John Madden’s Legacy Will Always Live On
April 20, 2009 – 9:15 am by Tas Melas
As a kid growing up, John Madden was that guy in video games explaining what was going on. When I was losing I’d tell John to shut up, when I was winning, he was the smartest video game color man alive. As a football fan, I was always alright with John as a broadcaster. He was not new age, but with the old school guys, I find it easy to accept them for what they are. No one should expect them to be anything they’re not; Madden was a highly knowledgeable, bright, and insightful analyst. He didn’t fire witty lines from the hip or shout out pop culture references.
He was a football man through and through. Yes, he spoke slowly and took his time developing his points, but he always had one, and it was always fairly accurate in depicting the game he was watching. The guy was a rock, no one can argue that. So much so, that great impersonations of him are now commonplace. That may be the highest form of compliment Madden has ever received. Oh yeah, there’s that Hall of Fame coaching career to consider. Al Michaels, Madden’s broadcasting partner on Monday Night Football since 2002, joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss the duo’s chemistry, if he knew Madden was gonna retire, and Madden’s replacement, Cris Collinsworth.
On John’s announcement:
“I didn’t know until probably 9:30 Pacific time on Wednesday night (the night before) and I was very surprised. I thought I would have an inkling; I thought that when the day would come, there would be some sort of indication beforehand and there was none of that. I didn’t read any of this into John’s feelings during the season and I certainly didn’t feel it after the Super Bowl. As it turns out, what a way to go out. I don’t think that I’ve ever been a part of a telecast that was more enjoyable top to bottom.”
On Madden’s decision to retire:
“John is the kind of guy who doesn’t make rash decisions and doesn’t make a decision predicated on one component… I don’t think there is any one thing that would have turned the tide here. I think John spent eight weeks thinking about this and he put a lot of things together.”
Al Michaels on his chemistry with Madden, Cris Collinsworth, and the full interview after the jump.
On John’s replacement, Cris Collinsworth:
“He’s real smart, there’s no question about that. He gets it; he knows where the game is at any given point. This will be an easy transition, there’s no question in my mind. He’s prepared, he’s there. He shares a lot of the same traits that John did. One thing with John is, no matter where I went, I knew he’d be ready.”
On his chemistry with Madden:
“I remember we were doing the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, and we get to the second commercial break and I’m just thinking to myself, “You know what, I feel like I’ve worked with him for 20 years.” It was that comfortable.”
Listen to Al Michaels on The Dan Patrick Show
Tags: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Football, John Madden, Monday Night Football, NFL, Sunday Night Football
