OAKLAND (CBS SF) – Fans began gathering early Monday in preparation for a Valentine’s Day memorial at the RingCentral Coliseum for beloved Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, who died in late December.
Among those expected to speak at the memorial that begins at 5:30 p.m. will be Madden’s son, Mike, Washington coach Ron Rivera, Steve Mariucci, Art Shell, Andy Reid, Matt Millen, Lesley Visser and his radio show partner KCBS’s Stan Bunger.
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Tickets for the event can be purchased via Ticketmaster with all proceeds going to the John Madden Foundation to provide educational opportunities for youth in Oakland. Parking for the memorial will be free.
Vivianne Caedes will be among those pausing to remember the Raiders legend. She posted on Twitter — “If you can afford a ticket, and you clearly want to experience the game and support the city nearest you, and have an authentic American experience – it shouldn’t matter if you don’t have a John Madden like knowledge of the game.”
Born in 1936, Madden grew up in Daly City and played two seasons of college football at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.
As the head coach for the renegade Raiders, Madden became only the second person to hold the position after Raiders General Manager and original head coach Al Davis and John Rauch, taking the job in 1969 at the age of 32. At the time, he was the youngest person to become a head coach in professional football.
Madden would compile a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record, leading the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI in 1977 against the Minnesota Vikings after a 13-1 regular season.
Madden would become the youngest coach to reach 100 career regular-season victories, a record he racked up in only ten full seasons of coaching at the age of 42. He remains the coach with the most wins in Raiders history.
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Health issues — largely from a nervous stomach — and a fear of flying helped contribute to an early retirement from coaching.
Madden became an even more impactful figure in the broadcast booth, entertaining millions who tuned in to NFL football. Madden’s highly animated style of commentary — frequently punctuated with his signature exclamation “Boom!” — made him a fan favorite and one of the most recognizable figures in the sport.
He would work with all four major networks over the course of his broadcast career that stretched from 1979 until his retirement in 2008. His fear of flying famously led to Madden traveling by bus from game to game for broadcasts.
A new generation was introduced to Madden after he became the name behind the hugely popular sports video game franchise, “Madden NFL Football.” The annual editions of the game have collectively sold over 250 million copies.
By one estimate, Madden NFL has racked up more than $4 billion in sales since it was first introduced in 1988.
In 2006, Madden was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
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Throughout his life, Madden continued to have ties to the Bay Area, living in Pleasanton and having a daily sports segment on KCBS Radio.
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.