So I see the Dolphins have already signed Jake Long to a 5-year contract.  So much for any suspense on Saturday morning when the draft gets underway.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but I’ve mentioned a couple of times already that I’m getting excited for NFL Head Coach.  I keep seeing really good things, and think this is my kind of game.  Which is why I wanted to call your attention, if you haven’t already seen it, to our announcement today that we’re going to ship NFL Head Coach as a standalone game.  I have to admit, even I was surprised by how much feedback we’ve gotten the past few weeks since we announced it as a featured item of our Madden Collector’s edition.  That’ still going to be the first place to get it, but keep an eye out for NFL Head Coach on Sept. 2 on its own.

Incidentally, we also released a simulation of this weekend’s draft using the game engine from Head Coach.  We had Jake Long going No. 1.  Surprising from my perspective that we have seven ACC guys going in the first round.  I thought that was a basketball conference!  Not surprising was that USC led the way with four players in the first round.  And how about Cal’s DeSean Jackson, my own personal favorite in the draft.  He may be small, but whoever gets him is going to be happy they did.

PS. My day was officially ruined by Liverpool’s John Arne Riise’s tragic own goal with almost the last touch of the game versus Chelsea in the Champion’s League. Tough to go to Stamford Bridge and pull out a win now…