John Madden's ready for some football

John Madden is known to legions of fans of all ages for one thing — football. Older NFL fans remember the Hall of Famer’s 10-year winning career as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, while kids today know his name thanks to the perennial best-selling video game that he created 22 years ago. The Madden football franchise has sold more than 85 million copies and generated more than $3 billion in revenue.

Madden, 74, recently launched Madden NFL 11, the newest version of the mega-hit videogame series. We caught up with the former NFL broadcaster to talk about — what else — football.

What tips would you recommend to someone who's picking up the new Madden NFL 11 game for the first time?

Just start out and start playing. You do the simple things, do what you can and keep adding and improving. I think you have to get into it and you learn by doing and as you do, you’ll grow.

Since retiring from the broadcast booth, have you taken up any hobbies?

Because football was really, in my life, damn near all-consuming, I never did develop a lot of hobbies. I never did anything like hunting or fishing. I tried golf for awhile, but I wasn’t very good at it, so I didn’t play a lot of golf. I enjoy all sports, not just football. I like basketball, baseball and I got into the World Cup. So really, sports in general are my life, and football specifically.

What would surprise people about the real John Madden?

I don’t know that there’s a heck of a lot of surprises left. What you see is what you get.

Now that you don't have to travel for work, what are you doing with the famous Madden Cruiser?

Well, I still have it. I mean, that’s still the way I travel. I’ve made a couple trips to New York. I went to the opening of the new stadium in Dallas when the Cowboys played the Giants. I went to Indianapolis to the combine workouts. When I travel, I still travel on my bus, but I just don’t do it every week during football season.

What's a typical Sunday like for you during the regular season?

In all the years that I’ve been in football — I went directly from coaching to broadcasting — I never really had a lot of experience watching it. I have this set-up at my house where I have one big movie theater screen that’s 9 feet by 16 feet. Then I have nine 63-inch monitors around it; four on either side and one underneath. So I get all nine 1 o’clock games and I can switch them into the big screen. That’s what I do on the Sundays during the season.

Who do you expect to see in the Super Bowl at the end of this season?

Oh hell, I don’t know. I mean with all this free agency and stuff it’s really difficult. It used to be easier to do before there was so much player movement and you could start with the eight finalists in the playoffs, four in each conference, and then take two of those. I’ve always gone with the team that won it the year before. I think Indianapolis always has a chance because they have Peyton Manning and then if you go with the team that won it all last year it’s the New Orleans Saints.

What are your thoughts on playing the 2014 Super Bowl in the cold (and possibly snow) of the new Meadowlands Stadium?

Because of the old school in me, I like it. I thought that we always should have done that because what’s the difference between that game and playing in a playoff game or a championship game the weeks before in cold weather or snow. It adds to the drama of the game.

You've got team against team and player against player, and then team and player against the elements. And I like that. Who would you pick as quarterback on your fantasy football team and why?

Peyton Manning because he’s good, he’s consistent, and he’s on a team that’s going to throw.

What are your thoughts on the fact that there may be no football season next year with the current collective bargaining issues and the potential for a lockout?

Well, I hope not. That would be a shame. Pro football is at the top right now. We’re at a pinnacle and to slide down the slope and lose everything that everyone’s worked for and have to start in the middle again I think would be a shame. I really think with these things that they drag race to the cliff. I really think that there will be football, but just the threat of it isn’t a very comfortable feeling.