But it was his sparkling, fun-loving personality that seemed to define him. As a quarterback he sometimes irked the buttoned-down Cowboys coach, Tom Landry, by breaking into a country tune in the huddle, and as one of the first two color commentator on ABC’s “Monday Night Football” he made his down-home ribbing of the loquacious Howard Cosell, one of his two broadcasting partners, a hallmark of the show. Their spirited banter helped make “Monday Night Football” one of the most popular programs on television, one that soon took its place in the television pantheon, alongside classics like “M*A*S*H,” in terms of longevity, ratings and cultural influence. The weekly clash between an opinionated intellectual and a freewheeling spirit drew women to watch football games and caused restaurants and movie theaters to report lower traffic during broadcasts.
The banter continues, but it is of a different nature.
Mr. Meredith offered a taste of his breezy, even risqué, humor in that first broadcast. In talking about the Cleveland Browns receiver Fair Hooker, Mr. Meredith said, “Fair Hooker — I haven’t met one yet.” He later referred to President Richard M. Nixon as Tricky Dick and made what seemed to be a joke about his own marijuana use at a Denver Broncos game. “Welcome to Mile High Stadium — and I really am,” he said.
Either one of those comments today would create such a scene: he night get suspended, have to apologize, and get attacked by various interest groups.
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