Post by TheShadow on Aug 4, 2006 7:04:18 GMT -5
Longtime TV analyst, video game icon had .759 winning percentage with Raiders
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Before the video games, the athlete's foot commercials, the announcing booth and the six-legged Thanksgiving turkeys, John Madden was a football coach.
And, as Madden the announcer might put it, he was a pretty darn good one.
On Saturday, Madden will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame 28 years after coaching his final game, recognition some might say is long overdue for a man that has become, especially for PlayStation lovers, the face and voice of the NFL.
"It means everything to me," said Madden, who was elected by the Seniors Committee. "It's just something that humbles you and excites you more than you've ever been excited."
Madden was only 32 when Al Davis hired him to coach the Oakland Raiders in 1969. Before leaving the sideline for the announcing booth in 1978, Madden led Oakland to a 103-32-7 regular-season record and a victory in the 1977 Super Bowl. Oakland never had a losing record under Madden, winning seven division titles and making the playoffs eight times.
His Raiders teams stand as some of the most successful, and colorful, in league history. With players such as Ken Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell and Willie Brown, the Silver and Black had plenty of talent - and maybe even more attitude. Even Al Davis, the team's owner, was brash, proclaiming "Just win, baby."
While some coaches Madden's age - he was one of the youngest head coaches in league history when he was hired - may have been intimidated by the cast of characters, it played right into Madden's strength.
"I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching," said Stabler, the team's quarterback. "John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him."
Madden was never revered as a master tactician. Stabler said "he basically pitched me the playbook and said go play," letting the quarterback lead the offense. But he was at his best when relating to his players, often seeming more like a friend than a coach as a result of his age and demeanor.
JOHN MADDEN FILE
Going into Hall as: Coach
Career: Oakland Raiders (1969-78).
Highlights: Regular season record of 103-32-7. ... Postseason record of 9-7. ... Seniors Committee nominee. ... Led team to victory in the 1977 Super Bowl. ... Became one of youngest head coaches in history when Raiders hired him in 1969 at 32. ... His .759 winning percentage during regular season ranks as highest ever among coaches with 100 career victories. ... Only Hall of Famers George Halas and Curly Lambeau reached 100 career wins at earlier age