John Madden Retires

I know he is a love him or hate him type of commentator. But regardless, I think he'll be missed in the booth.



Madden retires after 30 years in booth
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ESPN.com news services

John Madden, a fixture in NFL broadcast booths for 30 years, has decided to retire, he announced Thursday in a statement released by NBC Sports.

NFL.com Video

John Madden discusses what the Hall of Fame means to him.
Madden, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders, has been a game analyst and TV personality since walking away from coaching in 1979.

"It's time. I'm 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall," Madden said. "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."

"It's been such a great ride," he added. The NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion -- It still is. ... 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."

Madden worked as lead analyst for all four networks broadcasting NFL football games, forming tandems with Pat Summerall at CBS and Fox and Al Michaels at ABC and NBC. He won 16 Emmy awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality.

His last game in the booth was Pittsburgh's Super Bowl victory over Arizona.

He also lent his name and voice to EA Sports' popular "Madden NFL Football" video game, which is the top-selling sports video game of all time.

Madden led the Raiders to an overall record of 103-32-7, seven AFC West titles and a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. His .750 winning percentage remains the highest of any coach in NFL history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

This is the best news I have heard in a very long time


Although I do like laughing at him more than listening

"now now now now now .. here's a guy who gets better with practice"

I'm glad I don't have to hear his commentary anymore.

I respect the guy cause he is a football legend. But I just cant stand sunday night football with his commentary. Hope his retirement goes well.

Wow, I guess I'll be the first to say we are losing a big part of the game. This year the Phillies loose Harry Kalas (RIP) and the NFL loses Madden.

I just hope things happen in 3's and Joe Buck follows suit.

I still think that all sports games should be commentated by Sonny, Sam and Frank. You wanna talk about a bunch of codgey old bastards...

Bye, Madden. Much as I made fun of your goofy ass, you still were more interesting to listen to than the stiff-neck folks like Aikman, with the personality of a statue.

well football will be less funny, for me anyway.

Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see and listen to what they don't want to hear.
John Madden

Don't worry about the horse being blind, just load the wagon.
John Madden

Every time I go to the theater, there's something about the atmosphere, seeing something unfold live in front of an audience, that you can't get out of your system.
John Madden

I think comparisons are odious.
John Madden

If you see a defense team with dirt and mud on their backs they've had a bad day.
John Madden

Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.
John Madden

The fewer rules a coach has, the fewer rules there are for players to break.
John Madden

The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else.
John Madden

The road to Easy Street goes through the sewer.
John Madden

When your arm gets hit, the ball is not going to go where you want it to.
John Madden

Must Be Favre is going to stay retired this time.

here are a few more funny ones
"And on this play the LB hits the WR, great play"
"From the waist down, Earl Campbell has the biggest legs I have ever seen on a running back."
"I'm a big kankle watcher"
"Now see this guy has the biggest kankles i have ever seen"
"He got up looking out of his earhole!"
"Boom, Tough Actin Tenactin!!"
"That was a dumb play. Dumb play. You know that was a dumb play. I mean that was a dumb play. I've seen dumb plays, but that was a dumb play."
"You can only make one play at a time."
"Anytime you have a game, you have to be ready to play."
"When you lose your best cornerback and your punt returner, I'd say that's a double loss."
"First down is a good down."
"You never want to go backwards in the endzone."
"The Rams better block that Warren Sapp guy."



John Madden when referring to Troy Aikmen losing his contact lens in a game: "Here's a guy, that when he wears his contacts, he see's better."

See the thing about retirement is that you don't have to work anymore. See that's what retirement is. Retirement is when you don't have to work anymore because you've already worked and now you're saying you don't want to work anymore and so you retire. And that's why he retired was so that he didn't have to work anymore. You see he's been in and around the NFL for about 40 years, and he just decided he doesn't want to work anymore. And when you don't want to work anymore, what you do is, you retire. And when you're retired you don't have to work anymore because that's what retirement is. It's when you retire from your job and you don't go to your job anymore because you've already worked for as long as you wanted to and now you want to spend time not working and so you retire.


............and that's just a 20 second excerpt of the full press conference......

Evan! said:

Bye, Madden. Much as I made fun of your goofy ass, you still were more interesting to listen to than the stiff-neck folks like Aikman, with the personality of a statue.

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+1. Love him or hate him Madden had a personality and that will likely be lacking for a while.

i have to say when i was a kid he came and spoke at a local junior college where the raiders used to practice back in the 70's. that was video taped and we watched it again when i was in college studying for my pe degree. granted i dropped out but i have to say he was a very inspirational speaker. he got the most out of any of his players. and when he spoke to a player even not as a coach the player was always better.

what i remember most about his talk was about how as a coach he had a player that was smart but didnt do well in math. he told that player that to be the best at something means one has to excel and what they are least good at.

he will be sorely missed by many and many will be glad he has retired. but i do have to say everytime he commentated a game i learned something new about he game.

Petition To bring Dennis Miller Back!

RICLARK said:

Petition To bring Dennis Miller Back!

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BOOOOOOOOOO! haha

I, for one, will miss him. I'd rather listen to Madden broadcast on his worst day, than Joe Theissman or Joe Buck on their best.

MY fave Madden-ism: "No one goes around chanting 'We're number two !' "

Ryan_PA said:

I just hope things happen in 3's and Joe Buck follows suit.

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Would Joe even have a broadcast job if it wasn't for his dad? Gosh, I loved Jack Buck, but hate Joe Buck...

Now he can go coddle Brett Favre. And they both lived happily ever after....

About time. I used to like him when I was a kid, but either I grew up and wiser, or he just got worse and worse. I just can't take his BS anymore. I'd rather listen to that imitator doing Madden's voice than Madden himself.

Am I the only one who thinks he talks out of his @ss all the time?

OH NO !!! Collinsworth is going to replace him !!!

Aw man, I love Madden. I tend not to listen too much to what the talking heads say but Madden's voice is just a part of football to me.

kjung said:

OH NO !!! Collinsworth is going to replace him !!!

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I am not looking forward to that!!!

Bye John