Broadband Madden League: About us/Past Champions

ABOUT THE MADDEN LEAGUE
The Broadband Madden League is primarily an adult online playstation product. It was established to create the highest caliber of online Madden football for it's players from across the Country. Originally based in Connecticut with several regional offices located throughout the country, it was established in 2003 and incorporated that Fall. The Madden League enables participants to build skills and talents on a platform that is not provided in local tournaments. The mission of the Madden League is to provide a self sustaining level of online football that allows players to develop skills or simply participate for the love of the game. League President, Mike Hominik (Middletown Ravens), began this endeavor when he realized that there are tens of thousands of great people involved with this level of playstation football throughout the United States. Early on mistakes were being repeated year in and year out. One of the goals of President Hominik was to educate players regarding their mistakes and organize a league where each team operates equally,and shows up for all scheduled games. In less than 4 years the Madden League proved itself and is quickly becoming recognized as a viable feeder system throughout the online world. Hominik's leadership has also proven to be invaluable with all 160-teams that are now in the league. Hominik would go onto to establish his own,very complicated power rating formula that is still used to this day. It has also been picked up by the North American Football League (A semi-pro based league with over 100 teams). The league prides itself on playing all games,while giving everybody the opportunity for national exposure through there very popular website.  

The Madden League  maintains over 150 teams in 32 divisions and communication is maintained with all its members on a regular basis. The post season playoff bracket contains a 60 team format. It is a system unlike any other and operates in the same manner as any other large business. Former league president Mike Hominik had one goal. And that was to become the McDonalds' of online madden leagues. In its' first year back in 2003, the league accomplished the primary goal of creating a national playoff structure which featured an 18-team set up. In that first season the league consisted of eleven division and sixty-five players,primarly on the east coast with some California and southern located players scattered in. This is remarkable due to the fact that it expected to take 5 years to accomplish this task! Darious Jackson (Hudson Valley Giants) captured the first ever Madden Bowl title after defeating Kevin McGinty (Denver Broncos) 17-14.

The next step was to raise the capital necessary to pay for all trophies to those players that won their respected division tournaments. That goal was met in Spring of 2004 while the league expanded from sixty-five players to seventy eight. That spring Hominik enforced the rule that all divisions must consist of six players. By doing so it would allow for the league's first ever division tounaments to take place. The top three players in each division made their division tournament. The League also expanded out to the midwest and Great Lakes regions for the first time. The major headlines for that season were the rushing numbers that Hominik was putting up with his Middletown (CT)Ravens,and the scoring Jim Sweetman was doing with his Southern Maine Rams. Despite all the hype however,both players would go onto to lose in round one of the national tournament. Current League President Kyle Pooler (Colorado Broncos) defeated Neil Solomon (Waterbury Titans 34-7 in Madden Bowl II.

In the Fall of 2004,during the league's third season,President Mike Hominik annouced the first ever sponsor (Enterprise Rent-A-Car) to jump on board. By then the league's popularity had taken off at an all-time high as the it expanded to 108-players (18 divisions)that Autumn. The League also annouced it would be hosting Madden Bowl III in Atlanta,Georgia while streaming it live through the internet. A first for any online league. It had also officially established itself the "World's Largest"online Madden League. At Madden Bowl III in Atlanta,Don Ford (Mount Vernon Steelers) would go onto to destroy former Madden League Vice President Max Williams (Omaha Chiefs) 42-10. The 32-point defeat still holds as the most lopsided win in Madden Bowl history. That season John Scwed (Boston Panthers) became just the 7th player in league history to finish out a perfect regular season after going 10-0. Despite the impressive accomplishment,Schwed and his Raiders would onto to lose in round one of the National Tournament 20-17 to Isiah Freeman (Maryland Jaguars).

