Posted on 01/30/2009 5:42:57 AM PST by Zakeet
As he prepares to serve as color analyst for the Super Bowl for the 11th time, NBC's John Madden has become the voice, if not the walking embodiment, of the National Football League. At more than $4 million a year, he's one of the world's highest-paid sportscasters.
But as exalted as his position has become, and as beloved as he is, Mr. Madden has, at times this season, struggled with the facts. In statements made during several recent NBC broadcasts, Mr. Madden, who is 72, has misjudged the number of times NFL teams execute running plays from the shotgun formation, attributed two offensive strategies to a team whose players deny using them and misstated how often the San Diego Chargers call pass plays.
[Snip]
As a broadcaster, Mr. Madden remains the standard-bearer of the old guard -- the gruff, barstool voice that harkens back to a time when a famous group of linemen were known as "the Hogs" and clumps of mud got stuck in players' facemasks (most teams now play on artificial turf). Nostalgia may be a large part of his enduring appeal: According to Scarborough Sports Marketing, 69% of all NFL fans are over the age of 35.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
That's putting it mildly.
He’s annoying
I really loved in Super Bowl XXXVI when he said the Patriots should run out the clock in the 4th and play for OT rather than attempt a 4th qrt score.
“most teams now play on artificial turf”
I enjoy football but I know nothing about it. It always feels weird to watch it by myself, so I don't watch it much.
What I like about Madden is that his explanations have taught me a LOT about how to watch and to understand what I see. I think he's a fine teacher.
I enjoyed Madden once.
It’s time that he retire.
then we could read how the "...Card's Larry Fitzgerald took a 75 yard p*ss in the end zone!"
That was and always will be the most classic of all "Wanna Get Away?" moments in sports-casting history. We folks up here in Pats country love that one.
I like Madden the best for making the game exciting. I find him more fun to watch than Chris Collinsworth
Madden gave me one of my finest tv football memories ever. Was during a Sunday nite game in 07 and he said something about Willie Parker “running it up the a hole”.
I know holes are a, b, c, etc but to hear it called that way was hilarious.
I’d look kind of rotten too if some article tried to pick out all the mistakes I’ve made over the past 20 years and tried to represent it as my typical performance.
Madden is past his prime, but he’s still better than anyone else out there. Joe Buck annoys me and I can’t stand the other pretty boys that the network offers up.
If he left he’d be sorely missed.
He’s a little goofy, but he doesn’t seem to show a bias of one team over another like a lot of the other sportscasters. Sometimes I have to turn off the sound it gets so gushy.
Its the last time John Madden will be broadcasting. Its the last time John Madden will be officially representing the league and the game he gave his life too.
Given that, you have to ask yourself a question.
Why did this author, who nobody (compared to Madden) knows, decided this was the ‘moment’ to embarrass this man?
I’d love to know who the broadcaster of ANY NFL game is that doesn’t make a mistake or SIX each and every game.
All John Madden has done is become highly successful in TWO CAREERS. He will most likely be inducted a SECOND TIME into the NFL Hall of Fame, this time as a broadcaster.
Tear him down if you wish. He’s never had an off field incident, never been arrested for anything, and the only people that seem to take issue with this man are in effect NFL pissants in comparision.
Outside of that....great article....(eyes rolling)
Oh, and his name bears one of the most played console games in world history...something he helped in his ‘spare time’.
What was funny about that was just a few weeks later Michelle Kwan did practically the same thing in the winter Olympics and guess what...she lost!
Even if Madden screws up all the facts, he is still light years ahead of that arrogant idiot Joe Buck. Troy Aikman must have a lot of patience.
I’ve been muting the announcer during the playoff because they are always rooting for one team or the other like the MSM cheerleading for democrats.
Ditto. And I love him in “The Replacements” ;-) “I think that guys smoking on the field.”
The article lost me right there.
Exactly. When writing an article that calls someone out about the accuracy of thier work, you should be extra careful to have your own facts right. This is especially the case when the person being called out does thier work live as the action is happening and the writer has the luxury of time and a fact checking staff.
There are 32 teams in the NFL. The following 14 teams play on artificial turf:
Rams
Seahawks
Cardinals
Texans
Cowboys
Vikings
Saints
Colts
Lions
Falcons
Bills
Jets
Giants
Ravens
I'm not a mathematician, but by my count 14 is less than half of 32. I also believe the word "most" would generally mean MORE than half.
Not related to Madden, but what you said reminded of a fellow I used to play tennis with, who often smoked during the match. Good ol' Don....
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