John Madden - RIP

[Jim Kenney]

Coach John Madden passed away on Dec 28, 2021. He was a giant in more ways than one. How do you guys feel about him and his impact on the NFL, sports, and America?

For me, he came along as a broadcaster just when my team (Washington) started a great run playing in four Super Bowls and winning three in a ten year span from 1983-92. A lot of my best memories from those years came from watching and listening to John Madden and Pat Summerall as the broadcast team for numerous NFC East games involving Washington. I always loved his explanations for the guys he picked for his All-Madden team, of course, including many Washington football players. He was the friendly explainer of football to hardcore and casual fans. He was funny, genuine, and smart.

Just before taking the field and winning the Super Bowl in 1977 he told his team, the Oakland Raiders, "Don't worry about the horse being blind, just load the wagons," which still causes perplexed side-eyes from his old Raiders. But his closing line was clear enough: "Gentlemen, this is going to be the single biggest event in any of your lives -- as long as you win. Go get 'em."

 

[crgildart]

Good summary Jim. One of my best friends in college was a Raiders fan. I definitely thought he brought a new level of fandom to the NFL as a vocally flamboyant, but wardrobe challenged character. His entertaining commentary as a broadcaster made NFL football inviting and entertaining to folks who weren't die hard football fans and grew interest in the sport massively.

Dude was hilarious and entertaining along with legit expertise, noticing and highlighting things that most fans wouldn't have noticed without him sharing those insights.

 

[Tex]

RIP Coach John Madden. He used to crack me up when he talked about players getting muddy and dirty, and it is really good when the dirt mixes with the snot....

 

[Philpug]

John was one of the faces of football for generations. He turned the chess of football into checkers where the Average Joe could understand it and appriciate the game.

 

[doc]

Agree with all the above.
Unfortunately, Frank Caliendo will start running short of material.
His Madden impressions are among his best.

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

BOOM!!

 

[Laurel Hill Crazie]

I got to know of John Madden after Franco snagged an errant ball out of the air. That set the stage for a rivalry and intense games that go to the heart of Steeler lore. I hated the man and his team in that smug kinda way only a rabid fan of a winning team can have. John had his revenge in 1977. So there is a direct emotional connection to the man at a time that I was beginning to become a fan of all things Steelers, all things hometown.

My mock haterd turn to amussed admiration when his coaching career ended and his broadcasting career began. John Madden was a hoot. A rare teacher that could educate you and amuse you. Him and Summerall were the best. I can't think of another current broadcast pair that comes close to their level of professionalism, knowledge, and the ability to entertain the way they did.

RIP John Madden. Now you and Chuck, Jack, and Frenchy can settle what really happened.

 

[DanoT]

On Christmas Day, TSN in Canada and NFL Network or ESPN in the USA played a new excellent documentary on John Madden with great clips and interviews...and 3 days later he passes away..WTF? Well in a typically weird Madden way, he got to see his own eulogy.

It took a long time for the NFL to put coach Madden in the HoF. Can he be put into the Hall a second time as a Broadcaster? And a third time as an Innovator with the very popular John Madden Football video game?

 

[wiread]

I don't know what made me laugh more, circling the ass sweat on the Dallas offensive linemen and telling us why it was important or circling the steam coming off Nate Newton's head and stating something like, "look at that, you could have a barbecue on that"

 

[Moose32]

I say this to my girls all the time before their athletic events… RIP John

 

[Coach13]

He was a very good football coach but he was in a class by himself from a commentator standpoint. He was entertaining, informative and had a way of translating the jargon for the everyday fan.

On the football field, he and Stabler were a great combination together. He was a coach that was willing to take chances and let his players play and Stabler was the ultimate gunslinger quarterback.

 

[Jim Kenney]

There was a marvelous report from Ryan Hockensmith of ESPN on John Madden's last days. Here's a link: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32963783/john-madden-beautiful-goodbye

Some excerpts:

ON CHRISTMAS DAY Dec 25, 2021, John Madden gathered his close family members and friends around his TV at 2 p.m. A documentary about him and his tall-tale life, "All Madden," was airing on Fox, and he wanted to watch it with the people he loved the most.

As he sank down into his big chair in the Madden TV room, his wife and sons, their spouses and his grandkids gathered around and watched the film. They had no idea that for most of them, it was the last time they'd share with their beloved patriarch.

When the film ended, Madden asked every person in the room what they thought, even the kids.

"I loved it," the first person said.

"Loved it," the second person said.

And on and on, around the room. The vote was unanimous. Finally, after everybody spoke, it was Madden's turn. Everybody waited.

"I loved it, too," Madden finally said. "And we got to share it, together."

The next day, Dec. 26, he and Virginia celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary together. Then John Madden unexpectedly passed away two days later on Dec 28. Check out the full story at the link above.

 

[Lorenzzo]

I first became aware of John Madden when I was a freshman at Cal. He was friends with a Cal booster and that got us into a couple of pre-season games way back in 1977. I have two indelible memories of those games.

First, Madden in a navy blue polo and light blue slacks patrolling the sidelines. I was in nosebleeds way on the other side of the stadium. But you couldn't miss him in fact he was more interesting than the game.

He looked huge and that big head of strawberry blonde hair made him look even huger. He was perpetual motion on the sidelines, the jaw constantly moving while the arms gesticulated as he worked the officials despite it being pre-season. While I of course couldn't have predicted what would follow for him from that experience he was still unforgettable, from a couple of hundred yards away, even without hearing him speak.

The other thing I remember from those pre-season games was the tragedy of Daryl Stingley becoming instantly paralyzed from a Jack Tatum hit. The Madden documentary addressed this and how Madden visited Stingley multiple times in the hospital and got people with the Patriots to rally around him.

I've been bored at times watching football but never a game Madden broadcasted. I still haven't had turducken but more than ever I hope to. How great it was he got to see that documentary about him before he passed.