really?
March 30th, 2011
1:53 pm
Ummmmm, to all of you who like to comment about the Saints last season, please remember, your team didnt make it to the big dance EITHER. Remember the Saints have a SuperBowlRing. The Falcons, have a promise ring? No,maybe its a ring around the tub?
Until you walk the walk, and get the ring, STFU!!!!
Yeah, I said it!
Trish
March 30th, 2011
3:15 pm
I guess this is to make it seem like the reason he wouldn’t win anyway is because people are voting to keep him from being “cursed”? LOL
Matt
March 30th, 2011
3:19 pm
Only uneducated, superstitious idiots believe in “curses”. It would be a great thing for the Falcons and for Matt Ryan if he got the cover.
dbird1
March 30th, 2011
3:46 pm
@Really?,
win one without the zebra’s help then you can talk.
fansince74
March 30th, 2011
3:51 pm
Aaron Rogers is the one who is the most deserving to be on the Cover.
Decatur Falcon
March 30th, 2011
3:54 pm
Look people, the Madden Cover is a curse, every NFL player that has gotten on that game cover has a bad year or never play again. Madden need to focus on the fans, and that is it. If I was Matt Ryan, I will tell them “No Thank You”, I hope it is Hillis and not Matt Ryan. I would like to see the Atlanta Falcons win a Super Bowl, before I leave this Earth if there is any football or not. I love football, and can’t see myself not watching if that take them 2 years to get their act together. Matt Ryan please say no to Madden 2012, we need to win a Super Bowl. GO FALCONS!!!!!!
Anointed champs/NOT
March 30th, 2011
4:37 pm
Falcants still looking for stardom, some kind of way. Didn’t the falcants win the super bowl last year. After all, that’s what their fans said would happen, since they were the number one seed last year. Oh I forgot, another year, no ring for the falcants.
JuneBaby
March 30th, 2011
5:55 pm
No qb should be represented if he doesn’t throw td passes longer than 10-15 yds. If the only good thing you can say about a qb is he’s efficient, it means he’s a system qb and has no natural talent to be able to rise above, meaning he can’t carry a team with his extrordinary play. So when other teams figure out the system, he’s almost uselesss. That is not criteria for being on the cover of Madden!
hbcuclassics
March 30th, 2011
7:02 pm
HBCU Classic Sports Draft Board 2011 (11-21)
11. Jason House 5′11,185 FS Southn 10 ints 2009
12. Chris Adingupu 6’0, 189 FS PView All-SWAC
13. Phillip Sylvester 5’9, 185 RB FAMU All-MEAC, 4.39/40
14. Ray Webber 6′2, 218 WR UAPB FCS All-American
15. David Mims 6’8, 348 OT VA Union 3x All-CIAA
16. Josh Harrison 6’4, 285 OG SC State All-MEAC, 3x MEAC Champ
17. Dejuan Fulghum 6’0, 220 OLB Tx South 2010 SWAC Defensive POY
18. DeAngelo Branche 6′0 220 RB Norfolk FCS All-American
19. Andre Carroll 6’4, 280 DT Del St. FCS All-American
20. Frank Kearse 6′4, 302 DE Ala AM 2x All-SWAC
21. Marshall McFadden 6’1, 230 LB SC State All-MEAC,3xMEAC Champ
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
WTF?
March 30th, 2011
8:15 pm
why is tim tebow in there….correct me if im wrong but the kid has started TWO GAMES!!!..HES HAD HIS LAME NCAA (SAME GRAPHICS YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT) COVER…I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD HAVE HAD A CURSE AND HED BREAK HIS NECK SO THE REST OF AMERICA WOULDNT HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT THIS NO TALENT ‘TEEN’ HEARTHROB ANYMORE….NOW HES A CABANA BOY FOR UNDERWEAR
ls1z28chris
March 30th, 2011
8:16 pm
Why are you folks cheering against Ryan? He can’t win a playoff game. Y’all should try to win this for him.
drmondo
March 30th, 2011
8:30 pm
Stop responding to B4 and all his aliases…He’s a tool who has no real life. Don’t feed the Troll(s)
MountainDawg
March 30th, 2011
8:41 pm
Glad to see top QBs Rodgers, Brees & Ryan advance…along w/ (grossly underrated Woodhead & Hillis).
SawThat1nce
March 30th, 2011
9:26 pm
The saints were ushered into the SB by the NFL’s officials.
Plain and simple.
