JOSEPH DON MERIDITH (APRIL 10, 1938-DECEMBER 5, 2010)

He was a National Football League quarterback, sports color analyst and actor.  After nine seasons with the Dallas cowboys, Meredith was never able to get the team to the big game but was a fan favorite throughout his career.  No season went by that he did not get his team into the post season.

“Dandy Don” was an original member of Monday Night Football that began its broadcast on September 21, 1970.  After Pete Rozelle was unable to lock in a deal with CBS or NBC, he approached ABC with an irresistible deal.  The choice to come to an agreement was the best decision ABC's struggling network could have made.  Roone Arledge had a vision and wanted to create the best sports entertainment show possible so he immediately hired Chet Forte as director.  Arledge expanded not only the number of cameras but added another color commentator in the broadcast booth.

Meredith spent four years as one third of the "MNF" team before stepping down for three seasons to work at NBC.  He had the perfect counter balance to Howard Cosell’s attention to details and sometimes genius commentary and Frank Gifford’s heavy play-by-play approach to the game.  Television outside of the sports genre beckoned Meredith, so after several guest spots on "The Mike Douglas Show" he would co-host with Mike on occasion.  "Dinah" soon followed suit and after several guest segments he again found himself co-hosting side by side with Dinah Shore.    

Don did several guest starring roles on shows such as: Mccloud (1975), "Showdown At Times Square"; Police Story (1974), "Glamour Boy" and "Explosion"; The Sonny & Cher Show (1976), on the premier episode known only as "show 1"; and Police Woman (1978) "The Loner." Meredith was married three times beginning in 1959 with Lynne Shamburger (daughter Mary), followed by Cheryl King in 1965 (children Michael and Heather), and Susan Lessons Dullea, 1972-present. 

I remember Don as only Don could be: lovable and fair with all the players.  Each year from Howard Cosell’s departure in 1983 to Don Meredith exiting 1984 and finally Frank Gifford’s farewell in 1985 began turbulent times for MNF.  Al Michaels was a perfect replacement for Gifford but Meredith and Cosell were not so easily replaced.  Frank Gifford moved over to the color commentary chair where he was more successful that at the helm of the play-by-play.

Since MNF moved to ESPN, the spectacular event is on the low-end of the scale for football events.  ESPN blew any chance of keeping the momentum going for the now fledgling show.  NBC on the other hand, made a smooth transition for the "Sunday Night Football" show.  After taking it over from ESPN they chose to keep the television sportscasters along with as much of the staff as possible.  This made the leap of networks a smooth and audience-friendly journey. 

Dandy Don may you rest in peace, football style. 

RUSTY