He was just a 10-year-old then. In the years that followed, he grew up, became an event planner, even entertained dreams of becoming a radio jock. He interned at Detroit's WKQI-FM (95.5), took three years of classes in broadcasting at Texas Southern University in Houston ... and kept playing "Madden."

While the radio broadcasting job never came to fruition, he saw his dreams of playing video games professionally click. He's been playing in local tournaments since 2004; he's competed in a half-dozen national "Madden" competitions and placed among the final eight players twice. One day he was browsing the Web for the latest version of "Madden" and spotted a news bulletin: Send a video explaining why you should be on an ESPN show devoted to players and fans of "Madden," it urged.

James knew some of the players who had been featured in previous seasons - so he made up his tape and sent it off.

Two weeks later, the fateful call came.

"Me and my friend were playing 'Madden,' " he said. "I saw the area code and I thought, 'Maybe that's the producer.' My friends knew right away what was going on from seeing the expression on my face.

"It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. I was grinning and yelling and dancing. My friend was laughing."

It was official: James was going to be featured on "Madden Nation," the ESPN show about the game's players.

Each player would represent an NFL player and go on a nine-city bus tour with seven other players. They would play on the fields of their favorite football teams, and compete for $100,000. The show just launched its third season on ESPN2.

At the end of July, he was flown out for a meet-and-greet with the player he would represent: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart.

"He was a very cool person," James said. "I can see him being a real-life friend. I got to meet with him, and talk with him, and play 'Madden' with him."

James flew home the next day, and dived back into the training grind.

"Playing 'Madden,' playing 'Madden,' playing 'Madden,' " he said, mostly making sure that his use of the controller's analog stick for defensive fumble-causing plays was true. "Making sure my stick was down. If you're a great player, you don't let the computer do anything for you."

Eight days later, James was back on a plane - this time, to compete. He was sequestered in a hotel for four days, then put in cars along with the other players, separated so that they couldn't speak to one another.

"We met out on the field and introduced ourselves," he said. "I felt very confident. A couple players I had known; I had played with them before. I felt I was better than anybody there. I really wanted to win $100,000."

Neither he nor the show will reveal the results, but you can watch James Tuesday nights. He guarantees you'll see a good show.

Now that he's back, James is working on organizing local "Madden" tournaments and is settling back into his job.

"Detroit has a lot of 'Madden' players," he said. "It's a big 'Madden' community. I really want to get that started."

Anything he can do in pursuit of his hobby, he will.

"Madden is like half my life. I just wish there was more I could do with the game," he said.