Prestige Master in a lobby full of noobs? Not a COD movie but nice head/ kill shots all the same. Didn't follow subtitles but with action this good who needs to!?

 G-Love puts the 'G' in G4R with his post Madden game commentary. Love my Madden but love this guy more with his antics. Short version... he does a live Facebook vid after every game depicting game while answering comments from people who tune in live. Mature content.

 Just want to take a minute and recognize the thousands who play in online Madden leagues and communities. We're all brothers (and sisters) in arms when it comes to lacing up our virtual cleats and taking the field. Disclaimer... This article focuses on a few franchises our staff and myself have participated in and in no way a knock on the countless others not mentioned. Space only allows for so much.

Instead I will focus on three I've been in for years: G4R Madden, True 32 Sim and Fantasy Madden 281. Each has a multi-commish staff for checks and balances and I like the diversity, structure, discipline and leadership they provide. They run year round (since M'13), stay full and advance on time if not early. Some have tried them and found it not to their liking while others revel in them. All good, people have different perceptions of what a credible league is and I'm not here to judge. Let's jump in shall we and get to what makes these 3 stand out for us.

G4R: It's considered the entry point of the 3. It has guidelines in place to keep the hardcore guys challenged and friendly enough to introduce newcomers to franchise play. With live post game conferences by coach G-Love himself what's not to love? Some call it the most sim of the trio but that term is overused in my opinion. No two people will 'ever' agree on what sim is. Its one of the few lgs that has had a female player since 'M25. Over 1/4 of it's original members since day 1 are still here. A cpl members vow this is the 'only' lg for them.

True 32: Rules are a little more loose than G4R and you 'must' be able to take a beating. In fact many have jumped in this league gung-ho only to leave after a brutal initiation by a fellow opponent. It's not lobby by a long shot but you can let your hair down and air it out more. Consider it a cross between G4R and 281. True 32 is one of my personal faves.

Fantasy 281: Some call this the flagship of the 3 and no mercy is shown whatsoever. With limited rules its a notch short of EA's anything goes Madden Tournaments. Picture MUT in franchise mode where teams are full of superstars, some players 99 overall. League has a 'hot seat' where you must win a minimum amount of games each season to stay onboard. It's a refreshing twist and makes you weigh every game heavily. Of course exception to the rule are staff and contributing members who put in countless hours to help keep lg flowing. Get ya weight up fellas, only thing harder than playing in this lg is trying to get in. Members tend to stick around for the long haul.

Note: Article is not a ranking of leagues nor debate forum for what is and what isn't sim. Only an insane person would go down that road. Adjusting rules and sliders does not make a lg sim, neither does having members who are ex football players. They bring a different approach to the game and though insightful is not a be all end all. Its a topic for another day. In short its a video game and meant to be entertaining sim or otherwise. When it ceases to do so no label on the planet will keep you around. Look for other featured lgs in the future.

It's our inaugural NCAA March Madness tourney contest and takes place on Firefan app (Android, iPhone). Most are members but if not download app and register to play it's free and takes about 5mins. Once on app search for NCAA tourney league G4R Spring Madness or look for G4R Nation. Both will direct you to same place.

Much like the brackets you pre-select teams you think will win. Difference is... we award points for correct answers with underdog selection paying nearly double points. Each round brackets are reset and you have a shot at winning that round but scores still accumulate over entire tourney. So even if you whiff a round you can still come through big by being consistent.

Firefan is our NFL contest app but season over we are expanding to NCAA, MLB, NBA and FIFA. Now is a good time to get it a test drive to gear up for later contests. If any questions please let us know?

Firefan is finally here! Real time sports app that's revolutionizing the gaming world. It covers major sports like NFL, NBA, MLB, FIFA, etc but for this article we will focus on football. How it works?... You download 'Firefan' app on iPhone or Google Play store and type in code: G4Rzone to get in instantly without the long register forms. You will be apart of our G4R Nation group and automatically entered to win prizes and awards for contests. As of this posting it's in last week of beta testing and everything looks like a go. App asks questions like: Who will score first? Will first score be a touchdown or field goal? Which team will get first penalty? Will halfback get over 10 yards this drive?... well you get the gist.

