RESOLUTION RANCH NEWS

Madden 2005 event raises money for Resolution Ranch

NASHVILLE, TN, Dec. 6, 2004 -- Titans safety Scott McGarrahan was joined by his teammates Monday night for his first Madden 2005 Football Challenge.

More than 15 players, including LB Rocky Boiman, DE Kevin Carter, LB Keith Bulluck, LB Rocky Calmus, S Lamont Thompson, WR Tyrone Calico, CB Andre Dyson, WR Drew Bennett, LB Peter Sirman, CB Tony Beckham, S Tank Williams, WR Derrick Mason, S Lance Schulters, LB Brad Kassell, CB Rich Gardner, S Donnie Nickey, LB Ken Amato and OT Brad Hopkins turned out in a huge display of support for the event, which was expected to raise over $2,000.

McGarrahan and his friends accepted all challenges at Madden 2005, the top-selling video football game on Playstation2 from fans, young throughout the evening. However, winning and losing did not seem to matter as fans enjoyed the experience of playing the computerized football game against professional athletes.

Kevin Carter played Madden 2005 for the first time, going three rounds before Lamont Thompson took on Madden novice, Alex Dreps, who used the same play over and over again, which resulted in a 78-0 victory for Thompson.

Competitive juices surfaced as players such as Tony Beckham danced for the crowd when he made a first down. Keith Bulluck, meanwhile, laughed as he witnessed many of his teammates losing to the young players.

Thompson later took on the Madden 2004 Florida State Champion, 14 year old, Terryl Samuel, who also competed in the Las Vegas Madden 2004 National Championships and placed in the Final 8. Samuel, who will return this year to compete in the 2005 tournament, defeated Thompson 28-0.

"It was definitley a good time," Thompson said. "That's an event that we should keep going every year."

Samuel took home the winning trophy for the Top Challenger as well as some official NFL/Reebok luggage. Beckham won the trophy for the Best NFL player. His prize? Dinner for four at Sunset Grill and a bottle of champagne. But best of all, he has locker room bragging rights.

The proceeds will benefit McGarrahan's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center 'Resolution Ranch' for teenage boys. Resolution Ranch helps restore purpose and discipline to teens with behavior/discipline problems as well as teens involved with drugs and alcohol.

Resolution Ranch provides an ideal refuge for teens while restoring core values of Respect, Admission, Nurturing, Character and Hope through the Ranch Experience recovery program.