Should Myron return to the booth for Super Bowl XL?

[Mrmusic]

Re: See where you are coming from-

> If that's the case, good.
>
> I just am very upset with the constant "If it's Pittsburgh
> it's crap" mentality some people have- and I'm sure you can
> appriciate and probably back someone who wishes to fight
> that mentality.
>
> When you start saying "Myron Cope is a bad luck charm" it
> has the feel of someone going down that road.

Yes, I don't like when people bash my great city (of which I thought was great even when the Steelers weren't winning) But, my comment on Myron was not bashing the Pittsburgh mentality. That was not my intent. I told you he laughed at the statement.

Even, so, I dont' think that is Pittsburgh bashing anyhow. Here's the obvious thing, there is a lot Pittsburgh pride right now. Yes, Myron was a part of the 70's Superbowl years, but he knows he's in no shape to broadcast and he knows it is a new era. Let the 70's be the 70's. Let the new generation enjoy and bask in the Steelers and the Steeler broadcasting team of today. These guys deserve their own identity and congratulations on their merit and hard work. They should be celebrated and the focus. Instead, people are dragging out the 70's Steelers and great, they won way back when,but, didn't they get their kudos back then?


> It's obviously Myron's call and if his health or fire or
> whatever doesn't want him to do it- IF that is the case-
> then that's the end of the discussion.

That's the case. That's the end of this discussion because I alot of you have only speculation. I told you what he said and knows that he is unable to do another broadcast.

> But what a wonderful thing for a broadcaster to be so loved
> that people would so emphatically want him back for another
> chuckle and smile!

And, as we stated, it would only be appropriate to give Myron the mic for a few at the Steelers Superbowl win party for the city.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Lighten up!

The Super Bowl is the most important football game of the year, but the radio broadcast of it is not the most important broadcast of the year.

Face it, we're talking about a radio broadcast that will, for the most part, be heard by those who turn down the TV sound and listen to WDVE while they watch the game on TV. When I'm sitting in my chair at home, eating nachos and drinking large quantities of beer, I'm gonna be whooping and hollering along with everyone else in the room. This is going to be one of the biggest mass parties going. I don't care if I hear the most poised and polished commentary about the game. I want to hear my friends having as much fun calling the game as I'm having watching it. If I want poised and polished commentary, I'll listen to whoever the TV network has calling the game.

Many friends and family members will be with me as we watch the game together. Like it or not, most of us Steeler fans regard Hillgrove, Tunch, and Wolfley as our friends, which is why we turn down the TV sound and listen to them instead. And no matter how old or weak Myron sounds, if he feels up to it, then I'd love hearing his "Yoi's" and "Double Yoi's".

Football, especially Steeler Football, is more than just a game. It's a social ritual. It's a public ceremony. It's not like watching Dick Clark's performance on New Year's Eve. Dick Clark isn't one of us. He's a celebrity. Myron Cope is one of us. Though I have met him, even Steeler fans who've never met him regard Myron Cope as much more than a mere broadcaster. Myron Cope is one of the leading citizens of the Steeler Nation.

If it was about skilled broadcasting excellence, Myron would have never been in the booth for a single Steeler game. His sterling and insightful prose would have been printed in the newspaper the next day, but he'd have never been put on the radio for his skills as a broadcaster. He got on the radio despite his skills as a broadcaster. Whether he's in the booth or not, I believe he'll still be yelling and stuttering, and going "Hum Ha" and just being Myron. And I think the game will be a lot more fun being able to hear him lead the cheers for the Steelers, regardless of how he sounds.

Sometimes, you just have to look at things from the perspective of the listeners, or in this case, the proud citizens of the Steeler Nation, not as a broadcaster.

