It’s been a long day. Here are some stories about Don Meredith, Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Monday Night Football star and genuine Texas character. Dandy Don died Sunday in Santa Fe, N.M. RIP Danderoo.

USA Today — Meredith, pop-culture icon when Nixon was president.

ESPN — What sports and sports broadcasting figures are saying about Meredith.

The Dallas Morning News — A great obit/editorial from the Cowboys’ hometown paper. Well, that is before they moved to Arlington, in Tarrant County, and into the Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s (Startlegram) country.

Boston Globe — (Note: Meredith was always believed to be the inspiration for Seth Maxwell, the party-hard, hard-bitten, pro-quarterback in “North Dallas Forty,” written by former Dallas Cowboy Peter Gent.) If Meredith hadn’t existed, Dan Jenkins would have to invent him.

Goo goo g’joob,

Goo goo g’joob,

Goo goo g’joob …

It has been a rather hectic finish to a short, hectic week leading up to what we like to call “Thanksgiving Day.” So all I have to say is enjoy those turkey dinners, ham, Wild Turkey, whatever floats your boat. Hey, hey … and be careful out there.

Another short one today about football.

Perhaps I should have oohed and aahed over the New York Jet’s 30-27  comeback in the last 10 seconds  to beat the Houston Texans yesterday. But I just can’t. The Texans looked as if they were going to have this one in the last two minutes. Even the announcers talked as if better days were ahead. But, of course, what is 55 seconds in the NFL?  Apparently long enough for the Texans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

Then, the 42-yard bomb down the sidelines from Jets’ QB Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards which led to another pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes for the score. I’ll say this for Sanchez, on that pass which led to the miraculous comeback, he looked worth all the hype everyone heard in pre-season. At lest for that pass.

Houston, heavens to Murgatroyd! The Texans fall to 4-6 after even  the big sports media started believing that this might be the year they are real. Houston still has a chance albeit very slight to prove to their fans that they are real. Why to hear Dallas Cowboys fans talk about their new energy from interim coach Jason Garrett, the ‘Boys now at 3-7 after beating Detroit yesterday might just end up hosting and playing in  the Super Bowl after all. That would really drive me over the edge.

Sometimes, when it comes to rooting for a football team, I feel like Charlie Brown might have felt after Lucy jerked away the football he was trying to kick.

At the moment I am a bit occupied with a new camera. I didn’t find photography in college using film very stimulating. Some people think it’s the cat’s meow. I have to admit I like digital photography and it doesn’t matter the firepower of the camera as long as it takes shots that turn out decent. Photo editing programs can do wonders.

My new camera is about the same length as my cell phone and about a half-inch wider. Most of my pics are for Internet use, so the small point-and-shoot is what I decided I need. If a photo comes about which a newspaper might want or I shoot a video suitable for the local TV stations, this camera will do the job. That sounds kind of presumptuous, I know, but I am a journalist by trade and know that it would have to be an out-of-the-ordinary circumstance for a photo  or video that I took.

The compactness of a camera is both a gift and a curse, as my favorite defective detective Monk, would say. All kinds of little buttons and screen menus and this and that abound. I started seeing how difficult tiny consumer goods could be years ago when I bought my first Japanese cars. Things have only become smaller.

Well, I just heard a transformer blow outside and my place has about half power, which is weird, the lights usually just go out so I better see what’s up. I will be sure to take my camera along.