ReutersIn one of the only upsets we may see in 2011, given the whole lockout thing, Browns running back Peyton Hillis has ousted Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Madden 12 cover competition.
Somehow, Hillis mustered more votes than Rodgers in an election that was opened up to the fans.
Sure, Browns fans are zealous — but so are Packers fans. Maybe, in the end, the Cheesehead base didn’t turn out the way they should have, assuming that Rodgers easily would win.
Hillis will need even more help if he hopes to upend Mike Vick, who bested Adrian Peterson for the other spot in the finals.
Given that Hillis has a much lower profile than Vick, the next vote could end up becoming a public referendum on Vick, one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports. The fact that he is so close to returning to the cover of the Madden franchise, however, is remarkable, given the ups and downs of his career and his life during and after a federal incarceration for conspiracy to engage in gambling and dogfighting.
Cast your vote at ESPN.com through April 27. The winner will be announced on SportsNation that same day, the four-year anniversary of the date on which Vick first denied any knowledge of or involvement in the dogfighting operation that had been discovered on property he owns in rural Virginia.
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Can the Madden Curse strike twice? Is it like Chicken Pox? Once you get it you can’t get it again… please…?
Let the tearing of clothes and gnashing of teeth begin! LOL
Someone is clearly rigging this thing. Who is this Hillis fella?
Dumb as red clay dirt beats out limp wristed left coaster.
After EA announces Vick as the winner of the cover, they will receive so much grief that they’re gonna wish that hadn’t handled the cover this way.
VOTE PEYTON HILLIS! Cleveland is desperate…
Knowledgeable Packer fans just didn’t want to bring down the Madden Curse on their QB.
Wait . . . does this mean we need to vote FOR Vick to make the cover?
Am I the only person who wants to see Vick win just to piss PETA off?
and this is why fan voting is lame. Really, of all the NFL players out there it comes down to Hillis and Vick? Wow, I’m not sure if that means fans are just ignorant or just don’t care.
Maybe they didn’t want the “curse”.
If the Packers had real fans, they would have casted more votes in this meaningless poll.
Packer fans voted heavily – for Hillis!
woah. didnt see that coming. even as an eagles fan, i still want hillis to get it. you rarely see a white runningback dominate like he did, especially on a team like the browns. plus…come on, do we need another qb??
‘Maybe, in the end, the Cheesehead base didn’t turn out the way they should have’
Or they did turn out the way they should have and made sure there is no Madden curse hanging over Rodgers.
Should be Hillis, it would be beyond retarded to have Vick appear on the cover TWICE. Maybe they can have TO appear on the cover in an Eagles uni in attempt to catch the mojo from ESPN NFL 2K5, the greatest football video game ever released.
Packer fans consider this a victory for Rodgers!!!
“Sure, Browns fans are zealous — but so are Packers fans. Maybe, in the end, the Cheesehead base didn’t turn out the way they should have, assuming that Rodgers easily would win.”
Or maybe Packers fans are superstitious and they all voted for Hillis.
but Rosencrantz doesn’t think Hillis is a playmaker.
I think the Cheeseheads voted for Peyton Hillis so that Rodgers could avoid the Madden Cover Curse!
LOL !!
Every one shoulf vote for vick just to piss off Animal extremists of all kinds (PETA, racists…
Definitely wasn’t an upset. I voted for Hillis just as every other Packers fan should have done.
Hillis is such a mud and cold player, he fits the Madden image perfectly. Vick is too much dodge and speed, as opposed to Hillis’s bull em over.
I vote Hillis
After EA announces Vick as the winner of the cover, they will receive so much grief that they’re gonna wish that hadn’t handled the cover this way.\—————————————-
Not that I have anything against Vick. He has my vote over Hillis. I’m just saying I think EA will get a lot of flak over it, and internally they’ll question their decision to have the cover determined this way.
Let’s go Hillis!!!!!!!!!
I’d hate to see Hillis incur the Madden Curse, but I’d hate to see Vick on the cover more. Vote Hillis!
Don’t overlook the race factor. Hillis is the first white running back in decades. This couldn’t be a more politically incorrect matchup.
I find it fascinating.
I could care less about the Browns but I like the idea of a white kick ass RB on the cover. How often does that happen?