> I didn't miss it, it just doesn't matter if he feels up to
> it or not. Dick Clark felt up to doing New Years Eve, and
> that was embarassing for him and for those that wanted him
> back on the air.
>
> To mess with the most important broacast of the year so some
> people can feel good and remember how things used to be and
> ingore the simple fact that the quality of Myron's work has
> slipped is to ignore reality. Let it go already.
>

 

[Mrmusic]

Re: Something new

> I don't think that one has anything to do with the other.
>
> There has already been change in the Steelers booth. Myron
> isn't there.
>
> Now, should we just wait for him to die? Is that productive?
>
>
> Why not a bit of a commentary next season from Myron Cope,
> if he wants to do it?
>
> The man has written about Ernie Nevers, for crying out loud!
> Such a person could provide insightful and colorful
> commentary- the comparison of eras- etc. in a way that would
> attract both young and old listeners alike with his humor.
>
> To me, that's positive change that makes everyone happy.
>
> Or would you rather hear that really funny "Week in Sports"
> by Scott Paulsen or Ellis Cannon speaking God knows what
> language on the pregame?

What's wrong with the pregame that they have on now?

As we stated above, Myron is is no shape to return to work,even a commentary. What you and I may consider non-exhausting, due to Myron's health, it is just not an option. Let's face the fact. No more Myron. I seem to remember the hoopla on TV when he RETIRED. He's happy now. Let's let him be.

What I'd like to hear (and I realize that CC doesn't do stuff with KD, that's a conflict of interest), but Pompeani and Edmund Nelson are extremely good. Certainly wouldn't mind hearing them.

 

[Mrmusic]

Re: Lighten up!

> The Super Bowl is the most important football game of the
> year, but the radio broadcast of it is not the most
> important broadcast of the year.
>
> Face it, we're talking about a radio broadcast that will,
> for the most part, be heard by those who turn down the TV
> sound and listen to WDVE while they watch the game on TV.
> When I'm sitting in my chair at home, eating nachos and
> drinking large quantities of beer, I'm gonna be whooping and
> hollering along with everyone else in the room. This is
> going to be one of the biggest mass parties going. I don't
> care if I hear the most poised and polished commentary about
> the game. I want to hear my friends having as much fun
> calling the game as I'm having watching it. If I want poised
> and polished commentary, I'll listen to whoever the TV
> network has calling the game.
>
> Many friends and family members will be with me as we watch
> the game together. Like it or not, most of us Steeler fans
> regard Hillgrove, Tunch, and Wolfley as our friends, which
> is why we turn down the TV sound and listen to them instead.
> And no matter how old or weak Myron sounds, if he feels up
> to it, then I'd love hearing his "Yoi's" and "Double Yoi's".
>
>
> Football, especially Steeler Football, is more than just a
> game. It's a social ritual. It's a public ceremony. It's not
> like watching Dick Clark's performance on New Year's Eve.
> Dick Clark isn't one of us. He's a celebrity. Myron Cope is
> one of us. Though I have met him, even Steeler fans who've
> never met him regard Myron Cope as much more than a mere
> broadcaster. Myron Cope is one of the leading citizens of
> the Steeler Nation.
>
> If it was about skilled broadcasting excellence, Myron would
> have never been in the booth for a single Steeler game. His
> sterling and insightful prose would have been printed in the
> newspaper the next day, but he'd have never been put on the
> radio for his skills as a broadcaster. He got on the radio
> despite his skills as a broadcaster. Whether he's in the
> booth or not, I believe he'll still be yelling and
> stuttering, and going "Hum Ha" and just being Myron. And I
> think the game will be a lot more fun being able to hear him
> lead the cheers for the Steelers, regardless of how he
> sounds.
>
> Sometimes, you just have to look at things from the
> perspective of the listeners, or in this case, the proud
> citizens of the Steeler Nation, not as a broadcaster.
>
I am a proud citizen of Steeler Nation and I believe Myron needs to be OUT of that broadcast booth. See my above posts for why.

Here's an idea. Why don't you invite Myron to your Superbowl party? You can have him in your very own living room, eating nachos with you. What a great thing to have the leading citizen of Steeler Nation sitting right next to you! Wow!

Once again, let's root on the Steelers of today and the Steeler Network Broadcast team of TODAY.

Mr. Music


ps. by the way, people were comparing Myron to Dick Clark's performance because Dick (God Bless him that he got better) was not the Dick Clark pre-stroke/healthy Dick Clark. Myron is in that same boat. He's not the healthy broadcaster he once was.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Re: Lighten up!

