Few off-the-field achievements exemplify an athlete's success and influence like an appearance on the cover of the "Madden NFL" franchise. Consider it the technological equivalent of the MVP trophy; if you succeed on the field, then EA Sports will find a place for you atop the wildly popular and successful video game.
In past installments, EA selected the cover athlete. For "Madden NFL 12," however, the company opened up voting to the fans. A 32-player bracket was created and the votes poured in. Each first-round matchup received an average of 427,862 votes. Like March Madness, upsets ruled: San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis, a seven seed, was the only defensive player to advance to the Elite Eight. Ninth-seeded Adrian Peterson bested first seed Philip Rivers and ultimately reached the Final Four. Tenth-seeded Peyton Hillis took down second-seeded Matt Ryan and is now in the finals, the results of which will be announced live on April 27 on ESPN2.
The Cleveland Browns bruiser, that down-to-earth star from Arkansas with the Christian roots and the boyish charm, could become the first white non-quarterback to appear on the cover. It would represent a victory for the common man, for the blue-collar, hard-working Americans obsessed with notions of "scrappy" and "giving 110 percent."
Or the cover could go to Michael Vick.
The burning you smell is PETA spontaneously combusting.
The story, along with the canine-related puns, has been beaten into the ground by now. Michael Vick was part of a dog-fighting ring. Michael Vick was charged with a felony. Michael Vick served 19 months in prison. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick upon his release. Michael Vick took the NFL by storm to the tune of consecutive playoff appearances and the rejuvenation of his electrifying half-arm, half-bazooka.
If Hillis were up against any other player, it would be simple: You either like Hillis better or you don't. Insert Vick into the equation, and everything becomes muddled. Guns come out blazing as sides get drawn. Voting for Vick is a vote for excitement. Voting for Hillis equates to social consciousness.
The question is whether a business whose sole objective is to sell copies and make millions should be an exemplar of moral purity. Is "Madden" within its rights to deny Vick a second cover appearance because his illegal activities prevent him from ever being a positive role model? Does forgiveness extend into the gaming realm as well?
Vick, as a No. 3 seed, breezed into the championship matchup with Hillis. He took out DeMarcus Ware by 52 percentage points, Andre Johnson by 24, Patrick Willis by 22 and Adrian Peterson by 18. The margin of victory is narrowing for the NFL's most polarizing figure.
The general argument against Vick seems to be that dog-killing outweighs success. Appearing on the "Madden NFL" cover is a glamorous award, one that opens the athlete to the highest level of idolatry. But should the millions of American children who will line up on August 30 to buy the latest edition regardless of the cover athlete worship a convicted felon?
Maybe we should trust today's youth to separate the good from evil, to recognize Vick's wrongdoings as wholly separate from his gaudy passing stats and heart-pounding scrambles. We act as though purchasing "Madden" is a cultural necessity and that having the game means having friends. The Helen Lovejoys will scream, "Won't somebody please think of the children," as though the message that anything is acceptable so long as you're a good football player will actively poison kids' minds. Boycotting a second Vick cover is still a viable option, but it would accomplish about as much as a sternly worded letter demanding that EA stamp "Convicted Felon" beside Vick. People will buy the game, regardless; that much is certain.
Or maybe, given the haunting history of injuries associated with cover athletes, naysayers should just vote for Vick anyway and hope the Madden Curse strikes again.
