I can’t imagine next fall without John Madden. For 30 years, he showed a unique talent for analyzing the game and never lost perspective of what watching football is, first and foremost, entertainment. To that end, John Madden entertained as few could dream of. No one who watched his telecasts can’t recite a list of humorous “Maddenisms” like “the mud, the blood and the boogers,” “Boom, wap, doink,” throw in a few more, “Boom, boom, boom” calls for good measure. “Hey wait a minute” this guy knew the game inside out not just for the action on the field as well as the business side, but more so, he understood the event, the whole spectacle that surrounds sixteen stadiums around the nation from September to January. Madden could highlight the local color that made towns from Baltimore to Seattle unique. Few national figures could call a game in Baltimore and admit he doesn’t like crab cakes without having the Baltimore fans launch into one of their typical tirades on how the national media is out to get us.
John Madden’s football analysis was “scalable.” He could discuss the finest points of the game from the point of view only a football genius could articulate. More importantly, he was a great story teller conveying his love for the game where his sense of fun and enthusiasm could help attract even the most casual viewer to appreciate the game. He never took himself too seriously, never resorted to spewing all kinds of technical language or long list of stats. His focus was the game on the field and connecting his audience to the action on the field.
John Madden’s fear of flying was legendary and has refused to travel by air since leaving coaching in 1979. In 1987, another piece of Madden lore was introduced, “The Madden Cruiser,” a customized bus with sleeping quarters, satellite television, and a comfy steam shower to transport John Madden from his west coast home from city to city around America, a virtual road show from early September until the end of the season which included at least three rounds of playoffs until he graduated to Monday Night Football.
John Madden also got involved in one of the most successful high-tech enterprises ever, signing with electronics games maker, Electronic Arts, “John Madden Football” was first introduced in 1988 to run on the Apple II series computer. Before long, it was available for use on all PC’s and later most major game consoles. Soon, annual editions, with each year’s release adding higher degrees of realism and more bells and whistles, became the hottest selling video games on the market.
Another one of John Madden’s most memorable accomplishment was his naming of the All-Madden team from 1984 until he took his roll with Monday Night Football in 2001. Much like the Pro Bowl selection, John Madden would select his own team of stars or players who had the right stuff to be an all Madden kind of guy. Also during his years teamed with dear friend and colleague Pat Summerall, the Madden bus would arrive at either the Pontiac Silverdome or Texas Stadium to broadcast the Thanksgiving day games, part of the fun-loving Madden telecast was awarding drumsticks to the games’ top performers. Madden could even use his telestrator stylus to scribble around the Turkey making all kinds of comic remarks in the process.
John Madden also has the distinction of working for all four major networks: CBS from 1979-1994; Fox, 1994-2001 (his last broadcast the 2002 Super Bowl); ABC Monday Night Football, 2002-2005, and most recently, NBC’s Sunday Night game, 2006-2009 earning him the additional accomplishment of calling the Super Bowl for all four networks.
Chris Collingsworth, a capable analyst, will assume the roll of analyst for NBC’s football telecasts beginning the 2009 season in September. One would be lying to say he’s replacing John Madden, as John Madden is a legend never to be replaced.
If there’s anything good for America from losing the man who was both the most talented football analyst in the profession and everybody’s nutty uncle, hopefully, two-bit comedian, impressionist, Frank Caliendo will have to find some new character to develop a new impression to work to death as he so disgraced John Madden.
With the passing of legendary sports broadcaster, Harry Kalas earlier this week, the fraternity of great voices of the game is growing smaller. At 73 years old, may John Madden enjoy a wonderful retirement celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary this year and have more time with his beloved grandchildren.
Football weekends just won’t be the same. It’s been an incredible thirty year run.
No comments:
Post a Comment