Big Wood
March 30th, 2011
9:31 pm
Don’t do it…
Runnin With The Dawgs
March 30th, 2011
10:04 pm
The poor performance against Green Bay wasn’t just Matty Ice. It was the whole team!
Michael Nash
March 30th, 2011
10:09 pm
seenthisb4 YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!!!!!!! There has been a Falcon on the cover before, and by the way the 12th man didnt make it past the first rd.
SeenThisB4
March 30th, 2011
10:12 pm
The Saints won their appearance in the Super Bowl, which is vastly better than what the falcan’ts did in their sole SB appearance, and sure the Saints didn’t repeat last year, but that’s attributable to the Super Bowl hangover, the Madden Curse, and the officials helping the falcan’ts win at the Super Dome. and overwhelming injuries, in particularly at running back. Even still, 11-6. Falcan’ts lost 2 of 3 at home, losing 2 games to winning teams (Saints, of course, and the Packers) only managing to beat the worst team in the league, Carolina. Bottom line, the falcan’ts couldn’t close the deal, couldn’t take advantage of the gifts the refs handed them, couldn’t make the big play, and couldn’t stop their oppnents when it counted.
SeenThisB4
March 30th, 2011
10:21 pm
@Mike Nash: You are correct, that was the guy that gave all you falcan’t fans the middle finger, was it not? The guy whose name can’t be posted here?!
LOL!
Gave ya’ll the middle finger salute! Your own QB!! LOL!
Runnin With The Dawgs
March 30th, 2011
10:23 pm
B4 — Now go ahead and tell us all about the Saints game with the Seahawks.
SeenThisB4
March 30th, 2011
10:32 pm
@Running: At least we didn’t get our butts whipped in front of our home crowd where your claim was you were invincible. Your team was fortunate that the Saints lost to the hawks, cause the Saints would have beaten the falcan’ts again in your house.
BirdDawg
March 30th, 2011
11:06 pm
SeenThisB4, A loss is a loss no matter what, but still, it’s much more understandable to lose to the Super Bowl Champs than to lose to the first “playoff” team with a losing record. And if you hate the Falcons so much, why are you on a Falcons blog in the middle of the off season? What a clown.
Singletary
March 30th, 2011
11:18 pm
Please let it not be MR2. We don’t need distractions, particularly beyond, UH, TB & their big and beefy team looming in our rear view mirror.
Ctstyle
March 30th, 2011
11:51 pm
Come on Falcons fans. Start voting for Brees. I don’t want to see another Falcons QB with a broken fibula lying on the Dome floor.
falcon88
March 31st, 2011
7:10 am
Seenthisb4 sounds like a closet falcon fan can’t stop talking about them anytime. Besides his lovely AINTS lost to the first team ever I mean ever to make the playoffs with a losing record we lost to the superbowl champs that must hurt little AINT but no worries it was a hangover right so stupid got one ring and an now your the pats haha swim out of that city get back in the real world dumb a$$
SeenThisB4
March 31st, 2011
7:20 am
falcon88: Yeah it hurt, but it was assuaged by the shiny Super Bowl Rings. As opposed to your team who was one and out, on their Super Bowl drive. LOL!
Aaron Rogers will win the Madden cover!
Facon James
March 31st, 2011
8:13 am
Can we talk about the new Auburn scandal?
Falcon 4 Life
March 31st, 2011
11:45 am
You all are a bunch of haters! Growing up in the ATL, we havent had many successful quarterbacks with the Faalcons at all. Im not sure if a falcon has ever been on a cover of madden ever. DOnt down the man cuz hes the best we have because judging from history, he may be the best quarterback we have ever had. Rise up Dirty Birds! And think if your team can really compare…i mean they did go 13-3 last year, how was your team?
SawThat1nce
March 31st, 2011
10:28 pm
STDB4 @7:20am…….The closest you’ll ever get to seeing a SB ring is on the TV.
SawThat1nce
March 31st, 2011
10:29 pm
STDB4……..What a DA, you are.
SeenThisB4
April 1st, 2011
7:47 pm
SawThat1nce: You’re a DA yourself.
Rogers is going to beat out Fatt Ryan, again, and beat him big time. Brees is going to take on your middle fingering ex-QB, then Rogers will beat out Brees by the thinnest of margins, (they may even need a recount).
ASHCAN.
April 4th, 2011
8:37 am
Who cares,atlanta teams are already cursed.This city is so racist and divided all the way from the fans to the sports columnist.A kingdom divided will not stand and we wonder why atlanta teams have ONE championship(Sorry braves) in 40+ years.