John Madden recently announced his retirement from broadcasting after 30 years in the booth. Madden was a stalwart in the booth for many of the NFL’s premier match-ups during his time as a color analyst. Hearing his voice typically meant you were watching a Monday night game, Sunday night game, playoff game or the Super Bowl. Not bad. However, while Madden’s presence over the game during his career was indisputable, his legacy is now a source for debate and talk-radio fodder.
John Madden had a perspective and a delivery that was unparalleled. This doesn’t necessarily mean it was entirely refreshing or likable for that matter. Generally speaking, he was a jovial, well-liked and well-respected color commentator. I never had a problem with his shtick they way I do, say, Dick Vitale, but to hail Madden as some mercenary or (cough) the best ever is a little too much for me to digest.
Madden certainly came to the booth with a great amount of credibility based upon his success as a coach for the Oakland Raiders. He brought an affectious style that seemed to speak to the common viewer and was able to gain popularity through knowledgeable insight but also through the timely rise of the NFL during the same time. His timing was perfect in this regard. Was he a cog in this uprising success? Sure. Was he the patriarch of this success? Hardly.
I don’t have a problem with Madden, per se. I was never overly annoyed by his style. Wasn’t overly impressed or intrigued by it either. He didn’t do anything for me that couldn’t otherwise be done by another solid professional (Troy Aikman). Those that are looking to label him as the best ever might need to step back and give pause before hanging their hat on that position.
Personally, I think if you want to start running down the best announcers ever, you start in baseball, not football. Think about filling the dead space of a baseball game with meaningful commentary as well as having the savvy and understanding to deliver to the average viewer the complex aspects that a baseball game entails.
In the latter years, I would argue that Madden basically became a caricature of himself. This wasn’t all his fault but, to me, listening to him talk in circles about the most inconsequential aspect got old and didn’t necessarily provide much useful analysis. It was as if he began to play into his own stereotype. There’s a difference between people laughing with you and laughing at you and it seemed in the twilight of his career there were some beginning to laugh at him.
I’m not hear to beat Madden up…I’m really not. He’s a likable guy that was good for football in many ways. I just can’t stomach the talk that a color commentator like Madden is being compared alongside the likes of true play-by-play announcers like Vin Scully, Harry Kalas, Jack Buck, Cawood Ledford or even Mike Tirico.
Play-by-play announcers have an infinitely harder job. By nature they carry a greater responsibility. They do the heavy lifting of bringing you the action. They’re the broadcasters that were many sports fans’ eyes and ears back when America used to gather around the radio to follow their team or listen to sporting events. A play-by-play announcer has to be quick, clear, concise, accurate and sharp. The real good ones are masters at setting up their color man to step in and provide, well, color analysis. They have to know just when to interject into the moment as well as when to shut up and let the moment speak for itself.
Nonetheless…
I’ll give Madden props for how he was able to capitalize on his cult like success and following. He put his name on a video game that has got to got to be the highest grossing video game in the history of video games. He parlayed his quirky evaluation into an hour long show to reveal his All-Madden team. He partnered his Madden Cruiser with Outback Steakhouse and had much commercial success pushing Miller Lite. He put himself in a well leveraged position and counted his money all the way to the bank. Well done my man. More power to you. Nothing wrong with being rich!
All-in-all, Madden’s timing for announcing his retirement was generally well played. Others tend to hang on way too long and die a slow death or fade off into obscurity. Madden, on the other hand, played his hand perfectly. Kudos…and thank you. We’ll miss you Big John, but I’m hoping we don’t get carried away either.
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