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.

 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.