Beyond that, he set a standard of accountability. From the day he arrived, he refused to lapse into the sort of self- serving, five-year-plan mantra many coaches espouse. He said he was hired to win. Now, not in five years.

He was composed, professional, candid and responsible in a Harry Truman sort of way.

The buck stopped at the logo on his shirt that said "Utah Blaze."

Not that he has never had adversity. When playing in Dallas, he followed Roger Staubach, which is a lot like renting an apartment after Martha Stewart: It's hard not to mess things up.

Though the Cowboys went to the playoffs five times, he never made the Super Bowl as a starter. Those are grounds for jail time in Dallas.

A few years after retiring, White got in a minor traffic accident with a 17-year-old kid, who referred to him as a "choking dog."

White only laughs when that is brought up today.

He could have pointed out Monday that his team won six of its last eight games. Coaches have argued on weaker grounds. He could have accused players of being quitters or blamed the shortage of coaches, but he didn't.

He might even have bought himself an extra year by setting more modest goals in the first place.

In the end, he left a far better legacy, setting an example of how to do any job: aim high, avoid excuses, answer the questions honestly and shoulder the responsibility.

There are far worse ways to leave.

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com