Saints Get Several Mentions in ESPN Outside the Lines (Madden Franchise) (1 Viewer)

[saburai]

For anyone who grew up playing the Madden NFL games, this is a must-read story on the history of their development. Although the story focuses on the programmers, executives, and coaches who made the games into the multi-billion dollar juggernaut they are today, I was surprise to find several Saints references.

Here are a few examples:

Madden gets serious. He breaks down upcoming rules changes. He brings up concussions, helmet-to-helmet hits and gimmick quarterbacks. A digression on how the Dome Patrol-era Saints used to frustrate Bill Walsh's 49ers teams with short linebacker drops becomes a lecture on the obsolescence of the fullback, which then morphs into a short aside on player character.
Who, Strauser asked, are the hardest players to coach?
"Single guys," Madden said. "Because they don't have anyone to report to."

Overnight, cover appearances became a status symbol, in pro football and beyond. When New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees landed on the cover of this year's title, he read a Top 10 list on "Letterman."
"Teams go on the Wheaties box," Cribbs said. "But individually, when you make the cover of 'Madden,' you've arrived."

Talk turns back to real football. The Super Bowl. Indianapolis versus New Orleans. In the first half, Saints coach Sean Payton went for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal, eschewing a "gimme" field goal. He opened the second half with an onside kick. Madden watched the whole thing from his California studio, incredulous and oddly transfixed. Even now, two months later, the old coach knows exactly what he was seeing.
"I was thinking, 'S---,'" Madden marveled, "'this guy is playing a video game!'"

Saints references aside, it's a good read.

 

[Lukelv0]

please Brees had already arrived before the damn cover. He had already been on letterman anyways. Madden is huge but not that huge. They try and make it seem bigger than the real game itself.

 

[rechargeable]

please Brees had already arrived before the damn cover. He had already been on letterman anyways. Madden is huge but not that huge. They try and make it seem bigger than the real game itself.

I digress. Madden has indeed become huge. Who hasn't played this game at least 50 times at one time or another? I haven't lately but it has a huge cult following.

 

[GW93]

Madden IS huge.

I mean, look at the guy, you'd think he'd be floating over the stadium getting aerial shots for the broadcast.

 

[antipop]

Madden IS huge.

I mean, look at the guy, you'd think he'd be floating over the stadium getting aerial shots for the broadcast.

he's all eyebrow

 

[jlam]

I digress. Madden has indeed become huge. Who hasn't played this game at least 50 times at one time or another? I haven't lately but it has a huge cult following.

Liar.

 

[CantonLegend]

I look forward to madden every year

its the only perennial game that stores have midnight opennings for every year

Madden helps casual fans understand the subtle nuances of the real game. it helps you create a love for certain players and teams

and it puts you in the game. its great to watch the games every sunday.....but theres nothing quite like playing.......madden is as close as some people will ever get

 

[saburai]

I look forward to madden every year

its the only perennial game that stores have midnight opennings for every year

Madden helps casual fans understand the subtle nuances of the real game. it helps you create a love for certain players and teams

and it puts you in the game. its great to watch the games every sunday.....but theres nothing quite like playing.......madden is as close as some people will ever get

This will actually be my first Madden game. In the past I've played it casually at parties and such, but this is the first time I've actually been motivated to go buy it.

The author makes the point that modern players and coaches were influenced by Madden growing up. Although I doubt this applies to Sean Payton in particular, the Saints are one of the most "video-game-like" teams in the league. Saints games are packed with highlight-reel material on both sides of the ball. They were one of the most entertaining teams to watch last season, and that's not just the homer in me speaking.

Right before the Superbowl, ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook wrote:

Watching New Orleans is like watching an outdoor cocktail party play football. The Saints are spontaneous, unpredictable, boisterous. They love trick plays. Every week the offense shows new formations and actions. The defense uses a zany style -- blitzing way too much, gambling for interceptions way too often. No NFL team plays a more relaxed style or seems to be having so much fun. Review film of the Saints and you have no idea what they are going to do -- they probably don't, either.

It's a match made in heaven for the Madden franchise, and the first time I felt like buying an annual football release would be money well spent.

 

[Ltr0x]

madden sucks lets be real ... these guys dont change a lot from the previous game

 

[Bayouman007]

I liked madden a long time ago, maybe I grew up or maybe they just try to make it too real.. I dunno just doesn;t grasp me the way it used to.

 

[TheDeparted]

madden sucks lets be real ... these guys dont change a lot from the previous game

Many of the new features for the next 5 years have already been developed, but will trickle out.

 

[CantonLegend]

madden sucks lets be real ... these guys dont change a lot from the previous game

yet somehow its a best seller every year......i wonder why?

i guess it doesnt suck so bad

 

[gpupil]

Madden has really helped me teach my son the game. He's seven and can tell tell different offensive formations, defenses, and what to do when the safety blitzes. It's a lot easier to teach him things while playing the game, and then reinforce it when we watch an actual game.