Cope Leaves Redskins 'Redfaced'
Steelers Broadcaster Says He Wasn't Intimidated
POSTED: 6:09 p.m. EST December 17, 2000
Steelers radio analyst Myron Cope experienced
a career-first in what was the last game at Three Rivers Stadium on
Saturday.
The Washington Redskins staff objected when he repeatedly called
the team the "Redfaces," during a broadcast of the Steelers 24-3
victory.
Cope regularly shortens, twists or changes the opponents'
nicknames during his broadcasts - most notably referring to the
Cincinnati Bengals as the "Bungles."
Cope said the Redskins are the first team to object to anything
he's said in 31 years of Steelers broadcasts. And he bristled at
reports that said he abided by the request.
"I rubbed it in," Cope said. "There was no way I dropped (the
nickname). In 31 years I've never let anyone tell me what to say on
one of the broadcasts, it wounds my pride that someone would say I
did that."
Cope chalked the incident up to the Redskins' new owner,
35-year-old billionaire Daniel Snyder, who has earned a reputation
for micromanaging his team despite having no football background.
"No baby billionaire, or his staff, is going to tell me what to
say on this broadcast," Cope said.
Previous Story:
- December 17, 2000: Myron Cope's Three Rivers Memories
Copyright 2001 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
