The one where we're in Cope's Cabana, sure we are
We're gonna talk about the Steelers game from A to Zanzibar
My parents weren't given to pronouncements. There was nothing we used to hear regularly around the house, no "Dad always said..." in my life. But there's one voice I recall vividly from my childhood, one iconic sound.
When I was growing up we'd regularly come home, my sister and I side-by-side in the back seat of dad's enormous '72 Impala, park in the garage, turn the engine off, and sit in the car listening to the end of Myron Cope's call-in sports talk show, the aptly titled Myron Cope On Sports.
Myron, pronounced "Mahrn", had let's say a distinct voice. He had that show for 20+ years, and for 35, starting before I was born and up until just a coupla years ago, he was the Steelers' radio color commentator. His was the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and of Pittsburgh. Half the people watching at home would turn the sound off on their sets to listen to him instead, and plenty, like my dad, even listened while watching in the stadium just to hear what Cope would have to say.
He was, says Wikipedia, "known for his distinctive, nasally voice, idiosyncratic speech pattern, a Pittsburgh Jewish accent and a level of excitement rarely exhibited in the broadcast booth." He's a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame (the only football commentator in there) and an award-winning print journalist. He invented the Terrible Towel (the first of the things-fans-can-wave gimmicks) and named Da Bus.
Anyway, Myron died today, and a not so little piece of me died with him.
For a sample, click PLAY on the radio I stole from the Radio Hall of Fame. If you like what you hear, there's plenty more sound bites at Arlin's page.
Full coverage from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is here.
Finally, like with all these other links, I can't watch the attached video (from last year, talking about the Towel) without getting chills. If you grew up with me or spent any significant time in Pittsburgh in the same era, I'm guessing you can't either.
I'll miss you, Mahrn,
sg
4 comments:
Lots (LOTS) of blog posts about Myron today. My favorite is from Just Sayin, and they even link to the same recording of Cope's ranting that I considered including.
I assume we'll have a get-together at the bar; I'll let you know if I hear anything.
You said it perfectly. A beautiful tribute!
"I've often thought that, when I kick the bucket, there'd be a story that said, 'Creator of towel, dead.' I would like to be remembered as a pretty decent writer.''
--Myron Cope,
Your blog on Myron was superb in every way, and I really appreciated your memories. You are awarded a triple Coponut. Love, Dad
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