2009 NFL Thread

[RAMORE]

I'm going to miss Madden's enthusiasm in the booth.

Me too! Yall need to stop hating on the old guy he was one of the great and you damn kids don't know any better!!

 

[Immortalfire]

Me too! Yall need to stop hating on the old guy he was one of the great and you damn kids don't know any better!!

Alright, Grandpa.

 

[RAMORE]

Shad up ya whipper snapper

 

[RAMORE]

John Madden retires from NBC after 30 seasons in the booth
By Chris Chase
John Madden is going out on top. After calling one of the most thrilling Super Bowls of all-time, the 73-year old analyst-turned-video-game-icon is retiring from the broadcast booth, NBC announced today.

It won't feel the same without Madden calling games on any network this year (he's been employed by each of the four major broadcast channels since he began calling games in 1979), but it's the right time for Madden to hang up his microphone.

After it seemed like he was slipping in his final few years at FOX, Madden seemed reinvigorated in 2002 when he joined Al Michaels in the Monday Night Football booth (and then, eventually, on NBC's Sunday Night Football). To go out now is to go out with his legacy in tact.

Whatever you thought of him (and emotions ranged from love to hate), Madden's presence always made the game feel more important. Watching clips of him and Pat Summerall in the 1980s still gives me goosebumps. Madden loved football and that passion was always present in his broadcasts.

The news of the Madden retirement isn't entirely surprising, as there had been some recent signs to suggest it might happen. Madden NFL '09 was the first version of the game since its introduction in 1993 not to feature Madden's voice providing in-game analysis. And in October he took his first NFL weekend off since 1980. His replacement for that game, Cris Collinsworth, is Madden's most likely successor in NBC's booth.

When it's written, there will be three main chapters to the John Madden story. First, was his time spent as Oakland Raiders head coach (Madden owns the highest winning percentage in NFL history). Last will be the legacy he leaves with his video game franchise. The middle chapter is the most important. The NFL's television presence in the 1980s helped catapult the sport past baseball into becoming America's past time. And John Madden was a big part of that ride.

 

[Cmill216]

What?! Madden's leaving?!

Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

I'll get over it.

 

[The Game]

John Madden is retiring after the upcoming season.........probably to live with Brett Favre:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30246064/

at Cris Collinsworth taking over for him and Matt Millen taking over for Collinsworth, although before he ran the Lions to hell, Millen was an excellent color guy for Fox.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/04/16/john-madden-retires/

Aww man I'm gonna miss the old man, he entertained me for years

 

[Mastodon123]

Boldin wants to go somewhere in the NFC East, but he wouldn't mind playing for Todd Haley in KC.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/04/16/boldin-on-possible-trade-i-want-to-get-it-resolved/

 

[SurfDUI]

Sad sad week

First Harry Calous passes, and now the man is gone from the booth

And is replaced by Chris Collinsworth...

are you effing screwin with me!!!

F! Chris Collinsworth

I thought nothing could steal my joy from the NFL but that is close...

I'll miss you John Madden enjoy retirement sir.

 

[wiegeabo]

I knew it.

I knew it was going to be Michaels and Collinsworth.

I mean, Collinsworth is a little better now than he was on FOX. I can actually stand to watch him most of the time. But that's not really saying much.

 

[El_Citrus]

Harry Calous

??? I didn't know his namesake was that of a toughened patch of skin....

 

[Matt]

Maden is retiring? But who on Earth will establish important facts like "If you run ten yards you get a first down?"

 

[Franklin Richards]

Well I heard Joe Theisman once say, "Every point has value.".

 

[FaT_tONle]

Madden leaving while he is out on top and while the jokes are still more funny than they are demeaning.... good move on the grandpa's part. As for Collinsworth... Chris Collinsworth on Sunday Night football??? You're ****ing me... NBC should have brought in Parcells while he was doing his ESPN gig... totally missed opportunity. Now Chris is going to be their guy for the next 20 years....

 

[That-Guy]

Weird... the Steelers released Gary Russell. I guess it's not a huge surprise since he hasn't made many huge plays, but as I understood it, Tomlin wanted Russell to be his go-to guy for short yardage. I guess they feel Mendenhall is going to have a breakout season next year.

