Myron Cope is a hometown icon in Pittsburgh, where every sports fan over 12 knows who the colorful veteran journalist is and can recognize his nasal, usually excited voice and heavy Pittsburgh accent after two syllables. Cope, 78, spent 35 years as color commentator for Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcasts until two summers ago, when he retired for health reasons. Despite his penchant for double negatives, in the 1960s Cope was considered one of the country's top magazine writers because of the long profiles of such superstars as Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali he wrote for Sports Illustrated. I talked to Cope about the state of professional sports on July 11 by telephone from his home in Pittsburgh's southern suburbs.

Q: How have professional sports in general changed for the better in the last 50 years?

A: Of course they've increased in popularity tremendously. In one aspect, for example, multitudes of women are sports fans -- knowledgeable and all. That did not used to be the case that women were interested in sports. When I was young -- in my 20s or even 30s -- being the deep-thinker I am, aha, I thought that politicians used sports as the opium of the people. It kept their minds off more important matters, you know, while politicians could do what they wanted. But I have been less cynical about that as the years grew on. I think it's great now, and I have thought so for years because it's a very nice diversion. And hey, the people who don't care about more important issues aren't going to get interested in them anyhow. But it gives people something to take their minds off their troubles or whatever may be the case. Sports has done nothing but build in its fascination for Americans.

Q: What would be the biggest change for the worst in professional sports in the last 50 years?

A: I don't get into "worsts" or "mosts" or stuff like that. I don't give that a lot of thought. I never give milestones a lot of thought. I never realized even that I was approaching my 35th year in the radio booth with the Steelers until it was practically there. I don't count those things and I try to live in the present.

But it's an obvious thing. The athletes and others in sports, as well, but the athletes principally have become such spoiled brats. Not in all cases, of course. But in too many cases. This Sidney Crosby, the way he signed that contract with the Penguins and didn't try to milk the last dollar out of it. That was so refreshing that I wish you could turn Sidney Crosbys out on an assembly line.

But too many guys, my God, are living behind gated communities. They don't know how to spend their money if they went out and carried $1,000 bills with them; they couldn't spend it all. But if someone would pass them next week in salary and they think they are the best, it's enough for them to have apoplexy. They demand a renegotiation -- and that's another terrible aspect (of sports today): the coming, many years ago now, of the contract renegotiation. The word "contract" apparently to these guys doesn't mean a darn thing. And I can say that because I always respected a contract so I could go on my talk show and blast them for this kind of stuff. But I come from the Harry Truman era, where a handshake made a deal.

Q: It sounds like the emphasis or focus on money and salaries has hurt professional sports in your mind?

A: I wouldn't say it's hurt it, because sports is bigger than ever and it keeps getting bigger. But there's no question in my mind that the basis for all this -- the root cause -- is television and now technology. Because all of a sudden, if you are an athlete you are a star. You are all over the place, all over the world. Television and now technology does all kinds of things that I'm not interested in myself because I don't even own a computer. I bought one once when I was starting to write my memoir and my next-door neighbors tried to teach me for three days, after which I took it back. But that's me. I ain't got nothing fatal, but I know I ain't having many more years on Earth, so why did I need the damn thing?

Q: Which pro sports league has done the best job of operating as a business, pleasing fans and holding up the inherent quality of the sport itself?

A: There's no doubt in my mind that it's pro football. Pro football as a business and as an entertainment is a success. I, of course, would be accused of being biased because I broadcast football and it is my favorite game. But I don't think I arrive at that conclusion because of bias. It seems pretty obvious to me. In ratings and one thing and another, it's pro football, and I think the guy who did it, who put the NFL over the top -- because he was there when television came around and in all other respects was magnificent -- was Pete Rozelle, who in my mind remains the greatest commissioner who ever ran a sport. But they drove him practically to death by giving them subpoenas every week to go to Washington to testify against this or for that.

Gambling, for example. Pete and the other owners didn't want to see football gambling legalized around the country. I once told (Steelers owner) Dan Rooney if you guys had the book, you'd be all for it. He smiled. If they had been booking the bets, they would have been going down there to Washington to legalize it.

Q: Some people say that all the money and interest that is generated by gambling on pro football is what has made it as successful as it is.

A: Well, there's no question in my mind that gambling plays a big part in it. It increases the fans' enjoyment. You couldn't watch a game that you know the other team is going to win by three touchdowns past the second quarter -- but will they cover the spread? There's no question gambling is huge in the success of the sport.

Q: Is baseball still the national pastime?

A: Oh no, because football passed 'em up long ago. Some people think I'm biased toward football to the point where I don't like baseball. My God, I went to bed when I was 15 years old every night dreaming that I could play second base in the big leagues. Clem Koshorek, Frankie Zak -- they played shortstop at different times for the Pirates and they weren't no taller than me. I loved baseball and I still do -- when it's played right. Continued...