Jan 19, 2011

Welcome to the first edition of the AskMadden.com Madden Challenge week! Having multiple Madden Challenge winners on our staff, we found it only appropriate to bring into light the production of the Madden Challenge finals — something that the newest addition to our community hasn’t seen in a couple of years. Typically around this time, the winners descend upon one location to battle out who the best Madden gamer on the planet is.

In this first episode, we sit down with our very own Truth as we discuss his thoughts on his nail biting game in the first episode. Join us next time as we upload episode two, along with another pro player sit down!

If you haven’t already, go back and find out how the winners of each city got here!

AM: In the video, Marcus says that you guys ran the same playbook, but you ran different concepts. What about Madden ’08 made you that much more explosive than someone who ran the same playbook as you?

Truth: The reason I was more explosive than others that ran the same playbook as me was simply that I utilized routes and motions unlike anyone else did.  Specifically in Shotgun Two Back, was my bread and butter where I had routes that I motioned to get my WR’s wide open on certain coverages.  Also schemed very well with the personnel that I had at hand.  I audibled from sets with more WR’s to get the best players on the field at once.

AM: Let’s just get right into what everyone wants to know — Do you regret going for the touchdown before half, or were you focused on getting a mercy in the first round and making a name for yourself?

Truth: Looking back at it, I should’ve taken my points before half and went up 17 points.  My idea was just that, mercy a proven name in the community in the first round of my first Madden Challenge Finals appearance.  If I would’ve taken my points, up 17 with ball at half would have been too deep of a whole to recover from for Marcdog.  Hindsight is 20/20 and I wish I could’ve taken that call back and took my points, but I don’t regret the call because I went with my gut and had a chance to put away the game.  If you ever have a chance to put the game away, I’m going that route!

AM: What was the playcall for the last play before half?

Truth: The playcall before half to go for the win was, Shotgun Trips Bunch and I had Ben Watson on a slanted curl route.  What was very effective in Madden 08′ was the one-handed catch in the back of the endzone.  I practiced this play many times and had the timing down perfectly.  When I hiked the ball, I tried to get too fancy as I added an extra motion.  That motioned WR actually bumped into Watson, which ended up messing up my timing and led to an overthrow.

AM: At the end of the game, he seemed to shut your offense down. Was it a choke, or did he catch on to what you were doing offensively?

Truth: You could call it a choke, but what happened was I wasn’t playing my game that got me to the 14 points lead at half.  I saw the lead that I had to begin to diminish, and new I was a better player than Marcdog at the time.  I ended up trying to make up for lost points, while throwing the ball deep and not taking the underneath routes.  He didn’t really throw anything different at me in the second half, I just started playing my offense according to the score rather than do what worked.

AM: Which game is more explosive offensively, Madden 08 or Madden 11, and why?

Truth: I would have to say Madden 08′ was more explosive on offense due to the sole fact of the animations that were present in the game at that time.  Spectacular catches, rocket catching along with a strafe button, no QB dropback, faster game speed, one-handed catches in the endzone and add an extremely effective run game equals an offensive sided game.

AM: Who is better at the game — Truth then at Madden ’08, or Truth today at Madden 11?

Truth: That is hard to call due to the fact that this year there hasn’t been as many tournaments as in 2008.  In 2008 towards the end of the season when I began to use the Cowboys, I would have to say that is the best I have ever been at Madden.  I was dominate in tournaments, whether they were local or nationwide, along with myself being new to the scene with a hunger that was unmatched.  Madden 09-10 were off years for me, so I always viewed 08 as my glory year, but with this year progressing I have that “08 Truth” feeling back so we’ll see where it takes us!

Want to ask Truth your own questions? Check out our forums today and chat with him and many other Madden pros!