[TIMSCAR20]

Anyone playing online yet? I have played 4 games and am 4-0. It is mostly like last year's game but that new blocking feature had been added. Also I think the passing is easier but running is harder. My friends think the exact opposite. I have only played a few games so maybe everyone's opinion will change once we all get comfortable with the new game. I will say that I am getting PS3 at Christmas time so this will be a small window using this last verson of Madden on PS2 (actually they will probably still make it for the people that don't move to the new console.).

If anyone wants to play online I am timscar20

[SuperJon]

I still haven't played Madden 06. I'd rather play NCAA 07 than Madden.

[krh44]

Haven't played it yet. How does Gado look in the game?

[TIMSCAR20]

I have not played against the Packers yet. Everyone wants to use Cincy, Steelers, Cowboys so far. I have only gotten to play a few games but I am 8-0 so far. You really have to prepare to stop the big name recievers though. Chad Johnson and TO really need full attention. The running game is fun now because you can control any blocker you want. It is tough at first but I am getting it. I had a game last night where I had a 3rd and 10 and I was down by 3 late in the 4th Quarter. McNabb gets flushed out of the pocket so I tried to run back to throw the ball away and the guy trips me for a 20 yard loss. 4th and 30! For whatever reason the guy plays man to man and doesn't blitz and doesn't get in any kind of deep coverage and Pinkston beats him for a 70 yard touchdown. It was realistic though because he went into a short zone and Pinkston got behind the defense. Why he chose that D I will never know but I am glad because I was toast! I am not ranked or anything because I don't play for rankings anymore (too stressful and people cheat by pulling the cord out when you are trying to kick for example).

[LUconn]

Everyone wants to use Cincy,

Tell them to get off my bandwagon! I refuse to let anybody on.

[TIMSCAR20]

I know! I don't think I have even played against them more than 3 times in the past 5 years and now everyone wants to use them. Doesn't matter to me though. I just bottle Johnson up. Stuff the run and make someone else beat me. Do you play Luconn?

[LUconn]

I play the maddens but I havent tried '07 yet. I've got a 360 though, so no ps2 online for me.

[TIMSCAR20]

Going strong at 34-10 but 1 of my losses was from a disconnector. He has been caught and his info erased. I am sure he will log in under a different name/game. I still get the loss though. I am not trying to get ranked but I have been as high as top 4000. Right now I am somewhere around 5200. The game is play is a lot like last year at first glance but when you play it the players do different things than they could last year. It gets more realistic every year. Can't wait to see what PS3 brings to it.

[LUconn]

what do they base your rank on? Is there a formula of some sort? Just buy the 360 and learn the buttons. It's cheaper and now.

[TIMSCAR20]

I am not sure how exactly they rank you but it has to do with your opponent's record and their ranking if they have one and of course your win loss record. There are guys that are .500 but are ranked pretty highly because they only play ranked opponents. I just play the first guy that comes along. You can hit play now and get a game in. Sometimes people run from you though. I have 3 losses from comuter glitches but they still count against you. I am 36-12 now. Took 2 computer glitch losses over the weekend. That makes me mad! Also a guy got caught cheating that i played but I still have a loss even though I was winning when the game when out. That is why you can't try to get ranked. It will make you want to throw your tv out the window when you get a loss when you were actually winning the game. All in all it is pretty fun but intense. I can't wait for PS3. No Xbox for me Luconn. Sorry.

[jcmanson]

Scar, you got to get with it. Xbox is the best gaming system ever!

[TIMSCAR20]

Actually JC I would agree with you. HOWEVA, PS3 will be on par if not better and most of the people I knowand play against are on the Playstation platform. I have seen Xbox and it looks incredible. They use Xbox for all the commercials. Still gonna be a Playstation guy though. I could probably learn the Xbox control in 5 minutes or less and be competitive but I digress.

[LUconn]

you gotta learn to get past your platform bias. I was a nintendo man forever, I would never admit anything was better. But by the time the gamecube came out, they just wouldnt make the good games for it. Obviously it had all of the mario games which are probably some of the best ever made, but most of the other games I'd see on TV woudl only be for PS2 and xbox. So when the 360 came out, I said by to nintendo.

[El Scorcho]

Yes! Console platform wars. I can't wait for this to break wide open.

[TIMSCAR20]

Ok, We always talk about not sipping the cool aid on this board so I figured I would share my Jim Jones like experience in the world of John Madden. Apparently there is this underground society of nerds geeks and flat out cheaters that run around online creating fake user names, cloning those names and padding their stats by playing against themselves with 2 different PS2's hooked up. I was actually recruited by this guy last night that I was gonna play. He asked me to put on my headset so he could talk with me. He explained to me how there are thousands of guys out there with high rankings but that it is all artificial. This year they have clubs and the #1 club at the end of the football year will get to go to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. This guy is the commissioner of the #1 ranked club in the online world! I went to the leaderboards and sure enough, this guy, his club and everything else was as he said it was. The clubs ranked 2-8 or so are all filled with artificial stats and cheaters and EA Sports is about to delete them! There are 1000's of guys trying to get into this #1 club because they are so far ahead. He won't let most join because there are cyber terrorists out there that will join your club, throw a bunch of games in a row by quitting or just out right losing in order to bring your club down. I was blown away by all of this because I just play for fun and I don't try to get ranked or anything. I am 43-12 and I had 4 losses from those "clone" guys but I didn't know it at the time. Now I have a secret telephone number that this guy gave me directly to EA Sports and they will fix my record when that happens again and delete the player that cheated. The guy asked me to join and I eventually did but I had to ask was it like the Mob. Can I get out if I want or am I in for life He assured me I could quit. He only asked that I be careful not to play guys from those cheating clubs and that I win 50% of my games. That second part is easy because I usually win about 75% (I am at around 84% right now). But now I have to check guys'affiliation and stats before I can play a game! I am ranked in the top 3000 right now but this guy tells me that there are about 2000 high ranked guys out there that are cheaters. I don't know if I can handle the pressure but if I stick it out, I could be going to Hawaii in Feb. I will probably quit before then though. As I said, I just like to play for fun and when it gets this serious, I want no part of it. We will see how it goes.

[LUconn]

THat's pretty interesting. I never could understand cheating online. How much of a loser do you have to be to create fake users to pad your stats? What's the point of that? Maybe those folks should get out of their mom's house and find themselves a tan, and then a female.

[TIMSCAR20]

You are so right Luconn. Those guys are losers for sure. If you can't win the games, why try to pad your stats. I never understood it but at least now they have a prize they can win but still. A trip to the pro bowl is not life changing or anything.

[TIMSCAR20]

OK, so I quit the "cult" group that I spoke of earlier. Way too much stress. They want me to re-join because my record is 145 and 42 with 22 losses due to computer connection error. That means I really am closer to 165 and 20 but I digress. For some reason I am playing this year's version with more confidence. I think after playing for a possible pro-bowl trip and then getting out, I am playing with a clear mind and can out think my opponents. I can't wait to see what it looks like on PS3. I will wait until after hoops season when I have more time to play it and when I can actually get my hands on a PS3. I have not even seen what Madden looks like on PS3 yet.

[jcmanson]

Hey scar, if you want to see what it looks like go by the target over near short pump on broad st. They have the demo version of it up there. It's pretty sweet.

[TIMSCAR20]

My apt is right around the corner from Short Pump so I may have to check that out soon. I am always in that Target but I just haven't visited that section I guess. We should do a thread like the Sheets vs Wawa with Target and Walmart. For me it is Target hands down.

[jcmanson]

Having worked at Target for 4 years, Target. Easily.