> Here's an idea. Why don't you invite Myron to your
> Superbowl party? You can have him in your very own living
> room, eating nachos with you. What a great thing to have
> the leading citizen of Steeler Nation sitting right next to
> you! Wow!

I don't know him that well.

> Once again, let's root on the Steelers of today and the
> Steeler Network Broadcast team of TODAY.

I didn't realize that there were cut-off points. I've been a member of Steeler Nation since the late 1960's continuously until today. To me, it's all just one big black and gold continuum. Being a Steeler is like being a US Marine. There's no such thing as an ex-Marine. There are just Marines who are no longer on active duty. There are also no ex-Steelers, just Steelers who aren't active any more.

Except for Kordell Stewart and Plexico Burress, but that's not a radio discussion.

> ps. by the way, people were comparing Myron to Dick Clark's
> performance because Dick (God Bless him that he got better)
> was not the Dick Clark pre-stroke/healthy Dick Clark. Myron
> is in that same boat. He's not the healthy broadcaster he
> once was.

Like I said in the first place, if Cope doesn't want to do it or doesn't feel up to it, then I'd be the last person to suggest he should be cajoled or pressured into doing something he doesn't want to do. If he doesn't do it, then I'll feel a little bit sad for a very brief moment, just as I feel a little bit sad that Art Rooney is no longer around to watch the games, or that Mike Webster and Terry Long aren't around any more.

 

[toddjammin]

Re: Something new

> > I don't think that one has anything to do with the other.
>
> >
> > There has already been change in the Steelers booth. Myron
>
> > isn't there.
> >
> > Now, should we just wait for him to die? Is that
> productive?
> >
> >
> > Why not a bit of a commentary next season from Myron Cope,
>
> > if he wants to do it?
> >
> > The man has written about Ernie Nevers, for crying out
> loud!
> > Such a person could provide insightful and colorful
> > commentary- the comparison of eras- etc. in a way that
> would
> > attract both young and old listeners alike with his humor.
>
> >
> > To me, that's positive change that makes everyone happy.
> >
> > Or would you rather hear that really funny "Week in
> Sports"
> > by Scott Paulsen or Ellis Cannon speaking God knows what
> > language on the pregame?
>
> What's wrong with the pregame that they have on now?
>
> As we stated above, Myron is is no shape to return to
> work,even a commentary. What you and I may consider
> non-exhausting, due to Myron's health, it is just not an
> option. Let's face the fact. No more Myron. I seem to
> remember the hoopla on TV when he RETIRED. He's happy now.
> Let's let him be.
>
> What I'd like to hear (and I realize that CC doesn't do
> stuff with KD, that's a conflict of interest), but Pompeani
> and Edmund Nelson are extremely good. Certainly wouldn't
> mind hearing them.
>
I agree with you Mr Music. I think KDKA does a great pre game show. I think Pompeani and Nelson make a good team

 

[fromtheinsideout]

Re: Lighten up!

This is where we will have to agree to diagree. In comparison to the other Steeler broadcasts, I would argue this is their most important of the year and the one with which you would want to least experiment. As a person who usually opts for the radio vs the tv broadcasts of local sporting events (I don't have cable so I listen to the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and Panthers all on radio), while I am not arguing for network quality of my broadcasts, I would like the best broadcast that can be provided.

I understand the mystique of Myron. I was a fan of his work when he did call the games, as I was a fan of his talk show when he was on 1250. Many was the time my coworkers hated the fact I had Myron's show on when they wanted to listen to music. That being said, there was a noticeable drop off in what Myron was able to do previously and what he could do last year and this year when he was in the booth for the tribute that the Steelers did for him.

Lastly, while Dick Clark may not be a Pittsburgher, the reason he was brought back for the broadcast was that millions of people ring in the year with him. For that one night, he is part of their family, they do share that moment with him and this past year it was painful to watch. If you want a more local example, I would give you Willie Stargell who played past his time as a Pirate. Sure he would still get cheers everytime he came up to bat, but for those that watched him, it was hard watching him be a shell of his former self trying to get down to first base. That's not how I wanted to remember him and it's not how I want to remember Myron either.

