Free Republic

The legendary broadcaster and former coach's appearance included a few stories about his players while with the NFL's Raiders. Madden was just about to rehearse the monologue when he called out to Ebersol, who was tucked away under the audience bleachers. "I stuck my head around the corner so he could see me," Ebersol recalled. "He said, 'Come here a minute.' I came to about halfway to the stage area with a full house, whatever it is, 300-plus for dress [rehearsal]. And he said, 'I just want to tell you now I'm going to finish this dress rehearsal and then...

NFL legend John Madden died unexpected this morning. He was 85.

The gun-grabbing hate mobs of the left were triggered on Sunday afternoon after a lone shooter opened fire at a video game tournament in Jacksonville. According to reports, the shooter was a Madden veteran who snapped after losing a game and whipped out a handgun which he used to shoot multiple people and ultimately himself. The shooting went down at Jacksonville Landing, an entertainment complex that was a popular destination for bars and restaurants and despite initial concerns that the death toll would be much higher, only three people lost their lives including the lunatic who opened fire. There is...

Complete Headline: Jacksonville Shooter Was Member of Anti-Trump 'Resistance' - Referred to Trump Supporters at "Trumptards" - Murdered 4 People Sunday afternoon, police responded to a 'mass shooting' at Jacksonville Landing in Florida which left 3 dead and 11 wounded. According to witnesses, the killer, David Katz, began shooting shortly after he lost the Madden NFL gaming tournament. [snip] Killer David Katz was a member of the anti-Trump "resistance." He referred to Trump supporters as "Trumptards" on his Reddit page.

On Wednesday night, it was announced that Beckham beat out Rob Gronkowski and will be featured on Madden 16's cover. Without this catch, there's probably no way he tops Gronk in any kind of vote. SNIP So to sum up, congratulations are in order for Beckham, and if you believe in the Madden curse, be sure to congratulate Gronk for avoiding a catastrophe. Regardless of how you feel, it was somewhat disappointing to see Beckham react to the news without celebrating like he did when LeBron hit a game-winner.

Many historians had been trying for some time to set the record straight on the Crusades — misconceptions are all too common. These historians are not revisionists, but mainstream scholars offering the fruit of several decades of very careful, very serious scholarship. For them, current interest is a “teaching moment,” an opportunity to explain the Crusades while people are actually listening. It won’t last long, so here goes.

The American Tort Reform Assn calls NYC's asbestos court the nation’s top “judicial hellhole”. Silver has been blocking tort-reform bills for decades. Silver's arrest centers on his no-show legal work for asbestos-profiteer, Weitz and Luxemberg, (as well as millions in bribes and kickbacks from fixing real-estate cases)..... judges with ties to Silver and his lifelong pal, Jonathan Lippman, the chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, presided over the cases. Silver was “of counsel” to Weitz & Luxemberg which earned unusual fast-track “red-carpet treatment” “better judges” and first dibs on jurors. Sherry Klein Heitler, the chief asbestos judge (at...

Celebrity appearances in games are becoming more common, but here's one I never expected to see: Apparently you'll be able to meet President Obama in the next Madden game if you take your team all the way to the Super Bowl. IGN brings word of the odd addition to the long-running football series, part of an effort to make winning the Super Bowl in-game seem more important and exciting. The new Super Bowl ceremonies will also include changing commentary based on what team wins. Check out the full report at IGN for video of the event in-game. Even as someone...

Cris Collinsworth will succeed John Madden as the analyst in the NBC broadcast booth for the network's Sunday night NFL game telecasts, NBC executive Dick Ebersol announced during a conference call with reporters today. Madden announced his retirement from broadcasting earlier today, rejecting an offer made Wednesday by Ebersol to work the network's September and November games next season and take October and December off.

What do a Hall of Fame football coach and broadcaster, an overnight British vocal sensation, and several hundred thousand American taxpayers have in common? Quite a bit, as it turned out last week. Not because any of them had anything to do with each other specifically. Rather, it is what each of them represents individually and the disdain they draw from their misdirected critics. After 30 years in the TV broadcast booth, John Madden announced his retirement from professionally commenting on a game he once professionally coached. Even a casual or non-fan can review Madden’s resume and appreciate his accomplishments...

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.

NEW YORK - NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol announced today that John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and the most honored broadcaster in sports television history, has decided to retire from broadcasting. Madden issued the following statement today: "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…

NEW YORK — John Madden is calling it quits. NBC said Thursday that the burly ex-coach who has been one of pro football's top broadcast analysts has decided to retire. The 73-year-old Madden has been working for the past three seasons on NBC's Sunday night NFL game. His last telecast was the Super Bowl between Arizona and Pittsburgh.

As he prepares to serve as color analyst for the Super Bowl for the 11th time, NBC's John Madden has become the voice, if not the walking embodiment, of the National Football League. At more than $4 million a year, he's one of the world's highest-paid sportscasters. But as exalted as his position has become, and as beloved as he is, Mr. Madden has, at times this season, struggled with the facts. In statements made during several recent NBC broadcasts, Mr. Madden, who is 72, has misjudged the number of times NFL teams execute running plays from the shotgun...

One week prior to the general election, former Romney spokesman Kevin Madden took to the airwaves (on CNN) and defamed Sarah Palin, setting off a media storm over an alleged fight between Team McCain and Team Palin. They were the very early opening salvos in the battle for the party. Fox News expanded on off-the-record anti-Palin comments tonight. Was traitor Kevin Madden for those comments?

<p>They say they are not disloyal. They say they are not shirking their duty and that they do not oppose war. But over 1,000 active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. military are against the war in Iraq and have said so in an unusually public way -- by petitioning Congress last month. Several of them appear to explain their actions in a Lara Logan report to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday Feb. 25 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.</p>

Frenzied speculation on Sunday Night Football about how the NFL would punish Terrel Owens after a spitting incident roused John Madden's sense of purpose. To paraphrase, "this is not what the NFL is about. Great games and who is going to the playoffs, that is what this game is about. What has happened to us?" This affair illustrates that media failure is not only the result of bias. ...

Norfolk-based sailor uses Web to channel opposition to war By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot © November 5, 2006 NORFOLK - Jonathan Hutto graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and a résumé of social activism. He worked for the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International after college. He whipped up grass-roots protests against police departments and college administrators. One day in 2003, broke and seeking direction, Hutto enlisted in the Navy. The Navy couldn't have known it then, but they know it now: They had signed up a sailor strongly opposed to the Iraq war. Seaman...

So, this guy, his name is... Shaun Something? Shaun Alexander, I think? Well, anyway, apparently he's a running back for the Seattle Seahawks, and EA thinks that's he's the perfect choice to adorn the cover of of EA's Madden NFL 2007. Shaun Alexander was the NFL MVP and led the NFC in rushing last season. This year, in addition to grinding out yards, he's going to have to duck and weave his way past the Madden curse. Good luck.

The Crusades in the Checkout Aisle Thomas F. Madden When I spied the U.S. News & World Report with the Crusades splashed across its cover, I braced for the worst. As a crusade historian, I long ago learned not to expect accuracy on this subject from the popular media. In fact, I usually avoid newspaper and magazine articles on the Crusades altogether, if only to keep my blood pressure under control. But there it was, staring me in the face. I had to read it. First, the good news. The article, written by Andrew Curry, was not dreadful. Curry did...