Steelers HOF Announcer, Myron Cope, passes away

by cgolden on Feb 27, 2008 9:58 AM EST in News

Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope died this morning at a nursing home. Cope had been treated for respiratory problems and heart failure in recent months. He was 79 years old at the time of his death and today will be a day that all Steelers fan will remember.

One of the Greatest Steelers of all time, RIP Mr. Cope.

Cope, the creator of the "Terrible Towel", entertained and informed fans with his color-commentary on the Steelers Radio Network from 1970 until June 2005. There are many of us here, including myself, that were either too young or too far from Pittsburgh to hear his work outside of replays or highlights so feel free to use this thread to leave us with your memories of this Steeler legend.

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sad

Loved turning down the tv to listen to the cope. I was born in '74 so I don't remember alot of the glory years, but Myron could get you fired up. My all time favorite call was his in a game in 1997 when the Steelers came back to beat Baltimore and it was kicked off by a reverse that Will Blackwell ran back. Someone won season tix for life from that play and Cope was just going nuts.

by nerves of steel on Feb 27, 2008 10:26 AM EST reply actions

we must have heard the news about the same time

sad, sad news.

"You know who I want? William Wallace. That's who I'm looking for" - Bengals defensive line coach when asked who he was looking for in the draft

by cgolden on Feb 27, 2008 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

wow.

I can't even begin to think of what to say. So many of my Steeler memories include the sound of his voice. Very sad day. Its funny, after reading the article in the link, I remembered that my dad and I also used to turn down the TV announcers to listen to Myron. Man he was great. I think this quote from the Trib article tells it all...

'He blended a knowledge of the game with an endearing sense of self-deprecating humor, once quipping that his nasal voice "falls upon the public's ears like china crashing from shelves in an earthquake." '

by steelerark on Feb 27, 2008 10:57 AM EST reply actions

how weird,

william f buckley jr died today too. Two famous writers on the same day(although I guess Cope is only famous to some of us).

by steelerark on Feb 27, 2008 11:27 AM EST reply actions

Didn't know

That Buckley had died too. You can find out all kinds of things on this site.

by Ivan Cole (RickVa) on Feb 27, 2008 3:52 PM EST up reply actions

Cope

I was inducted into the Steeler Nation on 12/23/72. On that day a 9 year old kid had finished Basketball practice and huddled around a transistor radio with his teammates listening to Myron Cope and Jack Fleming describe the final minutes of a non televised playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders. The Immaculate Reception came into being on that Sunday.
I still get chills watching highlights of the 70's Steelers and hearing Myron say "The terrible towel is poised to strike...and so are the Steelers!"
RIP Myron Copelman. You were a major force in the birth of the Steeler Nation and in a small way this website and many friendships made.

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Feb 27, 2008 11:50 AM EST reply actions

cope

I haven't heard cope do a steeler game since the 80's, but my dad & i loved listening to him during the steeler heydays of the 70's, he was a great color commentator. he will sorely be missed

my heartfelt condolences go out to his family

STEELER NATION WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

RIP

by steelelmira on Feb 27, 2008 12:38 PM EST reply actions

I never heard

Cope broadcast a game, only highlights. Nonetheless he was an innovative broadcaster who was so unique, anyone who heard his voice just once knew who he was.

by Romain El 82 on Feb 27, 2008 1:13 PM EST reply actions

I remember

passing through Pittsburgh on a Sunday in October fifteen or so years ago. I was able to listen to Cope on the car radio for the first time in decades. It was a joy. There were certain media personalities that were one of kind individuals who helped define the culture of the city of Pittsburgh. Along with Cope there was Bob Prince, Rege Cordic (sorry about the spelling) and Bill Cardille (Chiller Theater). Their greatness muted by the fact that they plied their trade in what we now call a 'small market', the underlying assumption being that they must not be that good. But if you looked carefully there were clues that all these guys were really good. Chilly Billy will always be connected with George Romano's Night of the Living Dead and successor films. Rege got a gig in LA doing the same morning rush routine he did on KDKA. And a lot of people forget that Cope was a really great, nationally recognized writer. Cope and the others helped define the culture that is Pittsburgh and Steeler Nation.

Irreplaceable.

by Ivan Cole (RickVa) on Feb 27, 2008 4:16 PM EST reply actions

Need more like him

The irreverent and excitable broadcaster seems to be a shrinking breed. To me, these types of guys have always been part of the attraction of being a sports fan. Too bad he retired before our run to SB XL. I would have liked to hear him call the many signature plays during that run and re-create the 70's magic one last time.

by santhome on Feb 27, 2008 6:56 PM EST reply actions

Wish I had heard a broadcast

I never lived in Pittsburgh, so I never heard one of his broadcasts. I grew up in northwestern PA, in a town called Meadville. I did get to hear some of the highlights on the NFL network, but not as much as some of the rest of you.

That Youtube video was great though.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 29, 2008 5:01 PM EST reply actions

Cope was the Steelers version of Bob Prince

Don't know how many of you are past 50, but Myron was exactly like Prince. To a Pittsburgh fan he was enthusiastic, unique, innovative, bombastic and entertaining. If you were anti-Pittsburgh, you hated both for being a loud-mouthed homer.

You can't get those guys back. They threw away the mold.

by maryrose on Mar 1, 2008 2:00 PM EST reply actions