 

[Mrmusic]

Re: Lighten up!

> > Here's an idea. Why don't you invite Myron to your
> > Superbowl party? You can have him in your very own living
>
> > room, eating nachos with you. What a great thing to have
> > the leading citizen of Steeler Nation sitting right next
> to
> > you! Wow!
>
> I don't know him that well.
>
> > Once again, let's root on the Steelers of today and the
> > Steeler Network Broadcast team of TODAY.
>
> I didn't realize that there were cut-off points. I've been a
> member of Steeler Nation since the late 1960's continuously
> until today. To me, it's all just one big black and gold
> continuum. Being a Steeler is like being a US Marine.
> There's no such thing as an ex-Marine. There are just
> Marines who are no longer on active duty. There are also no
> ex-Steelers, just Steelers who aren't active any more.
>
> Except for Kordell Stewart and Plexico Burress, but that's
> not a radio discussion.

There are no cut-off points for us fans. I too have been a member of Steeler nation since the late '60's. But, let's respect the work of the Steelers of this season, as well as the broadcast team of this season. This broadcast team jelled. Let's not mess with that.

And once again, the bottom line is that Myron is not up to being in the booth, nor wants to be. He retired and is happy.

 

[Pratte4Life]

I'll tell you what I think is wrong with the pre-game now-

First of all, I realize that it's difficult to program so many hours. You are programming three hours to talk about a three-hour game. Not easy.

However, I think some of the show is slipping. The other day I heard Gerry Dulac speak of Neil O'Donnell "bouncing" his final pass to Barry Foster in the 1994 AFC Title Game.

First deflected pass I've ever heard of that was "bounced."

Maybe that's minor- but you'd think that you could come up with something other than a lame criticism of the only QB the Steelers had that took them to a Super Bowl in a generation. This isn't even digging up old bones- it's MAKING UP old bones!

Dulac and Bouchette are great reporters- though the former was not in this particular situation- but they aren't really good on-air personalities (Bouchette actually has a good sense of humor but he rarely shows it on air).

Bendel is just a slob.

And you know- it seems as if these guys are overexposed. Why can't the radio stations do their own reporting?

Why not use REAL personalities- Alby Oxenrider-Myron Cope- etc. instead of newspapermen- who are not?

 

[Mrmusic]

Re: I'll tell you what I think is wrong with the pre-game now-

> First of all, I realize that it's difficult to program so
> many hours. You are programming three hours to talk about a
> three-hour game. Not easy.
>
> However, I think some of the show is slipping. The other day
> I heard Gerry Dulac speak of Neil O'Donnell "bouncing" his
> final pass to Barry Foster in the 1994 AFC Title Game.
>
> First deflected pass I've ever heard of that was "bounced."
>
> Maybe that's minor- but you'd think that you could come up
> with something other than a lame criticism of the only QB
> the Steelers had that took them to a Super Bowl in a
> generation. This isn't even digging up old bones- it's
> MAKING UP old bones!
>
> Dulac and Bouchette are great reporters- though the former
> was not in this particular situation- but they aren't really
> good on-air personalities (Bouchette actually has a good
> sense of humor but he rarely shows it on air).
>
> Bendel is just a slob.
>
> And you know- it seems as if these guys are overexposed. Why
> can't the radio stations do their own reporting?
>
> Why not use REAL personalities- Alby Oxenrider-Myron Cope-
> etc. instead of newspapermen- who are not?
>
I think that a 3 hour pre-game is way too much time. If DVE were smart, they should hire Alby for next season. He is one of the best sports broadcasters in the tri-state area. He is Pittsburgh and he is a very relatable personality.

Most often, writers do not make good air-personalities. Bouchette is one and look over on DVE, Mike Prisuta sucks. And, for the love of God, please, someone tell him that a soundbite is not a minute long. And, tell him how to talk into one. If Alby didn't get another TV gig (which he's best at), then if I were the powers to be at DVE, I would've hired him to be there sports guy.

Mr. Music