Oakland Raiders In The Era Of Madden
It’s difficult to believe that there could be a single professional football fan within the world who has not heard with the legendary John Madden. He has, over the last half century, grow to be as very much a part in the game as the turf on which the NFL’s teams play. For the Oakland Raiders, Madden’s career like a coach is of specific interest, as it was under his stewardship that the group enjoyed some of its most productive years. This was, of course, while in the team’s glory years in the 1970s – a decade that saw the franchise win their very first of what would eventually be three Super Bowl titles.
Just before Madden
For the Raiders, life being a expert franchise began with the creation on the American Football League in 1960. As one particular with the founding members on the League, the Raiders won 3 division titles and a championship in the course of the decade prior for the AFL’s merger with the National Football League in 1970. Under John Rauch, the team won the AFL title in 1967, and then titles in their Division over the next two years. During both of those seasons, nonetheless, the group would eventually lose the AFL title game to teams that would come to be the Super Bowl winners: the Jets as well as the Chiefs.
Madden becomes Coach
When John Madden was hired as Head Coach in 1969, there may well have been some who wondered what the fuss was all about. After all, he was greatest known for his outstanding play in high school and college, since his professional career pretty a great deal ended ahead of it started due to a severe injury suffered before his primary season of play. He soon proved himself up towards the task of coaching the Raiders, as he was promoted from linebackers coach to the top spot. He became the youngest expert football coach in history, as he was only 32 years old at the time.
Coaching the Raiders
In the course of Madden’s tenure as Coach, the Raiders fought their way to five American Football Conference championship games over the course of a seven year span, but lost all of them. The group perhaps aptly earned a reputation as getting really capable of making it on the large games – but then getting unable to win them once they were there. Madden, on the other hand, remained determined. He knew that the Oakland group had the talent to win those games, but that they just required to stay focused long enough to make it happen – specifically against the Steelers, who had 3 times knocked the Raiders out in the playoffs.
The one particular that didn’t get away
The 1976 campaign seemed a season of destiny for Madden and his team, as they ran off with a thirteen and 1 record, barely beat the Patriots inside the playoffs, and then finally got past the dreaded Steelers to win the AFC Championship. Then, in January of 1977, the team soundly defeated the Vikings to win Super Bowl XI. It would be Madden’s finest moment, as he retired two seasons later to turn out to be a sports broadcaster.
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on July 14th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Good story about Madden, he leaves an impression on football that is permanent. On another note Rolando McClain is going to blow you away this year. I watched this kid play in college and he is an absolute beast. Fans are not going to be disappointed once this kid steps on the field for the Raiders.