Broadcast sports: Madden — BAM! — leaves big impact

As NBC's broadcast of the Super Bowl unfolded last February, it became clear John Madden was on top of his game. This comes from someone who wasn't always a fan of Madden's style and felt the praise bestowed on him had become a given, rather than an accurate analysis of what he currently delivered.

But that evening Madden provided a performance equal to the thrilling last-second victory he and play-by-play man Al Michaels described. Reviews throughout the country confirmed that many felt this way.

In retrospect, there might have been a good reason for Madden's excellence.

The 73-year-old announced Thursday that Pittsburgh's 27-23 victory over Arizona was his final telecast. After 30 years, 16 Emmy Awards and stops at CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC, Madden surprised many by calling it quits. Dick Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Sports, said Cris Collinsworth will shift from the network's studio show to join Michaels on the Sunday night telecasts.

"You know at some point you have to do this -- I got to that point," Madden said during his regular radio appearance on KCBS in the San Francisco Bay Area. "The thing that made it hard is not because I'm second-guessing, 'Is it the right decision?' But I enjoyed it so damn much."

There is no denying the impact Madden made not only on football broadcasts but the sports broadcasting industry as a whole. His influence was such that many always will associate him with being an announcer, despite the fact he was a Hall of Fame coach who guided the Oakland Raiders to a 103-32-7 record before retiring after the 1978 season. His Raiders beat the Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

Madden, born in Austin, Minn., but raised in Daly City, Calif., was hired by CBS in 1979 and paired with Pat Summerall on the network's top broadcast team two years later. Madden was the first to bring a coach's mentality and preparation to the booth, often using a Telestrator to illustrate the action on the field. In fact, he came up with the idea for the on-screen first-and-10 line that all networks now use.

At times, however, Madden's knowledge could be overshadowed by the sound effects (Boom! Bam!) he used to illustrate his points, one of many things many subsequent analysts attempted to emulate.

Despite his regular-guy persona, Madden proved to be an extremely savvy businessman. He has endorsed numerous products and also lent his name to the EA Sports video game "Madden NFL Football," which reportedly is the No. 1 selling sports video game franchise of all time since its release in 1989.

Critics of Madden's commentary work had grown in recent years, and in the days leading up to the Super Bowl -- the 11th that Madden would work -- the Wall Street Journal published a story documenting some of Madden's recent on-air miscues. "As exalted as his position has become, and as beloved as he is, Mr. Madden has, at times this season, struggled with the facts," the Journal wrote.

While the switch to Collins-worth should be seamless -- he already has proven himself a top-notch analyst -- Ebersol made it clear Thursday that Madden wasn't pushed out. "I spent all day in the Bay Area [on Wednesday] with John and tried every way I could to make sure he was sure about his decision," Ebersol said. "And in true John Madden fashion, he was sure. He said it best when he simply said, 'It's time' ... and I admire him for that. To put any speculation to rest, John has decided to retire because it's time -- nothing more, nothing less."

Madden echoed Ebersol's comments in a statement: "It's time. I'm 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I'm home and, more importantly, when I'm not. ... It's been such a great ride."

Judd Zulgad • zulgad@startribune.com