The Voice Mail Message From John Madden That I’ll Never Forget

Credit...Focus on Sport/Getty ImagesJohn Madden loved football. He loved the game and the competition, and he shared that passion with everyone who tuned in for the three decades he was on the air, myself included. But for all his contributions over a legendary career, John was a football coach first.

Those who know him from television — or even from video games — may not remember that John made his name as head coach for the Oakland Raiders, where he coached for 10 seasons before turning in his sun visor and whistle for a sport coat and a microphone. He looked at the game differently from many, bringing the competitive nature of the sport and the quality of the game into focus. A coach’s…