RIP John Madden

We throw around icon & legend sometimes too loosely, but John Madden was certainly both.

As a coach he was highly underrated and it took the HoF way too long to recognize. My first NFL team was the Oakland Raiders (lived briefly in the suburb of Danville and went to my first game in the first grade). Loved Madden on the sidelines and Kenny the Snake Stabler, Cliff Branch, Fred Biletnikoff and the crew breakdown the door and win the Super Bowl when I was 10. Madden still holds the best win % of any coach w/at least 100 wins (Vince Lombardi is 2nd).

His TV commentary, commercials, and involvement in the video game (he demanded certain things be included before he signed off, over 7 Billion games sold and counting) are unparalleled.

Fox made a documentary (the great Tom Ronaldi Ex Produced) that debuted on Christmas (Madden himself watches it himself and comments at times). It’s absolutely terrific and can’t recommend it enough.