One thing I think I think

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...mmqb/index.html

 

I think one of the sad things about yesterday was legendary Pittsburgh broadcaster Myron Cope leaving his booth at halftime of Steelers-Eagles with two paramedics trailing him. Cope, one of the best color men in any sport --  ever -- felt ill during the first half and couldn't continue. He had offseason throat surgery and has been fighting to regain his strength. Pittsburgh is one of several press boxes where I listen to the radio during the game. No radio team is better.

 

Unless something has changed since we played the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs all those years ago, the Steelers radio booth is one of the least objective bunch of homers in the league. And Cope was unlistenable even before any throat surgery.

 

I'm always sad to hear of someone in physical distress, but best color men in any sport ever?!?!?!?! No.

 

Of course, he makes up for this with his bang-on evaluation of Willis:

Willis McGahee is really good.

[Like A Mofo]

I agree Jay, maybe he says that because the color guy for the Steelers sounds like a nutjob

[Alaska Darin]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...mmqb/index.html

Unless something has changed since we played the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs all those years ago, the Steelers radio booth is one of the least objective bunch of homers in the league.  And Cope was unlistenable even before any throat surgery.

 

I'm always sad to hear of someone in physical distress, but best color men in any sport ever?!?!?!?!  No.

 

Of course, he makes up for this with his bang-on evaluation of Willis:

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Donahoe shouldn't have drafted Willis. We already had Travis Henry. [/sarcasm]

 

I haven't heard Cope in years ( :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: NFL for making internet radio a fee service) but I liked listening to him when I was a kid. As a former color commentator, I empathize with team announcers because they aren't paid to be objective - their listeners are generally fans of the team. Of course, there is a fine line.

[Like A Mofo]

Donahoe shouldn't have drafted Willis.  We already had Travis Henry.  [/sarcasm]

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I agree.....look how Peerless Price is tearing things up in Hotlanta too!!!!

 

 

TD you are a big pile of stevestojan!!! Willis was only the best RB in College when he was drafted!??!!? What a bafoon!!!

[theesir]

I have to disagree about Myron Cope. I lived in Pitsburgh in the early 90s when I went to Grad school and it did not take me long to really enjoy listening to Cope. Does he have a "unique" voice....YES, but he is Pittsburgh. If I was ever going to have to live in another NFL city it would be the 'Burgh. They are as crazy for (if not more so) than we are about the Bills.

Cope is a classic.

[MikeG]

i live in the pittsburgh area and "Stiller Radio" is HORRIBLE!!!!! I don't know what he is smoking, they aren't objective at ALL and Cope is HORRIBLE and talks about nothing at all, once he may have been good, but now they barely let him speak because he's so off the wall . he gets names wrong, teams wrong, down and distance wrong... everything, you can tell the other two guys are annoyed with him, they sometimes ignore his comments all together. I'd rather stick a pencil in both my eyes and ears before I listen to an entire game of them.

 

If they play at a different time than the Bills, sometimes I will have to go somewhere in my car and I listen to them and I just can't stand it.

[MikeG]

BUT, I do hope he is ok. I don't wish ill on the man. Good Luck Mr. Cope!

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

I haven't heard Cope in years ( :I starred in Brokeback Mountain:  NFL for making internet radio a fee service) but I liked listening to him when I was a kid.  As a former color commentator, I empathize with team announcers because they aren't paid to be objective - their listeners are generally fans of the team.  Of course, there is a fine line.

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Actually I love the fact that Van Miller was the most objective guy out there. It's what made him one of the best. When I watch Inside The NFL (which is rare the last couple of years) I hate hearing radio teams that openly root for "their" team or actually cheer.

[theesir]

i live in the pittsburgh area and "Stiller Radio" is HORRIBLE!!!!!  I don't know what he is smoking, they aren't objective at ALL and Cope is HORRIBLE and talks about nothing at all, once he may have been good, but now they barely let him speak because he's so off the wall .  he gets names wrong, teams wrong, down and distance wrong... everything, you can tell the other two guys are annoyed with him, they sometimes ignore his comments all together.  I'd rather stick a pencil in both my eyes and ears before I listen to an entire game of them. 

 

If they play at a different time than the Bills, sometimes I will have to go somewhere in my car and I listen to them and I just can't stand it.

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I can only base my knowledge of Cope on 90-94. Considering it is now 10 years later and he is really getting up there in age, I can understand that he may be a shell of his former self.

[Ned Flanders]

When I watch Inside The NFL (which is rare the last couple of years) I hate hearing radio teams that openly root for "their" team or actually cheer.

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And the absolute worst, as I've said many times, is Jim "ALL RIGHT MI-A-MI!!!!!!!" Mandich.

 

Like teeth down a blackboard....

[Alaska Darin]

Actually I love the fact that Van Miller was the most objective guy out there.  It's what made him one of the best.  When I watch Inside The NFL (which is rare the last couple of years) I hate hearing radio teams that openly root for "their" team or actually cheer.

