I think he’s done more for football popularity than almost anyone. There are still those older people to whom he’ll always the Super Bowl winning Coach, then there are those who grew up hearing him call games with Pat Summerall (still the best combo ever to me), and then there are the younger people who will only know him from the video game. I grew up with him calling games…and I remember the early versions of John Madden Football…even before they had the actual NFL license back when EA was still known as Electronic Arts…they would have the team colors but they just called the teams Pittsburgh, or New York (blue and red since they were the Giants), while we were New Jersey…still a great game and I have tons of great memories of it. sad day to see him pass…
RIP Madden Legend is an over used word, but absolutely appropriate here. He changed the game and leaves a great legacy. He and Summerall are now riding in the Madden Cruiser in the sky.
A year after I joined here, Madden was co-hosting a Jets pre-season away game with Al Michaels. He goes, "He really shot his wad on that play!" It was live (obviously), and they couldn't do anything about it. I was dumbfounded. Michaels didn't even breathe. COMMERCIAL BREAK. Hahaha. I posted about it. "Did anyone just hear that?!" If I recall correctly, he retired because he developed a phobia about flying, hence the Madden bus. He was kind of a disheveled slob, but he was very likable even though I will always detest the Raiders no matter the city they play in. And then there's always the Madden Curse even though I know zip about video games. RIP to a very colorful person.
There will never be another John Madden calling NFL games was the absolute best pic.twitter.com/CRT67TtXDR— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 29, 2021
RIP. I always remember those 70s Raiders games. Easily the most exciting game every Sunday. Everyone hated and wanted to beat the Raiders so badly that every game was played like it was the playoffs.
This is classic Madden. How special was John Madden? Just listen to the man talk about Gatorade buckets. pic.twitter.com/3NFG5Kbjmi— Faux John Madden (@FauxJohnMadden) December 29, 2021
Sad to hear this. I always associated him with the Giants and I hated the Giants when I was growing up. Him and Summerall did a lot of their games. So from a commentator standpoint, he just annoyed me.
Yeah, but he and Summerall were excellent on those Giants broadcasts. When Lawrence Taylor first started wreaking havoc (on the field), Madden explained what teams were doing to stop him, why it wouldn't work and what they should be doing. It was my first brush with in-depth football analysis, not the "gee-whiz" shit we got from other commentators. Madden's gift was making it all sound like common sense, and not something you needed a degree in astrophysics to understand.
This is spot on. Madden wanted you to understand and love football, he didn’t really care about impressing you. That’s the biggest difference between him and most of these guys.
Gastineau was a jerk in many ways, but nobody can deny that he was way ahead of his time. RIP Mr. Madden.
Now that's when taunting was taunting!!! I think he was fined 50K. 50K was a hell of a lot of money back then and then he was banned from doing it. I remember when the bench was cleared (on field brawl) because of the sack dance against the Chargers. Also against the Steelers. NHL level hawkey fights. He was roided up with no impluse control but I choose to block that part out on out on some days. What did I know when I was 15? LET'S GO JETS! He was also one of the first scabs to cross the line during the strike because he couldn't pay alimony. Of course the Jets would always somehow manage to blow it in the end, but there are some great memories. My Daddy was always a stickler for being in our seats before kick off for player announcements. They we send out the Sack Exchange one after the other. One of the best was: "Abdul Salaaaaaaam!" Crowd: "Abduuuuuuuuuullll!!!!!" : )
