The Q&A: John Brooks

Jenni Carlson: Earlier this week, it was announced that you’re the recipient of the Bill Teegins Excellence in Sportscasting Award. What did you think when you heard the news?

John Brooks: It’s great. I remember Bill for a lot of reasons, but ... I bumped into him while ... he was a young reporter in Amarillo. I felt he was a guy who wouldn’t stay long in Amarillo, and he didn’t.

JC: I’m sure there’s an awards room at the Brooks house, but it sounds like this award may hold a special place for you. True?

JB: From the time the Teegins Award came into being ... I really wanted to get it, albeit that none of us ever want to get it because we wish there wasn’t an award. The thing that jumps out at me in this interview is that you and I were only a few feet apart on that night (of the Oklahoma State basketball plane crash) at a Blazers game. You looked down during a commercial break and told me what had happened.

JC: Wild, isn’t it?

JB: But just because of who he was and what this is, whether it’s right or wrong ... what it really says is how important it is in the profession just to have been associated with Bill. That’s how I look at it.

JC: For all you’ve done, you’re most remembered for your catch phrase, "Jiminy Christmas!” How did you come up with that?

JB: First off, let me start by telling you how to spell it. It’s g-e-e — depending on the thrill of the play ... there are how ever many e’s were necessary — but it’s g-e-e-m-i-n-y.

JC: I had it wrong.

JB: You know ... I had some guy come up. He starts talking, and some other guy walks up and says, "You know who this is.” He says, "Yeah, the "Jiminy Crickets” guy.

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