The Spring of 2005 saw the League expand from 108-players to 112. The league also reduced to the number of divisions from eighteen to fourteen but expanded to eight players in each. That change now allowed four players to qualify for their division tournament. Due to popular request,the schedule was now increased from ten games to fourteen. Three players that year would finish with perfect 14-0 regular season records. Jim Sweetman (Southern Maine Rams),Pat Butler (Oregon Panthers) and Doug Young (Branford Eagles). All three players would go onto to make the Final Four,but only Young (Branford) moved on after defeating Butler (Oregon)42-7 in one of the most hyped 18-0 vs. 18-0 match-ups of all-time. Southern Maine would go onto to fall the Lake County (IN)Steelers in a shootout,42-31. As he did all season,Young's Branford Eagles squad would go onto to dominate Troy Bailor's Steelers 42-17 in Madden Bowl IIII. That Branford team is still talked about as one of the best the league has ever seen.

The Fall of 2005 saw the Madden League really take off as it would expand to 120-players throughout twenty divisions. The League downsized each division from eight teams to six while allowing just the top three players in each to qualify. The league's website was now ranked in the top five among all other eteamz sites across the world (well over 1.5 million at the time) almost regularly. This opened the door to more sponsors as the interest continued to climb. Mike Hominik was establishing himself as the "King" of Madden Online Football across the country. In October Hominik would announce that he was ending the Picks League in attempt to spend more time running the very "time consuming" Madden League. Another Milestone that season was the annoucement of a 50-team national tournament,a first of its kind in any online league across the country. The league expanded into Canada and Puerto Rico,and for the first time looking to schedule out of division games.

Two Rookies,Bethlehem and New Haven would go through the regular season a perfect 14-0. However,both players would also go onto to lose their opening round games in the National Tournament as well. Other headlines included Doug Young's (Branford Eagles) consecutive win streak come to an end following a loss to the Brookline Chiefs in week 8 that featured a battle of two undefeated opponents. Brookline would go onto to win his first eleven games of the season,only to drop his last five including a shocking round one loss to the Solano (CA)Chiefs (Chris Jensen). Ryan Lyons and his Elsinore Colts would burst onto the scene after defeating the Brockton Bucs (Tyler Grogan) in the Elite 8,and then handing Doug Young (Branford Eagles) his worst career loss ever in the Final Four. Lyons would eventually go onto to defeat good friend and West Coast division arch rival Jeramiah Anderson (Modesto Raiders) 27-20 in Madden Bowl V. The start of the Elsinore dynasty was here!

On January 4th 2006 the Madden League annouced that its primary season would only be taking place in the Fall month's because of the volume of players involved. Chris O'Connor (Brookline Chiefs) did however step in and announce he would take over a Spring League that would go onto to be known as the ESMFL (Eastern States Madden Football League). Players on the West Coast would eventually talk Hominik into running the WCFL (West Coast Football League)that spring as well. Both leagues got together to hold their own Madden Bowl that May. The thirty-two team set up was a hit as West Hartford would go onto to win the Eastern side of the bracket following a last second thrilling defeat over the East Hartford Broncos in ESMFL chip game. That game was won on a 52-yard hail mary as time expired. On the West side Elsinore continued to dominate as it rode a league record 26-game winning streak into Madden VI. However,that record looked to be in jeopardy as Lyons and his Colts would be faced with a 4th and 18 deep in their own territory with no timeouts left,down three with just over one over one minute to play. The game would eventually go down as the best Madden Bowl in history as Peyton Manning would hit a wide open Brandon Stockley for the games winning touchdown. It would also go down as the worst collapse in Madden Bowl history as West Hartford ended the game by taking two consecutive sacks deep in Elsinore territory.

By the Fall of 2006 the Madden League was now being reconized as the best product around. The League was featured in numerous articles across the country in several gameplay magazines. Because of the increasing popularity,the league was once again forced to expand from 120 players to 144. Due to the expansion of players,the league was forced to expand the Natioanal Tournament as well,50 teams to 60. The top four players in each region would receive a round one bye. That season another milestone was met as Hominik annouced that the league would expand its schedule from fourteen games to sixteen. Many players around the league considered this move "very risky" due to the fact so many games had to be played in order to keep the league's repuation of no forfeits...ever.

