Posted on 12/06/2010 9:38:35 AM PST by STARWISE
Am I the only one who remembers him as a cop on Police Story?
I do... they sure threw away the mold when
they made him.
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December 6 2010 Last updated at 12:16 PM ET
Don Meredith: An Appreciation.
*snip*
ABC’s Roone Arledge spotted it when he hired him for the original edition in 1970 opposite play-by-play man Keith Jackson and Cosell, the purposely pompous know-it-all New Yorker who was the perfect foil for the laid-back quarterback from Texas.
“Turn Out the Lights, the Party’s Over,’’ he would belt out after a game-clinching touchdown, often as early as the third quarter of one-sided games and he was always the lightest part of the three-man booth — Frank Gifford took over for Jackson in the second year — that earned raves for its balance between Cosell’s social commentary and Meredith’s down-home and sardonic Texas humor.
In fact, Meredith ventured into political waters too — he set off a minor controversy by referring to then President Richard Nixon as “Tricky Dick.’’ He also announced himself on air during a game in Denver as “Mile High,’’ although he always finished a broadcast — Cosell didn’t during a game in Philadelphia in which it was later disclosed he had imbibed considerable liquid refreshment.
Another bit of Meredith humor came in wordplay over a Cleveland Browns receiver named Fair Hooker. “Fair Hooker? Well, I haven’t met one yet.’’
Meredith was self-deprecating as an analyst — some of the analysis came from Gifford, himself a Hall of Fame running back and wide receiver during his playing career.
But Meredith was indeed a fine quarterback.
In his nine seasons during an era where the rules where much harder on passing, he threw for 17,199 yards and 135 touchdowns with a team that at the beginning was a bottom-of-the-barrel expansion side.
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/12/06/don-meredith-an-appreciation/
Another good article
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July 31, 2000
Fine And Dandy
Don Meredith walked away from two careers at the top of his game, seldom to be heard from again. (But don’t worry about him.)
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1019849/1/index.htm#ixzz17MuhRbSD
RIP
People under 40 have no idea how important and how fun Monday Night Football was when it was brand new.
Thoroughly agree. And I hope it will be more than a mention. Don was born one month and 3 days before me. RIP Dandy Don. By the way, anyone know who first called him Dandy Don?
There is classic MNL football where then Houston oilers were playing and Camera zoom on lonely guy in the stand and Dude gave “middle finger salute” Dappy Don said yeah he know where is game really is at
CLASSIC
Didn’t mean to go off on you. Just an FYI, Don Meredith is one of 12 people (10 players) in the Cowboys Ring Of Honor. He’s listed with Staubach and Aikman. He was the second person (or third, w/ Don Perkins) to be honored.
Meredith would have won at least 3 Super Bowls with the teams Staubach had. He definitely would have won Super Bowl V.
He got the nickname because he was so affable and friendly to everyone, whether it was the towel guy in the locker room or the owner of the Dallas squad. Some say Cosell gave him the nickname, while others say he’d had it long before he began working with him. Few dispute that in his later years, Meredith felt he’d outgrown the nickname.
Exactly.
When Dandy Don, Cosell, and Frank Gifford were
the team, every Monday night was like going
to a great, spontaneous and totally anything
goes/unpredictable party. And you were right
there. Such fun.
Remember at half time Howard would narrate the highlights from Sunday? Everybody would be waiting for their team’s highlights (assuming they’d won). Man we’d get mad at him if they Skipped the Vikings that week. COSELL HATES THE VIKINGS!!! Jerk.
As someone older than 72, I must say, late, LATE middle age ;-)
You mean what FUN it was. That was before it became a megabillion dollar industry.
I remember reading a book years ago (Tom Landry’s biography???) where a player said the maddest they ever saw Tom Landry get (at least prior to the ‘Hollywood Henderson’ incident) was during a tight game, when a play was given to Meredith to run.
When Meredith got to the huddle, instead of announcing the play he started singing some country/western song that had been on his mind for days.
He ended up calling an audible at the line of scrimage - and no one knew what was coming.
The best I recall, the play was not successful but the Cowboys did win the game.
what was the Hollywood Henderson incident?
Speaking of Walt Garrison, Don said in an interview, ‘if it’s third down and I need 3 yards, I give it to Walt...he’ll get you five. If it’s third down and I need 20 yards, I give it to Walt ... he’ll get you five.
“what was the Hollywood Henderson incident?”
The “biggy” was Henderson and Preston Pearson had a line of hankerchiefs with the Cowboy’s logo on it. During a game they were losing badly, a camera shot on the side line showed Hederson marketing his hankerchiefs to the camera on national TV.
Landry deactivated him for the rest of the season.
Henderson also admitted doing cocaine during some games - so much that he kept some in the wasteband of his uniform.
Rumor had it that at one point, Hollywood Henderson showed up at training camp so out of shape and strung out, Tom Landry challenged him to a foot race - and won.
Henderson did spend some time in prison, too.
He turned his life around there, and eventually won a $28 million dollar Texas lottery after he got out.
He turned his life around completely.
He goes by ‘Tom Henderson’ now - and said ‘Hollywood Henderson’ died when he dumped drugs and his wild lifestyle.
He is a anti-drug motivational speaker now, and has used his millions to build football and baseball fields for kids - and for other good and honorable charities.
Before Tom Landry died, there was a celebration held in honor of the good that Tom Henderson was doing for kids and his anti-drug charities, and in honor of him being “clean” for so long. Tom Landry showed up, and the rumors of them as having made peace with each other was publicly confirmed.
One of those “happy endings” that really did happen.
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