So I was watching some indoor football today at work and I started thinking about how much I miss football and can’t wait for the season to start up again and then I realized that this Steelers football season will be the first one in my lifetime in which Myron Cope, the greatest football announcer of all time, will not add any commentary for the games. Granted, he officially retired June 20th, 2005, they would still have him on time to time to add some of his more memorable color commentary. I mean, as far as I can remember, the Bengals have always been referred to as the Bungles, the Ravens were always the Birdies, and those hated Cleveland Browns were always referred to as the Cleve Brownies. I can remember when I still lived back in Pennsylvania, how my father and I would watch the games on TV and mute the sound and turn on the radio broadcast just to hear him. The Cubs had Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray, the Knicks had Marv Albert, and the Cardinals had Jack Buck, but I’ll take a “Double Yoi” or “ummha” over them any day of the week. When once asked by somebody how he came up with all of his expressions, Myron simply answered: “I never planned to use them, they just happened.” I will miss you Myron Cope, you and my father are what made me the die hard Steeler fan that I am today, and wherever you are, I hope you’re still swinging that terrible towel of yours.
| Expression | Translation/Explanation |
| “Yoi” | Wow |
| “Double Yoi” | Even better than Yoi! |
| “You betcha!” | I agree |
| “Zounds!” | Amazing |
| “Okel-dokel” | Okay |
| “Gadzooks” | Holy cow |
| “Garganzola” | Hogwash |
| “How do?” | How do you do? |
| “Cincy Bungles” | Cincinnati Bengals |
| “Cleve Brownies” | Cleveland Browns |
| “Yonkos” | Denver Broncos |
| “Emperor Chaz” | Chuck Noll |
| “Hmm-hah!” | A stall tactic while Cope gathered his thoughts |
| “Cope-a-stethic” | Everything is fine |
| “Cope-ra-scope” | Cope’s version of a crystal ball |
| “Cope-a-nut” | A prize awarded to a talk show caller for an astute observation |
| “Bye now” | Cope’s signature line when hanging up with a caller |
“People may think I’m senile, but I ain’t. I thought I was a celebrity.”
- Myron Cope
