A bust of John Madden is featured on stage at One Extra Evening in Oakland: A celebration of John Madden on the Coliseum.
OAKLAND — The spirit of John Madden returned one final time Monday night time to the venue that helped make him well-known.
The primary time Madden walked the sidelines on the Coliseum as head coach of the Raiders was on Aug. 9, 1969, a number of weeks after Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. It was a preseason sport towards the Baltimore Colts, with the Raiders shedding 34-30. Greater than a month later, the Raiders opened the season at house towards the Houston Oilers and received 21-17 — beginning a 10-year run of success that ultimately led to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
So it was solely becoming that Madden household organized to have “Yet one more Monday Evening in Oakland: A Celebration of John Madden” in reminiscence of the ball coach who turned a larger-than-life determine in teaching, broadcasting, promoting and ultimately the online game that bears his title. Madden handed away unexpectedly on Dec. 28 at age 85.
With the Raiders having moved to Las Vegas following the 2019 season, the Madden memorial is probably going the ultimate NFL act for the ability the place his groups offered a legacy of constant victory for the house fan base.
Madden’s 103-32-7 all-time report included a 57-11-2 report on the Coliseum. Madden’s Raiders had been 6-2 within the playoffs at house (2-5) on the highway and had been 1-0 on the Rose Bowl in Pasadena – the positioning of his best triumph and a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Tremendous Bowl XI.
There was nostalgia within the concept to have the celebration on a Monday night time, the place Madden’s groups had been 5-0 on the Coliseum and 11-1-1 total throughout his tenure when the Raiders had been often known as the “Kings of Monday night time.”
Virginia Madden advised NFL Community host Tom Rinaldi there was little question the place the general public memorial could be held.
“When John handed, I stated, I wish to have the gamers which might be right here and all the followers that supported him for thus a few years gathering on the Coliseum,” stated Virginia Madden, John’s spouse of 62 years. “I do know he’s up there and I do know he’s smiling down.”
Then Virginia Madden, to rousing cheers, stated, “John believes within the city of Oakland. He believed within the Coliseum and he believed within the Raiders — the Oakland Raiders. Oakland wants a soccer workforce.”
Mike Madden, John’s son, stated the objective for a service could be to find out what his father would have needed.
“What would he need?” Mike Madden stated. “He would wish to do it in Oakland. He cherished Oakland, and Oakland cherished him again. I used to be in SoFi Stadium (on the Tremendous Bowl) final night time, however tonight I’m in a soccer stadium. So how within the heck might you not rejoice the lifetime of John Madden wherever else however the Oakland Coliseum?”
Andy Reid, a buddy of Madden’s for greater than 30 years and coach of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, obtained the requisite variety of boos from the house crowd due to his affiliation with the Raiders’ arch-rivals.
“I’m glad I’m out of spitting distance,” Reid stated. “It’s nice to be within the Black Gap.” 
A crowd of roughly 2,000 had been within the stands on a brisk 52-degree night time. Mike Madden was on stage with featured audio system with Virginia, son Joe and 5 grandchildren in seats alongside the primary final analysis.
Proceeds from the occasion raised via ticket gross sales go to the John Madden Basis to be distributed to Bay Space charities, and Virginia Madden pledged to match the cash raised as much as $1 million.
This system included a number of audio system and taped interviews, together with quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Brett Favre and announcers Jim Nantz and Al Michaels. Former Raiders sort out and 13-year-veteran Henry Lawrence opened the proceedings by singing “Superb Grace,” and there was additionally a taped efficiency from musician Nils Lofgren of E Avenue Band fame. Lofgren wrote a track particularly for the event entitled, “Miss You John.” 
Ron Rivera, coach of the Washington Commanders, requested a gathering with Madden and paid him a go to in his workplace in Pleasanton. The Carolina Panthers had a 3-13 report in video games determined by six factors or much less underneath Rivera, so Madden requested him to evaluation these video games. Rivera advised Madden he thought he was “going by the e-book.”
Madden’s response?
“He stated, `What e-book? You’ve performed sufficient soccer, you’ve coached sufficient soccer, go by your intestine. Go by what you already know.”
Emboldened, Rivera started to go for it fourth down and was extra daring in his choices.
Madden’s response?
“Ron, I advised you to go by your instincts. I didn’t need you to get carried away,” Rivera stated.
Stan Bunger, who did a radio present on KCBS with Madden for years, stated he was greater than the common man he appeared to be.
“I met quite a lot of sensible individuals in my 40 years in broadcasting and I don’t suppose I ever met anybody smarter than John Madden,” Bunger stated. 
Leadoff speaker Steve Mariucci turned associates with Madden via tv manufacturing conferences. Collectively, the 2 placed on an annual bocce ball event for native charities.
“All people is aware of John’s an enormous man, an enormous persona,, and I hope you already know he had the largest coronary heart of all. We had been in a position to elevate over $8 million dollars for some Bay Space charities in 22 years. That’s how lengthy we did this.”
Lesley Visser, a former CBS commentator, stated Madden insisted on educating soccer to the community.
“John insisted we have now seminars earlier than our seminars,” Visser stated. “We had been going to Pebble Seaside and Napa Valley, and he didn’t wish to drink wine or play golf. He needed to speak about protection and about soccer. All of us discovered quite a bit about soccer and we cherished that. John taught all of us.”
Workers author Cam Inman contributed to this report