RIP Mr. Pittsburgh

Many are writing obits about William F. Buckley, who died yesterday at the age of 82. So rather than jump on that bandwagon, I thought I would bring to your attention the death of another icon...Myron Cope - a sports legend who died yesterday at the age of 79.

Myron Cope, colorful sports broadcaster and reporter whose Terrible Towel remains the banner of the Steelers nation, has died.
In declining health since even before his 2005 retirement after a record 35 years of Steelers broadcasts, Mr. Cope died this morning of respiratory failure at the Covenant at South Hills nursing home in Mt. Lebanon.

Myron (or Mahrn in Pittsburghese) was the voice of the Steelers for as long as I can remember. He was one of those classic sports and journalistic characters, like Irv Kupcinet and Harry Carey. The Logical Husband (who is a Pittsburgher) introduced me to the phenomenon that was Myron Cope when we were dating. If the weather was right, you could get the games on WTAE (which carried the Steelers games and was one of the original "clear channel" stations) in Chicago or St. Louis where we went to college. It took a little while for my Midwestern ears to completely get what Myron was saying, but that was half of his charm.

However, sports was not his only passion.

Then there was the bright black-and-gold swatch of terry cloth that Myron
christened The Terrible Towel, a lucky charm for the Steelers and a lifeline for
the Allegheny Valley School based in Robinson. He trademarked the name and
donated it so that royalties from the Towel and its spin-offs go to the private,
nonprofit agency that cares for children and adults with intellectual
developmental disabilities, including his son, Danny.

For that he earned a special place in the Logical Family's heart as the Logical Husband has two brothers who have developmental disabilities and we have seen his work up close and personally.

Ever the homer, Myron was Steeler black and yellow, through and through. He was Pittsburgh through and through and he will be greatly missed.