Coaching icons Madden, Robinson shared lifelong bond

To most, John Madden was a large shot manager oregon a large broadcast expert oregon the great, big, smiling look astir which an iconic video crippled bearing his sanction (and ample torso) was built.

But to John Robinson, Madden was a person earlier helium was immoderate of those things.

“We met successful the 3rd oregon 4th people astatine Our Lady of Perpetual Help successful Daly City, California, … and aft each these years, we inactive called each different the champion of friends,” the erstwhile Southern California, Los Angeles Rams and UNLV caput manager said of his Raiders Hall of Fame modern and transcendent property who died Tuesday astatine property 85.

“We went to people unneurotic and we some played sports, due to the fact that that was what you did. We were conscionable a mates of Daly City guys. Wherever determination was food, we were hanging out.”

The 2 concisely went abstracted ways aft grammar school, with Robinson attending Serra High successful San Mateo, California, and Madden Sacred Heart successful San Francisco and Jefferson High successful Daly City. The pals were reunited astatine the University of Oregon wherever some played football, though Madden would transportation to Cal Poly wherever helium besides starred connected the shot diamond.

“Oh, I deliberation helium astir apt was,” Robinson said astir who was the amended shot player. “He was large and accelerated — but you astir apt would not person gotten maine to admit that unless it was the contiguous circumstances.”

As accomplished a shot manager arsenic Madden was, Robinson said helium was a greater justice of people. He said Madden tended to gravitate toward interior linemen.

“He had Kenny Stabler — helium was the benignant of backmost helium liked, pugnacious feline and each that — but astatine practice, during calisthenics, helium was ever lasting down by the linemen wherever astir caput coaches basal astir the quarterbacks and (skill position) guys,” Robinson said.

“He was conscionable a simple, honorable feline who had a large intellect and was smarter than hell. He understood quality beings. He would locomotion successful a room, look astir and knew everything astir the radical successful it. He understood people, and helium knew however to motivate them.”

More importantly, Robinson said, helium ne'er forgot a friend. Especially if it was 1 helium made successful grammar school.

“Last week,” Robinson said astir the past clip helium and Madden spoke. “He said helium felt great. We talked astir that (All-Madden) peculiar helium had connected (Christmas day). We talked each different week for 40 years.”

When asked what they usually talked about, Robinson began to chuckle.

“Football, mostly,” helium said.

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.