Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about this Darius Leonard fella and his Madden 23 rating. Folks been makin’ a big stink about it, and I reckon I got somethin’ to say too.
Now, I ain’t no fancy gamer or nothin’. I don’t know much about these video games the young’uns play. But I do know a thing or two about hard work and talent, and from what I hear, this Darius fella, he’s got plenty of both.
- They say he’s a linebacker, whatever that means. Sounds like a tough job, runnin’ around and hittin’ folks.
- And this “Madden” game, it gives these fellas numbers, like they’re cows at the market or somethin’. They call it a “rating.”
So, this Darius fella, they gave him a 90. Now, to me, that sounds like a pretty good number. Like gettin’ a 90 on a test in school. But these folks, they’re sayin’ it ain’t high enough. They say he should be higher, maybe even the best.
I heard tell he’s only the fifth best linebacker in the game according to this Madden thing. Fifth best! That don’t sound right, does it? This boy, he’s out there givin’ it his all, and they’re tellin’ him he ain’t good enough. That just ain’t fair.
They call him “Maniac,” I heard. That tells ya somethin’ right there. A maniac ain’t no slouch, I tell ya. He’s out there hustlin’ and bustlin’, makin’ plays and whatnot. He led the whole league in tackles one year, they said. That’s a big deal, I reckon.
First-Team All-Pro, they called him. Defensive Rookie of the Year too. Sounds like he’s doin’ somethin’ right, don’t it? And then this video game comes along and says, “Nah, you’re only number five.” Makes a fella scratch his head, it does.
This Darius fella, he just laughs about it, they say. But I bet it stings a little, deep down. Nobody likes bein’ told they ain’t good enough, especially when you’re workin’ your tail off.
Now, they got these other fellas, Fred Warner, Demario Davis, Lavonte David, and Bobby Wagner. They’re all good, I guess. But are they better than Darius? That’s what folks are arguin’ about. And some other guy named T.J. Watt, they say he’s the best at somethin’ called “outside linebacker.” All these names and numbers, it’s enough to make your head spin.
This whole Madden thing, it’s just a game, I know. But it matters to these fellas, and it matters to the fans too. They want their favorite players to get the respect they deserve. And when they don’t, well, they get riled up.
It’s like when you’re bakin’ a pie and someone tells you it ain’t good enough. You put your heart and soul into that pie, and then someone comes along and says it needs more sugar or the crust is too tough. It hurts, I tell ya. It hurts.
So, this Darius fella, he might just laugh it off, but I bet he’s thinkin’ to himself, “I’ll show ’em. I’ll show ’em all.” And maybe he will. Maybe he’ll go out there this year and play even better. Maybe he’ll make them Madden folks eat their words.
That’s what I’d do, anyways. If someone told me I wasn’t good enough, I’d work even harder to prove ’em wrong. That’s just how it is.
This Madden 23 rating, it ain’t the end of the world. It’s just a number in a video game. But it’s a reminder that folks are always watchin’, always judgin’. And the only way to shut ’em up is to keep on doin’ your best, keep on hustlin’, and keep on makin’ them plays.
So, good for you, Darius. You just keep doin’ what you’re doin’. And maybe next year, them Madden folks will give you the number you deserve. And if they don’t, well, who cares? You know what you’re worth, and that’s all that matters.
After all, it’s just a darned video game, ain’t it? Life’s too short to worry about what some computer program thinks of ya. You just go out there and be the best maniac linebacker you can be. That’s all anyone can ask for.
