How do you remember John Madden?

[Awsi Dooger]

My first memory is opposing coach to Lombardi in Super Bowl II. The game was blacked out in Miami so my dad drove the family to Fort Pierce. That was the first major city outside the blackout window. Lots of people were doing the same thing we were. Businesses were taking advantage by showing the game on TV and advertising the fact outside. We found a bowling alley with a sign and a jammed parking lot. Nobody was bowling. They closed everything off other than watching the game. I remember sitting at a long table while rooting for the Packers. That was the game with the two huge snorting floats at halftime, one Packer and one Raider. Spraying smoke out of their mouths. It was so cool and so memorable I assumed every game for the rest of my life would feature that.

The following year likewise I remember rooting against Madden in the AFL Championship Game at the Jets. That game was so tense and so dusty. I wasn't confident for the majority. The Raiders looked so dangerous. But Namath took the lead late then the defense held against Lamonica.

Madden was known as a fatso during that era. Not many coaches were built like that. I remember kids making fun of him in school. Nobody could imagine what he would become. It was kind of like George Foreman in that regard. Al Davis was the most famous Raider followed by Darryl Lamonica. Next would have been Ben Davidson, who was famous for the illegal hit against Len Dawson. Next would have been the offensive linemen Shell, Upshaw and Otto. Plus Freddie Biletnikof. It's easy to assume Madden was always a dominant figure but that's hardly the case. Even during the 1972 season with the Immaculate Reception nobody was saying much about John Madden. The league had legends like Paul Brown and Tom Landry and Bud Grant and Hank Stram at head coach, to go along with Shula. George Allen with the Redskins was the ultimate fascination, due to his unconventional theories of building a team. In 1972 there is no question that George Allen was 10x as famous and intriguing as John Madden.

That began to change in 1974 with the famous Sea of Hands game. There were lingering images of Madden hoisted by his players after knocking out the two time defending champion Dolphins. Everyone assumed the Raiders would win the Super Bowl. Once the Steelers went into Oakland and won as 7 point underdog the following week, Madden became the chaser. It was a huge story nationally the next couple of years as he desperately tried to knock off the Steelers.

Frankly the referees stole the playoff game from New England in 1976. It is the most outrageous blatant sustained theft I have ever seen in professional football. Consequently I have never acknowledged that Raider Super Bowl win. But I fully understood what was going on. The referees were not immune to the national determination to see the Raiders vs. Steelers go at it with a Super Bowl berth on the line. New England in that era would have been the equivalent of Sacramento playing for the NBA title. 

I was always annoyed that Madden did not win another title. I rooted for him in 1977 and 1978 once the Dolphins were not a factor. I always liked the guy but knew that if he never won anything else I'd always think back to that Patriots game. And that is exactly how it played out. 

I was a big fan of his broadcasting style. It makes no sense to me why so many broadcasters feel compelled to stick to the topic. You've got an audience of all types. Give them real world reference points, things that have nothing to do with football. Madden understood the value of that, along with some insider knowledge. Wonderful blend. Nobody cares about the Mike Mayock style of scouting obsession.

Everyone talks about Brett Favre. That's not my memory at all. John Madden raved about Joe Montana and Lawrence Taylor. Those were his obsessions. He was in absolute awe of Lawrence Taylor. I remember late in his tenure with Pat Summerall that Madden matter of factly said that Montana was the best offensive player during their partnership and Taylor the best defensive player.

I have no idea about the video games. I couldn't describe them and have never seen anyone play one. I was in Las Vegas during that era. We were wagering huge. Nobody was playing video games. I was aware they existed due to commercials.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Awsi Dooger

[SkippyX]

Two memories.

Eagles at LA Rams. A section was cleared because of bees.

• Madden was circling the bees on the telestrator.

The Eagles huge comeback win over the Jets on the day Cunningham broke his leg.

