When Myron Cope created the Terrible Towel back in 1975, little did he know that it'd become one of the most recognizable and beloved (at least by Steelers fans) symbols in modern-day sports. You can find fans with their Towels almost anywhere, from families posing with them on the Great Wall of China to soldiers twirling them on game day in the Middle East; there's even been a Terrible Towel in space. Cope, who passed away from respiratory failure in 2008, still has a way of reminding Steelers fans that he'll always be around to watch over the team ... and curse anyone who dares to abuse the Towel.
This season adds even more fuel to the fire that there is, and perhaps always will be, a Terrible Curse on the teams who disrespect the Towel. All the naysayers will say it's just a coincidence, there's a lot more to losing a game, and the Towel's a crappy piece of cloth that Steelers fans take way too seriously. But before you grab your friend's Terrible Towel and wipe your pits with it, just remember what's happened to these teams:
- Baltimore Ravens: In September 2008, receiver Derrick Mason jumped on a Towel before the game. The Ravens then lost all 3 games they played against the Steelers, most particularly the AFC Championship, and the Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl.
Many other football fans probably think the Terrible Curse is completely asinine and irrelevant. But it really comes down to Steelers fans honoring a guy who was such a wonderful representative of their team. Each Towel is a tribute to Myron, who spent 35(!) years as an announcer for the Steelers, the longest any broadcaster has been affiliated with a single team, and whose career I'll eternally envy. In 1996, he gave the rights to his beloved Towel to the Allegheny Valley School (where Bulluck and White sent their autographed one to), which helped the school raise millions of dollars in sales.
Steelers fans may hold on to this notion that Myron still lives through the curse with unnecessary passion and fervor, but the way this season has played out so far may make you stop and think for a second. If you want to try to understand the genius and talent and all-around awesomeness that was Myron and what he meant to Pittsburgh, check out this article he wrote on the Towel, courtesy of the vaults of Sports Illustrated. You'll see why Myron and the Towel are so important to us Steelers fans ... and why you simply shouldn't mess with 'em.