Everyone in this life is unique, but some people definitely stand out more than others, and some seem downright irreplaceable. We lost one of those irreplaceable types today with the passing of John Madden, who died unexpectedly at the age of 85.
Madden first made his mark as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, where he took the Raiders to seven AFC championship games in 10 years. His winning percentage of .759 still ranks as the best of all time among those who coached at least 10 years in the league. Most of us will remember him, however, not as a coach, but as a broadcaster who was memorable and unconventional. His color commentary often contained such onomatopoeia as “boom,” “bang” or “smash.” Madden was downright fun to listen to, and watching football has been much less entertaining since his retirement from the broadcast booth in 2008.
Younger generations may have no clue who John Madden is, but they have enjoyed the EA Sports football games that have carried his name and trademark. They may never know what the world lost today with John’s passing, but those of us who remember him as a coach and broadcaster can never forget.
RIP Coach. Save me a turkey leg and a seat on the bus. I’ll see you again on the other side.
