"Dick Enberg is still around and still being as good as he ever was"
About this Quote
That offhand “still” does a lot of work. Jim McKay isn’t merely complimenting Dick Enberg; he’s pointing at a media ecosystem that normally treats broadcasters like milk with an expiration date. Sportscasting is obsessed with the new voice, the new catchphrase, the younger face with the sharper suit. McKay’s line quietly rebukes that churn: Enberg hasn’t just survived it, he’s made it irrelevant.
The phrase “still around” is deliberately plain, almost casual, and that’s the subtexted flex. Longevity in television can imply coasting, becoming a legacy act. McKay cuts that assumption off with “still being as good as he ever was,” a benchmark that refuses the usual narrative of decline. It frames excellence as something maintained through discipline and curiosity, not something that fades by default.
Context matters: McKay, a revered journalist and anchor, is speaking as a peer with authority in a profession built on credibility. Coming from him, the praise reads like a professional certification, not fan mail. It also hints at a generational handshake between two craftsmen who valued clarity over hype. Enberg was known for warmth, precision, and an ability to let moments breathe; McKay’s sentence mirrors that ethos. No fireworks, no superlatives stacked to the ceiling - just a clean acknowledgment that real skill doesn’t need reinvention to remain current.
The phrase “still around” is deliberately plain, almost casual, and that’s the subtexted flex. Longevity in television can imply coasting, becoming a legacy act. McKay cuts that assumption off with “still being as good as he ever was,” a benchmark that refuses the usual narrative of decline. It frames excellence as something maintained through discipline and curiosity, not something that fades by default.
Context matters: McKay, a revered journalist and anchor, is speaking as a peer with authority in a profession built on credibility. Coming from him, the praise reads like a professional certification, not fan mail. It also hints at a generational handshake between two craftsmen who valued clarity over hype. Enberg was known for warmth, precision, and an ability to let moments breathe; McKay’s sentence mirrors that ethos. No fireworks, no superlatives stacked to the ceiling - just a clean acknowledgment that real skill doesn’t need reinvention to remain current.
Quote Details
| Topic | Aging |
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