Super Bowl Scene: Tim Tebow, Drew Brees in Madden NFL Contest
Watching six real football players compete in a video game of the sport had its moments. It’s fun to know Tim Tebow springs to his feet when he plays Madden NFL, and that he feels comfortable playing in a purple tie and UGG shoes.
On the other hand, for the 1,000 or so people gathered at the Electronic Arts (EA) Sports Madden Bowl XVIII last night, it may have been more fun just to hang out, drink Bud Light.
The tournament and party took place in a tent in downtown Indianapolis set up as the event space for the Bud Light Hotel next door. Guests entered through the hotel (a temporarily rebranded Hampton Inn), walking past a mural composed of blue- and-white bottle caps
The red carpet offered sightings of Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears and Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns.
In the tent, waitresses passed fried shrimp and Mexican fare. Sandy Sandoval, head of athlete relations for Electronic Arts Sports, tended to mezzanine guests sitting on shiny black couches.
Tournament players sat in cushy black armchairs in the front of the room, their backs turned to guests and below the stage where the Roots and Nas played later.
Tebow of the Denver Broncos and Jimmy Graham and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints played as the Green Bay Packers against Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Barry Sanders and Warren Sapp, who played as the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers won.
On a Loveseat
While the awarding of a trophy got everyone’s attention, for the most part the actual playing of the video game was like really good background music at a party.
Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins and his wife, Michi Nogami-Marshall, sat on a loveseat in the mezzanine.
Do they play Madden together?
“No,” Marshall said laughing.
“We play almost every game together,” Nogami-Marshall offered. “Cards, miniature golf, but as far as Madden goes, I don’t play with him.”
Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills and his wife, Britney, said they play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
“I used to give him a hard time about playing video games, and then I started playing,” Britney Johnson said. “I feel guilty.”
“She’s better than me,” her husband boasted as he put his arm around her. “She knows how to hide out.”
“I like it because it feels like we’re on a mission together,” she said.
“Yeah, we play with the lights off,” he added.
‘So Realistic’
On the main floor, Sarah Blanchard, a dental student at Indiana University, explained why she likes watching her boyfriend, Mark Anderko, a fellow dental student and a comedian, play Madden.
“He played in the Colts stadium and it looked just like it,” Blanchard said. “I’m not much of a gamer, but this was so realistic it made me want to try.”
“I’m not good at it,” said New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle, dressed in a leather coat by Elevee. “I don’t spend a lot of time playing video games. I’m more of a movie watcher -- comedy, drama.”
(Amanda Gordon is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)
To contact the writer on this story: Amanda Gordon in New York at agordon01@bloomberg.net or on Twitter at @amandagordon.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
Tim Tebow
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos quarterback, claimed victory in the Madden Bowl XVIII.
Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos quarterback, claimed victory in the Madden Bowl XVIII. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Dan Huge, chief financial officer of the Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County, Indiana, and Frank Straub, the Indianapolis director of public safety, talk with Bloomberg's Mark Niquette about preparations for the National Football League's 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis. (Source: Bloomberg)
Madden Bowl Players
Amanda Gordon/Blomberg
Madden Bowl Players Tim Tebow, Warren Sapp and Jimmy Graham shared some friendly banter before the tournament.
Madden Bowl Players Tim Tebow, Warren Sapp and Jimmy Graham shared some friendly banter before the tournament. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Blomberg
Madden Bowl XVIII
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
The view from the mezzanine at the Madden Bowl XVIII, held in a tent in downtown Indianapolis as part of Super Bowl festivities.
The view from the mezzanine at the Madden Bowl XVIII, held in a tent in downtown Indianapolis as part of Super Bowl festivities. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Drew Brees
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback, and the Madden Bowl trophy.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints quarterback, and the Madden Bowl trophy. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Brandon Marshall and Antrel Rolle
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins and Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants.
Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins and Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Matt Forte
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte.
Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Shaun Robinson and Tracey Edmonds
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Access Hollywood anchor Shaun Robinson and film producer Tracey Edmonds.
Access Hollywood anchor Shaun Robinson and film producer Tracey Edmonds. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Britney and Steve Johnson
Amanda
Britney Johnson and Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson. Gordon/Bloomberg
Britney Johnson and Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Michi Nogami-Marshall and Brandon Marshall
Michi Nogami-Marshall and Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins. Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Michi Nogami-Marshall and Brandon Marshall of the Miami Dolphins. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Deion Sanders
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders before the tournament.
NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders before the tournament. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Antrel Rolle
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants said he was "really chilling" in an outfit by Elevee.
Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants said he was "really chilling" in an outfit by Elevee. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Mark Anderk and Sarah Blanchard
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Mark Anderko, a comedian and dental student, and Sarah Blanchard, a dental student. Blanchard said she enjoys watching Anderko, her boyfriend, play the Madden video game.
Mark Anderko, a comedian and dental student, and Sarah Blanchard, a dental student. Blanchard said she enjoys watching Anderko, her boyfriend, play the Madden video game. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Monument Circle
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis is a hub of festivities in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.
Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis is a hub of festivities in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
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