Don Meredith Tribute Thread

[Stallion]

OK let's post your favorite quotes and stories of Dandy Don here:


When a senior at Mt Vernon HS in NE Texas, Meredith was highly recruited by, among others, SMU and TCU. The story of the time told of a discussion between Meredith and Abe Martin, the iconic "good ole boy" coach of the Horned Frogs, which went something as follows:
"Don, we're a bunch of ole country boys, here in Ft. Worth and you'll be just as comfortable here in your jeans and t-shirt as you were back home in East Texas," said Martin.
"Thanks, coach," Meredith reportedly said. "But, I've been wearin' jeans and t-shirts all my life. I think I want to go to SMU." Which was perhaps his first step on the path to becomming "Dandy Don."

[Stallion]

"If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas."
- repeated by Dandy Don Meredith on "Monday Night Football"

[PoconoPony]

Dandy Don and Monday Night Football also opened the doors for guys like football Pony Bobby Goodrich to become Executive Producer of ABC Sports.

[LA_Mustang]

"Turn out the lights, the party's over"'

[Stallion]

One slightly ribald comment by Meredith gave a glimpse into the charismatic, country-fried personality that played off Cosell so well.

"Isn't Fair Hooker a great name?" Meredith said, referring to the Cleveland receiver.

"I pass," Cosell said.

After an interference call, Meredith stumbled but recovered with self-effacing candor. "Now that didn't sound real right," he said. "We're going to try that again later on, folks. You're not supposed to do it. I know that."

[ALEX LIFESON]

On a trip home after a Cowboys game, the plane hit some very rough turbulence. All of the players were scared to death, and Don leaned his chair back, raised his drink, and said "boys, it's been a good-un'"

[MrMustang1965]

“Welcome to the Mile High City, ... and I really am.â€

[Stallion]

TIME Magazine Article during Meredith Senior Year at SMU:

http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:6W5 ... cd=6&gl=us

[Stallion]

Meredith's Record for scoring 52 points in the traditional Dr. Pepper High School Basketball Classic stood for years. All State in Basketball too.

http://74.125.95.104/search?q=cache:lj5 ... cd=7&gl=us

[SoCal_Pony]

One particular MNF game, Dallas versus Washington at RFK, they pan to the Washington monument at a break.

Dandy Don says..."Ah yes...reminds me of Mount Vernon"

I believe Don Meredith held the Dr Pepper basketball tournament record for most points in a single game for countless years.

Also believe in the huddle he was known for singing "On the Wings of a Snow White Dove".

[MrMustang1965]

Photo of Don Meredith at his last appearance on The Hilltop at Ford Stadium. Notice the burned out grass spots in the south end zone leftover from the Navy game behind him.




Meredith in his SMU uni.

[Stallion]

A Classic Line from Jim Dent's Junction Boys when Coach Bear Bryant found out that he had lost Meredith in a recruiting battle to SMU and this quote from the next day is attributed to making Bryant wonder if he had the right job.

Meredith: "Coach-if you were anywhere in the world except A&M-anywhere in the world"

[Stallion]

This famous quote

"It reminds me of the Monday night game years ago when the hour was late and the game was out of hand and the camera was scanning the crowd and game on a guy who was snoozing away. Somehow we woke up and realized he was on TV, and flipped the bird to a national TV audience. Quipped Don Meredith, as I recall, "I think he's tryin' to say that ABC's Number One."

[Mustang1991]

Notice the burned out grass spots in the south end zone leftover from the Navy game behind him.

Ah, yes, the Navy game in 2001. Pre-game fireworks. Another brilliant idea gone awry. An inauspicious beginning to the Bennett era.

Favorite Meredith quote: Nov. 5, 1973, referred to the sitting President of the United States as "Tricky [deleted]".

[Original Frank]

Back in the day, KRLD ran a radio show each weeknight at 6 PM called Sports Central. The great Frank Glieber was the host. It was all about the Cowboys on Monday nights, as you might imagine. Anyway, this was during the time when quarterbacks called their own plays (yes, all you Millenials, QBs actually used to call their own plays without all the hand signals or speakers in their helmets). Anyway, the intro of Sports Central was of Meredith calling signals for the Cowboys in the mid-60s. One week, they had a special segment, after the season, I think, in which they played most all of the 1966 NFL Championship game against Green Bay in the Cotton Bowl during which Meredith was miked (a technological marvel in that era). I will never forget being mesmerized by listening to Dandy Don call plays, reflect on the game in the huddle, and completely capivate the listener. Remember, he was not just Landry's mouthpiece in those days. He was executing his strategy, calling the plays in real time, and controlling the huddle as only Dandy Don could.

Everyone remembers the Ice Bowl in Green Bay the next year. But the loss to Green Bay in the Cotton Bowl was even more heartbreaking to me. With a first down inside the five yard line in the last seconds, the Cowboys got it to the 1, then no gain (Reeves was hit and was seeing double), then offsides, then Reeves dropped a pass (seeing double), then Meredith's 4th down desperation pass to Bob Hayes as he was in the grasp of a Geen Bay defender that was intercepted by Tom Brown in the end zone. Green Bay went on to defeat Kansas City in the first Super Bowl (actually, it was called the NFL/AFL Championship Game that first year).

I was only about 10 years old at the time, but I will never forget listening to that radio broadcast and being mesmerized by his leadership and ability to remain steadfast - and comical - in such an intense situation. I was more of a fan of the man than I was of the football player. I wonder whatever happened to the tape of that radio show?