While Cleveland is helping the vote, I think Razorback fans have a large part in it also
Hillis deserves it. Rodgers was supposed to be good – no surprise there. But Hillis came out of nowhere and is fun to watch as well. Plus, he further solidified exactly how stupid Josh McDaniels really is.
We’re just a small town superstitous bunch. Congrats Hillis……(whew)!
Yes!
As a Packer fan, I voted against Rodgers as many times as I could have.
“Maybe, in the end, the Cheesehead base didn’t turn out the way they should have, assuming that Rodgers easily would win.”
Yeah, we…uh…didn’t turn out…
Who in the nine hells is Peyton Hillis??
LOL @ Hillis being in the finals.
thephantomstranger says:
Apr 18, 2011 1:37 PM
If the Packers had real fans, they would have casted more votes in this meaningless poll.
–
Oh REally? YOu must be a Minny troll, of course we didn’t wnat ARodg to win, we’re going to enjoy watching the Madden Curse bring Vick back down to earth. Not that we haven’t already (RE: Wild card game)! GO PACK GO.
Vick does not deserve to be on the cover, curse or no curse. He recently stated that he would change nothing about his life except “Well….maybe the length of the prison sentence. Make it 6 or 8 months.” He has not learned anything. And what a softball question to screw up! They gave him an opportunity to say “I would not have fought dogs” and he blew it. Hey, at least he’s honest.
Hillis getting much love from the fantasy ballers I am guessing. As a GB fan I am glad Rodgers isn’t going to be on the cover. The last Packer has had a curse lingering since appearing on the cover.
Ha ha yeah- was able to vote 3 times (home, work, phone) and voted each time like every Packer fan should have; for Hillis.
We know ya wanted it, Aaron- but we fans are superstitious bunch:)
“I’m thinking Super Bowl homeboy!”
As a Packer Fan, I voted for Hillis to avoid the curse for Rodgers, no need to risk him getting more hurt than he already does. On the flip side, QB’s make it on there all the time, it’s refreshing to see other positions glorified too.
Both guys suck..rather have hillis on the cover since vick had his turn. Then again, would love to see someone punish that dog killer, and keep the curse alive!!
As a Packer fan I just thought Vick deserved it far more than Rodgers. I mean how could anyone even think Rodgers would have made it this far? Obviously a lot of bear fans vike “fans” amd detroit fans cast a lot of votes to get Rodgers so far in the running…
We are talking the Madden curse here, right?
Dawg pound vs dog killer. Woof.
as a Giants fan, i voted for Vick!!!
the madden curse will strike again muwahahahahahaha
and who cares about this PR crap madden does every year.
bring back nfl 2k
As a Browns fan maybe the “Madden curse” will make let us have a good year
carlgerbschmidt says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:02 PM
thephantomstranger says:
Apr 18, 2011 1:37 PM
If the Packers had real fans, they would have casted more votes in this meaningless poll.
–
Oh REally? YOu must be a Minny troll, of course we didn’t wnat ARodg to win, we’re going to enjoy watching the Madden Curse bring Vick back down to earth. Not that we haven’t already (RE: Wild card game)! GO PACK GO.
___________________
You wouldn’t have brought Vick down if Leslie Frazier hadn’t shown you how to do it.
As a Packer fan I voted for Hillis and everyone else that was against him and I don’t usually vote for these stupid things but the curse is real. At least I wasn’t going to chance it. Way to go Hillis.
i refuse to believe the this was an accurate voting…that being said, go Vick.
As a Ravens fan I vote Hillis.
I hate seeing that dude rip through my Dline and the linebackers.
I also believe in the tooth fairy and Madden curse.
Rodgers probably asked his fans not to vote. Let someone else get injured.
I guess this just means that one of these two cursed teams will continue to be cursed for the 2011 season. No big whoop.
