T.J. Houshmandzadeh Boycotting Madden 10 Video Game

When John Madden attached his name to a football video game in 1989, no one could have seen its extreme popularity coming. These days, the NFL video game produced by EA Sports still bears Madden's name, and it's the biggest sports video game around.

The 2010 version of the game will be released August 14, and hordes of fans will be in line at midnight openings of video game stores around the country. Apparently, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh will not be among them.

Houshmandzadeh did an interview with Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio, and told the host he would be boycotting the latest version of the game. He said he's not happy with his rating.

"I understand I averaged 10 yards a catch, but it's the offense, not me. I'm not playing Madden no more until they get my rating right. ... I used to be the best in the world at Madden. I'm going to miss not playing it, but until they do me right, I'm not playing it any more."

You may want to know what this awful rating is for Houshmandzadeh. As Mike Sando notes, it's 91. The game rates him as the sixth-best receiver in the NFC. Unless you're a direct relative of Houshmandzadeh's, it's hard to argue with any of the five (cover boy Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith, Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, and Calvin Johnson) rated ahead of Houshmandzadeh.

All of this is probably a good thing for Seattle. After all, Houshmandzadeh is portraying himself as a guy with a lot to prove, and the sizable chip on his shoulder now includes this video game flap. Whether he actually buys the game, rents the game, or plays the game at a buddy's house is irrelevant.

Some guys need the extra psychological boost that comes from feeling disrespected. If Houshmandzadeh is that kind of player, these latest comments will only help him as he starts his career anew as a number one receiver for the first time.

(High-five: PFT)