What the Duck?
Arian Foster campaigns for the Madden cover as Texans tempt yet another curseamid free agent woes
As if the offseason hasn't been bad enough for those Super Bowl-scheming Houston Texans, here comes another land mine. Arian Foster is campaigning for the 2013 Madden cover.
The Texans' best player — the one thing they've gotten right this offseason — is tempting the Madden Curse.
Any even halfway serious football or video game fan knows that the player who ends up on the cover of John Madden's wildly popular game either gets hurt, loses his ability to play or falls off the face of the earth. And often, it's a combination of all three. Heck, the Madden Curse once forced Barry Sanders — the best running back in the history of football — to retire at age 30.
If anyone could buck the curse, it's Foster. But are the Texans really in a position to take a chance?
Now, Foster is too good to forget how to flummox linebackers and spin defensive backs' heads around. And his campaign is typical, understated Foster brilliance. Just watch Foster's duck video (above) and try not to laugh.
From the new $43 million man turning to the giant stuffed animal duck on his bed and listening intently as the duck doesn't say a word (prompting Foster's "I couldn't have said it better myself") to his deadpanned, "If you're not voting for me, who the duck are you voting for?", the tailback continues to show why he's a star in any setting, on any stage. It's hard not to root for this self-described "Houstonian" to get his Madden due.
If anyone could buck the curse, it's Foster. But are the Texans really in a position to take a chance?
Now, I'm not one of those writers who is going to pretend that losing surplus tight end Joel Dreessen is some big blow, but being down two fifths of your offensive line, a premiere (though not dominant) pass rusher and a captain is not exactly a rousing start to the Super Bowl campaign. Now Foster takes on Madden.
The silver lining for Texans fans? Foster is somehow matched up against the blessed force of Tim Tebow in the first round of fan voting in the 32-man bracket despite being a No. 3 seed. Still, Foster is going all out, appearing on an ESPN chat to promote his campaign, coming up with the duck video.
You can vote for Foster here — if you dare.
