Jackson May Not Be Done Yet

On Jan. 4, 1999, Keith Jackson was preparing to work his final college football telecast. At 70, he was calling it a career.

But six months later, he changed his mind. ABC Sports had a new president, Howard Katz, who talked Jackson into coming back. The key was Jackson would have to work only Pacific 10 Conference games, thus cutting his travel time considerably.

Five years later, Jackson is still going strong.

Will he be back next season?

“Haven’t made up my mind,” Jackson said in the ABC broadcast booth Thursday after the Rose Bowl game. “I’m like an old Packard. I fix something every spring.”

“He’ll be back,” said his broadcast partner, Dan Fouts.

The one thing Jackson was sure of, besides USC’s being the best team in the country, is that he will be on the golf course today, weather permitting.

“I haven’t played since October,” he said.

Jackson turned 75 on Oct. 18. Two days later, on the South Course at L.A. Country Club, he shot a 72.

Three strokes under his age, not bad for an old Georgia farm boy.

“That was from the red tees,” he said.

He was just kidding, showing a little Southern humility.

Playing a lot of golf and spending time with his wife, Turi Ann, are two reasons to consider another retirement. And making trips from their home in Sherman Oaks to their vacation home about 60 miles north of Vancouver, Canada, is another.

But the betting line here is that Jackson will be back. He may not pull a Chick Hearn and go out with his boots on, but you can hear it in his voice -- he’s still having a good time.

A Good Companion

Another reason Jackson will be back is his relationship with Fouts. These two genuinely like each other.

“Everybody wants him back,” Fouts said. “The reason we did the Ohio State-Michigan game this year was because of Keith. They wanted him to do that game. They want his voice on games like this.”

Said Jackson: “I’m blessed. This is really a good group of people I work with. And this guy. You know so many jocks walk off the field and go into a broadcast booth and try to be a hotshot. He went on the streets of San Francisco and learned how to be a broadcaster.”

Fouts, a Hall of Fame quarterback who now lives in Sisters, Ore., spent years tuning his skills working in local television, doing a little of everything. He’s also done TV play-by-play on San Diego Charger exhibition games.

“He really sees the game and makes it flow,” Jackson said. “It doesn’t matter if I make some silly ... comment.”

Said Fouts, as he gave Jackson a pat on the back: “While you’re out playing golf tomorrow, I’ll be shoveling snow.”

Jackson is right. He is blessed. He likes his job, he likes his crew and he likes his partner. Why would he retire?

The Other Big One

Jackson was asked whether he would be watching Sunday’s Sugar Bowl game involving Oklahoma and Louisiana State.

“Don’t know,” he said. “Not sure what Turi Ann will have me doing.”

Jackson was just being coy, and Fouts knew it.

“He’ll be watching,” said Fouts, who has Jackson all figured out. “We’ll all be watching.

“I’m anxious to hear about and read about the reaction of those two schools after what they saw here.

“I’ll tell you what, if that game isn’t won by a team that really displays championship style like USC did, a lot of people are going to be shaking their heads.”

Brent Musburger, who will be calling the Sugar Bowl with Gary Danielson, earlier this week said: “I honestly don’t care if USC wins the writers’ AP poll and the coaches’ poll and Oklahoma or LSU captures the BCS trophy. We’ve lived with split championships before, and it’s good conversation.”

Short Waves

ABC producer Bob Goodrich, who is in charge of the Sugar Bowl coverage, said the plan is to have Pete Carroll join studio analysts John Saunders, Terry Bowden and Craig James on Sunday night.... ABC will televise the game in high definition.... It may not make Michigan fans feel any better, but look for the Wolverines to have a good chance of being crowned champions of a 16-team video game playoff conducted by College Sports Television and EA Sports. Highlights of the championship game involving Michigan and Kansas State, called Crystal Bowl I, will be on CSTV on Sunday at 3 p.m. USC was eliminated in the semifinals.

NFL games last week were the top-rated shows in all 30 of the league’s markets for the first time ever. For the season, NFL games were the top-rated shows 73% of the time, up from 69% last year and 55% in 2001.... College and pro football are all over the tube through the weekend, and there is even high school football on NBC on Saturday at 10 a.m. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl, played in San Antonio, features 78 of the top prep players in the country.

It’s a busy weekend for ABC. Not only does the network have Sunday’s Sugar Bowl, it also has two NFL playoff games and an NBA game Saturday. The NBA game, Philadelphia at San Antonio, will be televised at 10:30 a.m. ABC’s new NBA lead announcing team, Al Michaels and Doc Rivers, had a successful debut Christmas Day, but Rivers will be paired with Brad Nessler on Saturday because Michaels will be in Charlotte, N.C., for the Panthers’ NFL playoff game against Dallas.... The Mighty Ducks’ charity event that helps raise money for children with cystic fibrosis, “Ducks in Tux,” will be featured on “Cool Shots” on ESPN on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Participants bid on merchandise while being served by Duck players.

Radio News

“The Sports Insider” radio show, with Rich Perelman and Bruce Tenen, was an ambitious undertaking. Perelman, the creator of the show, modeled it after Jim Healy’s format, emphasizing clever sound bites, sharp comments and an off-beat sense of humor. The show enjoyed a short Sunday morning run at KPLS (830), but as Perelman says, “It’s hasta la vista for us, along with George Putnam, Fred Wallin and everyone else on KPLS.” The station switched to an all-Spanish format. Perelman said he is hopeful of finding another station for his show.

At KMPC (1540), Chris Myers and Bob Golic did their last show Wednesday. Neither could come to terms on new contracts with the station. Dave Smith will fill the 4-7 p.m. void. Petros Papadakis now has his own show on KMPC, weekdays noon-2 p.m.... Kurt Kretzschmar, the executive producer at KSPN (710), is moving to the Fox Sports radio network, where he will be the director of affiliate marketing.

Horse racing galore: Jason Levin is the new host of “Thoroughbred Weekend” on XTRA (690, 1150) Saturdays and Sundays at 8 a.m.... Jay Privman, formerly the host of the XTRA show, now has a show on KMPC. It will be on Sundays at 8 a.m. through the Feb. 1 Super Bowl, then air Saturdays and Sundays.... Trainer Roger Stein is moving his show to KLAC (570). It can be heard Saturdays and Sundays at 7 a.m.... Mike Willman’s popular “Thoroughbred L.A.” remains on KSPN (710), airing weekends at 9 a.m.