• After Boomer got wrecked by Byron Evans on a desperation 4th down scramble they went to a shot of the sunset over Giants Stadium
  • Madden circled the last bit of sun over the stadium and said "The sun has just set on the Jets"

 

[kingseanjohn]

Man is a legend and will be remembered a long time. 

I’m not trying to be negative here, but I’ll remember him for Madden and as an announcer that said dumb/obvious things. A couple gems include:

“Usually the team that scores the most points wins the game.”

”Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they’re bigger than everybody else, and that’s what makes them the biggest guys on the field.”

[MWil23]

I will always remember him as a commentator with the telestrator. He was such a genuine and larger than life figure in a world full of guys who weren’t the real deal.

Even though I wasn’t old enough to remember him as a coach, so many of his coaching lessons have stuck out to me. More coaches today would be wise to operate under his 3 rules of:

1. Be on time

2. Listen when you’re being taught/coached

3. Play like **** when I need you to

A guy who was both loved and respected and truly a gentle giant.

[TecmoSuperJoe]

Little Giants and Madden NFL '95 for the Super Nintendo were probably my first cognizant memories of starting to really recognize John Madden as a football icon. Great times. 

[CP3MVP]

“I think that the Patriots — with this field position, you have to just run the clock out,” Madden said. “You have to play for overtime now.”

[candyman93]

It’s gonna suck when another legend Al Michaels retires after this year.

 

Who’s left after him….? Nantz? That’s about it.

[flyers0909]

"Falco scores! Falco scores!"

[MikeT14]

The easy answer is listening to his voice for countless hours every year playing Madden. That was so much fun in my childhood.

A small note too. I used to get SO excited when Madden called WFT games. It's like I won the announcer lottery. Loved him at Thanksgiving too. My favorite announcer of all time. 

[Trentwannabe]

Super Bowls and giving me the special recipe to beat my older brother in  Madden 2003.

[ET80]

Unrelated - the  Madden documentary was supposed to drop on Jan 3rd, but Peacock released it at midnight and will run it for the next 90 days (will also be available streaming via ESPN + and Tubi).

[SBLIII]

Super Bowl XXXVI - Tom Brady's Final Drive (2002) - YouTube

1986 - Pigeon Land on Field and John Madden Provides Great Commentary - YouTube

Randy Moss vs Cowboys Thanksgiving 1998 - SCORED ON EVERY CATCH! - YouTube

[Uncle Buck]

As a 12-year-old kid, I was very disappointed when John Madden's team beat the Vikings in yet another of their four Super Bowl appearances.  I can actually remember watching it live on television, and I think that was a game where Madden was carried off the field in victory.

Years later, John Madden became a staple of my football watching days as he and Pat Sumerall did the announcing on a lot of big and very memorable games.

Finally, I will always remember his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, which was one of the best ever.  The way he described his vision of the busts coming to life and talking to each other just showed how much football meant to him.  There are some real egomaniacs inducted over the years who only rambled on about how great they were.  With John, it was all about his reverence for the game he loved.  That was one of the qualities that made him so worthy of having a bust of himself in that building.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Uncle Buck

[candyman93]

14 hours ago, ET80 said:

He's up there with Lombardi, Walsh, Belicheck and Parcells - given the cultural impact, he might be higher than all four.

Yeah, if we’re talking about being an ambassador of the game and helping grow it’s popularity, he’s #1.

 

Fox Sports straight up admits they wouldn’t have survived without him and Pat.

 

I’m trying to think of genuinely great announcers today and I can only think of a few: Nantz, Michaels, and Tirico. Romo needs to chill a bit, but he can be. Unfortunately for those guys, I think Pat and John raised the bar so astronomically high, that those guys aren’t viewed and appreciated in a proper context. Call it the Jordan effect, because they were the “MJ of their time.”

[redsoxsuck05]

A genuine personality that's much needed in these days of excessive irony, cynicism, and fear of being seen as "cringe."