I don't know what his personal life was like;  I never heard him associated with any scandals or exposes.  I vaguely remember him being a Cowboy quarterback.  I spent a lot of his career wrapped up in things besides football.  My strongest memories of him center around his broadcast and acting career after he retired from the NFL.  He was by far my favorite color commentator ever.  His wit and insights added a fun flavor to Monday Night Football that hasn't been back since he left.  ABC tried various combinations to liven up the booth in the years after Don, but even great comics like Dennis Miller or funny athletes like Alex Karras couldn't capture the easy-going, easy-flowing humor plus game savvy that Don Meredith displayed so naturally

I may have some of the facts crooked;  I am shooting from the Google-less hip here, but I think it was a Monday night in Miami, Raiders vs Dolphins, when the camera panned over to the sidelines and picked up Otis Sistrunk on the Raider bench.  Steam was rising off the top of Sistrunk's shaved head.  Dandy Don quipped, "And there's a shot of Otis Sistrunk from the University of Mars".

 
Meredith had appeared on the seventies cop show "Police Story" on more than one occasion and his down-home casual humor showed through in his acting, too.

I am grateful for all the Monday nights he brought a giggle to the game, for the generous attitude he always displayed in commenting about the players and their toughness, and for his light-hearted comraderie with Frank and Howard.  Especially at the point in each game when the outcome was assured, sometimes earlier than others, when one of them would say it was time to sing and Don would croon out, "Turn out the lights..."

Well, gone way too young, at 72, Dandy Don Meredith leaves behind a bunch of fond memories...and still brings a smile to my old face whenever I think of Monday Night Football. Thanks Don;  the party is truly over.