Count me as another Packer fan who voted for Hillis. The cheeseheads did turn out, just to prevent Rodgers from dealing with the Madden curse rather than getting him on the cover.
hbdbrowns33 says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:10 PM
“As a Browns fan maybe the “Madden curse” will make let us have a good year”
-Hilarious
packer fans then:
Rodgers is a lock. Its not even close. He will win because he deserves it.
packer fans now:
We voted for Hillis. The curse! The curse! We never wanted Rodgers to win.
packer fans always:
Idiot, cheesehead hicks who happily trash the face of the franchise for the last 20 years.
woods546 says: Apr 18, 2011 2:02 PM
Vick does not deserve to be on the cover, curse or no curse. He recently stated that he would change nothing about his life except “Well….maybe the length of the prison sentence. Make it 6 or 8 months.” He has not learned anything. And what a softball question to screw up! They gave him an opportunity to say “I would not have fought dogs” and he blew it. Hey, at least he’s honest.
———————————
Some people learn from their mistakes. He realizes that he NEEDED to goto prison to realize how terrible the life he was leading was. Ever thing of that? You don’t appreciate the fame and fortune until its taken away from you.
Voting Hillis! (i dont care for douches that torture and kill dogs)
I’ll take the Lombardi… keep the effen cover.
I hope Vick gets the cover, the jinx that goes with it, and than gets eaten by a shark for what he did.
Hillis did not only beat Rodgers, but he dominated. Look at the stats:
Hillis: 61% (334,269 votes)
Rodgers: 39% (213,713 votes)
Total votes: 100% (547,982 votes)
Vick: 59% (223,663 votes)
Peterson: 41% (155,426 votes)
Total votes: 100% (379,090 votes)
Hillis nearly received as many votes as Vick and Peterson combined. I am extremely convinced that Hillis will be the coverboy of Madden NFL 2012. And I guarantee you that the EA Sports/Madden marketing team are worried out of their mind that Hillis is going to win this.
As much as I despise Vick the guy’s a hell of an athlete so I kinda hope he wins also the fact that I hope the Madden Curse holds to it’s name has nothing to do with my selection.
lasest edition includes new dog fighting franchise mode……… i cant wait to customize my own virtual dog cemetary.
@jaggedmark – Exactly. Fair or not, there are more than a few suburban households that would never allow a game in the house that has Michael Vick on the cover.
I didn’t vote because I don’t care who is on the cover, but are you allowed to vote more than once? If so, I suspect an exorbitant amount of Hillis votes coming out of Hattiesburg.
ah yes Packer fans, the most delusional in all of sports. all I heard for weeks was “Rodgers is a lock” or “Rodgers has already been picked”. Once he doesn’t get the cover I’m hearing “we didn’t want Rodgers on the cover” “good to hear this news.” You hillbillies in Green Bay think you had something to do with the outcome? This is a nationwide poll and basically a popularity contest and Hillis beat Rodgers. Green Bay’s population of 32,000 didn’t have anything to do with the outcome.
Hillis only beat out Rodgers because most Vick fans, like myself, voted for Hillis to ensure and easier win in the final.
The Cleveland Curse already holds.
The Rocky Colavito Curse
The Art Modell/Paul Brown curse
The LeBron James Curse
All sports covered. No room for another…so bring it on.
We can handle it if it happens…we always do…and if it is cencelling due to curse overload…then look out world!
Lotsa room on our bandwagon for more Browns fans…but we the loyal are already repared for the sometime THIS year
We have the Lombardi Trophy. Packer fans knew better. We don’t need no stinkin Madden Cover and niether did Aaron.
Let one of these other scrubs get cursed.
It’s a new decade and thus need to bring another round of Madden Curse on Vick. Brown fans should be voting for Vick.
Sure are a lot of GB posters confirming that they were scared.
Vick vs dog pound 2.0. Who let the dawgs out?!?!?
Hey blaz0037 ,
Rodgers did win some voting recently….Superbowl XLV MVP.
Now turn around, there is a lady at your register that wants extra ketchup with her fries…..Favre lover…….
“Dawg Pound vs Dog Killer”
Great line! Hillis is a down-in-the-dirt bulldozing runner and Vick is a vaseline-slick glitzy bauble of a QB. I’ll take the bull… you can have the bling.
Wow, I never thought he would get this far in the voting………………….anyway you cut it his story is pretty amazing.
seriously….a white rb vs. a black qb…..this is one for the ages
blaz0037 says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:30 PM
packer fans then:
Rodgers is a lock. Its not even close. He will win because he deserves it.
packer fans now:
We voted for Hillis. The curse! The curse! We never wanted Rodgers to win.
packer fans always:
Idiot, cheesehead hicks who happily trash the face of the franchise for the last 20 years.
