Madden Passes

JuggernautJ
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Madden Passes

Post by JuggernautJ »

John Madden has died at the age of 85.
Thoughts on him and his legacy?

https://www.nfl.com/news/john-madden-le ... -at-age-85
vikingsfan1963
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by vikingsfan1963 »

Always seemed to be the most friendly guy in any room he occupied. A legendary coach and broadcaster. RIP
RichardBak
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by RichardBak »

Wow, just 3 days after Fox aired the documentary on him. I liked him as a coach, loved him as a broadcaster. Madden & Summerall---two class acts who were all about the game and not themselves.
Brian wolf
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by Brian wolf »

RIP John Madden

Though I was a fan of the wide-open Cowboys during the 70s, his Raiders teams were to me, what physical, NFL football was all about ...

He and Pat Summerall called the biggest games for CBS and put the Fox Network on the map ...

Imagine how much money he made off his world-wide popular video games ?
RichardBak
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by RichardBak »

Brian wolf wrote:
Imagine how much money he made off his world-wide popular video games ?
Madden signed a $150-million agreement with EA Sports several years ago that allows the company to use his name and likeness in perpetuity. In addition to that huge haul, he drew an estimated $2 million a year in royalties. But he could've been even richer. When the game was launched back in the early 1980s he was offered the chance to buy stock in it for just $7.50 a share. He said no---and later called it the biggest mistake of his life. Don't know what EA stock goes for today, but a couple of years ago it was around $150 a share.

Interestingly, the guy who created Madden NFL originally approached Joe Montana and Joe Kapp about lending their name and expertise to it, but they turned him down.

Hard to imagine the game today being called Joe Kapp NFL.

Madden was making an estimated $8-9 million a year during his last few seasons on the air. That translates to about $14 million a year in today's dollars. Between his broadcasting salary, video game, various endorsements, and best-selling books, he kind of did all right for himself, his wife, and two sons.
sheajets
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by sheajets »

What a life. He was an assistant to Don Coryell, became the youngest NFL head coach at that time and led that group of outlaws and marauders to unimaginable regular season success (and finally a Super Bowl Title)

He got into broadcasting and captivated the nation with his unintelligible ramblings, telestrator, his All Madden Team. The POW's and the BOOM's, the 6 legged turkeys, the Madden cruiser...then came the video games. He became one of our most beloved folk heroes. Larger than life but approachable, kind, quirky. He lived the life that we all wish we could've.
sheajets
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by sheajets »

RichardBak wrote:
Brian wolf wrote:
Imagine how much money he made off his world-wide popular video games ?
Madden signed a $150-million agreement with EA Sports several years ago that allows the company to use his name and likeness in perpetuity. In addition to that huge haul, he drew an estimated $2 million a year in royalties. But he could've been even richer. When the game was launched back in the early 1980s he was offered the chance to buy stock in it for just $7.50 a share. He said no---and later called it the biggest mistake of his life. Don't know what EA stock goes for today, but a couple of years ago it was around $150 a share.

Interestingly, the guy who created Madden NFL originally approached Joe Montana and Joe Kapp about lending their name and expertise to it, but they turned him down.

Hard to imagine the game today being called Joe Kapp NFL.

Madden was making an estimated $8-9 million a year during his last few seasons on the air. That translates to about $14 million a year in today's dollars. Between his broadcasting salary, video game, various endorsements, and best-selling books, he kind of did all right for himself, his wife, and two sons.
Montana eventually would though to a different game

Image

The Kapp one is kind of perplexing. I wonder if they were considering a CFL version of the game?
Brian wolf
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by Brian wolf »

Thanks Richard ...

There has been controversy over the years about players, past and present not getting enough in royalties, use of likeness, whatnot from the game, yet I truly believe Madden himself helped alot of former players with money and health issue problems.

I will never forget reading in Sports Illustrated about him visiting and showing tremendous support for WR Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed in a 78 preseason game against the Raiders for the Patriots. That season drained John so emotionally, he had to retire from coaching and become a broadcasting legend.
RichardBak
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by RichardBak »

sheajets wrote:
The Kapp one is kind of perplexing. I wonder if they were considering a CFL version of the game?
I think the Montana/Kapp/Madden progression was just one of expediency and geography. The game developer lived in California as did the player/coaches he approached. Kapp was coaching (at Cal Poly??) at the time. From what I understand, the developer needed somebody who really knew the Xs and Os so he could make the game as realistic as possible. Name recognition was important, of course, but getting the game right was crucial. At one point, after the game took off, EA considered dumping Madden for somebody new. That's when they agreed on that $150-million contract.
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Ronfitch
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Re: Madden Passes

Post by Ronfitch »

RichardBak wrote:
Brian wolf wrote:
Imagine how much money he made off his world-wide popular video games ?
Madden signed a $150-million agreement with EA Sports several years ago that allows the company to use his name and likeness in perpetuity. In addition to that huge haul, he drew an estimated $2 million a year in royalties. But he could've been even richer. When the game was launched back in the early 1980s he was offered the chance to buy stock in it for just $7.50 a share. He said no---and later called it the biggest mistake of his life. Don't know what EA stock goes for today, but a couple of years ago it was around $150 a share.

Interestingly, the guy who created Madden NFL originally approached Joe Montana and Joe Kapp about lending their name and expertise to it, but they turned him down.

Hard to imagine the game today being called Joe Kapp NFL.

Madden was making an estimated $8-9 million a year during his last few seasons on the air. That translates to about $14 million a year in today's dollars. Between his broadcasting salary, video game, various endorsements, and best-selling books, he kind of did all right for himself, his wife, and two sons.
He was quite the ambassador for the game. There was a time when - between the game announcing, the books. the light beer commercials - when he may have been the face of the NFL.

I have a handful of the games for the Wii, I think 2009-13 or so. I still play the computer (the Wii no longer supports internet playing, at least ours does not) from time-to-time.

One of them includes some a mode to go back in time and grab a team from the past which I thought would be great but it actually did not include the player-by-player research for the players from those teams, playbooks, etc., which is what I wanted (and I imagine is an incredibly small market for the game maker to justify). One of those years for the Xbox had a downloadable AFL legacy pack with the old uniforms, grainy "AFL camera" view, old AFL referee uniforms and some other features.
"Now, I want pizza." 
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