Gresham To The Hall? Why Not?

Waymon "The cREATOR' Gresham was undoubtedly the first controversial superstar of Madden. At a time when there were no tournaments, and there were no online leagues, The cREATOR was perhaps the most well known baller in the community. Not so much because of his exceptional skills on the sticks, because there was no true way to test your game against the best in the nation at that time. The cREATOR's claim to fame was his brash outspoken behavior at the The PFL message board that had him labeled Madden Public Enemy #1. The cREATOR was outspoken about his skills, who he could beat, who he would beat, and why it was legitimate to use custom plays in national competition.

The PFL, who allowed custom plays, supported their use at Nationals I. And since then the question has always remained, would Gresham have won the Nationals if it had not been for his use of the custom play.

The cREATOR, Nationals I Champion

Gresham was masterful at designing custom plays that would give defensive coordinators fits. His infamous double screen was so potent, it could hardly be stopped. What made the play so effect was not just screening to the left or right....for that could be taken away. It was Greshams ability to read the defense and take what was open. If the left side was covered, he would go right. If the right side was covered, he would go left. If both sides were covered, he would hit Shannon Sharpe down the seam for a big gain. Gresham's other lethal play was the PA Waggle. Another play that gave opponents fits. In the PA Waggle, the HBack would slide into motion to the right. He would motion off the screen where you couldn't see him, and thus it was hard to cover because the HBack ran a strange route that was tough against man and zone. Gresham would make his reads accordingly.....if you were in zone he knew exactly when to throw the ball.....if you were in man, he wait a little longer until the Hback broke on his route and POW! He's hit with you the big gainer down the sidelines.

While many criticized Gresham for his offensive antics, few talked about his excellent defense. "I've always approached the game defense first," stated the cREATOR. "The offense usually takes care of itself." This was apparent in the Nationals I title game when The cREATOR trailed to Winky White 35-7 at the half, only to come from behind outscoring White 42-7 in the second half to win the inaugural title game 49-42.

Winky White (L) and The cREATOR (R) do battle for the Nationals I crown.

The Nationals I win for Gresham alone could make a strong enough argument to get him into the Hall. When you look at the fact that Gresham, single handedly had to go up against the BFL's best round after round to get to the title game is quite an accomplishment in itself. "It was like watching Bruce Lee in Game of Death," tournament founder The Swammi stated. "En route to the title, he had to go through D. Rob, then Coop, then Scrubby P all of the BFL before getting to meet defending BFL Champion Winky White in the title game.

From 1998-2000, The cREATOR was at his best as a Madden baller. Sporting back to back PFL titles, followed by a National championship in 1999, the former champ was at the top of his game. However, the hours of labbing and competing had taken its toll. Citing personal reasons, in 2000 Gresham retired from Madden competition without defending his title later that year in Washington, D.C.

Many of the ballers, particularly Winky White expressed their disappointment. There had been so much trash talk going back and forth at the The PFL message board and there were a lot ballers lined up wanting to get a piece of Gresham on the sticks. Gresham had a way of antagonizing the other members of the communality when it came to Madden. "Don't let all that hot air fool you," states The Swammi when asked about Gresham's antics. "Gresh is as a hell of a person! He is loyal, intelligent, and has been a good friend for years. A lot of his carrying on at the message board was just a big act. He is a class brother with a huge heart."

So where does that leave Gresham when it comes his legacy on the game? Some might argue that because of Gresham and his use of custom plays, he could be credited with changing the way the game was played across the nation. You could also say that Gresham's controversial win was the reason community members such as Player Coach saw the need to create a Madden World Syndicate that would help to standardize game play nationwide.

Some may also feel that because Gresham had to basically go through the BFL in their own back yard to get the crown says enough in itself. And when you look at the fact that he defeated one of the legends in the game in Winky White in dramatic come from behind fashion, that is a significant achievement as well. And while some may say that he only won because of his gimmicky offense......well, there had to be some defense played on his part in order to regain the lead. It's no question White slept on cREATOR after getting such a big lead early, a mistake he vows he will never make again. But Greshams never quit attitude, combined with his skill on the sticks made this a classic championship game for the ages.

Gresham's story is one of so much significance, and because he was such a flamboyant character that perhaps changed the landscape of competition, shouldn't he be in the Hall? After the all, the Hall of Fame should be for famous Madden players.....and there weren't very many as famous as the cREATOR in the early days of Madden competition.