In Memory of Don Meredith

I want to take the time to acknowledge one the most influential people in American broadcasting, Don Meredith.  Don Meredith was first one the starting quarterbacks for the Dallas Cowboys that took the team to three back to back division titles and to consecutive NFL championship games in 1966 and 1967.  Even though they lost both games, Meredith was still considered one of the franchise’s first stars.  After his retirement from the NFL, he later joined Keith Jackson and Howard Cosell in the broadcasting booth on Monday Night Football (ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth, 2010).  Meredith became known as the color analyst, which provided expert analysis, background information, statistics, and injury reports of teams and athletes when plays were not in progress.  He would also provide the audience with light humor and would often sing the song “The Party’s Over” when the game’s outcome was obviously determined.  Meredith was the first athlete to transition from player to color analyst.  His final broadcast was ABC’s first Super Bowl with Frank Gifford and Joe Theismann (Super Bowl XIX) (ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth, 2010).  Through all of his great accomplishments Don Meredith is a man that will never be forgotten.  His warm, kind, and funny humor brought enjoyment to viewers and supporters to the nature of the game.  I want to say thanks to Don Meredith for all his hard work and evolutionary changes he brought to broadcasting NFL games. 

References

ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth.  (2010).  Don Meredith dies at age 72.  Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5890812

Photograph of Don Meredith.  Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4675363/espn-remembers-mnf-legend-don-meredith