Everyone from all walks of life can jump in, play and be competitive. In fact it's on pace to out perform Candy Crush, Angry Birds and Pokemon Go when they launched! Join up today and you will be able to say 'I was there in the beginning'.

Madden Players of America (MPOA) hosted a Madden Tournament in Baltimore yesterday with players from around the region. Marc Rollins was in attendance to help run the festivities. Competition was fierce and it looked like another successful venture for Mr. Rollins and MPOA members. Look forward to next year's event!

Marcus Glover Sr aka G-Love has been a staple in the G4R camp since foundation of league in '13. He approaches each game with same intensity whether he's 2-8 or 8-2... dude has that 'high motor' attribute that commishs love. He doesn't have any Super Bowl rings but what makes him stand out is his zest for the game, good sportsmanship and everyone's favorite... post game conferences.

He does a mock live post game press conference where he answers questions from reporters and viewers. You can't hear the questions but you have a sense of what's being asked. If viewing vid you can see him respond to comments made in real time. Here is latest!

Everyone loves video games be it Call of Duty, Madden, GTA, Mario Kart or poison of your choice gaming knows no age boundaries. If born in last century you have experienced it at some time and point and have spent numerous hours vegetating on a certain stage or level.  While it's cherished in our childhood memories it holds disparaging images for some who continue to play through adulthood. Why? Our motor functions and hand/ eye coordination deteriorates.

I've been playing games for 30+ years and can attest to this first hand. Sad thing is you don't really notice it as it's a gradual process. The font seems smaller and the rules more complicated as you go along. A decade ago I could put in a sports game or first person shooter and be aware of everything on the screen and react instantly. If playing Madden I could spot a blitz a mile away, scan field and dump it off to open receiver before defenders got anywhere near my quarterback. Call of Duty... I could spot a camper and snipe him on first shot without missing a stride.  Now I'm getting sacked on a regular basis and walking into ambushes. It's not all downhill on a good day I get in the zone, turn back the hands of time and game with the best of them. Still those days are getting fewer by the year.

So why continue to game when at an disadvantage to the youth? Easy... we are gamers pure and simple. As long as it bring us happiness we will continue to play. The victories are twice as rewarding and it's a way to stick it to father time. Not to mention a little trash talking to guy we just beat half our age.
-James

Teflon Liza aka 'The Don' has been at the forefront of commissioning Madden leagues for years. G4R finally caught up to him for an in depth interview and wanted to shed his wisdom and insight on the Madden community. Like him or not he knows a thing or two about running successful franchises.

Since inception of Madden Connected Careers in Madden '13 (released in Aug 2012) one person had to step up take the reins and manage the volatile personalities of 31 other guys. It was no easy task as commish had to answer and settle all controversies. Over the years EA has eased the burden by allowing multiple commishs to manage disputes. Still on tough decisions it usually comes down to founder of league and that keeps many a commish up late at night. Madden has made many strides to make commissioners jobs easier but it has yet to replace the human touch.

Teflon Liza has experienced all of these obstacles and come through with flying colors. He lays down guidelines at beginning of season and enforces them. If a glitch or snafu comes up outside of rules he addresses it and makes adjustments asap. When a mistake has been made it's easy to jump on the bandwagon of naysayers and rain on his parade. Only the strong and confident march through the rain and persevere. He is humble enough to acknowledge errors and rectify them without retaliation.

Many know his name but few know what makes him tick! Well here is your rare window into one of Madden's most beloved commishs... here we go!

G4R: How long have you been playing Madden?
Teflon: Been playing madden for a long time.. To long to remember.. Didn't play online until ps3..

G4R: As commish of a highly reputable and sought after lg (Fantasy 281) how do you deal with mega ego's?
Teflon: Ego? What's that? Every one has a voice.. I let em speak.. Only way to have a successful league is let everyone feel their voice matters.. Up to a point.. When it becomes a problem.. You cut out the cancer..