I suppose that if Rashard can develop, the Steelers' running game would look pretty solid... Parker underperformed for a while but once he got healthy, he was playing like the old Willie. And Mewelde Moore is great... I swear, they don't utilize him nearly enough.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Madden leaving while he is out on top and while the jokes are still more funny than they are demeaning.... good move on the grandpa's part. As for Collinsworth... Chris Collinsworth on Sunday Night football??? You're ****ing me... NBC should have brought in Parcells while he was doing his ESPN gig... totally missed opportunity. Now Chris is going to be their guy for the next 20 years....

Parcells has the personality of driftwood. Sure he understands the game and how it's played, but any time I've ever seen him in a TV Studio he comes off as condescending and irritated.

Collinsowrth isnt a horrible choice to fill in. He was decent on Inside the NFL and did a much better job on the NFL Network games than the awful Bryant Gumbel.

 

[FaT_tONle]

Still, NBC can hand pick their guy. They don't owe Chris anything. Problem is there isn't another iconic guy that's out there worth getting so logically he gets it by default. Who is going to call the first wild card game now? Sterling Sharpe... ???

 

[Excel]

They shoulda just tried to get Dierdorf back.

 

[Johnny Drama]

I am going to miss his ass backward commentaries in the madden games more so than the NFL.

"90% of the game is half mental"

"When the quaterback throws to a reciever, you wanna run with that ball, otherwise you can't get a touchdown"

 

[BlackLantern]

NBC should just have football taken away....their pregame sucks....its just a mess

 

[Excel]

"90% of the game is half mental"

Same as saying 45% of the game is mental

 

[Johnny Drama]

Same as saying 45% of the game is mental

So why not say that?

 

[FaT_tONle]

NBC should just have football taken away....their pregame sucks....its just a mess

What else are they suppose to do? The 4:00 game usually runs till 7:30... then you have the OT of Fox. By then it's 8:00 and SNF is basically starting. Plus the fact that most viewers just sat through at least five hours of football beforehand... from the 12:00 pregame shows to the 1:00 and 4:00 games. They need a break. I don't tune into SNF until the late third quarter anyway. I might catch a few sequences in the first half but I definitely need a break. But no way can I watch three games in their entirety in one day. If anything have a half an hour pre-game and just cover the major highlights earlier and the day... then tip the game at around 8:45... but that's cutting it late in the East Coast. I fear if NBC doesn't do something to spice up that pre-game... Costas will leave. I barely catch him on that show anyhow.

 

[Holiday]

I've enjoyed Collinsworth on NBC's coverage the past couple of years but never really listened to him in the booth. I'll give him a shot though.

 

[Dark Donnie]

Report: Eagles acquire LT Peters from Bills

The Eagles will reportedly acquire LT Jason Peters from the Bills in exchange for the 28th overall pick, a fourth-round pick, and a conditional 2010 draft pick.
According to ESPN.com, the deal may not be officially announced until Sunday because the Eagles want to have a contract extension in place first. It's believed that the Giants also made a play for the Pro Bowler. Though the Bills wanted to retain Peters, they were unwilling to meet an asking price that would have made him the highest paid offensive lineman in the league. The trade will enable the Eagles to concentrate on another area of need with the 21st overall pick in the first round. It also makes Philly an unlikely destination for Anquan Boldin. Apr. 17 - 1:29 pm et

Source: FOXSports.com

 

[BlackLantern]

What else are they suppose to do? The 4:00 game usually runs till 7:30... then you have the OT of Fox. By then it's 8:00 and SNF is basically starting. Plus the fact that most viewers just sat through at least five hours of football beforehand... from the 12:00 pregame shows to the 1:00 and 4:00 games. They need a break. I don't tune into SNF until the late third quarter anyway. I might catch a few sequences in the first half but I definitely need a break. But no way can I watch three games in their entirety in one day. If anything have a half an hour pre-game and just cover the major highlights earlier and the day... then tip the game at around 8:45... but that's cutting it late in the East Coast. I fear if NBC doesn't do something to spice up that pre-game... Costas will leave. I barely catch him on that show anyhow.

I mean take the sunday night game away from NBC....period...let them cover golf or NASCAR again