Jackson steps quietly out of booth

Tim Graham

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999 | 10:19 a.m.

He rejected the spotlight in his finale, but that didn't make him any less of an entertainer.

Refusing to play himself up to the audience -- much to the chagrin of his sidekick and crew -- Keith Jackson bowed out of the broadcast booth as inconspicuously as possible Monday night.

The legendary ABC sportscaster, who charmed millions of viewers with his down-home style, called his last sporting event when Tennessee beat Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl for the national college football championship.

"Tennessee 23, Florida State 16," he said. "And so it is done. I say goodbye to all of you. God bless and keep you and good night."

Jackson, 70, said all along he would not let his retirement detract from the first Bowl Championship Series title game. He kept his word from the opening kickoff until his final sign off.

It wasn't easy for Jackson to divert the attention. Color commentator Bob Griese, Jackson's partner for 12 years, brought up the retirement on numerous occasions. Jackson ignored nearly all the mentions.

Jackson also refrained from uttering any of his catch phrases, such as "big uglies" in reference to linemen, "fumblllle!" for a loose ball, or his trademark "Whoa, Nellie!"

At one point in the second quarter, Griese implored Jackson to perform the routine one last time.

"C'mon, hoss," Griese implored. "I want to hear you say those things."

Jackson obviously doesn't take requests.

ABC honored Jackson at halftime with a four-minute retrospective of his work for the network. Highlights included the Olympics, the World Series and "Wide World of Sports" and lesser-profile events like a bikini competition.

But it was above the college gridiron where Jackson made his mark.

"Keith, without you," ABC halftime host John Saunders said, "the game will still be the game, but it won't be the same."

ABC was looking to elicit some emotion from Jackson after the piece. With a close-up camera shot trying to capture a possible tear, Griese announced the foundation of the $100,000 Keith Jackson Distinguished Presidential Scholarship at Jackson's alma mater, Washington State.

But Jackson didn't comply with emotion. Instead, he dryly replied "Is that right? Wow."

Jackson finally made mention of his finale during a timeout with a minute to go in the game by concisely thanking Griese, sideline reporter Lynn Swann and the rest of the ABC production crew.

"To quote Winston Churchill: I am easily satisfied with the very best," Jackson said.

Griese then dumped a Gatorade bucket full of confetti on his partner.

Jackson began his broadcasting career at Washington State (then Washington College) in 1952. He joined ABC in 1962, and started calling games with Jackie Jensen. His other partners were Lee Grosscup, Bud Wilkinson, Ara Parseghian and Frank Broyles before Griese.

But the memories weren't important Monday night. The present was.

"I've worked hard to be honest and fair," Jackson told USA Today. "To me, the game is sacred."