Looking Back – A '90s Kid’s Memories of John Madden

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“Hey, you get a tough case of athlete’s foot. The itching, the cracking, the burning. You want a medicine that acts tough. BOOM! Tough actin’ Tinactin.” Believe it or not, this is one of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of NFL Legend John Madden. If you were a kid growing up in the ’90s like myself, John wasn’t just the best football commentator on the television, he was an icon. 

From sales pitches of Tinactin, Dr. Pepper, Outback Steakhouse, and Miller Lite; John Madden was one of the most sought out faces and voices in advertisements. John ruled the 90’s. But not only because of the ads he provided for on TV, but because the guy could do no wrong with anything he touched.

By now you know that we lost John Madden yesterday, December 28th, 2021. The world lost a legend. An NFL legend, a Sports Broadcasting Legend, a Video Game Legend, and an Advertisement Legend. I don’t need to throw out his record as Raiders Head Coach, I don’t need to tell you that he is to this day the absolute best commentator the NFL has seen, and I don’t need to tell you that he created quite possibly the best sports video game in the history of gaming. But it’s true. All of those things.

As a kid, the commercials are one of the first things I remember him for. Every single one of them. It didn’t matter if he was pitching medicine to cure your athlete’s foot (which at the time I had no clue what that was), or pitching you that at the end of the day all you needed was an Outback Steakhouse “Blooming Onion” and a Dr. Pepper. The guy had an incredible way with words. The energy he illuminated, and his ability to grab your attention with his “Boom!” was magnetizing. He always had a smile on his face, and as a kid around the age of 6 or 7, John could steal your attention away from anything you were doing. But I think my age had nothing to do with it. That was one of John’s gifts to the world, and I think anyone who got to see him on television, even if you didn’t watch football and you just saw an ad featuring him; you should consider yourself lucky.

I wish I could tell you how much I loved watching John Madden coach football, but I can’t. I wasn’t even born for that era, but a part of me wishes I was. If his presence was the same as it was on television in the ’90s and beyond, then I know I would’ve enjoyed the hell out of it. So props to all of you who got to enjoy that.

I don’t know how many hours a day I spent as a kid sitting in front of my TV, eating a whole bag of Totino’s Pizza Rolls, drinking Surge, and playing “Madden” on my N64. Countless. It’s funny because the best part of that memory totally goes against my Vikings’ background. There was an unbelievable amount of times where I would select either the Detroit Lions or the Dallas Cowboys as my team for “Madden.” Why? It’s simple really, “HB Pitch” was the best play call in those early 90’s “Madden” games. If that was the best play, then why wouldn’t you want the best running backs in the league on your team. I alternated so many times between Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith. You literally only had to run that one play every time and you would dominate the game. It was a guaranteed 1st down run or more every snap. My point is that those early years alone sold me on John Madden’s game, and solidified many repeating years of spending money on it. Not to mention back in the good old days when you had to go to Toys R Us or GameStop to pick up a preorder at midnight, just to make sure you were one of the first kids to play the new “Madden.” That just doesn’t happen anymore.

My best memories though? Without a doubt came out of the booth from John Madden. I don’t remember who said it on the “All Madden” documentary this last weekend on Christmas but they were absolutely right. It didn’t matter what room you were in, whose house you were in, but if you heard John Madden and Pat Summerall, you dropped everything you were doing to find a spot in front of the TV that their voices were coming from. The two were a match made in heaven. Pat had that subtle, almost monotone voice that called each play simple and perfectly. Then there was John. The color of the game. He called it how he saw it, he didn’t shy away from how he felt, he was raw emotion. You could hear and see the love he had for the game when he was in the booth. John played off Pat, Pat played off John. No offense to the people in the booth today (except Joe Buck – screw that guy), but they couldn’t hold these two’s jockstrap. They were a different breed. The memory I remember the most, and for obvious reasons, was the Thanksgiving John and Pat called the Vikings/Cowboys game. 1998. Randy Moss’ rookie season. 

A quick refresher for those unfamiliar: The historic 3 catches, for 163 yards and 3 touchdown game for Moss, Vikes win 46-36. After the game, John brings out his legendary “Turducken” for the stars of the winning team. First thing Moss says when he gets the headset is, “I wanna talk to John Madden!” Pretty cool ending. But that whole time it was the audience listening to John and Pat call that game with such perfection, and he did that game after game for 29 years.

John Madden was a Titan of the NFL. I have some pretty cool memories of him on the TV and am fortunate enough to have been alive during a time where he was the focal point of so much going on.

I’d say the odds are good that there will never be another individual like John, he had gigantic shoes that can’t be filled, and I’m pretty sure no one will want to try to fill them, and they shouldn’t.

The only thing I wish; I wish there was a way to listen to John and Pat call this upcoming Super Bowl. You know damn well they’re going to be up there in the clouds, reunited, and calling the matchup in February. You can also guarantee that John won’t forget to bring that Blooming Onion and a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper. What a sight that would be.

Rest in Peace, Madden.

SKOL

- JD