CSNbbs

Did anyone else hear keith Jackson yell "tackle him" when Vince Young was running with the ball in the first quarter. I know USC was the two time national champions, but give me a break. Tackle him....... Here's something for you Keith. Your going to have nightmares about Vince running all over your boys. Mental note: USC cant tackle Vince Young!

Keith Jackson is the greatest college football announcer who ever lived. For the folks in my age bracket, he is the soundtrack of all the great games of our youth. For me, you knew it was a big game if Keith and Frank Broyles were calling the game. Keith Jackson was a West Coast guy, but he had a great affinity for Southern football and understood the importance of it to the people of the South.

For those slightly older than me, that voice might've been the late, great Chris Schenkle or maybe Vin Scully. If you're under 30, it might be Ron Franklin or one of the other ESPN boys. But if you're over 30 and younger than 55, it's Mr. "Woah Nellie" all the way.

That said, Keith needs to hang it up now. He just called the greatest game he'll ever call, and there were plenty of sad examples last night where he's losing it as play-by-play man, such as missing the end of the third quarter and calling it a timeout for USC, missing the missed extra point and several others. ABC needs to get him out of there gracefully before his old age causes him to do something embarrassing that taints his wonderful legacy, such as what happened to Cosell.

Mouse, you are correct.

I grew up listening to KJ do all the big sec games. He WAS the best. I would hate to see him hang on and become the butt of jokes.

This would be a great time/game for him to hang it up.

Keith may have been a bit slow at times, but I think ABC's production crew needs a smack upside the head. Too many instances of switching to the wrong camera, making the circle show before it was in the correct spot, etc. But I think one of the things that pissed me off the most was the little graphic they put up there in the first half that showed the number of combined touches and fumbles by LenDale White and Reggie Bush. Both of those fumbles were Bush, why tag LenDale's name to that stat? I know he ended up having one in the second half, but still, someone please give this kid the credit he's due. Bush may be the better player, but there shouldn't be a doubt in anyone's mind that LenDale is the better running back.

Flying Mouse Wrote:Keith Jackson is the greatest college football announcer who ever lived. For the folks in my age bracket, he is the soundtrack of all the great games of our youth. For me, you knew it was a big game if Keith and Frank Broyles were calling the game. Keith Jackson was a West Coast guy, but he had a great affinity for Southern football and understood the importance of it to the people of the South.

For those slightly older than me, that voice might've been the late, great Chris Schenkle or maybe Vin Scully. If you're under 30, it might be Ron Franklin or one of the other ESPN boys. But if you're over 30 and younger than 55, it's Mr. "Woah Nellie" all the way.

That said, Keith needs to hang it up now. He just called the greatest game he'll ever call, and there were plenty of sad examples last night where he's losing it as play-by-play man, such as missing the end of the third quarter and calling it a timeout for USC, missing the missed extra point and several others. ABC needs to get him out of there gracefully before his old age causes him to do something embarrassing that taints his wonderful legacy, such as what happened to Cosell.

And the people all said, "Amen."

Best KJ line ever, in an old game that got tight in the fourth quarter, "Ain't no crawdads swimmin' up stream just yet!"

However, last night was the clearest indicator yet that his skills have diminished. He should have stayed retired.

I agree, Mouse, and I must also share my personal "Keith Jackson Moment."

Back before I "saw the light," I actually allowed my dad to drag me to {cough, cough} football games in Tusca-loser. While there once, we were eatiing at Dreamland after a game, when in walked Keith Jackson, who apparently ate there every time he called an Alabama game in Tuscaloosa (in fact, I learned in that setting that he specifically requested Alabama home games scheduled for telecast, so he could eat there). I sat there in awe, while Dad asked him if Alabama football would ever be the same with Bear dead. His one word response: "Never."

That was it. He sat at the booth right behind us. It, to this day, remains THE highlight of my trips to Tuscaloosa.

Well, maybe the second. The first might be when Dad I and were sitting in his truck on the way home from another one of those games, stuck in traffic, watching a gorgeous topless girl taking care of her boyfriend in the convertible next to us. What was priceless about that was Dad trying to explain to his 12-year-old son exactly what was going on! I laugh at that every time I think of it.