_______________
Will you marry me?
If Vick gets the cover does kolb’s trade value go up?
Outside of all the jokes and anger, at least there is one good thing to be said about Michael Vick still being in the running for the Madden cover – we are a nation that forgives. That is one thing that makes America, America, and that is one thing that makes America the most prestigious place in the world.
does anyone else see the irony in this?
Its the Dog pound vs Michael Vick!
The Dog Pound vs. The Dog Killer… interesting. By the way, I’ll buy the Packers fans voting against Rodgers, the Falcons fans did the same for Ryan.
Ladies, Ladies!!! No need to cat-fight. If you believe in curses, that just means you are stupid. I would suggest a subscription to Witches and Warlocks monthly and the Harry Potter box set for your entertainment purposes since you obviously know nothing about football.
To paraphrase Bruce Wayne, Packer fans are a superstitious, cowardly lot.
“Idiot, cheesehead hicks who happily trash the face of the franchise for the last 20 years”.
I painted his face at the bottom of the toilet, just to crap on it every day. Screw Favre and his circus, game-ending picks, and all of his drama. Aaron Rodgers is the king, the Super Bowl MVP. F Favre, LOL.
edenprairieballer -
Rodgers doesn’t need to win a popularity contest – he just won the Super Bowl. I wouldn’t expect you to understand why the Super Bowl is more important, since your Vikings have never won one.
thephantomstranger -
Sorry Leslie Frazier guy, the Bears had the blueprint long before the Vikings beat them. Oh, and the Packers beat the Eagles twice with Vick running the show. Even the choking Giants had the blueprint before Frazier got a chance to scheme for Vick.
Too bad.
Phantomstranger, your “smoking hot wife” certainly hopes that blaz0037 says yes.
It’s just a video game. Who cares? Putting Vick on anything will have PETA suing.
I believe in the “MIB, UFOs, black helicopters, the Jolly Green Giant,” that said…I voted against Rodgers.
I may have my issues with Michael Vick, but I HATE al-PETA! GO VICK!
I’m with Hillis….especially since he gave me great fantasy value last year.
Vote for Hillis. Vick already had his cover and Cleveland needs something to cheer about.
I am a Packer fan Big Time and I called all my other Packer fans and told them to vote for Hillis , I am normally not a person to believe in curses but when is the last time someone on the box had a great year or didnt have a injury ? So as far as I an considered I hope no Packer is ever back on the cover of that box. Go Hillis LOL sorry Cleveland.
A white running back vs. a convicted felon… absolutely hilarious.
Cleveland teams are already cursed, so maybe another curse is exactly what we need to break it! The old double-negative, or the “two wrongs don’t make a right, but 3 lefts do.”
LOLing at all the Packers fans who are pretending that they voted for Hillis to avoid “the curse.”
“Curse” or not, anyone who tries to claim they didn’t want the player who represents their team to be on the cover of one of the most high profile and popular video games ever is flat out lying and eating sour grapes. Fact.
Mike the writer, just to piss you off I have 3600 facebook fans and they will all vote for Vick and all of their friends will vote for Vick just to piss you and PETA off for trying to rigg this it should have been Rodgers vs Vick not some scrub on a 6-10 team.
I wish Vick would retire.
Is that better Mr. Moderator?
I thought you dog kissers said Vick would be a PR Nightmare…………
HA HA HA
Woof Woof!
PLEASE! Let Vick win! Who better to be the first player to suffer the Madden curse twice?! I hope the dogs get their revenge…
Why would Packer fans care if Rodgers “wins” that contest? Any fan would trade all 12 Madden covers for 1 Super Bowl ring, and throw in some cash, too.
Trickbunny,
maybe you are just dumb because it couldnt be possible that a packer fan actually voted against Rogers. I voted against other Packers as well in other polls since just because they won the SB doesnt mean they have the best player at every postion.
I voted for Hillis as ridiculous as it sounds but Madden has too good of a track record for the cover curse and predicting the superbowl.
But curse or not I love my dog so Go Hillis
trickbunny says:
Apr 18, 2011 6:51 PM
LOLing at all the Packers fans who are pretending that they voted for Hillis to avoid “the curse.”
