Thread: Broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85

Grew up with him watching him coach and then broadcast.
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John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster 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.

The league said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of "Boom!'' and "Doink!'' throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of "Madden NFL Football,'' one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

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NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85

I remember being behind the Madden Cruiser in the 1990's on the Pa. Turnpike. He was going to a Golf tournament in Pennsylvania. He never flew anywhere as he was deathly afraid of flying....

Enjoyed watching him coach, and later his commentary - I also remember he traveled in a tricked-out RV, because of his fear of flying.

Hope he knew Jesus.

When Mr. Madden and Pat Summerall were the commentators, you knew the game would be fun to watch.

Originally Posted by njtom

When Mr. Madden and Pat Summerall were the commentators, you knew the game would be fun to watch.

Or MNF with The Giff, Dandy Don and Howard. Some games had us rolling on the floor laughing.

Originally Posted by njtom

When Mr. Madden and Pat Summerall were the commentators, you knew the game would be fun to watch.

I mentioned on an Atlanta Falcons' forum that they may be the best broadcast tandem ever.

Originally Posted by FireBrand

Or MNF with The Giff, Dandy Don and Howard. Some games had us rolling on the floor laughing.

Yep. Good times.

There's the story where some team was getting blown out and I think most of the fans had gone, and they had a camera closeup on a lone person sitting and hanging his head in the stands, and while they're showing him, he just looks up and gives the camera the middle finger and Dandy Don say, "That means we're number 1".

Edit: Found the story on a site:

Spence recounts a story in his absorbing book, Up Close and Personal. One Monday night in Houston a fan looked bored stiff by the poor play of the Oilers so ABC focused one of its cameras on him. The unhappy fan realized it immediately and flipped the bird to millions of viewers across the land. Spence writes that Dandy Dan drawled an immediate reassuring retort: "He's just telling us we're number one!"

Originally Posted by fuego

"He's just telling us we're number one!"

One particular MNF mid-80's when Howard was just making a nuisance of himself with endless bloviating. It was well known by then that Don was agrivated with him, leaving Giff to play the adult. So during a kick through the uprights the cameraman zoomed in on the crowd holding up big letters spelling a bold "Howard Su_ks". Of course, Dandy Don was snickering and at my friend's house having a mens fellowship...we roared with hysteria.

Originally Posted by FireBrand

One particular MNF mid-80's when Howard was just making a nuisance of himself with endless bloviating. It was well known by then that Don was agrivated with him, leaving Giff to play the adult. So during a kick through the uprights the cameraman zoomed in on the crowd holding up big letters spelling a bold "Howard Su_ks". Of course, Dandy Don was snickering and at my friend's house having a mens fellowship...we roared with hysteria.