G4R: Every lg has dissensions among the ranks how do you cope when guys challenge your decisions? [Ed note. It's funny how 30+ members each have the 'perfect set of lg rules' but yet unable to sustain a lg of their own].
Teflon: I don't see it as a challenge.. I see it as a difference of opinion.. I feel like I've been doing this long enough to know when someone has a good idea for the league and a good idea for themselves.. My track record speaks.. And I'm confident in my decisions..

G4R: How many leagues do you currently commish/ co-commish?
Teflon: Only commish 3 leagues.. Couldn't handle any more..

G4R: What's your fave NFL team and Madden team this yr? 2 part question.
Teflon: Giants and Giants

G4R: We all have lives outside of Madden when not playing what are some of your fave hobbies?
Teflon: Fishing and watching sports.. All sports..

G4R: Fave game other than Madden?
Teflon: 2k (basketball)

G4R: What advice can you give to up and coming or struggling commishs striving to keep a full competitive lg year round?
Teflon: If you have a vision.. Stick to it.. Find those that share your vision and build from there.. Anyone can start a league but it takes your involvement investment and the right mix of users to make a successful league.. Also Showing respect and making sure you (the commish) is also respected.. Don't be afraid of criticism.. As a commish expect it.. Keep yourself level.. Balanced and stay the course..

G4R: 281 has proven to be the premier ship of credible leagues how can guys contact you and lg to be added to this exclusive group of high caliber players?
Teflon: You reach me by Facebook (Teflon Liza) by email teflonthedon@hotmail.com

G4R: You have direct links to some of EA's developers, if future members want to contact you directly to join lg or request a one-on-one gm how can they go about it... what's your PSN ID?
Teflon: My psn is Teflondon1863

There you have it people a glimpse inside one of Madden's most revered commishs. If you've had the good fortune of playing under one of his lgs you are in an exclusive class. Teflon Liza aka 'The Don' ... the name suits him well.

'Titus Boycott' is an inside joke on one of Madden's most prestigious leagues Fantasy 281. He's been in the mix off/ on for a few years and recently run into internet connection problems. He's on the verge of being booted from league but fighting to save his place. It has cost him a few dropped games and that's taboo in any league. He says problem will be fixed next month but the calamity continues. Dude posts hilarious vids and his fate is a day by day ordeal.

Latest Vid: Mr. 281

The latest edition is finally here! Ratings for this game has been all over the charts from impossible to kick field goals to death of the nano-blitz. One thing's for sure EA has done their homework and brought a more complete package to the table on launch day. Oh did we forget to mention we may have a new cover athlete for G4R?... Ron Baylor!

G4R hasn't had a chance to put game through all of it's paces but early indications show new mechanics and engine. I'm going to go on a limb and say guys/ gals who take the time to do training skills (yes that pesky thing we all overlook each edition) may give them an edge over guys they normally would not have. I've watched a few streamed gms last 48hrs and saw numerous upsets. Guys who couldn't get over the hump are there now.  For gang busters who are in the playoffs every year... get use to sitting on the sidelines once in awhile this edition. Most of ya skim over basic mechanics b/c game doesn't vary much year to year. Well that all changes and if ya don't have a solid game plan kiss your playoff streak goodbye.

Back to G4R's potential cover athlete. One of our members, Ron Baylor, picked up game a day ago and is already ranked #21 worldwide. In fact when we started writing this story he was ranked #35. He's beaten numerous online guys even the #1 ranked guy by a score of 31-0. We're glad to have him in our lg and he's even started one of his own, Madden 17 Bully league.  His true love is basketball and we see him gracing the cover of a NBA franchise down the road. Article is 2 days behind schedule and he's probably in the top 10 now. Lace em up gents as we dive into a new season! -James

