Superstition strikes again

Those of you who watch football or play video games or both are well aware of the Madden Curse. Well, it struck again. It was announced that during the game on Sunday versus the New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander suffered a cracked bone in his left foot. Alexander is the 8th NFL player to have graced the cover of the seasonal (John) Madden Football game, created by Electronic Arts.

In 1989, Electronic Arts released "John Madden Football" for the Apple II series computer. In 1992, Madden made it's way to the booming home-console market appearing on the Sega Genesis. It wasn't until the year 2000 when Madden himself no longer appeared on the cover of his hit franchise series, and it was in 2000 where the Madden Curse all began. Year after year, the NFL player "lucky" enough to make the cover of "Madden Football" has been injured in the subsequent season. Here is the chronology of the "Madden Curse".

2000 - Running back Dorsey Levens (Green Bay Packers) was featured on some versions of Madden Football. That year, doctors had to remove a loose fragment and scar tissue from under his kneecap. He was side-lined for the season and (still starting) running back Ahman Green got his first start. Levens was cut by Green Bay in 2001.

2001 - Running back Eddie George (Tennessee Titans) escaped injury that season. However, having the best year of his career, George bobbled a pass in a playoff game that was intercepted by linebacker Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens) who returned it for a game winning touchdown. Coincidentally, George was injured the following year.

2002 - Quarterback Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings) suffered a horrible 4-7 season start only to be placed on IR with a season-ending knee injury.

2003 - Running back Marshall Faulk (St. Louis Rams) injured his ankle and missed 6 games, preventing him from possibly having his 8th 1,000+ yard season. From that point on, Faulk never reached 1,000 yards again.

2004 - Quarterback Michael Vick (Atlanta Falcons) missed the first 11 games of the season with a broken leg.

2005 - Linebacker Ray Lewis avoided injury until the last game of the regular season, but it was also the first year where Lewis did not record an interception. In addition, Lewis suffered a season-ending injury the following year.

2006 - Quarterback Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles) suffered a sports hernia, though valiantly managed to play through the pain for the entire season.

And now...

2007 - Running back Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks) has been temporarily sidelined with a fractured bone in his foot.

I'm in no way a superstitious person, but there has to be something to the whole "Madden Curse" thing. It's too coincidental to be a coincidence.