Chargers fans saved LaDainian Tomlinson from Madden

Yep, San Diego Chargers fans saved their franchise back, LaDainian Tomlinson from the dreaded Madden curse.

Apparently, EA Sports was rumored to be targeting San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson to be the cover boy of their annual NFL video game, Madden NFL 2008.

Of course, judging by the way the annual Madden cover boy gets his ass hurt the same year he's on the cover, thousands of Chargers fans were clamoring for EA Sports to stop putting LaDainian Tomlinson on the cover of Madden NFL 2008.

One man started the a web site, SaveLTFromMadden.com, complete with a crossed-out mock-up of a Madden NFL 08 cover with Tomlinson, in an attempt to keep curses as far away from the athlete as possible.

The site's main point is an online petition directed toward Electronic Arts asking the publishing giant to not put Tomlinson on the cover of Madden NFL 2008. The petition had 606 signatures.

All this for a goddamn cover of a video game huh?

Well, you can't blame Chargers fans for taking matters in their own hands. Last year's cover athlete, the formerly durable Shaun Alexander, broke his foot and saw his NFL record for rushing touchdowns broken by Tomlinson after just one year in the record books.

The previous year, Donovan McNabb graced the cover of Madden NFL 06 and fought injuries all season long.

In the biggest case for the existence of the curse, and could be the single-most significant moment when people started believing in the dreaded Madden curse, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick broke his leg in a preseason game shortly after Madden NFL 2004, with Vick on the cover, hit store shelves.

Now, I guess San Diego Chargers fans would be happy to know that Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young will be the cover athlete of Madden NFL 2008 and not their cherished LaDainian Tomlinson. I guess the petition from SaveLTFromMadden.com worked eh?

Can LaDainian Tomlinson lead the San Diego Chargers to the Super Bowl? Who will be the favorites to win Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona? Here are the odds from Bodog:

San Diego Chargers 6/1

New England Patriots 10/1

Chicago Bears 8/1

Indianapolis Colts 7/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NFL Football Odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

LaDainian Tomlinson Madden NFL 2008