Headlines included another Elinore perfect season (17-0). Rookie Irvin Sanders (Long Island Eagles) would also burst onto the scene and go undefeated (17-0) before losing his first national tournament game,34-17 to John Gillam (San Diego Patriots). Chris Brady (Bethlehem Raiders) continued to dominate the Lakeshore division following a 15-2 overall mark while getting his first ever national tournament victory over the Branford Falcons in round two. The biggest headline of all was had nothing to do with the Madden Bowl,but Elsinore's shocking loss to the Stigler (OK)Panthers (Kevin O'Connor) in the sweet 16. The loss snapped a league record 45-game winning streak that may never be broken. Stigler would however go onto lose to the Maryland Jaguars (Isiah Freeman) in the Elite Eight. Simeon Rodriguez (Dallas Panthers) would eventually go onto defeat Freeman and his Jags 22-3 in Madden Bowl VII.

The Fall 2006 season also marked the addition of the MADDEN NIT Tournament. A 16-team format for players that just missed out on the National Tournament. The East Anchorage (AK)Eagles (Kan Oscar) would go onto to defeat the Bakersfield (CA)Panthers (Tyler Langdon) in first ever MADDEN NIT CHAMPIONSHIP.

Mike Hominik would once again announce League expansion for the upcoming Fall 2007 season. He also annouced it would be the last time the League would expand as it went from 144-players to 160. The League also voted on dividing the national tournament into a regional format.

The new look West Coast Division which now featured Rico Williams (Ceres Colts),was being hyped as the best in the league. Ceres would go onto to defeat Elsinore during the regular season but eventually fall to Lyons and his Colts in the Elite 8. From there Lyons would go onto to defeat the Southern Ohio Patriots and and Tampa Bay Chargers en route to his third Madden Bowl title in four seasons. Elsinore racked up a 3-1 overall record against Rico Williams in their first season of head to head play. Other headlines included Ellis Hobb's cinderella run through the Eastern Region. After upsetting the Vermont Ravens and Pittsburgh Colts in the first two rounds,Hobbs and his Patriots would put together one of the best comebacks in tournament history en route to a 20-17 victory over Doug Young and his heavily favored Branford Patriots.

New Era

On March 17th 2008,Mike Hominik stepped down as League President. Kyle Pooler,who was serving as Co-President throughout the 2007 season will now take over the role. Jim Sweetman will join Pooler as the League's Vice President. Both individuals are committed in bringing and keeping up the best online product in the world. It should be an exciting 2008 season!

CELEBRITY STATUS

The Madden League also boast of many celebrities that have joined along the way. Baltimore Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle plays under the Columbus (MD)Ravens,while New England Patriots Cornerback,Ellis Hobbs plays under the Boston (MA)Patriots. Hobbs and his Patriots became a fan favorite in the Winter 2007 season after making a historic run to the final four which included a 20-17 come from behind win over the Eastern Region's top seeded Branford (CT)Patriots in the Elite Eight. Other famous members include 2000 Gold medalist Jerome Young (Delaware Bills),former Howard Stern talk show personality KC Armstrong (South Beach Seahawks),and Ole Miss standout Wide Receiver Mike Wallace (Mississippi Broncos). During the 2008 off-season under Kyle Pooler's watch the Madden League brought in two more bigtime celebrities. Former Hawaii University standout/current Miami Dolphin Davone Bess (Orange County Falcons) agreed to join the league in April. Jarvis Thomas (Daytona Beach Vikings) also agreed to join the league.

Along with the 60-team National Tournament,the league added a 16-team NIT tournament during the Fall 2006 season.

MADDEN LEAGUE STAFF
From 2004-2007 the Madden League  was comprised of many different levels of personnel. Each staff level agrees to maintain a high level of commitment to the league. Along with a president,vice president and 32-division heads,the league also designated four league officers from across the country.

Madden Bowl VII:Elsinore (CA)Colts 20 Tampa Bay (FL)Chargers 3

NIT Champions

2006:East Anchorage (AK)Eagles

2007:St.John (Canada) Jets