John Madden retires.

[JustBob]

A lot of people (including me) made fun of Madden but I'm still sad to see him go. It's like losing an old comfortable pair of shoes. You know you need new shoes but you hate to part with the old ones.

Happy retirement Mr Madden.

NEW YORK (AP)—John Madden is calling it quits.

NBC said Thursday that the burly ex-coach who has been one pro football’s top broadcast analysts has decided to retire. The 73-year-old Madden has been working for the past three seasons on NBC’s Sunday night NFL game. His last telecast was the Super Bowl between Arizona and Pittsburgh.

Since he left coaching in 1979, the former Oakland Raiders coach has worked as an analyst for all four broadcast networks. His “Madden NFL Football” is the top-selling sports video game of all time.

Madden is reluctant to fly and often traveled to games in a specially-equipped bus. He said in a statement that he still loves all aspects of the job, “but I know this is the right time.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...5nYcB?slug=ap-maddenretires&prov=ap&type=lgns

 

[master_bates]

He knew his football, he just had a funny way of expressing himself on mic

I'll miss it

 

[Ben Dover]

It will be hard not to miss a wordsmith and absolute master of the obvious like Madden with such memorable quotes as:

"this offence is all about scoring points!"

"BOOM"

"Usually, at the end of the day, the team with the most points wins the game"

"Don't worry about the horse being blind, just load the wagon"


I still have no idea what the last one means, but I remember laughing for 15 minutes when I heard him say it.

I also love the way he used to spill drinks and condiments on himself in the broadcast booth.

Maybe not a class act or a rocket scientist, but an entertaining commentator and a good guy.

I'll miss him.


BD

 

[Techman]

Madden will be missed, but as long as I have my Madden Football game, he will never be retired in my mind. I still remember the first one with full voice commentary for my Sega Genesis system. Madden is one of a kind and I doubt there will never be another one like him.

 

[The Snark]

Maybe not a class act or a rocket scientist...

I know what you mean, but to me "class" isn't about knowing which fork to use when you're eating salad--it's about how you carry yourself and treat others.

And John Madden is a class act. If you know anything about the things he did for Darryl Stingley--after a hit by one of Madden's players left him a quadriplegic--you'll understand the kind of person he is. He's decent to the core.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I just hope the football video game stays the same way it's been for nearly 2 decades. Absolutely great!

 

[Ben Dover]

I know what you mean, but to me "class" isn't about knowing which fork to use when you're eating salad--it's about how you carry yourself and treat others.

And John Madden is a class act. If you know anything about the things he did for Darryl Stingley--after a hit by one of Madden's players left him a quadriplegic--you'll understand the kind of person he is. He's decent to the core.

Snark,

I stand corrected.... It was a poor choice of words. I meant to say that he may not be a "classy" guy, by the traditional (salad fork) definition, but he is a class act all the way.

BD