The Passing of a Pittsburgh Legend
Category Tribute
It is with a heavy heart today that I sit here and write about the passing of a beloved Pittsburgh legend, Myron Cope. For anyone who hasn't heard of this wonderful man, I'll try to explain.
Myron Cope was the color commentator for the Steelers for decades, on radio and TV. The man had passion for his team. He would shout and scream and yell during the game, and it was a blast to hear. He started during the glory years in the '70s and continued until he retired in 2005. I am not the only person in Pittsburgh, or the world for that matter (just ask Dec) that would watch the game on TV with the sound turned down and turn up the radio just to listen to Myron. One of the greatest things to me about the invention of the internet was having the ability to listen to Myron on a Pittsburgh radio station via the internet for Steelers football no matter where in the world I was living. He always, always made me smile.
Myron did a lot of the corniest, cheesiest commercials you have EVER seen on television. They were too funny to watch, and what made them so great was you could tell Mryon was having a ball doing them. He sang, he danced, did stunts. Hysterical! Do a google search for him. You won't be disappointed. There are also some great tributes on youtube.
Do you know the terrible towel? That yellow towel (black and gold) that Steeler fans wave around? The one you either love or hate? Yep, that was created by Mryon Cope. He was smart enough to patent the idea and all proceeds for the sales goes to the Allegheny Valley School for children and adults with mental retardation. So, he gave a lot to the community. Myron also coined the name for the Immaculate Reception. Anyone who has followed football for a few years knows what that is. He was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame by winnng the 2005 Rozelle award. His article on Howard Cosell was included in Sport's Illustrated 50th anniversary magazine as one of the 50 best articles written. His article on Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) won him the E.P. Dutton prize for "Best Magazine Sportswriting in the Nation". He was the only American football commentor to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Myron was a real character. If you heard him speak just once you would have thought that his voice was the most irritating thing you ever heard. High-pitched, screechy, so "Pittsburgh" he was almost non-understandable. But my, if you listened to him after awhile you grew to love him. He created lots of terms that you won't hear around the country. Yoi, double-yoi, hum-hah, okel-dokel, garganzola, Cleve Brownies, Cinci Bungles. He gave the Bus his name. Slash too.
And sadly, I went to CNN online just to see if he was mentioned. I thought, passing of a legend, etc., he would get some sort of reference. Instead, in the sports section they have "Watch a swimsuit model get her body painted". Myron would have laughed his ass off on that one....
Mryon, the Terrible Towel is waving at half-mast for you today. You'll be missed.
It is with a heavy heart today that I sit here and write about the passing of a beloved Pittsburgh legend, Myron Cope. For anyone who hasn't heard of this wonderful man, I'll try to explain.
Myron Cope was the color commentator for the Steelers for decades, on radio and TV. The man had passion for his team. He would shout and scream and yell during the game, and it was a blast to hear. He started during the glory years in the '70s and continued until he retired in 2005. I am not the only person in Pittsburgh, or the world for that matter (just ask Dec) that would watch the game on TV with the sound turned down and turn up the radio just to listen to Myron. One of the greatest things to me about the invention of the internet was having the ability to listen to Myron on a Pittsburgh radio station via the internet for Steelers football no matter where in the world I was living. He always, always made me smile.
Myron did a lot of the corniest, cheesiest commercials you have EVER seen on television. They were too funny to watch, and what made them so great was you could tell Mryon was having a ball doing them. He sang, he danced, did stunts. Hysterical! Do a google search for him. You won't be disappointed. There are also some great tributes on youtube.
Do you know the terrible towel? That yellow towel (black and gold) that Steeler fans wave around? The one you either love or hate? Yep, that was created by Mryon Cope. He was smart enough to patent the idea and all proceeds for the sales goes to the Allegheny Valley School for children and adults with mental retardation. So, he gave a lot to the community. Myron also coined the name for the Immaculate Reception. Anyone who has followed football for a few years knows what that is. He was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame by winnng the 2005 Rozelle award. His article on Howard Cosell was included in Sport's Illustrated 50th anniversary magazine as one of the 50 best articles written. His article on Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) won him the E.P. Dutton prize for "Best Magazine Sportswriting in the Nation". He was the only American football commentor to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Myron was a real character. If you heard him speak just once you would have thought that his voice was the most irritating thing you ever heard. High-pitched, screechy, so "Pittsburgh" he was almost non-understandable. But my, if you listened to him after awhile you grew to love him. He created lots of terms that you won't hear around the country. Yoi, double-yoi, hum-hah, okel-dokel, garganzola, Cleve Brownies, Cinci Bungles. He gave the Bus his name. Slash too.
And sadly, I went to CNN online just to see if he was mentioned. I thought, passing of a legend, etc., he would get some sort of reference. Instead, in the sports section they have "Watch a swimsuit model get her body painted". Myron would have laughed his ass off on that one....
Mryon, the Terrible Towel is waving at half-mast for you today. You'll be missed.
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