"Mayhrn" (one syllable) as he's know in The 'Burgh.
Myron Cope is a Pittsburgh sports institution (some would say he belongs in one). Each week during the NFL season, thousands of Stillers fans across Pennsylvania mute their television sets and turn on the radio, in order to hear the grandiose voice of this diminutive commentator (he stands only 5-foot-4), alongside Bill Hillgrove and Tunch Ilkin.
Cope began his career as a sportswriter for The Erie Daily Times, eventually moving on to The P-G, and freelancing for Sports Illustrated and The Saturday Evening Post. In the late '60s, he was offered a commentary position at WTAE radio. He was initially reluctant to do so, due to his rather unique voice. His voice, however, was just what WTAE was looking for ("Obnoxious voices are coming into style," he was told). His style was honed when, like a senile grandparent who can't figure out how little Suzie was able to fit into that telephone contraption, he began shouting into the microphone while on the air. The Peter Principle held true, though, and soon WTAE had him doing commentary for Steelers games. It was then that his natural talent truly began to blossom.(0)
In addition to The Ter'bil Tahl, Myron's contributions to sporting culture in The Burgh are vast. His trademark cry of "Yoi!" (or, if an exceptional situation warrants, "Double Yoi!" or on very rare occasions, "Triple Yoi!") is part of Pixburgh vernacular, as is "Hmm-hah!", "Okel-dokel!" and "That's not kosher!" In all fairness to the verbal prowess of this bastion of the broadcast booth, however, although it seemingly takes very little to excite him into a monosyllabic rage (like most Pixburgers), he's one of the very few sportscasters who can properly pronounce names like "Tunch" and "Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala". He's also coined nicknames for just about every other team in the NFL, such as the Dallas Cryboys, the Hated Raiders, the Cincinnati Bungles, and the Cleve Brownies to name a few.
He's also written an autobiography, entitled Double Yoi!.(1)
Footnotes and Bibliography:
Years of Stiller Fandom listening to the radio, and
(0) Collins, Mark: "Everyting is Cope-Aesthetic" http://www.univ-relations.pitt.edu/pittmag/sep96/copeh.html
(1) Double Yoi! is available from Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp
Updates:
- trainman says: Sometimes I wish e2 had audio capability. This is one of those times.
Well, here's an external link for all of yinz hungry for Copeisms: http://www.iencompass.com/subsites/myron/default.html - Sadly, on 21 June 2005, Myron announced his retirement from Broadcasting. Football will never be the same.