"Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over"....

Post by **SMLCHNG** » December 26, 2005 9:11 pm

A fond farewell to ABC broadcasting Monday Night Football, with the 555th, and last game tonight.

Many memories of Dandy Don Meredith, Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, Al Michaels and theme song from Hank Williams, Jr.

Let's hope that ESPN carries on the tradition in a fine football tradition.

z-man · Post by **z-man** » December 26, 2005 9:14 pm

SMLCHNG wrote:A fond farewell to ABC broadcasting Monday Night Football, with the 555th, and last game tonight.

There have been some great broadcasts over the years. I miss Howard, even though he WAS a jerk!

GrannaC · Post by **GrannaC** » December 26, 2005 9:16 pm

I know, I'm watching this in amazement and disbelief. I hope that the tradition is honored, even beyond the initial aspirations of the original dream team.

ToplessRideFL · Post by **ToplessRideFL** » December 26, 2005 11:11 pm

I cannot believe its been on this long..... at least we will have ESPN to carry on....sort of!

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » December 26, 2005 11:27 pm

How ironic is THIS, Penny-
Just 15 SECONDS AGO, ABC showed a recent clip of Don Meredith singing that song.

Post by **SMLCHNG** » December 26, 2005 11:31 pm

Wino you know wrote:How ironic is THIS, Penny-
Just 15 SECONDS AGO, ABC showed a recent clip of Don Meredith singing that song.

Perfect, Garry. I've been waiting to see that, but I switched to watching the Avalanche.

Probably best, cause I'd be singing the song all night in my head.

Left Field ParrotHead · December 26, 2005 11:54 pm

And who can forget, John Lennon visiting the MNF booth and chatting with Cosell...

And then, Cosell being the one to tell us that Lennon had been shot.

Jump Up · Post by **Jump Up** » December 27, 2005 12:00 am

As much as I am enjoying watching the Pat's win, I am also sad to know when I turn the tv off, it over.

jimolliemom · Post by **jimolliemom** » December 27, 2005 12:51 am

Hubby and Son were watching...we were wondering about Hank doing the cover song for ESPN as well...maybe...
Hank lives here and we know him...guess I should ask huh???
Right after I get that "How do you like Buffett's version of Hey Good Lookin???" question answered...

ToplessRideFL · Post by **ToplessRideFL** » December 27, 2005 7:18 am

I thought it was a good show....

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » December 27, 2005 8:40 am

How funny is it that in 1970 the Jests lost the first ever Monday Night Football game to Cleveland 31-21 and last night they lost the last game to New England 31-21? The more things change ... At least Vinny Testaverde made history, he's the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive seasons.

sailingagain · Post by **sailingagain** » December 27, 2005 9:28 am

Figures that my JETS make history by being on the losing end of both games.

Hey...wait

tully mars · Post by **tully mars** » December 27, 2005 10:22 am

Good riddens I say,football is to be played on Saturdays in the SOUTH,who can watch that nfl crap,its all about the SEC baby!
And whos your Daddy...err your DAWGY!

lovin_jimmy · Post by **lovin_jimmy** » December 27, 2005 3:40 pm

lets just say, i DO NOT feel your pain!

lets talk "monday night hockey"!!!

Jason Mason · Post by **Jason Mason** » December 27, 2005 7:01 pm

thats sad.... ABC is as good as gone....

tequilatom · Post by **tequilatom** » December 27, 2005 7:11 pm

Monday Night Football has been gone since Howard , Frank and Dandy Don left........over the years there have been many changes with Announcers and analyst that the switch to ESPN won't seem like a big change to the avid football fan........just another channel.

Alan11 · Post by **Alan11** » December 27, 2005 7:21 pm

for craps and giggles I watched the first MNF game this afternoon after work. Talk about how things have changed since 1970.

The first sponsor for MNF was Pell Mell cigarettes. Keith Jackson did the play by play and Dandy Don and Howard did color commentary. What was amazing the game instead of lasting all night long like they do today only ended up being around 3 hours. No commericals after every darn possesion like today, just commericals spread throughout the game and never going over 3 minutes. Simple, boring graphics that only gave you info you needed to know without sound effects and a scoreboard taking up a quarter of the screen. Ah the good old days of pre-commericalized MNF. RIP MNF

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » December 28, 2005 1:36 am

LIPH wrote:How funny is it that in 1970 the Jests lost the first ever Monday Night Football game to Cleveland 31-21 and last night they lost the last game to New England 31-21? The more things change ... At least Vinny Testaverde made history, he's the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive seasons.

I found that record to be bittersweet.

Vinny Interceptaverde was, more often than not, a testament to absolute mediocrity.
In a 19-year career, there were, what... 3 standout seasons?
One season with 30+ TD passes, and a lifetime QB rating of 75.2... yawn.
Brief flashes of success with all the talent of a career backup.

If not for the Jets' terrible luck with QB injuries this season, he would be watching these games from the couch like us.

That record was held previously by Johnny Unitas.
Now, he was a quarterback...

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » December 28, 2005 9:44 am

I agree that Vinny was nothing if not mediocre, but I'm glad Herman Edwards put him in the game and gave him the chance to throw a TD pass. Vinny was the last QB to get the Jests anywhere close to the Super Bowl, and who knows how long it will be before they get that close again and he's a class act. I've never seen anybody in the press write anything bad about him, and in NY that's something you can't say about a lot of athletes. It was nice to see a good guy get a record, even if it is artificial.

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