“Curse” or not, anyone who tries to claim they didn’t want the player who represents their team to be on the cover of one of the most high profile and popular video games ever is flat out lying and eating sour grapes. Fact.
I think the thing is rigged, I was informed that it was…wait for it…Hillis and Vick promoting the voting before it started.
I find it really hard to believe that the 2 promoting it initially end up being the 2 left. Likewise, that anyone even came close to beating out Rodgers, who should have easily won out.
I will continue to not vote, I won’t be buying the game anyway, it’s shifted away from the Madden I loved playing and got too “everybody friendly”.
As a Mike Vick fan I hope he dosen’t win… Last time he made the cover he broke his leg. Come on Philly fans vote for Hillis.
Hillis all day. The guy is a class act and he went from a weak trade piece (way to go, McDipsh1t) to an absolute beast, minus a minor case of fumblitis.
Vick had his day in the sun. VOTE HILLIS!
Packers fans should be embarrassed for not voting for Rodgers. This whole idea of a curse is absolutely ridiculous, and it’s embarrassing to think the cover of one of the most popular video games ever is limited to the running back of a team who hasn’t had a winning record in quite a few years and a convicted felon who tortured animals.
If Vick makes the cover, I will not be buying the game.
How much damage can the Madden curse do to a team averaging 5 wins a season since they returned in 1999?
Vote for the Albino Rhino!
buckybadger says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:14 PM
As a Packer fan I voted for Hillis and everyone else that was against him and I don’t usually vote for these stupid things but the curse is real. At least I wasn’t going to chance it. Way to go Hillis.
=================================
Oh please, the curse is real? Tell that to Drew Brees, who was on last year’s cover. Made it through the whole season injury free and back into the playoffs.
Contrast that to Rodgers, who suffered two concussions and missed one game.
Curse my ass. You idiot Packer fans who voted for Hillis because of some BS curse should be embarrassed. Rodgers was, hands down, the most deserving of the bunch. He should have gotten it.
I guess the poster who goes by the name blackqbwhiterb had it right. If Vick loses, are people going to play the race card?
It’s funny how Packer fans claim to be clever by voting against Rodgers to protect him from teh curse. If this is so true, then how did Rodgers even get out of the first round?
I think this is hilarious since EA Sports clearly wanted Aaron Rodgers on the cover giving him the easiest draw possible and he blew it. The facts are when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have no expectations they excel, when they are picked to win, they struggle as proven by this voting.
I would think one would have to be pretty stupid to be a cleveland steamer fan, but I truly am amazed how stupid they are.
Yeah, every day us Packer fans wake up and only dream we had willy Hillis on our team. I curse you Ted Thompson for not trading for Willis! I mean, Hillis!
Just sit back steamer fans and think about this, a trade for Aaron Rodgers involving Hillis. What would the steamers have to put up to make it happen? Let’s see, Hillis, Joe Thomas, Holmgren, your stadium, Lake Erie, your next decades draft choices, and the bone of Art Modell.
So celebrate the victory, but don’t go getting all stupid about the greatness of Willis.
Some fans think having a white running back on the cover is something you have to vote for because he may never get the chance again. He carried his franchise last year; let Cleveland have the spotlight. Funny and ironic: Vick vs The Dog Pound.
Do they even have the internet in Wisconsin? It’s not like you need Google to figure out how to milk a cow.
I hope Hillis wins. It will be the first and only win for Cleveland this decade. It might just put us on the map! Heck…it could be the start of many great things. Tribe winning the pennant. Cav fans getting a cha-lu-pa. And…dare I say it…a Browns superbowl?
Does anyone else see the irony that it’s Vick versus the Dawg Pound once again?
SpartaChris says: Apr 19, 2011 12:39 AM
=================================
Oh please, the curse is real? Tell that to Drew Brees, who was on last year’s cover. Made it through the whole season injury free and back into the playoffs.
Contrast that to Rodgers, who suffered two concussions and missed one game.
Curse my ass. You idiot Packer fans who voted for Hillis because of some BS curse should be embarrassed. Rodgers was, hands down, the most deserving of the bunch. He should have gotten it.
