Everyone Died Yesterday
Harry Reid. John Madden. And a guy I didn’t know, ESPN Bears reporterJeff Dickerson who everyone declared to be the greatest guy in the world. He died of colon cancer and 2 years earlier his wife died of cancer and now they have an 11 year old son who will grow up without his parents. Jesus Christ….
Man, the John Madden death hit me hard. I can’t think of a single person who I knew of who was beloved by literally everyone. Genuine to his core, he was everything good about watching a football game. You’d tune in, hear his voice and know that you were in the perfect spot for the next 3 hours. While not a Raider fan I respected those iconic teams from the 70’s. And while i am not a video game player it’s amazing that he changed the video game world forever, almost as a side gig.
Him dying just makes me miss the things we no longer have. Football and the world of announcing is so much worse now than when he was part of the game.
Sad times, indeed.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
I can only imagine what it was like traveling with Madden. Those bus drivers must have had a blast driving him across the US.
Peter King of SI wrote a story years ago of riding across the country in the Madden bus. I’m out right now, but I’ll post the link for it later.
Thanks, Mac.
Oh that would be great, thanks Mac.
Thanks, Mac. Would love to see that. Monty Poole wrote a short piece in The Athletic yesterday that spoke of his interactions with Madden. Good read…Poole talked about how Madden always seemed to have time for him, and that he was a very down to earth man.
Madden was an icon. An American legend but I grew a little bored by his announcing schtick. But cracks me up to think how scared he was to fly that he was being driven in an RV all over the country. And still no movement on a baseball labor contract….
Well said, Flav. KCBS (AM all news radio) used to have Madden spot twice a week during sports report where he was live talking with on air news and sports staff for few minutes and he was just great. they have timed weather and traffic updates every 10 minutes all day long, but often his spot ran on past them and no one seemed to care. More Madden, the better.
You know that whatever game Madden was announcing was pretty much the game of the week. Even if you didn’t like those teams. Some of his Raider teams were flat unbeatable.
Madden was the most influential figure in the game of football and the NFL, IMO. As a kid, I loved a number of teams, and the Raiders were one of them. I loved Madden flying up and down the sideline. He was the GOAT announcer, IMO. And while I am not a gamer, he had a profound impact in that area. When John Madden was born they broke the mold. I have lost another beloved icon of my childhood. RIP.
Here’s the link to the Peter King story, Busman’s Holiday:
https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/11/26/busmans-holiday-coast-to-coast-commuter-john-madden-likes-what-he-sees-as-he-rolls-across-america-in-his-suite-on-wheels
I really enjoyed that, thanks again Mac.
What a huge loss in the sports world. A true character the likes of which we’ll never see again. First memory, of course, was his time as Raiders coach, a raging lunatic always wearing that sideline pass. I wasn’t a fan of Madden’s Raiders with their particularly nasty style of play, and it was always fun seeing them choke in the playoffs, except in ’76 when they finally won it all. But there’s no denying the record: what was it, only 32 losses in 10 seasons? Incredible. Then he went to the broadcast booth, and my goodness, what a breath of fresh air. Funny, engaging, a larger-than-life personality who was impossible not to like. And when he teamed up with Summerall, what a perfect pairing. As many have said, when those two came to town you knew it was a big game. I agree with GHead, the schtick eventually ran its course. That said, I’ll take late-career Madden over anyone doing games today, especially his successor, the awful Collingsworth. RIP Coach.
He will always be remembered as Coach but he was bigger in life to every individual he ever touched!
John Madden with his customized Madden Cruiser Motorhome ( cruising to every state but Hawaii)John Madden with his Madden video games, John Madden commercials crushing thru paper walls in beer commercials were hilarious.His calls on plays from the booth with Pat Summerall analyzing a run are pass with his famous “Boom” how that played clicked and having him call so many big games with Pat (SB’s,Playoffs,etc)
Hoping John and Pat are calling a game in Heaven, taking a leg off of a 6 leg Turducken and eating that while washing it down with their favorite spirit of choice as any 2 legends have earned the right to do! CHEERS COACH!!🏈🥂🥃🍸💪🍺🍻🍗🚌
This may have been the first Madden ad. It’s the one I remember most anyway.
So, Sunday, before the kickoff of whatever early game I am watching, I’ll raise a toast to you, Mr. Madden. Rest in Peace. You were the best at whatever you set out to do. And that is legendary.
.
I don’t care what Shanny or Grappy are saying today, I am on record right now, there is a 99% chance Trey Lance is playing on Sunday…..
If Shanny goes with Jimmy, I want us to lose out. I mean, we will anyway, so the point is moot. Jimmy is iffy when healthy. I think we all know how bad he sucks when hurt..
Jimmy G supposedly has a 3rd grade ligament strain with a bone chip, meaning the ligament is nearly severed and pulled a chip off of the bone insertion point of the ligament. 4th degree strain means totally torn. That basically means he’ll have a helluva time gripping the ball. Like he apparently did in the second half of the last game. I heard him say today he basically hid the injury from the team in the second half. If true, that was nice of him to do that so that Shanahan had no choice in the matter. If they play him this next game ahead of the kid Lance, that says a ton about their trust in the kid’s current ability…
it has to just all be a ruse. An incredibly stupid ruse. They’re trying to force the Texans into putting together 2 defensive game plans? Are they that worried about the fucking Texans? There’s no way he’s playing on Sun with that injury.
