D-Train Likes D-Fense

Madden players looking to beat Dwayne Harrison, more commonly known as D-Train, ought to think in terms of ball control instead of touchdowns. As the "featured performer" in EA Sports' 32-city Madden Challenge Tournament, now in its third year, D-Train has taken on all-comers at each stop along the tour. Only those who don't make it into the later rounds of the Madden Challenge proper are eligible to take on D-Train, yet the competition is still fierce.

"I've seen a lot of good players," Harrison told me, when I interviewed in him on Sunday, during the San Francisco Madden Challenge tour stop. Several hundred Madden devotees waited in line for a chance to enter the tournament, which was held at SBC Park. The select few who got a chance to face D-Train weren't just playing for pride, however. Anyone who could beat Harrison in a match (played on two minute quarters) would earn a cool $1,000.

While perusing the multitude of PS2 setups at the event, I saw lots of competitors using the Vikings, Titans and Falcons--the thinking being that the best defense is a great, high-scoring offense. That said, D-Train takes a different tact, playing the Broncos as his team of choice during "Beat the D-Train" matches. His reasoning? Defense in general and, in particular, Champ Bailey. Perhaps it's Harrison's real football experience as a cornerback in high school that lead to this focus on a strong defensive secondary, which has so far merited an astounding 116-19 record in his premier match-ups.

"So how would you go about beating you?" I asked, wondering just where the chinks in the D-Train's armor reside. His answer: Hold on to the ball. "I'd control the clock," he said. After all, in a game featuring short, two-minute quarters, the player who can keep the play clock running has a distinct advantage. Scoring is important, naturally, but nearly as important is simply keeping possession of the ball and moving the chains. After all, as Harrison points out, winning has its obvious advantages.

"They need to take this seriously, you know? I mean, this is ten minutes of work for $1,000."

The finals of the Madden Challenge will be held in Las Vegas on December 12.