INTERNATIONAL: The beefy, exuberant Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders John Madden who became one of America's best-known TV sports announcers and lent his name to a wildly successful football video game franchise, died on Tuesday at the age 85. The sad news was confirmed by the National Football League.The league said he died "unexpectedly" but did not provide further details.

John Madden, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, brought unbridled enthusiasm and a sense of fun to NFL games during a three-decade broadcasting career. He was the master of onomatopoeia, using terms like "boom," "whap" and "doink" to explain football plays to viewers.

The son of an auto mechanic, Madden appealed to fans as an exponent of America's most popular sports league - and as a advertising pitchman for such varied products as beer, hardware stores and foot fungus medicine.

His "Madden NFL," sold by EA Sports, became one of the best-selling sports video games of all time. Launched in 1988 and sold for decades, the game carried his name and he helped make it as realistic as possible.

Before becoming a TV commentator, Madden served as head coach of the Raiders from 1969 to 1978. In those days, the Raiders were considered the NFL's outlaws, with outrageous, rebellious players, an excitable, arm-flailing coach and an owner, Al Davis, whose motto said it all: "Just Win, Baby."

With players like Kenny "The Snake" Stabler, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Willie Brown and Fred Biletnikoff, winning became almost second nature for the Raiders under Madden.

The highlight of his coaching career was a 32-14 stomping of the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI on January 9, 1977.

Madden married wife Virginia in 1959 and they had two sons.