04/20/24
February 27, 2008
Steeler announcing great dies at 79: He was Pittsburgh's Harry Carry. You loved or hated him. Very rarely did he make sense but more times then not, you found youself turning down the TV and turning up the radio to hear Cope announce the game. He was a legend in Pittsburgh and he will not soon be forgotten. If you never heard him, you missed a great one. Pop open an Iron City at Cope's Cabana and drink to one of the greats.
"What a debacle!" As a Steeler fan living in Browns country the radio was sometimes the only way I could "watch" a Steelers game. Myron Cope was a trip to listen to. He was part of the Steelers history, so much so that when he retired, they chose not to replace him and downsized instead.
posted by steelergirl at 01:36 PM on February 27, 2008
steelergirl. we may be the only ones to comments on this one. That means we were the lucky ones.
posted by Debo270 at 01:44 PM on February 27, 2008
My wife grew up in Pittsburgh and love this guy. I have to say, after hearing that voice through her ears, I grew to like him a bit myself. I'll take a guy like Cope over so many of the robots we now find in the booth. He didn't come from a cookie cutter and I think the sports announcing landscape will continue to go downhill without unique personalities and voices like Cope's. RIP, Mr. Cope.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 02:25 PM on February 27, 2008
The sad thing is I can't imagine someone with a voice like that ever getting hired in the future. We're losing all those idiosyncratic, regional sounds to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting zombies.
posted by yerfatma at 02:52 PM on February 27, 2008
As a steeler fan i cant help but feel the francise will live on but it will surely lose part of its identity with his loss he truely was a great announcer and he made steeler football a trip 2 listen 2
posted by Scorpia184 at 03:02 PM on February 27, 2008
Welcome to sportsfilter Scorpia184. We require at least the most basic of punctuation so we can easily read your comments. Thanks.
posted by justgary at 03:07 PM on February 27, 2008
All I had ever heard of Mr. Cope's work was the occasional voice-over during an NFL Films presentation of a Steelers' game. My impression of him was that he was completely nuts, but had a gift for turning a phrase. The article explains it all; he was a sportswriter before he became a broadcaster. I wish I had had the opportunity to hear more of his work. You Steelers fans have lost a good one.
posted by Howard_T at 03:19 PM on February 27, 2008
One year heading into the playoffs (against Denver) he debuted his singing career with "Deck the Broncos, They're Just Yonkos": I believe he forgot the lyrics to the second line which became "A gah gah gah gah, gah gah gah gah!" Priceless and loved by all who love the Black and Gold. "This is Myron Cope...on sports."
posted by gak27 at 05:52 PM on February 27, 2008
The sad thing is I can't imagine someone with a voice like that ever getting hired in the future. We're losing all those idiosyncratic, regional sounds to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting zombies. Truer words.... For those not so much in the know, there have been quite a few tributes uploaded to YouTube today. Click here and watch.
posted by Ufez Jones at 06:27 PM on February 27, 2008
The Terrible Towels will be flying at half-staff.
posted by Zelmo Beatty at 09:18 PM on February 27, 2008
The sad thing is I can't imagine someone with a voice like that ever getting hired in the future. We're losing all those idiosyncratic, regional sounds to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting zombies. posted by yerfatma at 2:52 PM CST on February 27 You hit the nail on the head, ma! And it isn't just voice, it is whether they are marketable, and on TV looks play a somewhat important part. It is all homogenized, bland, god forbid you should say something original pablum nowdays. I miss Howard Cosell. (I know, he was TV, not radio, but you know what I mean.)
posted by steelergirl at 10:00 PM on February 27, 2008
We'll miss ya Myron. What a shame, he defined Steelers broadcasts for so long. I will never forget "this is Myron Cope on sports."
posted by Steel_Town at 08:41 AM on February 28, 2008
posted by justgary at 11:10 AM on February 28, 2008
Thanks for the links Gary. and sorry for the double post. Not sure how I missed it.
posted by scully at 12:05 PM on February 28, 2008
great links to his website with lots of funny sound clips
posted by Debo270 at 01:14 PM on February 28, 2008
Thanks, Debo, for the link to the sound clips. I'm at work, so I could catch only a few, but it was enough to arouse the attention of the Fun Police, as I couldn't stop laughing at some of the Macaw clips. Now I am really bummed that I could not listen to him on a regular basis.
posted by Howard_T at 01:46 PM on February 28, 2008
Yes, Debo, I was hoping someone could link to some sound clips. Thank you. Howard, you did miss a great announcer. I have never heard anyone call a game the way he would. And you got to hear some commercials with him in them too on the breaks. A double dose of Myron! Yoi!
posted by steelergirl at 09:47 PM on February 28, 2008
I used to listen to Cope quite some time ago when my sister went to college in western Pennsylvania. We'd be driving home from visits on Sunday afternoons and would have the Steelers coming in loud and clear. The guy was a classic, and announcers like him will be missed, especiallyl with the movement to generic, plastic voices and personalities on broadcasts these days.
posted by dyams at 07:35 AM on February 29, 2008
If you never got to hear him announce a game, you missed a truely entertaining personality. The city of Pittsburgh lost a legend today. Rest in Peace Yoi and double Yoi