Degroot - on the past and the future

COMPTON - During last year's Madden Challenge tournament series, Northern California player Michael Degroot became a cult hero.

Whether it was his determination, playstyle or the mustache that earned him the nickname, "Adam Morrison," followers rooted for him whenever he competed.

Unfortunately for Degroot, he didn't win any Madden Challenges in 2007, live or online. He came close several times, including in San Diego, where he led in the finals against Justin Chow before succumbing to the run game.

This past weekend, he showed his skills at a regional event in Compton, and he proved he hasn't dipped one bit -- in one game, he compiled nearly 600 yards on 11 of 12 completions.

Once the new Madden season begins next month with the release of "Madden 09," Degroot plans to finish the job he couldn't. In this interview, he talks about where he's been and what he plans to do.

You can listen to the interview right here.