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Like I said, there's a fine line. The excuse making is what bother's me, as is the blaming of the officiating EVERYTIME the team loses. I actually used to keep a tally sheet of penalties I disagreed with against each team in the games I did. That kept me from going overboard at the end of the game (unless it was skewed ALOT).

 

It's pretty difficult to travel with the team, hang out with them, etc, then rip the crap out of them when they play poorly.

 

Plus, to each their own. I listen to more baseball and hockey than football. Rick Jeanerrette and Rick Peckham were the guys I grew up with. They are the gold standard. The Yankees also had terrific tandems in the booth when I was a kid.

[ndmanley]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...mmqb/index.html

Unless something has changed since we played the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs all those years ago, the Steelers radio booth is one of the least objective bunch of homers in the league.  And Cope was unlistenable even before any throat surgery.

 

I'm always sad to hear of someone in physical distress, but best color men in any sport ever?!?!?!?!  No.

 

Of course, he makes up for this with his bang-on evaluation of Willis:

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The great thing about local radio guys is they are NOT objective. Cope is an institution just like Van was for us.

 

Do you think Jenneret has a great voice? If you were to listen to him as an objective person, you would think he is insane. But he is great to listen to because he openly roots for the Sabres.

[TheMadCap]

Is that the guy who sounds like he's bombed out drunk???

[The Avenger]

Sad to hear that Cope isn't doing well.

 

I was just introduced to his unique style last weekend. While listening to Sirius I decided to listen to the Steelers broadcast rather than the Pats broadcast (I'm local to Boston and Gil and Geno are the worst radio guys!). So I tune in and I hear Cope and I think he must be doing some kind of fake voice for Halloween - nobody can possibly talk like that. Sounded like Burgess Meredith's character in Rocky - I kept waiting for him to scream "Come on, Rock - get up!" but he never did. It soon hit me that this was his real voice - unbelievable!

 

I guess Cope is an acquired taste and one that you'd love if Pittsburgh was your home.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

I have to disagree, the absolute BIGGEST homer is Merrill Reese in Philadelphia.

 

Either him or that dude that does the Titan games.

[todd]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...mmqb/index.html

Unless something has changed since we played the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the playoffs all those years ago, the Steelers radio booth is one of the least objective bunch of homers in the league.  And Cope was unlistenable even before any throat surgery.

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This pissed me off:

 

4. New York Jets (6-2). Mulligan.

 

Mulligan? Mulligans are illegal. Not only that, we kicked their ass. It wasn't a bad game by the Jets, it was a good game by the Bills.

[Kelly the Dog]

I have to disagree, the absolute BIGGEST homer is Merrill Reese in Philadelphia.

 

Either him or that dude that does the Titan games.

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Never heard him but I agree with Mandich as being the worst, he is the worst color man I have ever heard anywhere in any sport. He has a terrible voice, a terrible homer, wrong all the time, unreasonable, unlistenable and downright KzooMike.

[Kelly the Dog]

Like I said, there's a fine line.  The excuse making is what bother's me, as is the blaming of the officiating EVERYTIME the team loses.  I actually used to keep a tally sheet of penalties I disagreed with against each team in the games I did.  That kept me from going overboard at the end of the game (unless it was skewed ALOT).

 

It's pretty difficult to travel with the team, hang out with them, etc, then rip the crap out of them when they play poorly. 

 

Plus, to each their own.  I listen to more baseball and hockey than football.  Rick Jeanerrette and Rick Peckham were the guys I grew up with.  They are the gold standard.  The Yankees also had terrific tandems in the booth when I was a kid.

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Jeanerrette is the best announcer that I ever heard for the simple joy and fun of listening to the game. Now, if you want details, Rick is not your man. And, of course, he has a tendency to lie about what is really happening in the games. It was often hysterical to listen to him do a game but see it on TV on another station.

[Kelly the Dog]

Actually I love the fact that Van Miller was the most objective guy out there.  It's what made him one of the best.  When I watch Inside The NFL (which is rare the last couple of years) I hate hearing radio teams that openly root for "their" team or actually cheer.

107866[/snapback]

I agree that Van was very objective for a home town team but in fairness, the teams themselves often decide how much they wish for their announcers to be homers or straight-laced, and it is much, much easier to be objective as a play by play man than as a color man.

[Alaska Darin]

Jeanerrette is the best announcer that I ever heard for the simple joy and fun of listening to the game. Now, if you want details, Rick is not your man. And, of course, he has a tendency to lie about what is really happening in the games. It was often hysterical to listen to him do a game but see it on TV on another station.

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And therein lies the reason I like him so much. Too many of these guys today are overly serious about a GAME. Jeanerrette obviously loves what he does. I was harping on how good he was one night on the air. So much so that my broadcast partner came over to listen to a game with me over the internet. He couldn't believe how excited RJ was broadcasting a midseason game against the Bluejackets.

 

It changed our broadcast a little, to be honest.