Football is a game of blood, sweat and tears, even when those elements are digitized and played on the new Xbox 360.

Sacramento State hosted the first annual John Madden Football video game tournament Tuesday and Wednesday inside the Game Room of the University Union.

The competition was hardly fierce, but with 11 players taking the controls of their favorite NFL team, it was anyone’s championship for the taking. Many of the players had first-hand experience, including sophomore Nolan Jones who had no problem letting everyone know about it either.

“I don’t want to get too cocky, but I probably should have shut him out,” Jones said in his first victory of the tournament.

The event was put on by the Sports and Recreation Club. Seniors Jivin Seward and Eric Buechler represented the club and felt that the event was a good way for students to get involved in school events.

“We just thought we’d add something to get people into school, instead of just sitting around,” Seward said. “Eric and I thought that a Madden tournament would do it.”

Seward said he would try to do it every year. Rec Sports put banners up around the dorms and campus areas, he said.

Prizes included T-shirts, gift certificates and a copy of the Xbox 360 John Madden NFL Football ’07 video game.

In the end there could be only one winner though. After two days of grueling arm-chair football action, a champion emerged among myriad competitors. The winner was the man who said he knew it all along: Nolan Jones.

“I feel like the best Madden player at Sac State,” Jones said.

Jones attributed his winning attitude to the weeks he spent playing the video game from his own home.

“I came into this thing, thinking I was going to win, and I emerged undefeated,” Jones said. “There’s just no one who can match me.”

Jones said that he would return next year to defend his title.

In closing, Jones had only one thing left to say: “Just because I play video games, doesn’t mean I’m not a stud with the ladies.”

Rec Sports will be hosting a bowling tournament on Dec. 8. All people interested should enter by Dec. 6. For more information, contact Eric Buechler at (916) 278-4834.

Josh Staab can be reached at [email protected]