Post by TheShadow on Jul 24, 2006 19:03:37 GMT -5
www.mercurynews.com
SPEECH MAKING MADDEN ANXIOUS
By Dennis Georgatos
Mercury News
With his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame looming, it is nervous time again for John Madden.
The former Raiders coach says he intends to give his acceptance speech off notes rather than reading it from a prepared script. Although the plan allows him to be spontaneous, Madden concedes he's a little anxious. A recent chat with Canton classmate Troy Aikman did nothing to help.
``He said he's had his speech written for two months,'' Madden said last week. ``I thought, `Geez, I'm way behind on this.'
``But I'm just not one to write speeches, because I'm not a good reader of speeches. There's those that can read a speech and they look like they're winging it and then there's those that give a speech and they look like they're reading it, because they are.''
Madden, whose .759 regular-season winning percentage ranks highest among coaches with at least 100 victories, said he has put together a rough outline of his speech. It includes a few general reminders of what he wants to say at the Aug. 5 induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio.
``It does kind of make me nervous, because this is something I've never done before or will do again,'' Madden said. ``But whenever I've given a speech, whether as a teacher, coach or broadcaster, I've never really read anything. I've always just had some notes and kind of said what I feel.''
If nothing else, Madden will have plenty of time to contemplate his speech while traveling to Canton. Though he chartered a jetliner for about 140 relatives and friends, the Pleasanton resident will go by bus.
``About a week from now, I'll be between here and Canton on the bus,'' Madden said. ``It's just very exciting. I talked to Steve Young after he went through it, and he told me it was like putting on three weddings.
``You think about it, and it's so true. There's the hotels and dinners. You have a ceremony, a reception and a party. That's what you do for a wedding. Steve said you have to multiply that by three to put in perspective how big this is going to be.''