Why would you make that jump? At this point Lance could be the 2nd coming of Russell Wilson and Shanny would be stonewalling him. Hubris?
Word around the facility, from Warner and Bosa no less, are that Lance is doing very well running the opponent offense.
Shanny’s decisions around this whole deal are bizarre to say the least.
That’s for Snarkk
Chuck, I agree with BF and think this is some sort of dumb ruse. The ol’ keep ’em guessing thing.
There should be no way a guy with a 3rd degree thumb strain with a bone chip should be throwing in a game within 10 days of the injury. I heard on sportsradio that should take 2 months to heal, even if no surgery. JG didn’t practice today, that says a lot. You can’t have JG in there throwing helicopter passes. Lance is the likely QB this next game if the injury is as advertised, unless Shanahan has no confidence whatever in Lance…
https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/sprained-thumb
Whatever we do I hope we can play some mistake free ball. I mainly want to see Lance play to see if he can bring a spark to this team that I know they in them. This season has pretty much been a wash but if Lance shines we know there is a future that might not be to far down the road.
i just don’t get Kyle’s hesitancy. There are SO many things he could do with Lance that he can’t do with Grappy. Just fucking go do it man, life is short, what r u waiting for?
I don’t understand it either.
2014 WS Game 7 just started here on MLB Network…
the only thing I can re-watch again, sports related, are horse races. And maybe some really old Niner games from the 80s
It’s hard for me to stay with, but I’ve forgotten so many of the details of the championship years.
Really only remember the major highlights and some of the years are blurring together especially 2012 & 2014…
Royals back-up catcher: Krispy Kratz (nickname courtesy of AK69)
No way Jimmy can grip a ball with a UCL tear. maybe lance will be 2021 Kapernick or Tom Brady sidelining Bledsoe!
Watched Memphis Grizz make up 14 point second half deficit to Lakers and beat them, led by Ja Morant Desmond Bane and Jarren jackson Jr. LeBron had 37, but also made critical turnover on their final possession down 3, misread btw he and Westbrook where he threw ball away.
One of Grizz reserve bigs is Brandon Clarke, who started career at San Jose St. before transferring to Zags.
Lance opponent at QB for Texans will be Stanford grad Davis Mills, who led them to 41-29 W over Chargers last week. Texans are currently 12 and half point favs; only Jets Falcons and Jags are bigger underdogs than Houston.
Dallas Texans was original name of AFL franchise that became KC Chiefs under ownership by Hunt family.
Looked up stats for famed running back Abner Haynes, who played 3 years for Texans (and couple more for KC) and who scored 19 TDs for them in 1962 alone (13 ground 6 passing) and accumulated over 1600 yds. that season. Still alive at age 84.
Glad he’s still around.
Unlike tragic Chief RBs Mack Lee Hill and the heroic Joe Delaney…
I remember reading story maybe in Sport Mag about Haynes, that one of his Texas buddies (he was born in Denton and played for North Texas St.) suffered catastrophic injury playing special teams while both were on Texans or Chiefs and he was very shaken. Can’t recall his name, thought last name was Stone.
Mills has interesting story behind him. Played only 14 games in 3 years at Stanford (including 5 in shortened 2020) and had total of 3 TD passes. One bad game as pro where he threw for only 80 yds in 21 attempts and got picked off 4 times by Bills in 40-0 L, but also had 3 TDs and 300 yds. vs. NE, only time a rookie QB has ever done that to Belichick team. QB rating of 86 and has Texans on bit of winning streak.
Whenever I read a piece like this I wonder about the union’s brain trust. This is from a Q/A by Evan Drellich (on The Athletic) that Baggarly recommended. First Q was essentially why bother with a “lockout”? From the answer:
“There is also an element of control the owners wanted to achieve. If the owners allow spring training to start without a new deal, they’re giving players the chance to walk out on strike, then or later. Owners want to wield the work-stoppage hammer themselves. Now, could the owners have instead said, “we’ll wait to do a lockout until, say, Jan. 20, shortly before spring training?” Technically, yes, but the CBA is written in a way where it’s a little more complicated legally if a new one isn’t in place right away upon expiration, which was Dec. 1. (The luxury tax would have disappeared, at least until a new deal was reached.) That wouldn’t have been insurmountable, but it’s all about pressure, and what the league believed would exert the most.”
Same as it ever was.
The Kings have won two games in a row. (Against two Covid-depleted teams.) Last night’s win was on a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired.
The Kings are back to full roster strength.
And Bagley is a starter now. Who can figure that out?
Baggs starting is pretty obviously related to them getting rid of Walton. He was hurt for a while after he got sacked but now that he’s healthy they want him in there. Showcasing him maybe?
