Feb. 10—Steve Myklebust has been broadcasting sports so long that he probably invented the phrase people often tease him about.
You know the one — has a voice for TV and a face for radio.
Myklebust, 69, has broadcast radio and TV during a 47-year career. His longest venture has been Gonzaga women's basketball. He recently shared that his 22nd season will be his last.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBack in the day, Myklebust was a retail clothing salesman. He spent the final 20 years of his working life selling advertising at KHQ. He retired there a month before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S.
With his 70th birthday on the horizon and his wife, Denise, closing in on retirement this summer, Myklebust has decided it's time to hang the headset.
The unexpected death of longtime friend and broadcasting partner Jeff McLean last summer got Myklebust thinking about putting broadcasting behind him.
Myklebust got his start with McLean in the early 1980s doing Coeur d'Alene High School football and boys basketball and North Idaho College men's basketball. That led to TV broadcasts of University of Idaho football and basketball. The duo worked together for 11 years before Myklebust started doing high school and college games in Spokane.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMcLean did play -by -play and Myklebust provided color commentary. He's flown solo doing Gonzaga women's games.
McLean retired as the morning voice on a country radio station in Sandpoint last summer when the friends caught up on the phone.
"We were talking about getting together and golfing," Myklebust said.
McLean, 67, died a week later.
"You just never, never know how much time is left," he said.
A 1975 Coeur d'Alene High School graduate, Myklebust laughs when he recalls his introduction to broadcasting.
He graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in business when he was selling clothing at his dad's business in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Tootie James, the station manager at local KVNI radio station, stopped by the store, telling Myklebust he had retired from broadcasting high school sports.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It was the start of the basketball season and I asked if he was getting ready for the season (broadcasting CdA High games)," Myklebust said. "He said 'I don't really want to do it anymore. Why don't you do it?' And I said OK. He said, 'No , I'm serious. You're on tomorrow night with Bob Angel.' I was just a kid plucked out of my dad's clothing store."
Myklebust worked a year with Angel before Angel retired, setting the stage for what would turn out to be a decade working with McLean.
"We clicked immediately," Myklebust said.
One of Myklebust's fondest memories of working with McLean came at an NIC game. They were in the tiny broadcast booth above the court when an NIC player yelled out a play. Suddenly, Myklebust and McLean started laughing uncontrollably.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It just struck Jeff and I so weird and we both started laughing uncontrollably and were on the ground because our sides were splitting," Myklebust said. "We couldn't talk for three to five minutes. And there's a game going on."
The following Monday, the pair were called into the station manager's office to explain what happened.
"We had to plead guilty," Myklebust said.
The friends had several memorable moments. They had an opportunity to work five years together on TV doing Idaho football and basketball games broadcast then by Sports Northwest (which would later become ROOT Sports).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOne year Myklebust and McLean were named Idaho Sportscasters of the Year. Myklebust was honored a second time.
Fast forward to 2004-05 when Myklebust took on the solo gig calling Gonzaga women's basketball games. He did just home games initially, and started traveling with the team in 2009.
He worked the final 10 years of coach Kelly Graves' career at Gonzaga at the time the program was taking off. Myklebust has never called a season that ended with a below .500 record.
He's called all but one of current coach Lisa Fortier's games. He had a good reason for missing a game — attending a granddaughter's baptism.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFortier started as an assistant with Graves. So Myklebust and Fortier have been together for 21 of his 22 years behind the mic.
Myklebust calls Graves and Fortier friends.
"He's a true Zag, that's what I love about him," Graves said. "He was so enthusiastic and such a professional. He's always prepared and knew what he was doing. You can't write the Gonzaga story without him. He's been as big a part of it as the coaches and players. For the fans, Steve was the conduit for them listening."
Fortier will cherish many things about her friendship with Myklebust.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I have people all over the country who tune in to listen to Steve," Fortier said. "Now there's so many games that are broadcast on ESPN+ and all these networks. But friends tell me they turn the volume down (on TV) and take the time delay and listen to Steve."
Fortier said she has audio clips of some of Myklebust's calls of spectacular moments.
Some of his favorites include Shaniqua Nilles making a game-winning midrange jumper at the buzzer at Ohio State; Jill Townsend sinking the game-winning shot in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship game; and a game-clinching short bank shot by Melody Kempton in a game the Zags trailed by six late before pulling out a stunning win at San Francisco.
Kayleigh Truong was inbounding the ball under Gonzaga's basket when she passed to Kempton, who squeezed inside.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMyklebust went full throat in his final description: "Kempton wins the game! Kempton wins the game! They got the inbounds pass to Melody Kempton and Kempton kisses it off the window! And the Bulldogs win an incredible comeback in the fourth quarter! The Bulldogs win it 83-82!"
When Myklebust started traveling for away games, he flew with the team and it afforded him an opportunity to go to places he'd probably never go on his own. He's been to Hawaii twice, the Virgin Islands twice, the Bahamas, Puerto Vallarta and noteworthy destinations across the U.S.
No story about Myklebust's career, especially his final years at Gonzaga, would be complete without asking him to pick an all-time Gonzaga team.
For Myklebust it starts with the player whose jersey hangs at McCarthey Athletic Center: Courtney Vandersloot.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I'm not going out on a limb there," Myklebust laughed. "Jill Barta was probably the best offensive player I've seen at Gonzaga. Kayla Standish. She had the prettiest baseline, midrange jumper. The Truong twins (Kaylynne and Kayleigh). We'll just count them as one. And Yvonne Ejim.
"And there are a lot of other ones that could get on that list. There are a couple playing right now that would be candidates down the road."
Myklebust, who will celebrate 36 years of marriage in 2026, knows he will miss doing the games. But he plans to attend as often as possible.
He has three daughters, two of whom live in the area, and three grandchildren. He has a twin sister who lives in Post Falls and his mother, who just turned 97, lives in Coeur d'Alene.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRetirement will bring much time golfing and boating on Priest Lake where his mother in law has a cabin. He and his wife will travel some, spending time with friends who winter in Arizona.
Myklebust has broadcast elite division games at Hoopfest the last five years and will continue to do so. Other than that he's ready to set aside the headset, grateful for a broadcasting career chock full of friendships and memories.
"I've had a very, very good time," he said. "Just a kid from North Idaho."
AdvertisementAdvertisement