Column: Madden's real gift? 'Always knew right thing to say'
FILE - Former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden practices the electronic charting device Telestrator on Jan. 21, 1982, in Pontiac, Mich., for the upcoming NFL football Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden practices the electronic charting device Telestrator on Jan. 21, 1982, in Pontiac, Mich., for the upcoming NFL football Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

Dec. 28, 2021 07:55 PM EST
FILE - Coach John Madden of the Oakland Raiders is carried from the field by his players after his team defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 1977 John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, the NFL said. He was 85. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - Coach John Madden of the Oakland Raiders is carried from the field by his players after his team defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 9, 1977 John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, the NFL said. He was 85. (AP Photo/File)

Dec. 28, 2021 07:39 PM EST
FILE - Broadcaster and former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden poses with his bust after enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, in Canton, Ohio. John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, the NFL said. He was 85.(AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)

FILE - Broadcaster and former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden poses with his bust after enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, in Canton, Ohio. John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, the NFL said. He was 85.(AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)

Dec. 28, 2021 07:37 PM EST
FILE - Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, right, does a sort of jig as he waves his finger and shouts in protest at a referee's call during the third quarter of the team's NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 12, 1970, in Oakland, Calif. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, right, does a sort of jig as he waves his finger and shouts in protest at a referee's call during the third quarter of the team's NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 12, 1970, in Oakland, Calif. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

Dec. 28, 2021 07:41 PM EST