As Madden Day 2009 approaches, ESPN did us the favor of breaking down some notes about player ratings in the latest iteration of the classic title. There are some no-brainers (LT at 99, duh), some head-scratchers (Brian Westbrook higher than Adrian Peterson? Really?), and some that just defy description, most notably Jets tackle Wayne Hunter receiving a 100 in Morale (I don't even know what that means).
The cool news is that Aaron Kampman and Bob Sanders head their positions in overall rating. Kampman shares the distinction with Jason Taylor, as both rate a 98. Meanwhile, Bob is the lone defender in the entire game to merit a 99 rating, which seems appropriate, given his status as reigning NFL Defender of the Year.
Iowa joins Michigan (Tom Brady, Steve Hutchinson), Texas (Leonard Davis, Derrick Johnson), and Texas A&M (Pat Williams, Shane Lechler, and punters shouldn't even fucking count) as the only schools to place two players on the All-Madden list. Meanwhile, the highest Iowa State player in the game continues to be Blaise Bryant, who sits on the free agent shelf with a rating of negative infinity.