The Madden NFL 13 cover vote has reached the semifinals. Unlike last year, when Peyton Hillis grabbed internet votes for the lulz (with massive rallies from people who have no real vested interest in the game or playing it at all), the final four are all more-than deserving of the honor. In the third round, Patrick Willis bested Victor Cruz to advance, getting 55 percent of the vote. There are those who believe that Cruz had Giants fans rallying against him, fearing the Madden Curse.
↵Really, that seems likely - Willis is indisputably better than Cruz, but few have captured the spotlight like Cruz did in 2011. It also wouldn't be the first time that fans have rallied against a player in regards to the cover vote. At one point, LaDainian Tomlinson was set to accept the Madden cover honors, but his fans pleaded with him, fearing the curse. So Vince Young got the honors and turned into one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL.
↵The curse has a long, documented history and it's scary to think that Willis, the league's best linebacker (yeah, I said it), could be affected by it. That being said, he's going to have a tough time in the semi-finals, as he's up against Cam Newton, who recently got 70 percent on Larry Fitzgerald. Voting for the semi-finals runs through April 18, so be sure to vote early and often. The winner of that matchup will face the winner of Calvin Johnson vs. Aaron Rodgers in the finals.
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