Game on
What Is United Games and what are their immediate plans?
United Games is a newly founded phone application gaming company in charge of designing and implementing the first sports application of its kind that allows you to interact with your favorite sports teams in real time as the games happen. This will change the way we all watch our favorite teams play, adding even more excitement.
The game will officially launch this Fall of 2016 with the introduction of two live, interactive sports apps; MLS (Major League Soccer) and the NFL. There are future plans to expand across just about every sport in the world, including major European soccer leagues, the NBA, the NHL, MLB, and even table tennis.
What is the Game and how will it Be Played?
For the first time ever, you’re going to be able to interact with your favorite team(s) game and make in game play calls based on predictions you set!
Does It Cost Money To Play The Game?
The game will be ABSOLUTELY FREE to play. This game isn’t in any way gambling. The game is played with a virtual currency called “tokens”. You can only use the tokens you’ve accumulated to play the game. Like many phone application games on today’s market, including Candy Crush, Angry Birds,
and Pokemon Go, you have a variety of ways to accumulate tokens: 1.)
FREE after watching ads of participating companies. 2.) Through discounted bundles at a time to avoid watching potential ads. 3.) Paying a monthly subscription fee depending upon the number of tokens you elect to buy.
What’s The Incentive for Players to Keep Playing? Since there is no money involved, you might be wondering what the incentive is to try and keep playing the game. For competitive people, the game alone will be worth it for them whether they challenge friends, family members, other community leaders, or just play by themselves.
Another amazing incentive to playing this game will be the opportunity to receive rewards based on lifetime achievement points collected as you play the game; when players reach different benchmarks, the rewards get better. Rewards include, shirts/hats, gift cards, electronics, tickets to various live games, vacation travel, and even a new car. It’s simple, the more you play, the more you’re rewarded for your achievements.
How Can You Play United Games’ Exclusive Game?
Message me or comment "I'm in!" For your personal invitation & unique code!

Contact me on Facebook to get underway!
-James

Pokemon... Japanese to English translation 'Pocket monsters'. Ok I'm in far be it from me to buck the trend and deny this insane phenomena. I run a couple of different Facebook personas and on every page I see posts from friends scrambling around to collect these deformed creatures.

Last time I played Nintendo's blockbuster hit was in the 90's on a hand held Game Boy. Fast forward nearly 20 years and here we are again. Not sure if it's a way for millennials to recapture their youth but one thing's for sure it's contagious.

Apparently it's only for smart phones and from the gist of it people are going gaga trying to capture these imps any and everywhere they can. Kudo's to the developers for making it a 3-D virtual game. Players have to physically get out of their house to find these little monsters and in the process exercise. Not since the Wii have I seen such creativity incorporated in game play.

Several of my associates have boasted about reaching level 5 in the short time it's been out and posted mock pics of where they have captured latest creatures. In fact I'm so intrigued by this craze I've decided to feature a few players on site in upcoming weeks.  -James

G4R recently started a ritual where we interview Super Bowl winners in each of our leagues but project has taken on a life of it's own. Originally it was a segment to feature comments and tips on how said winners made it but has evolved into much more. These articles are being shared on more than fellow gaming sites and in so made us take a hard look at questions being asked.

Negus Tj Teral is a prominent figure in Madden circles and we wanted to delve a little deeper into his mindset and break away from the normal Q & A we normally ask he's earned that much. Madden is a hobby for most and a good way to get away from the daily grind we call life and he's found a way to pull off both quite well.

Everyone in life goes through a period of recognition where they begin questioning things rather than accepting them. It can be as early as the child who questions how Santa Claus gets down the chimney (especially if your home doesn't have one) or why boys and girls are different to the adolescent who wonders why some races are treated differently than others. Still others are perfectly content with going through life following rules laid out before them and there's nothing wrong with that but not our featured artist.

Negus has brought up thought provoking topics on his page as well as our league and we wanted to let him elaborate more on them. If you are a player fortunate enough to reach G4R's pages the mic is always open to speak on topics you find dear to your heart.

