When I think of football, I immediately think of 1982. I was 12 years old, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and watching Joe Montana lead our 49ers to a Super Bowl XVI win on the tiny black and white television we had in the back of the house.
Actually, I wasn’t really watching Joe Montana: I was watching John Madden.
It was his first year on-air as a commentator, and he was doing something that was blowing my 12-year-old mind: drawing out plays on my television screen with his trusty telestrator.
It’s been a while since Madden drew anything on my television, and in the last few years it seems that sleek and sexy infographics have relegated the telestrator to a supporting player instead of a star of the show…but in my book, John Madden will ALWAYS be sexier than an infographic! Here’s why:
Why John Madden is sexier than an infographic
Number Five: He does it in real time, so I get it when I need it
Infographics present data in a still format. Sure, I could find it and view it, but it’s SO much more powerful when information is visualized and explained as part of the conversation. Suddenly, I can literally see what Madden means when he’s breaking down a play. Because I can understand it, suddenly the game’s more fun for me to watch! And understanding is sexy!
Number Four: He does it with me, so it feels more intimate
Infographics are created without my participation. Their creators guess at what I want to know, and visualize what they think I’ll want and need. But it ends up being something I look “at” instead of connect with. Madden, on the other hand, would do his explanations just for us, the viewers. It felt like an intimate little conversation, and I could connect with him and what he’s sharing with me. And connection is REALLY sexy!
Number Three: He does it with passion, so it feels exhilarating
When infographics are slick and pretty and designed on the computer, they look nice and neat…yet feel incredibly sterile. (To me, at least!) John Madden on that telestrator, on the other hand, was a big, sqiggly, messy, passionate, energetic ball of excitement! You could FEEL his love for the game, and he was dying to share that excitement with you. And passion is SUPER sexy!
Number Two: He does it with simplicity, so I get it all
So many infographics over-complicate the information they share with decorations and design elements. With Madden, there was no chart junk. It was just him drawing the X’s, O’s, lines and arrows you need to understand the point at hand. Every line he drew had meaning. The simplicity of the drawings highlighted the things you might miss, and gave you everything you needed. And getting your needs met is CRAZY sexy!
Number One: He does it with authenticity, so I get something REAL
Infographics nowadays are looking pretty similar in their polish and pizazz. That similarity in design makes me feel like I’ve entered a separate “infographics world.” Madden, on the other hand, was a coach. This was his world. And by drawing on that telestrator and explaining plays to just me during the middle of the game, he managed to take this long view of the field and make you feel like you were there on the sidelines with him. And being fully yourself while being fully present with someone else? BOOM! That’s SEXY!
So thank you, John Madden, for helping a 12-year-old girl better understand what’s going on during a football game…and for helping her see just how awesome simple, real-time drawings from the heart can be!
Do YOU think John Madden is sexier than an infographic? Share your comments below!
Image found at: http://doyouremember.com/top-technical-advancements-nfl-broadcast-history/