______________________________________
I’m not saying anything either way about a curse…but Brees did in fact suffer a knee injury last year that he played through…but his play suffered for a bit.
Hillis will leap over Vick just like he leaps over any defender who tries to tackle him! That kid has hops.
C’mon, I seriously. I admit I really like his physical running style, but a promotion to Madden Cover after 1 good season doesn’t make sense.
Madden Cover is supposed to be for guys who’ve made multiple probowls and are league icons.
If he wins , other players are going to be jealous and will try to take him out.
all i have to say is whocares..for the first time in about 12 years i WONT be buying madden..whats the point for me to shell out more money for nfl product when they wont even give us product!!!..UFA wont be in their right spots, ratings wont go up n down… i wont be doin this
Vick on the Madden cover? Seriously? I guess a prison sentence and a one-and-done playoff appearance is all it takes these days. On the bright side, if the curse does indeed exist, Vick may finally get exactly what he has coming to him. Karma’s a mean-spirited bitch, after all.
Mini fans yapping at Green Bay because we “lost” the Madden cover. Hilarious… and really sad. I hope the rest of the NFL fanbase now understands what we have to put up with on a constant basis from those tools. If it’s cloudy in Wisconsin and partly sunny in Minnesota they’ll crow about it. Can’t imagine what would happen if their team ever won the Super Bowl, but God willing we’ll never have to know.
SpartaChris says:
Apr 19, 2011 12:39 AM
buckybadger says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:14 PM
As a Packer fan I voted for Hillis and everyone else that was against him and I don’t usually vote for these stupid things but the curse is real. At least I wasn’t going to chance it. Way to go Hillis.
=================================
Oh please, the curse is real? Tell that to Drew Brees, who was on last year’s cover. Made it through the whole season injury free and back into the playoffs.
Contrast that to Rodgers, who suffered two concussions and missed one game.
Curse my ass. You idiot Packer fans who voted for Hillis because of some BS curse should be embarrassed. Rodgers was, hands down, the most deserving of the bunch. He should have gotten it.
============================
Who had the better year? I will take a Super Bowl victory over being one and done in the playoffs. Brees threw twice as many INTs as he did the year before. Keep calling names though because it makes you look real smart.
Is it possible that Vick is immune to the Madden curse since he was already on the cover; kind of like chicken pox?
If Hillis wins, I’ll be happy for him, but also dismayed that Mike Alstott never made it. As fun as Hillis is to watch, he’s never carried five tacklers with him for extra yardage the way Mikey did.
yeah brees wasnt hurt:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/26/brees-confirms-his-in-season-knee-injury/
neither hurt due to madden cover was: Shuan Alexander (leg), McNabb (acl), Vick (leg), Ray Lewis (wrist), Polamalu (knee), Farve(biceps)
and players such as Culpepper, VY, Faulk, Eddie George all had seasons that year.
The curse isn’t real…..unless you broke your leg and then got sent to prison….in Vick’s case, he might not want the honor of being on the cover again. It might kill him.
If Packer fans were voting against Rodgers because of the Madden Curse, then how in the heck did he make it as far as he did?
I Have Spoken
Vick wins & EA will boast a pic of Vick, in uniform, with a pitbull that has a half live cat in its mouth bleeding profusely.
“The facts are when Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have no expectations they excel, when they are picked to win, they struggle as proven by this voting.”
so the preseason superbowl champs (who went on to win the superbowl!) struggle when there’s expectations?
and what’s with everyone dissing on packer fans? (over a madden cover vote)
you had superstitious packer fans/bunch of browns fans/fantasyfootballnerds vs the other packer fans who wanted aaron on the cover/vikingsbearslions fans who wanted him cursed…..Falcon Fans voted against Matty Ice, Lions fans even had a couple “vote against suh” articles when it was RodgersVSsuh
blaz0037 says:
Apr 18, 2011 2:30 PM
packer fans always:
Idiot, cheesehead hicks who happily trash the face of the franchise for the last 20 years.
——————————-^
We may have trashed on Brett (for wearing purple), but at least we didn’t joke about hurricane katrina (cause of the results of an nfc title game)….shaking my head @ self rightous minnie people trying to troll around and call out Packer Fan’s character.
Go Albino Rhino !!!!