And Halliburton taking over point duties (led team in assists again, 20/10 game before) with Fox allowed to create and score, and Foxg got the game winning assist to C Metu who is making noise lately. Good for Bagley let’s see what he can do out there and hopefully stay healthy.
For the Madden Cruise fans, I thought this was a pretty cool clip.
Thank you for that. Nice.
Snarkk, my only point to all this stupid shit around who is starting at QB is that Lance’s ability or inability to do the job has nothing to do with the decision Shanahan is going to make.
Shanny has shielded Lance from the media, and has made him off limits. Not that Lance has a lot to say as he’s running the scout team and not starting, but it is a weird stance to take. Even as the possibility exists where he IS the starter this weekend. Shanny downplays the injury on monday, and ESPN reports that it is a tear and a break in the thumb. Given ample opportunity to address what is going on, we get more of the obtuse bs.
I mean, now that the info is out there, anyone with a brain thinks Lance is starting. Which is another reason why I get so irritated with Shanahan.
Shanahan is turning into Harbaugh in that he does incomprehensible things, and everyone is just supposed to react with awe at the brilliance of it all. Fuck that.
Don’t see anything weird about limiting media access to rookie backup QB that rarely plays; probably more for his own good. Do GB reporters bother J Love behind Rodgers back? Long as I’ve followed Niners, backup QB has always been a fan favorite (even in Alex Smith-Kap debate).
Nothing incomprehensible about giving G as much rope as possible when he won 5 out of 6 before Titans game. Now he’ll be traded away and Shanahan can do what he wants with guy he wanted to draft Of course he’s arrogant and sure of himself–aren’t most coaches in his position? Why should he care what others think outside his own locker room?
Runs in family too, right?
Well, yeah. Dad destroyed RG III’s career.
I’m talking more about Shanny saying he was going to use Lance throughout the year in certain situations. Once he started him in the AZ game, and nearly killed him, thankfully he backed off. Even still, short yardage/goal line situations would make sense.
Madden said recently that he has 4 old Madden Cruiser buses in his backyard.
Sounds like a Flap heist and flapalooza road trip is in order! John would give us his blessing I’m sure..
He’s right down the street from me. I’m in!!
Warriors/Nuggets game postponed!
Nuggets can’t reach the league minimum of 8 players due to covid outbreak..
Sucks that the Warriors are down 4 and they play. 2 days later, Denver is down 5 (whatever) and they don’t play.
They have to reschedule and lose an off day.
fwiw, my 80 something year old next door neighbor lady, who loves college football, thinks Harbs wins today. That would be quite a coup, though he still could repeat his history and lose the big one in final game.
Ah Celts legend Sam Jones dead at age 88. Cornbread Maxwell tweeted, “Banks are open in Heaven for NYE.”
10 rings, tremendous clutch shooter from small HBCU North Carolina Central.
The Giants Sam Jones (21 game winner in ’59) died 50 years ago at age 45…
Another Sam Jones
Same Sam Jones just with a different team.
The Legendary Betty White just passed away at 99! Natural Causes it was reported..
She would of turned 100 on January 17!
She was quite the character and had such a huge following,
RIP Betty , now you can be with your only true love husband Alan Ludden from Password fame enjoying a highball are 2..
I loved her in Boston legal. What a great actress. RIP.
They’re all gone from the Mary Tyler Moore show.
4 of them died in 2021…
I didn’t know Georgia Engel died in ’19. Yeah, they really are all gone.
Family went to a Sunday Giants game at Stick where Sam Jones pitched. Usually sat upper deck, just on 3b side a section or two off home plate, in second or third row. Good place to watch game, and you had sun most of the day after 12 noon start. If you sat in first row the dang vendors were always walking back and forth and kids like me couldn’t see.
Harbs gamble fails and dogs go right down field for 14-0 lead. One first down and Wolves gotta punt.
And I thought Cincinnati was overmatched . . .
Same old Harbaugh getting his Michigan Wolverines getting their asses smoked at the half lol..
Georgia Bulldogs dominating
Happy New Year Flap Nation!!
Happy new year indeed to Flap Universe. The world is still here in 2022 on a sunny Saigon morning.
Good Morning Vietnam 🇻🇳!
Are I guess it’s called Ho Chi Minh City now??
Well anyway Happy NewYears P/A hell your ahead of everyone even New York is a half an hour away from dropping the ball!!Enjoy your New Years Day!!
And Happy New Years to all the Flapper Universe!!🎉🤩🍻🥂🎄🍾🥳💥💥🍺🥃🍷🎺🎇🎆
Thanks, Kat, you too. Yeah, upon “reunification” in ’75, the northern conquerors renamed Saigon officially as HCMC, but that mostly refers to the whole metro area, which is pretty big. We southerners still refer to the city itself as Saigon, and it’s still the airport code (SGN) and many companies still use the name (haha, Saigon cigarettes, Saigon beer, Saigon Travel, Saigon this and Saigon that and most importantly, Saigon girls)…. No one in the north calls it Saigon. Fuck ’em. I mean, happy new year to them too.