“Yes, he had a light hand when it came to discipline; he rejected the authoritarian role of the traditional NFL coach, treating players more as equals than subjects, and seemed to encourage, or at least allow, lives of misdemeanor. But he was no pushover. If he had only three rules—be on time, pay attention and ‘play like hell when I tell you to’—he was nevertheless very much in charge. Players complained rarely, except to note that his practices were far harder than the game they played.” For today’s generation, he’s a name on a video game. For the generation before, he was the unrivaled voice of the NFL. But before all that, he was one of the greatest coaches in league history. SI: John Madden’s Revolutionary Impact, Style Will Never Be Replicated.

+ Inside the legacy of John Madden. (I used to be a local TV sports reporter and I once used a press box urinal next to Madden. I suppose that was my legacy.)