Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Many people who remember John Madden solely as a broadcaster won't imagine that when he was coach of the Oakland Raiders he constantly argued with the officials. He has many anecdotes involving line judge Jack Fette, who worked in the crews of referees Norm Schachter and Gordon McCarter during the 70s. In Schachter's last season (1975), he and his crew were working the Raiders-Broncos game at Mile High Stadium. Raiders safety Jack Tatum tackled Broncos running back Floyd Little out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty for unneccesary roughness (the penalty flag was thrown by Fette). Madden then yelled at Fette: "You're a blind bastard!" So Fette, in turn, told Madden: "What did you say?", an Madden repeated "That you're a blind bastard!", so Fette flagged Madden for another 15-yard penalty (this time for unsportmanslike conduct). So the Broncos, instead of having the ball at the 50-yard line, suddenly they had it at the Raiders' 20-yard line. When Madden then asked the referee (Schachter) why he was penalized, Schachter told him that it was for calling Fette a blind bastard twice: Madden then defended himself, saying that he repeated it because Fette asked, and then finished with "What the hell he asked me to repeat it for if he didn't want me to say it?".

Nowadays it would be imposible for a player not no be suspended for a long period of time if he yells or argue with an official. If they make contact (even if it is incidentally) they are thrown out of the game at that same moment and fined.

Teo wrote:Nowadays it would be imposible for a player not no be suspended for a long period of time if he yells or argue with an official. If they make contact (even if it is incidentally) they are thrown out of the game at that same moment and fined.

In his autobiography, Bart Starr tells a story about telling an official, "If you make another call like that, I'll bite your head off!"

The official replied, "If you do that, you'll have more brains in your stomach than you have in your head."

rhickok1109 wrote:

Teo wrote:Nowadays it would be imposible for a player not no be suspended for a long period of time if he yells or argue with an official. If they make contact (even if it is incidentally) they are thrown out of the game at that same moment and fined.

In his autobiography, Bart Starr tells a story about telling an official, "If you make another call like that, I'll bite your head off!"

The official replied, "If you do that, you'll have more brains in your stomach than you have in your head."

Sounds like Bart decided to go with the apocryphal story since I've heard that comment on numerous occasions, including from baseball managers and umpires.

BD Sullivan wrote:

rhickok1109 wrote:

Teo wrote:Nowadays it would be imposible for a player not no be suspended for a long period of time if he yells or argue with an official. If they make contact (even if it is incidentally) they are thrown out of the game at that same moment and fined.

In his autobiography, Bart Starr tells a story about telling an official, "If you make another call like that, I'll bite your head off!"

The official replied, "If you do that, you'll have more brains in your stomach than you have in your head."

Sounds like Bart decided to go with the apocryphal story since I've heard that comment on numerous occasions, including from baseball managers and umpires.

Yeah, I had my doubts about it

I heard the same story, with Dick Butkus. I forget if it was an offensive lineman or an official who delivered the punchline. I think Butkus would be more likely to deliver such a "threat" than the gentlemanly Starr.

Everybody steals: Checkov stole from Tolstoy, Lawrence stole from Checkov, and Berle stole from everybody.

There was the famous line when Lombardi allegedly was chewing out the Packers and sarcastically said, "I guess I will have to start with the fundamentals. Now this is a football." Vince said as he picked up the pigskin. Fuzzy Thurston then said, "Hold on coach, you are going too fast." That was from Jerry Kramer's book in 1968.

Around 1962, George Ratterman had the same story in his book, "Confessions of a Pro Quarterback, the Wacky World of Pro Football." His coach that he was talking about was Jimmy Phelan.

Saban wrote:Everybody steals: Checkov stole from Tolstoy, Lawrence stole from Checkov, and Berle stole from everybody.

There was the famous line when Lombardi allegedly was chewing out the Packers and sarcastically said, "I guess I will have to start with the fundamentals. Now this is a football." Vince said as he picked up the pigskin. Fuzzy Thurston then said, "Hold on coach, you are going too fast." That was from Jerry Kramer's book in 1968.

Around 1962, George Ratterman had the same story in his book, "Confessions of a Pro Quarterback, the Wacky World of Pro Football." His coach that he was talking about was Jimmy Phelan.

I've heard that attributed to Max McGee, Jim Taylor, and Paul Hornung, too.