(Courtesy of The Post Game)
Broadcasting legend Pat Summerall passed away at age 82 on Tuesday, April 16 in a Dallas hospital after suffering a heart attack while recovering from hip surgery.
Summerall, a former kicker for the New York Giants, was laid to rest at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas on Saturday. Among those who addressed the mourners was John Madden, who spent 22 seasons in the booth with Summerall, forming the greatest duo in sports broadcasting history.
“I got up this morning and I thought, ‘Pat, I need you,’” Madden said, according to the Star-Telegram. “I couldn’t get the tie straightened, a button buttoned. It was the same old thing.”
During their years together, which included eight Super Bowls, Summerall was often the straight man to Madden’s colorful color commentary. For that, Madden referred to Summerall as his “John Wayne” and “Walter Cronkite” for being the calming presence in the booth.
Madden’s eulogy was, as expected, colorful, with the Hall of Fame head coach sprinkling in words like “damn” and “hell” from the pulpit, but not before letting Summerall know how he felt about him.
“I know Pat’s up there saying, ‘brevity, brevity, brevity.’ But just one more time I’m going to talk over you,” Madden said as he looked upward with teary eyes.
“Bye, Pat. Rest in Peace. I love you.”
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