PLANO, Texas (AP) a Veteran sportscaster Pat Summerall was remembered Saturday within a memorial service as "the voice of the NFL" and a figure who maintained a simple approach regardless of the praise his broadcast work obtained for many years. Thousands obtained Saturday at a church just north of Dallas to pay homage to a broadcaster who named a number of the most notable games in NFL history, and also was known for his coverage of Grand Slam tennis competitions, the Masters golf tournament and other sporting events. The former NFL kicker died Tuesday at age 82 of cardiac arrest at a Dallas hospital. With his deep, resonant voice, Summerall named 16 Super Bowls and was the principal television play-by-play voice of the NFL. Former NFL expert John Madden explained Saturday that his broadcast partner's regular existence made Summerall the voice of the group. Madden, once a fiery NFL coach, was seen by many whilst the storm alongside Summerall's calm. The two joined for 22 years covering games for CBS and then more fleetingly for Fox. "I got up today and I believed, 'Pat, I want you,'" Madden told the mourners. "I could not obtain the tie straightened, a button buttoned. It was the same old thing." Madden described his first year with Summerall in the broadcast booth in 1981 as riddled with confusion while the former coach struggled with the craft and fumbled with other equipment and headphones. But Summerall "didn't look down upon me," he explained. "He did not tell you he had pull you through, he just damn did it," Madden said. After speaking at length, a negative Madden looked upward. "I know Pat's up there stating, 'brevity, brevity, brevity.' But just one single more hours I'm likely to talk over you," Madden said, before reminding the audience of the deep belief Summerall developed in his later years. One of Summerall's kids, Kyle, said his father had battled alcoholism for years but with the aid of his religion had kicked it aside. Summerall told his tale when speaking before other businesses and often shared his testimony with Christian groups. In his 2006 book, "Summerall: On and Off The Air," he frankly discussed his personal problems and professional achievements. Saturday's funeral service was operated with a group of church singers, a choir over 300 strong, and NFL Hall of Fame players including former Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, ex-Dallas managing back Emmitt Smith and former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin. Fullback Daryl Johnston was among other previous Dallas players who also attended, alongside Cowboys operator Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett. Summerall, who spent his final years in the Dallas area, living in Southlake, was a member of the North Texas Super Bowl host committee for the game played there in February 2011 in the $1.1 billion Cowboys Stadium that opened in 2009. Yet another of Summerall's kids, Jay, said his father made time for as many people as he can, regardless of their lot in life. The elder Summerall frequently spent time answering fan mail, sending along autographed photographs, and being an ambassador for the Betty Ford Center serving. Summerall in 2004 received the liver of a 13-year-old junior high football player from Arkansas who died suddenly from an, and Summerall had stayed connected the teenager's family. "There was no big picture in him," Jay Summerall said. Included Madden: "If there actually was a book about good guys, he'd function as star of that book."
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