When I think "hot and fast," I think John Madden

John Madden was not only a big-time NFL coach and one of the most acclaimed broadcasters of all time, he was also a pitchman extraordinaire. His Lite Beer run is legendary, and he had a steady gig for Ace Hardware, but I had forgotten about his stint representing McDonald's!

These are great ads. He's totally into it and embraces the telestrator gimmick. I can't find any evidence of Madden doing ads for the Golden Arches after 1986, which means we were deprived of his breakdowns of the McLean and the Arch Deluxe!

Happy birthday, John Madden

Happy birthday to one of the most revered sportscasters of all time, the legendary John Madden. After coaching the Oakland Raiders for 10 seasons, Madden joined the CBS booth and became one of the most influential broadcast personalities ever. For better and worse, countless color commentators imitated him or at least were inspired by him. I wonder if we're due for a wave of Tony Romo imitators?

Now let's watch Madden breaking down the 1985 Chicago Bears defense.  You have to love that instead of using the "coach's clicker" he would have later, or even just game film, he has a regular-size board and a marker!