View Full Version : John Madden retires from broadcasting


DougR
04-16-2009, 11:09 AM
John Madden retires from broadcasting





NEW YORK - NBC Sports Chairman **** Ebersol announced today that John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and the most honored broadcaster in sports television history, has decided to retire from broadcasting.

Madden issued the following statement today:

"It’s time. I’m 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I’m home and, more importantly, when I’m not…
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It’s been such a great ride… the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion – it still is. I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have… that great life with the teams, the players, the coaches, the owners, the League… my broadcasting partners Pat and Al… the production people and the fans …is still great… it’s still fun and that’s what it makes it hard and that’s why it took me a few months to make a decision.

I still love every part of it – the travel, the practices, the game film, the games, seeing old friends and meeting new people… but I know this is the right time."

'

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time, has served as the game analyst for “NBC Sunday Night Football” since 2006. Madden, who has won an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Analyst/Personality, is renowned by football fans nationwide for his ability to analyze the details of the game with wit, candor and an inimitable style. Madden has been an NFL broadcaster for 30 years. On February 1, Madden earned rave reviews and critical acclaim in his final game, the 11th Super Bowl he called – Super Bowl XLIII on NBC.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has honored Madden with 16 Outstanding Sports Analyst/Personality Emmy Awards, the most recent from this past season. In all, Madden has been nominated for 18 Emmy Awards. In addition, the American Sportscasters Association named him Sports Personality of the Year in 1985 and 1992. In 1982, Madden became the first NFL analyst to receive the Touchdown Club of America's prestigious Golden Mike Award. Sports Illustrated has called Madden “an American fixture” and said that he “brings an unequaled big-game buzz to the broadcast booth.”

Prior to joining the broadcasting ranks, Madden had an outstanding career as head coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders. He guided the Raiders to an overall record of 103-32-7, leading the team to seven AFC Western Division titles and a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Madden’s .750 winning percentage is the best of any head coach in NFL history. In 2006, Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Head Coach.

A linebacker coach when he began his NFL coaching career with Oakland in 1967, Madden became the head coach in 1969 at age 33, the youngest head coach in the American Football League. Madden retired in 1979 and started his broadcasting career at CBS later that same year. Madden was the lead NFL analyst for FOX from 1994-2002 and the analyst for ABC’s “Monday Night Football” for four years before he came to NBC Sports in 2006. He is the only person to work as the lead analyst for all four broadcast networks.

Madden’s EA Sports video game “Madden NFL Football” is the No. 1 selling sports video game of all-time with more than 65 million copies sold since its release 20 years ago. Madden is also one of the leading spokesmen in the advertising world, with endorsement relationships including Ace Hardware, Outback Steakhouse, Schering Plough (Tinactin), Verizon Wireless and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Before coaching in Oakland, Madden was the defensive coordinator at San Diego State from 1964-66 where the Aztecs were ranked first among small colleges with a 26-4 record. From 1960-64 Madden coached at Han**** Junior College in Santa Maria, Calif.

Madden started on both the offensive and defensive lines as a player for California Polytechnic College at San Luis Obispo in 1957 and 1958 and was voted to the All-Conference team. He was also a catcher on the school's baseball team. Madden earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959 and a Master of Arts degree in 1961, both from Cal Poly. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the 21st round of the 1958 NFL draft, but a knee injury in his rookie season prematurely ended his career.





.:worship:

shotgun mike
04-16-2009, 11:18 AM
Football will not be the same. He will be missed. That also means Frank Gifford will leave soon also. In an interview on espn he said he would not call a game if John wasn't by his side.

viruscauser
04-16-2009, 02:34 PM
John Madden was an institution. He'll be missed.... but maybe most missed by Frank Caliendo. :D

dmantom
04-16-2009, 03:23 PM
He most definitely will be missed. Liked that guy. I remember an interview some time ago where they asked him something like how shold the game be played. He said something like the following:

1. Football should be played on a grass field.
2. It should be played by the meanest guys you can find who get really down and physical.
3. It should be raining.
4. You just have got to have a lot of mud.
5. Now that would be a heck of a game!

At least that's kinda something like he said... Right down and dirty!!!

mefnikk
04-16-2009, 03:52 PM
He better still allow the use of his name for future EA sports NFL Football video games. They are in fact the greatest of all time.

john m
04-16-2009, 04:06 PM
madden not stupid,he would lose a lot of money if he didn't allow his name or indorsements, to be used. you right he will be missed.

Tony Rome
04-16-2009, 05:30 PM
I agree....he is an institution and he will be missed....the greatest NFL game announcer to broadcast a game.....he once was quoted as saying that "if everyone on the football field
is doing what they are trained and paid to do, the ball will not move"....I guess it makes sense.........
Tony

pajamas
04-16-2009, 06:05 PM
whoa, now they're going to have change the name of all those games :)

ELDiablo76
04-16-2009, 06:11 PM
another Icon to the hall of fame... great sports man, commentator...
will for sure be missed...

owengraves
04-16-2009, 07:45 PM
Football will not be the same. He will be missed. That also means Frank Gifford will leave soon also. In an interview on espn he said he would not call a game if John wasn't by his side.

I think you mean Al Michaels.
Yes, he will be missed. He always made the game more interesting and exciting.