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Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: Ralph Wiggum on December 28, 2021, 06:41:59 PM

Title: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on December 28, 2021, 06:41:59 PM
Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster John Madden, whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the NFL said. He was 85.

"On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

"Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today."

Madden was only 32 when then-Raiders owner Al Davis hired him to coach Oakland in 1969. Before leaving the sideline for the announcing booth in 1978, Madden led Oakland to a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record and victory in the Super Bowl after the 1976 season.

Oakland never had a losing record under Madden, winning seven division titles and making the playoffs eight times.

Madden was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, 28 years after coaching his final game. A fear of flying helped contribute to his early retirement from coaching.

But Madden gained even more fame as an analyst on NFL telecasts and for the football video game that bears his name -- EA Sports' "Madden NFL." Some players who have graced the Madden cover have struggled the following season, spurring the fan myth of the "Madden curse."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32953839/nfl-hall-fame-coach-broadcasting-icon-john-madden-dies-85
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Eupher on December 28, 2021, 08:53:48 PM
I think he was yet another celebrity who refused to fly on aircraft. Had a big bus and driver that he used to get around.

RIP, John.
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Drafe Hoblin on December 28, 2021, 09:46:46 PM
R.I.P., J...

I remember the vociferous on-field shouting matches with Hank Stram, when the Raiders/Chiefs rivalry drew massive eyeballs to the 4 o'clock timeslot... providing the wannabe chuh-ching for a Cowboys/Redskins rivalry on the other network. 

Btw, Madden would still call them the Redskins.
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on December 29, 2021, 07:05:36 AM
I think he was yet another celebrity who refused to fly on aircraft. Had a big bus and driver that he used to get around.

RIP, John.

Yep, the Madden Cruiser.

Am old enough to barely remember him from late in his very short and successful NFL coaching career, and then the iconic Miller Lite ads.  I suppose the younger video gamers probably only associate him with his "John Madden Football" video game, which really transformed the at home sports video game platform.

The man was a legend in many ways, and an endlessly entertaining NFL analyst.  RIP big fella.
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on December 29, 2021, 07:07:07 AM
R.I.P., J...

I remember the vociferous on-field shouting matches with Hank Stram, when the Raiders/Chiefs rivalry drew massive eyeballs to the 4 o'clock timeslot... providing the wannabe chuh-ching for a Cowboys/Redskins rivalry on the other network. 

Btw, Madden would still call them the Redskins.

Of course he would.  Heard Madden's former broadcast partner Al Michaels call the Sunday Night NFL game between Dallas & Washington this week, and Al occasionally called them the "Redskins" by accident rather than the generic "Washington Football Team".
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: FlaGator on December 29, 2021, 07:09:51 AM
Yep, the Madden Cruiser.

Am old enough to barely remember him from late in his very short and successful NFL coaching career, and then the iconic Miller Lite ads.  I suppose the younger video gamers probably only associate him with his "John Madden Football" video game, which really transformed the at home sports video game platform.

The man was a legend in many ways, and an endlessly entertaining NFL analyst.  RIP big fella.

I remember him most for the six-legged turkey on Thanksgiving Day games.
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: SVPete on December 29, 2021, 08:14:45 AM
I didn't realize he was at the Raiders for just 9 or 10 seasons. He kind of defined the team from my view point. To some degree I was a Raiders fan then and until Davis gamed LA and Oakland, bleeping over fans.
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Ralph Wiggum on December 29, 2021, 09:39:06 AM
I remember him most for the six-legged turkey on Thanksgiving Day games.

The "turducken".  While he was a damn great NFL coach before his early retirement from the sideline, he and Bob Uecker catapulted to fame for those Miller Lite commercials in the '70's.

Here's a later one:

https://youtu.be/zR5fD2Bc53E
Title: Re: NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
Post by: Drafe Hoblin on December 29, 2021, 10:15:58 AM
The "turducken".


I forgot about 'turducken'.  My sister & family-members actually 'made' a few for Thanksgiving back then.  -The duck being a little oily, but on the plate, the taste fit right in.  They called the gravy 'duck-gravy' even though it was mostly turkey, which my mom probably had a hand in suggesting.

My mom didn't care for Madden...  " He's too loud.  And he tells you what you're already seeing. "   She was a Cosell-fan.