| 16 April 2009
Former NFL player and coach, and Hall of Famer, John Madden, announced his retirement from announcing today. As a coach John Madden had great success with the Oakland Raiders that culminated with a victory in Super Bowl XI. He retired from coaching in ’78. Two years later the Raiders moved to LA and they haven’t been the same since. When you don’t get holding calls over looked it must be hard to play in LA. *Cough USC Cough*
Most of our generation and generations know John Madden as the most famous color man in all of sports. He was a very polarizing figure in the announce booth. I for one enjoyed his knowledge of the game. A lot of people did not like the way he communicated his messages but the football knowledge he has is unmatched. I almost liken it to what Bobby Knight is doing on ESPN. When you listen to a Knight called game you almost fall asleep because of his monotone and emotionless style but damnit he knows the game of basketball and maybe how to throw a chair. Hopefully, John Madden will come on, ESPN or the 18 person NBC team, every once in a while to grace us with his vast knowledge of play on the gridiron.
Many in the generation younger than us know John Madden from his string of EA football video games in which he lends his name. I bet half that play those games couldn’t even pick John Madden out of a line up. I wonder who is going to be the face of EA football now……. Joe Buck? Mike Tirico? Tony Kornheiser? Wait I got it Cris Collinsworth.
John has contributed to the sport of football 2 of the greatest honors that any footballs player can ever have bestowed upon them. First is the coveted All- Madden award, which is given to players that best represent the way football should be played, in John’s eyes. Secondly he has given us the Turkey Leg, from that overgrown mutant of a turkey, which is given to the MVP of the Thanksgiving game that he was announcing.
John, some will miss you and some will be happy you will be gone. I for one will be sad to see you go. However, there is part of me excited for the Cris Collinsworth era to begin.
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