Remembering John Madden as a coach and teacher of the game

Visit my website homepage, TomShanahan.Report By TOM SHANAHAN The passing of John Madden Tuesday at age 85 reminded me of how he was such a good teacher of football when he switched to TV analyst. Most stories about Madden will focus on his career as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and as a TV analyst. I'm choosing to remind readers of his time working under Don Coryell at San Diego State. Madden showed at a memorial…

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Bobby Bowden on the night Florida State gained an iconic identity

The news that College Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden died on Sunday at age 91 reminded me of my 2010 interview with him. We discussed how he copied q San Diego State tradition on what became a landmark night for Florida State’s national identity despite suffering a loss at San Diego State. By TOM SHANAHAN Bobby Bowden vividly recalls Nov. 19, 1977 when his 13th-ranked Florida State team played at San Diego State. Bowden returned home with…

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Barry Alvarez: “I thought Mel got the most out of his kids this year.”

By TOM SHANAHAN Barry Alvarez likes to keep up on former players and coaches, especially ones that graduate to head coach. Sometimes they come to him. A 2006 game that was scheduled years in advance happened to feature San Diego State and first-year head coach Chuck Long playing at Wisconsin against first-year Badgers coach Bret Bielema. Long was Iowa’s quarterback when Alvarez was a Hawkeyes assistant under Hayden Fry. Alvarez was Wisconsin’s head coach (1995-2005) with Bielema his…

Continue ReadingBarry Alvarez: “I thought Mel got the most out of his kids this year.”