Legendary sportscaster Keith Jackson dies at 89
Legendary college football broadcaster Keith Jackson died Friday evening, ESPN reported Saturday. He was 89.
Before he retired in 2006, Jackson spent five decades calling games, including the original Monday Night Football game in 1970. "For generations of fans, Keith Jackson was college football," said Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger. "When you heard his voice, you knew it was a big game. Keith was a true gentleman and memorable presence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Turi Ann, and his family."
Jackson's expressions — like "whoa, Nellie" and "Big Uglies," and stadium nicknames like "The Granddaddy of Them All" for the Rose Bowl — became part of fans' lexicon during his years on air, and he was the first sportscaster to be inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1999.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In addition to football, Jackson broadcast NBA games, the World Series, and the Olympics, among other sports. He is survived by his wife, three children, and three grandchildren.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
'Measuring isolation isn't a good way to track loneliness'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Is it worth renovating before listing your home?
The explainer Getting your house in top-notch shape will help attract potential buyers, but not all renovations are worth the money
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Penny pinching: Elon Musk looks at the cent to cut costs
In the Spotlight Musk's DOGE claims that millions can be saved if production on pennies is slashed
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, is dead at 88
Speed Read The musician wrote hit songs for Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash before starring in Hollywood movies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Shannen Doherty, star of '90210,' dies at 53
Speed Read The 'Charmed' actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published