Note: G4R has always and forever will be politically neutral. Staff has their personal preferences but they will never reach page here. However our featured guests are allowed to voice theirs regardless if far left or right. Hear we go!

G4R: Congrats on another Bowl win, no easy task given the talent in league. What's your mentality when struggling against an opponent and you need to pull out the win?

Negus: Thanks.. First thing I do is settle down, when you're frustrated is wen u make the most mistakes. By halftime I would have a grasp of what my opponent is doin and make my #adjustments and execute just like you would in real life football. (Example; if I know this guy dt is abusing my guard and getting pressure I would change up to shorter throws, snap throws and screens) I'm great at making ingame adjustments and if there was a stat I believe it would show that im one of the better 2nd half teams..

G4R: A lot of ppl blacks/ whites alike are enlightened daily. What advice can you give to steer them down a path to begin their journey?

Negus: Seek truth first, and understand.. And think freely (freethinker).. So much to learn about life and the world we "actually" live in.. Not all bad, there's some fascinating things to learn about us as people and this planet.. Let go of religion and seek spirituality..

G4R: What was the tipping point that made you say 'Enough is enough' and start researching info yourself rather than believing what was said in the media?

Negus: I've seen so much that made me question things growing up, but everybody received it as normal, I was always curious. The tipping point I can't say it was a specific thing, but a combination of many incidents over the last few years evolving injustice for black people. [Ed note: I can relate to this, growing up I questioned things daily -James]

G4R: Your messages on timeline and our group page is empowering, what is the one you are most fond of?

Negus: Spreading black love and making them feel loved and better about themselves. After learning about our trust history and what we are.. And to have it all taken away from us and suffer the way we did/do I enjoy uplifting our people no matter how small of a gesture.. We deserve it and should feel honored to be black and love yourself.. Also promoting the importance of black families..

G4R: This interview is somewhat of a learning curve for us and will be shown to over 3k ppl. Last question and I will give you free reign of mic.... "If standing in front of a crowded room (consisting of all races) what life philosophy would you give?"

Negus:

There you have it people, requiem from an established man. We look forward to many more enjoyable seasons in M17 from him and future soundbites. All hail 281.2 Super Bowl Champ Negus!

 Story is a  little late but well worth the wait. Justin L. McKay is G4R's latest Super Bowl champ and en route to rewriting our history books. After 6 seasons he has won 3 SBs and is showing no signs of slowing down. We run 8 seasons per Madden edition and one more chip will tie him with all time seasonal Bowl winner Chris Smet. Chris is a former member who won 4 Bowls on M25 two years ago. We're in season 7 with one more to go... can he pull it off!? Oh I chose pic from Justin's page, I'm somewhat of a country man myself and love the scenery. How nice is it to wake up to a view like this every morning?

Justin has been behind the scenes as co-commish in G4R as well as our affiliate leagues True 32 and Fantasy Madden 281 and when staff gets off kilter too far left or right he is the voice of reason that brings balance back in the equation. I'll be the first to admit things get a little heated at times in our commish boardroom but nothing rattles him. In the immortal words of the late Stuart Scott 'He's as cool as the other side of the pillow" haha. Every staffer here has been mad at one time and point with another but I can't think of a single time where anyone has been mad at Justin.

A lot of members tag either Teflon Liza, Anthony Lopez or myself James Hollins with issues and/ or trades but Justin is right alongside us with full authoritative commish powers too. Now that you know a little more about this silent killer lets delve into his mind on tips, hobbies and predictions for M17!

G4R: You've won 3 Super Bowls with a team many would shy away from, Jags. They have low team demographics with little room for overhead. How did you manage 3 bowls under these conditions?

Justin: Cap with three bowls, Sign guys to max 7 year contracts when low overall, and improve,,,cheap players for long time. even backups.

G4R: We get new members throughout the season, what advice can you give to them?

Justin: Advice, go to the NFC ... 0 bowls,.....shots fired

G4R: We all have girlfriends/ wives/ significant others how do you balance time between Madden and them?