Well he isn't near Harry Caray bad yet...

Linda Hamm!... your name makes me hungry.

Do you think the moon is made of green cheese?

Harry Carry was my favorite annoucer, for any sport. When he used to sing "Take Me Out..." during the 7th inning stretch drunk, a tear would roll from my eye.

StunnerJR Wrote:Harry Carry was my favorite annoucer, for any sport. When he used to sing "Take Me Out..." during the 7th inning stretch drunk, a tear would roll from my eye.

And a 1, and a 2, and a 3...

None of those celebrities they get to sing it will ever touch the master. Ditka's rendition was classic though.

After watching Bowden and Paterno the night before, and then having to listen to Keith Jackson last night - well, it was more than I could take in two nights.

Bowden and Paterno are not coaches any more - they are just figureheads.

Keith Jackson was the best. Now, he has lost it.

Pence Wrote:After watching Bowden and Paterno the night before, and then having to listen to Keith Jackson last night - well, it was more than I could take in two nights.

Bowden and Paterno are not coaches any more - they are just figureheads.

Keith Jackson was the best. Now, he has lost it.

Those guys maybe over their prime, but you still have to respect them. They are walking history.

Stunner, I do respect them. Don't get me wrong. They are all legends. However, enough is enough.

Pence Wrote:Stunner, I do respect them. Don't get me wrong. They are all legends. However, enough is enough.

If those guys were to leave... who would replace them?

StunnerJR Wrote:

Pence Wrote:Stunner, I do respect them. Don't get me wrong. They are all legends. However, enough is enough.

If those guys were to leave... who would replace them?

The DC at Penn State is supposedly the choice to replace Paterno. A lot of FSU people want Mark Richt, but I don;t think they can get him.

I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

UAB Band Dad Wrote:I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

The only thing I hate is that in the final bcs rankings Penn St. is 3rd, while USC is 2nd. Eventhough, I don't care for the bcs, Penn St. should be 2nd. They were one play away from being undefeated on the season.

UAB Band Dad Wrote:I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

Joe Pa is not as classy as his image. He's gotten pretty surly in his old age. people who have to be around him all the time say he's a mean son of a gun, and that he's always been a lot harsher than his teddy bear national image that is created largely by national media that sweep in, do a story about Joe Pa being all that's right with college football, and then don't have to stick around. But then again, Bear Bryant was like that too, I'm told.

StunnerJR Wrote:

UAB Band Dad Wrote:I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

The only thing I hate is that in the final bcs rankings Penn St. is 3rd, while USC is 2nd. Eventhough, I don't care for the bcs, Penn St. should be 2nd. They were one play away from being undefeated on the season.

And USC wasn't? USC was TWO INCHES from winning 3 straight AP titles and still having a 35-game winning streak! Penn State was getting lucky to beat the worst Florida State team since 1981!

Flying Mouse Wrote:

UAB Band Dad Wrote:I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

Joe Pa is not as classy as his image. He's gotten pretty surly in his old age. people who have to be around him all the time say he's a mean son of a gun, and that he's always been a lot harsher than his teddy bear national image that is created largely by national media that sweep in, do a story about Joe Pa being all that's right with college football, and then don't have to stick around. But then again, Bear Bryant was like that too, I'm told.

I like Joe Paterno as a HC and I love his committment and loyalty shown to Penn St. But, to be a coach you have to have a mean streak. Joe Paterno's was shown with his continous arguring with the officials over the last few years.

UAB Band Dad Wrote:I absolutely loved seeing Paterno have the season he had this year. If only that one play against Michigan hadn't cost Penn St. a loss, we could have seen another black eye for the BC$.

JoePa had to eat a lot of dirt the last couple of years. He was too classy to say anything much about it, but this has to have been an incredibly satisfying season for him.

I do hope he goes on and retires though... on his own terms and coming off a great season. I bet he doesn't though.

It should be noted that Joe Paterno turned over a LOT MORE control of the team this season to his assistant coaches than he has in the past. I would say the fact he WASN'T calling all the shots this year resulted in the season he had. If he had retained the control he's had in the past, the freshmen would have ridden the bench, and Penn State would have won seven games, tops.