Football
Charles Curtis 16y

PLAY ACTION: EA SPORTS' MADDEN TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Last night Electronic Arts held the 20th Anniversary party for their famous Madden franchise at Touch nightclub in Manhattan.

The event was attended by former Madden cover athletes who spent the night circling the numerous Play Station consoles set up around the club, playing various versions selected from the game's storied history. Besides wives and girlfriends they were accompanied by a group of models in yellow dresses carrying around PSPs all night for guests to try.

Vince Young, Ray Lewis, Shaun Alexander, Daunte Culpepper, and Marshall Faulk were all in the house to celebrate their covers. Shaun Alexander who arrived with friend and Seattle preacher Jonah Smith said, "We have our own brotherhood. The NFL is its own private club anyway, but there are only nine of us with Madden covers."

Daunte Culpepper and his wife, who were adorned in matching diamond chili pepper necklaces, agreed. "I got challenged more on the field because I was on the cover," Culpepper said.

Ray Lewis attempted to distinguish himself even more, "You must have noticed I'm the only defensive player with a cover. Defense wins championships." ("It helps!" Faulk responded). Ray arrived with Rohan Marley (son of Bob Marley) who played linebacker with him at U of Miami and they squared up against each other with the Ravens and Giants while drinking Coronas. At one point, Ray had to call a development manager from EA to come over and adjust the game for simpler play-calling.

Vince Young, meanwhile, who was wearing a gold shirt by Lombardi, sunglasses that he never took off, a cross made of emeralds from his jeweler in Houston, and brown Louis Vuitton loafers, spent the night playing his own cover of the game. While detailing his off-season plans for reporters he was picked off by an EA rep that had challenged him.

After sampling the games the cover athletes were called downstairs for a panel, moderated by ESPN's own Aaron Boulding, where the game's expansive influence seemed to be the main topic of discussion.

Alexander remarked, "It's inspirational. Anytime you're on the cover, you become the guy."

Vince agreed, "I was overseas a while ago and people noticed me from the cover. I was loving it."

Of all the athletes in attendance only Marshall Faulk took exception: "I find my cover under my kids' bed. They haven't played it in years."

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