Justin: I own my own business and can set aside time there to play against east coast cats, and usually designate 7east to 11 east as fam time, can play all night after that, I'll sleep when I'm dead.

G4R: Who's your fave team in Madden 17?

Justin: Madden 17 team? I'm a Cleveland fan, and will grab in two lgs, other two,,if four lgs, idk,,,i think i like the way the Jags look and the Cards or Vikings

G4R: When not playing Madden whats your fave hobby?

Justin: life away, busy, two girls,,,wife says we live at the hockey rink in winter, horses and hiking... cant wait for madden and hunting season this year.

There you have it people a quick soundbite from one of G4R's best. Just a little insight on one of our staffers and what it takes to be a champ.

 Ya cats don't get it yet haha. Posting open teams in your leagues on various pages doesn't get the job done. What does? Investing time in leagues that do and learning from them! Madden combine is a community like no other and the best way to recruit members is via hands on experience. How does the old saying go?... Ya don't get something for nothing. This time of year players are weening and M17 is on the horizon. Join up for tips on how to keep members around in the future.

Madden Combine currently is run by a handful of commishs who have been doing this for years on end with full league membership year round. Want to know how to keep your lgs full? How about when someone drops all their players? What about the pesky guy who cries foul when things don't go his way? How about recruiting female players? Well look no further we have experienced all this first hand and know how to deal with it. Not to mention giving full endorsements on our site for guys who show credibility.

No such thing as a free ride and if ya invest at least 1 season in one of our lgs with good standings we will look out for you. Gauntlet has been thrown down the rest is up to you. Contact either James Hollins, Teflon Liza, Anthony Lopez or Justin L. McKay. We have a cpl more commishs but we are the staple for nucleus of lgs.

Leagues:
G4R
True 32
Fantasy Madden 281

Madden league True 32 has been around for a few years and latest Super Bowl winner is Shehab Zamzami! He has won SBs in various lgs throughout the years and T-32 is an online sim league comprised of skilled players across all walks of life. Many inside this close knit community know of his talent but for the rest here's an introduction to the man behind the sticks and an insight on what it's like to play in a reputable league. Our staff caught up with Shehab for a 1 on 1 on his reflection this season... enjoy!

G4R: How many Super Bowls have you won in this league?
Shehab: This is my first Super Bowl win in this league for Madden 16

G4R: What's your favorite hobby other than Madden?
Shehab: My  favorite hobby other than Madden is playing basketball and football

G4R: Who is your favorite NFL team?
Shehab: Oakland Raiders [ed. note Shehab used Ravens this season, Raiders were taken]

G4R: Which member in league gives you the biggest challenge?
Shehab: Honestly I can't answer this ...  pretty much the whole league is very competitive.

G4R: Which team do you favor in Madden 17?
Shehab: Raiders

G4R: What tips can you give newcomers?
Shehab: Just be ready for the competition level in this league it is very high.

There you have it people words directly from a champ. We will be showcasing Super Bowl winners across various communities in the future and if interested in pitting your skills against some of the best don't hesitate to contact us directly or one of our staff members Teflon Liza, Justin L. McKay or Anthony Lopez.

Uber YouTuber G4R is glad to feature our latest guest member Daniel Sebastian Bäsel! He's been a gamer for years and has a successful You Tube podcast channel. He runs a nightly show and from what we can tell responds to everyone who posts a question while on the air. It's awesome to hear your name/ question answered on a major podcast! The days of live gaming streams by giants IGN, GameInformer and EA are slowly fading as the #1 source for gaming entertainment. Social media has enabled a new wave of talent to step into the spotlight... enter Daniel Sebastian Bäsel. Links to all of his media channels will be posted at end of article.  Full Story

Madden Combine is our community page where members can join reputable leagues. We specialize in sim and semi-sim lgs and rules are in place to keep the frenzied game pace civilized. We host occasional tournaments and dish out rewards from time to time. Page is comprised of hundreds of Madden players and a few great leagues. If you are a Madden enthusiast be sure to drop by and get in a few good games.