Yoi! and Double Yoi!

Pittsburgh lost its best friend yesterday when Myron Cope, the outlandish voice of the Steelers passed away at the age of 79. The Steelers played many a dull game over Cope's 35 year career in the booth, but you'd never know it from listening to his broadcasts. Myron could make paint drying sound exciting.

I never got to meet Myron, but I felt like I knew him from way back. That was his style--invite the fans into his own little world, tell it like it is, and have a lot of fun doing it. He was, to say the least, outlandish, and to fans from other NFL teams, he was sometimes misunderstood, and, yes, disliked. But who cares about dem other towns, Myron belonged to us, and while he could be zany, he knew the game of football, and he knew the Steelers inside and out. But for as good a journalist and broadcaster as he was, I'll remember him for his zany antics the most.

I remember hearing the story about Steelers linebacker Andy Russell's 30th birthday. They wheeled in a huge box, and Myron popped out, looked at Russel, and in that squawky voice of his he hollered, 'kiss me, you fool.'

How many times do I remember Myron referring to the Bengals as the Bungles, and the Cleveland Browns as the Brownies? Too many to count.

At one point there was a college drinking game played during Steelers broadcasts. Every time Myron said 'yoi.' the participants would drink. Myron made mention of the game during a broadcast and said, 'To those drinking when I say yoi...yoi, yoi, yoi, yoi, double yoi. yoi.' Somewhere along the way, the powers that be supposedly asked Myron not to engage in this game. Afterwards, Myron announcemed on the air that he could not say a certain word because people in the city were using it as an excuse to get drunk. Not long afterwards, the Steelers had a big play at the end of the game to win and Myron said, 'I don't care who gets drunk! Yoi and double yoi!'

The voice of my beloved Steelers for 35 years, Cope gave name to Franco Harris' game ending catch against Oakland in the 1972 playoffs..'the Immaculate Recption.' He was also responsible for the creation of the Terrible Towel...of which, I have two.


While Myron will be missed, I don't think he'd want us to mourn. Myron loved life and had little time for those who didn't. Maybe we should all go down to Heniz Field and have a wake. Or better yet, a tailgate party. Count me in.





Bye, now.

Wordless Wednesday

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My First Dog

In the summer of 1965 Tippy came to live with me. He was part toy collie, part clydsdale. He was never a large animal, but he was strong. After I'd had him for a couple of months Dad had to put a calf halter on him so I could walk him. Otherwise I'd get drug all over the yard. By the fall of '65 he could pull my Radio Flyer...with me in it.

Here we are right after Mom and Dad gave him to me. I'm trying to keep him from eating my banana pop-sicle.

This is us about a month later. I'm giving him a ride in my Radio Flyer. A couple of months later the tables would be turned. You can tell he's grown. When he was a puppy, Mom said he looked like a little butterball.

Here we are in the spring of '66. Look at size of his feet! By this time it was impossible to win a wrestling match with him.

What a pooch. What a pal!

What R U Reading?

I was going through my comments from last weeks Wordless Wednesday and commenting on other bloggers offerings when I came across Bold & Free.

The post was one of those, that if you read it, you're tagged. I kinda sorta brush those off, but this one was different, so I decided to play along. Here's the Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people.



I’m reading Football Shorts; 1001 of the Game's Funniest One-liners, by Glenn Liebman.

"I hear Elvis is living now in Michigan or Minnesota. Well, we'd like him to come and be on our bench. We don't care how much he weighs."
Former Houston Oilers coach, Jerry Glanville, on leaving tickets for Elvis before a 1988 exibition game in Memphis.

I'm tagging: Goody Two Shoes, the Gremlin Wrangler, Suzy's Bloomers, Skippy, & cj from Random Thoughts. They're all over on my favorite links. Give them a look sometime.

The Difference Between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts

It was 20 degrees and the snow was six inches deep in places. Go figure.

The Boy Scouts motto: Be Prepaired.
The Girl Scouts motto: It's better to look good than feel good.

I can't wait to hear Goody Two Shoes response to this post. (Stifled giggling)

Wordless Wednesday

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Skippy Turns 26

Oh, do I feel old and decrepid. My oldest turns 26 today. To pay him back for making me feel old I will use this space to embarass him a little. Here we go....

Wearing his mother's hat.

With his first fish.

Wearing my sunglasses.

With his buds, Chris and Joey in Georgetown.

Trying to wake up.

And lastly.... This is what a college education gets you.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SKIPPY