There’s some awfully sad news to report today from the world of college football. Longtime ESPN analyst Beano Cook passed away in his sleep at the age of 81. Cook’s colleague and podcast partner, Ivan Maisel, delivered the sad news Thursday.
Cook has been ill for some time. On a blog entry filed at the beginning of this month, Cook wrote “Sorry to say that health issues hit me at the worst time - start of College Football Season. Everything except recovery takes a back-burner now. I won’t say I’ll be back to the blog by a certain date, as some businesses might “promise,” but I do hope to return soon. Thanks for your support and encouragement. Enjoy the season!”
Enjoy the season. That’s what Cook did every year college football rolled around, and he invited all of us to share that joy. He was a passionate observer and historian of the game. It didn’t matter if you were young or old, anyone could enjoy Cook’s commentary and wit. The stories? There were many. A fan of the game was usually also a fan of Cook.
This is indeed a sad day for the Pittsburgh sports scene as well as all of college football, but as with any passing, we’ll choose to remember the good stories, like this one, courtesy of Sports Illustrated. ESPN compiled some memorable quotes from Cook as well.
Finally, to share in a sentiment from PFT’s Michael David Smith, “If heaven exists, may the 1946 Army-Notre Dame game be rematched for him.”
(Photo: ESPN.com)