Merry Maddenoliday

Today you may notice that an unprecedented amount of your co-workers have called in sick with "August flu" or are hobbling out of the office early claiming fake injuries. Well, I'm hear to tell the world, the gig is up! Today, August 22, marks the official release date of the highly anticipated video game Madden '07. With a yearly football franchise like Madden, it's got to be tough to think of new ad campaigns every year. EA Sports outdid themselves this year with "Maddenoliday". Take a touch of America's obsession with football and mix it with the most celebrated holiday, and you pretty much get the idea. It's probably appropriate for those millions of Americans that think the start of the NFL season is better than Christmas morning.

Professional football is like a religion in the U.S. Think about it. It happens on a Sunday and there's generally alot of praying going on during the game. People obsess over it (and "their" team) to a fanatical degree and heaven knows how much talk of God comes up enough in post game interviews. It is perhaps appropriate then that the theme of the latest ad campaign for the Madden franchise has been dubbed "Maddenoliday." The campaign focuses on kitsch Christmas type imagery, except put in the context of NFL football in general and Madden '07 in particular. If you are going to celebrate Maddenoliday, you'll need to follow the proper traditions such as...

• Tacking Under The Ham Hock
  This consists of hanging ham above the doorways.
• Chopping Down The Goal Post
  Chop it down, drag it inside and decorate.
• The Hanging Of The Sweat Socks
  Good gamers will find their stocking filled with bottles of beer. Bad gamers can expect a head of broccoli.
• The Leaving Of The Ribs
  When your copy of Madden '07 is dropped down the chimney, be sure to leave a thank you gift - a plate of BBQ ribs.
• Caroling Thru The Neighborhood
  Any festive football chant will do, but I prefer this one...

"Maddenoliday is here and we will play all night.
Call in sick and sound sincere in tackles we'll delight.
The fridge is packed with drink and meat.
The taste of victory sure is sweet.
Come my friends on this launch day,
Hail Marys we will throw.
It's Madden N-F-L-hooray!
We'll humble all our foes."