Myron Cope
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Myron Cope (born January 23, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), whose given name is Myron Sydney Kopelman, is an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sports broadcaster.
He was a color commentator for the Pittsburgh Steelers' radio broadcasts for 35 years. He is known for his nasal voice and a level of excitement rarely exhibited in the broadcast booth. To this point, Cope is the only American football commentator to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Cope's autobiography Double Yoi was published in 2002.
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[edit] Education and early career
A Pittsburgh native, he graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and the University of Pittsburgh. He was originally a journalist before becoming a broadcaster. His first job was in Erie, Pennsylvania with the Daily Times. Cope then became a freelance journalist, most notably for Sports Illustrated. Cope’s profile of Howard Cosell was selected by Sports Illustrated during its 50th Anniversary as one of the 50 best pieces ever published in the magazine.
[edit] Steelers broadcasting
In the late 1960s, Cope was being heard on the radio in Pittsburgh. His unique nasal voice, with a distinctive Pittsburgh area accent, was noticed by the Steelers' brass. He was made a member of the Steelers' radio team in 1970. As the Steelers won the Super Bowl four times, Cope gained a measure of fame.
Like other sports announcers in Pittsburgh, particularly the late Pirates announcer Bob Prince, Cope has a repertoire of unique catchphrases employed in his broadcasts such as "Mmm-Hah!" and "Okel Dokel" (his version of "okey dokey"). Cope often uses Yiddish expressions, especially "Feh!" and "Yoi!" (sometimes multiplied as "Double Yoi" or "Triple Yoi").
In keeping with his comic personality, a series of television commentaries on WTAE TV saw Cope calling himself "Doctor Cope" and wearing a white lab coat while pretending to examine the opposing team's strengths and weaknesses through a microscope he called "the Cope-ra-scope".
[edit] Nicknames for players and teams
Cope has also created nicknames for key players. It was Cope who popularized "The Bus" as a nickname for former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis (the nickname was originally given to Bettis in college), and he gave Kordell Stewart the nickname "Slash". Cope's style was an important influence on Pittsburgh Penguins announcer Mike Lange and ESPN commentator Chris Berman.[citation needed]
Cope used a wide range of nicknames for other teams including "Birdies" (Baltimore Ravens), "Bungles" (Cincinnati Bengals), "Cleve Sandlotters" and "Cleve Brownies" (Cleveland Browns), "Chi Bears" (Chicago Bears), "Mini Vikes" (Minnesota Vikings) and "Redfaces" (Washington Redskins).
[edit] Terrible Towel
Myron Cope also invented "The Terrible Towel". Needing a way to excite the fans during a 1975 playoff football game against the Baltimore Colts, Cope urged fans to take yellow dish towels to the game and wave them throughout.
[edit] Retirement
Cope announced his retirement from broadcasting on June 21, 2005, citing his recent health concerns. His retirement was major news in the entire Pittsburgh area. On June 28, 2005, it was announced Cope would receive the Pete Rozelle Award for long time exceptional contributions to pro football in television and radio.
On October 31, 2005, Cope was honored for his lifetime accomplishments at halftime of the contest between the Steelers and the Ravens. In addition, the Steelers produced a special "Terrible Towel" with his familiar expressions printed and were twirled by fans before the game.
He is a member of Rolling Hills Country Club, south of Pittsburgh, where he can frequently be seen at his regular table in the dining room.
[edit] Further reading
- Double Yoi (ISBN 1-58261-548-9) (autobiography)
[edit] External links
- Myron Cope at the Radio Hall of Fame
- Fan site with a collection of Myron Cope soundbites
- "Everything is Cope-Aesthetic" - Article from Pitt Magazine
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Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1929 births | American radio personalities | Sportspeople from Pittsburgh | National Football League announcers | Pittsburgh Steelers | Living people | Jewish American journalists | University of Pittsburgh alumni
