4/27/2006

It was as if a million voices cried out "WHOA, NELLIE" at once

Keith Jackson has officially hung up his headset.

The long-time voice of College Football on ABC is going to be the "Shop steward of the International Porch-sitters Union" if I recall the quote from his statement on ESPN.

My earliest memories of Keith Jackson are of him as more of a baseball announcer. ABC and NBC used to switch the LCS and World Series every year and he would work I seem to remember him doing the final game of the 1982 season between the Brewers and the Orioles. I think I may have a tape of him doing Game 5 of the '82 ALCS, too.

College football wasn't as big on Saturdays. A great Saturday afternoon in the fall used to be MLB Game of the Week on NBC and the PBA on ABC. The football game wouldn't take center stage until after 4:15 Mass.

But, as college football grew, Jackson became the lead guy who got all the big games. Florida State-Miami, Ohio State-Michigan, name it and he did it.

It was a big deal when Keith Jackson showed up in Madison for the first time in the Barry Alvarez era.

Everybody has a Keith Jackson impression. Mine used to be somewhat passable, plus I had a buddy in college who did a perfect Frank Broyles impression. Good times...Good times.

Enjoy sitting on that porch, sir.

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