Two icons have passed: Football's John Madden and former Senate Majority leader Harry Reid are mourned by Americans nationwide
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My take: My prayers are with the NFL community tonight and the Madden family as John Madden has died at the age of 85. I worked with John Madden on a number of times, in large part booking media interviews for the launches of a number of his books. I spoke with John countless times and it was always a joy. He was jovial, professional and we often joked that we both despised flying. John never ever believed his headlines. He was just a regular guy with knowledge of the game of football and an outsized personality that America grew to love — especially when he spoke of his love of food. I never met John in person but I felt like I knew him well. When a book came out he took orders well while always serving as a positive coach. also today Former Nevada Senator Harry Reid passed away. I didn’t know Harry Reid but I met him once in Washington, DC while promoting former Nevada Governor Bob Miller’s book. Reid was our guest of honor at a party to launch Governor Miller’s wonderful book about his outlaw dad who was involved with Casinos as they were introduced to Nevada. Reid was a great politician who is responsible for numerous pieces of groundbreaking legislation. I always wondered how he became party leader as a pro-life Democrat (similar to Senator Joe Manchin). My prayers are with Senator Reid’s family today. America has lost two gentlemen who in their public lives made a significant difference.
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Legendary NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden has died at age 85: Hall of Famer John Madden, whose Oakland Raiders teams never had a losing season and a beloved football analyst for three decades, has died, the NFL said Tuesday night. Madden, 85, passed away unexpectedly in the morning, according to the league. "On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to (wife) Virginia, (son) Mike, (Son) Joe and their families," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
"Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today." During his 10 seasons coaching the Raiders, Madden's teams never had a losing record and he led Oakland to the playoffs eight times. In January 1977, the Raiders won Super Bowl XI, beating the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 under Madden's guidance. Madden provided commentary for NFL games for 30 seasons for FOX, CBS, ABC and NBC. He won 16 Emmys as Outstanding Sports Personality/Sport Event Analyst. Madden was beloved for his ebullient broadcasting style, and punctuated his analysis with a "Boom!" or "Wham!" or "Doink!" Madden also had a love for using a Telestrator, a video marker that enables a person to draw over television images, and helped explain the game to hardcore and casual fans across America.
Harry M. Reid, a power in the Senate, dies at 82: Harry M. Reid, the Democrat who rose from childhood poverty in the rural Nevada desert to the heights of power in Washington, where he steered the Affordable Care Act to passage as Senate majority leader, died on Tuesday in Henderson, Nev. He was 82.
Mr. Reid had been treated for pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in 2018, but lived to see the Las Vegas airport renamed for him earlier this month. His death was confirmed in statements from Gov. Steve Sisolak of Nevada and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader.
Even by the standards of the political profession, where against-the-odds biographies are common and modest roots an asset, what Mr. Reid overcame was extraordinary. He was raised in almost Dickensian circumstances in tiny Searchlight, Nev.: His home had no indoor plumbing, his father was an alcoholic miner who eventually committed suicide, and his mother helped the family survive by taking in laundry from local brothels. After two decades of campaigns in Nevada marked by success, setback and recovery, Mr. Reid was elected to the Senate in 1986. He became the chamber’s Democratic leader after the 2004 election despite being a pro-life.