A Page In Mourning...
Hello readers. I hope everyone is well.
Today brought sad news to this diehard Steelers fan. Today a Pittsburgh icon passed into the hereafter.
Myron Cope, the longtime color commentator of the Steelers and inventor of the "Terrible Towel", passed away at the age of 79.
To anyone who ever listened to the Steelers, Cope was the voice of the common fan in the broadcasting booth. He was not only a part of the broadcast team, but he was a true Steelers fan. When the team was doing well, his voice was ecstatic, when they were doing poorly, you could hear his disappointment over the air.
My first introduction to the work of Mr. Cope was through a friend during my sophomore year at Pitt. I was living in the dorms at the time and a friend of mine from next door came over during a Steelers game. I was watching the game and listening to the tv commentary when he looked at me and said, "What the hell are you doing?" My response was that I was watching the game. He told me, "Well, if your gonna watch, do it like a real Pittsburgher!" (He was from New Brighton, so close enough.) He then proceeded to have me turn down the sound on the tv and turn on the radio. That moment changed forever the way I watched the Steelers. The broadcast team at the time consisted of Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Merill Hoge (former Steelers RB) and, the inimitable Myron Cope. My first impression of Cope was "Who is this crazy guy?" I mean Cope was all over the place with "yoi" and "double yoi" and "mmha" and the like. Not being a native Pittsburgher, I figured some of the lingo was just obscure "Pittsburgh-ese", only later did I find out that it was "Cope-ese". Over time I went from regarding Cope as being slightly crazy to being someone I looked forward to listening to on a Sunday afternoon.
So, I will cut through the "gargonzola" and offer up a "double yoi" salute to a man who will be forever missed by the Steeler Nation. I would also like to offer my personal condolences to the family of Myron Cope. Farewell Myron, you will be most definitely missed.
I am Chuck and today I mourn.
Today brought sad news to this diehard Steelers fan. Today a Pittsburgh icon passed into the hereafter.
Myron Cope, the longtime color commentator of the Steelers and inventor of the "Terrible Towel", passed away at the age of 79.
To anyone who ever listened to the Steelers, Cope was the voice of the common fan in the broadcasting booth. He was not only a part of the broadcast team, but he was a true Steelers fan. When the team was doing well, his voice was ecstatic, when they were doing poorly, you could hear his disappointment over the air.
My first introduction to the work of Mr. Cope was through a friend during my sophomore year at Pitt. I was living in the dorms at the time and a friend of mine from next door came over during a Steelers game. I was watching the game and listening to the tv commentary when he looked at me and said, "What the hell are you doing?" My response was that I was watching the game. He told me, "Well, if your gonna watch, do it like a real Pittsburgher!" (He was from New Brighton, so close enough.) He then proceeded to have me turn down the sound on the tv and turn on the radio. That moment changed forever the way I watched the Steelers. The broadcast team at the time consisted of Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play), Merill Hoge (former Steelers RB) and, the inimitable Myron Cope. My first impression of Cope was "Who is this crazy guy?" I mean Cope was all over the place with "yoi" and "double yoi" and "mmha" and the like. Not being a native Pittsburgher, I figured some of the lingo was just obscure "Pittsburgh-ese", only later did I find out that it was "Cope-ese". Over time I went from regarding Cope as being slightly crazy to being someone I looked forward to listening to on a Sunday afternoon.
So, I will cut through the "gargonzola" and offer up a "double yoi" salute to a man who will be forever missed by the Steeler Nation. I would also like to offer my personal condolences to the family of Myron Cope. Farewell Myron, you will be most definitely missed.
I am Chuck and today I mourn.
posted by Chuck | 03:18
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