Saturday, January 13, 2018

Dick Enberg and Keith Jackson: R.I.P.

In the span of less than a month, we've lost two of the all-time legends in sports broadcasting: Dick Enberg and Keith Jackson.

Fun Fact: from 1980 through 2006, Dick Enberg and Keith Jackson called 24 of the 27 Rose Bowls (Brent Musberger helmed the other three).  That alone would probably be enough to cement their legacy in sports broadcasting, but there was oh so much more for each broadcaster.  For Enberg, the resume included the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Super Bowl, Summer and Winter Olympics, NFL, NBA, Wimbledon, the French Open, the U.S. Open (golf and tennis), PGA Golf, NCAA basketball, and Major League Baseball.  Meanwhile, Jackson's resume included the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, NCAA regular season football, NBA, Major League Baseball (including the World Series), the NFL (the very first play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football, in 1970), Winter and Summer Olympics, and NCAA basketball.

For all their brilliant work in a variety of settings, Enberg is probably best remembered for NCAA basketball, with his signature moment being the 1979 NCAA Championship Game between Michigan St. and Indiana St.- one of the most famous NCAA games ever, and the game which kick-started the legendary rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.  And without question, Jackson will be remembered best for his work on college football.  It is not a stretch to say that, for more than three decades, Keith Jackson WAS the voice of college football.  Appropriately, he closed his career with one of the most famous college football games ever, the 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC.

For any sports fan who grew up in the Sixties, Seventies, or Eighties, Dick Enberg and Keith Jackson will always hold a special place.  They were both magnificent at their jobs, and from all accounts great people to work with.  Farewell to both.



"Oh My!"



"Whoa Nellie!"

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