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For those unfamiliar with the Madden Curse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_curse#Madden_Curse
http://www.snopes.com/sports/football/maddencurse.asp
http://fantom1979.homeip.net/madden.html

Ok it's kind of a tin-foil hat conspiracy theory, but I was thinking that the teams featured on HBO's Hard Knocks will suffer from a mutated-strain of the Madden Curse (I'm not trying to claim the idea, but I wanted to at least address it). For those unfamiliar with the Hard knocks show it follows an NFL team through the preseason. The show in its current format started with my beloved KC Chiefs in 2007. The following season was painful to say the least. In 2008 they followed the Dallas Cowboys. Though loaded with all-stars the team fails to even make the playoffs. Owens and Romo drama topped with dougboy Wade Phillips made for a painful season to watch.

This year's sacrificial lamb...
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d81051c41&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

The Bengals are in rough shape. With the loss of T.J. Whozamomma, an ailing Carson Palmer, and a pathetic defense, the Bengals need a turn around in the worst way. They play in a tough division and the circus that is Hard Knocks will do nothing but hurt them if the trend follows. What are your guys thoughts on the 2009 season of the Bengals?

You crazy Americans and your wussy armoured football. Over here, we don't bother with fancy helmets and padding; no, you get smacked down, you bite the bullet and get back on your feet.

Also, we had a show called the Choir of Hard Knocks which was about a choir (duh) composed of homeless people, recovering alchoholics/drug addicts, low income earners, and single parents with low income. Very nice to watch.

We just hit each other with out shoulders.

If the UK/Aus. had a Shoulder War against you pussies, we'd win EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

sA

Have you ever seen an offensive or defensive tackle? Those guys are generally over 300lbs and over 6'5". Here's the deal. You get one good sized rugby player and i get to pick a player of my choice and we'll let them run into each other and see who is the pussy.

You know what they call an NFL player from Australia?

A kicker

As far as American football vs. Rugby. Try to watch the "Dhani Tackles the World" episode (on the Travel Channel) where Dhani goes to England and trains and plays pro rugby. Dhani does pretty good, with a couple solid tackles. He tells the Brits that he still thinks American football is tougher, because they're generally lining up about 3 yards apart and running into each other at full speed.

In regards to the Bengals, it's like the Wizard of Oz - they don't a heart, courage, or brains. They're going to be drafting in the top 10 again next year. I like Carson Palmer, and think that he is a good QB, but he's on a bad team. Drafting Andre Smith over Eugene Monroe, and then cutting Levi Jones (instead of trying him at RT or G) just shows how they don't get it. I think that has nothing to do with the Hard Knock jinx, the Bengals are just a bad team. There's no chemistry. I like Marvin Lewis, but that team is just in disarray. Getting the playoffs a couple years ago was probably a bad thing for them, it made them think they were good, but it was really just an aberation (much like the Cardinals will pan out to be). There's good organizations in the NFL, which don't make the playoffs every year, but are competing nearly every year (Steelers, Patriots, Giants, Eagles - to name a handful). And then there's the bad teams like the Bengals, Cardinals, Browns, and Rams.