A Sports-Talk Pioneer Passes from the Scene -- Chet Coppock, RIP

This will not mean much to most of you, unless you're really, really tied in to the history of sports-talk radio in the United States of America.

It has lost a great one.

Without Chet Coppock, there would be no MTC.

I won't say there wouldn't have been a Ticket, or a WFAN in New York, or a Score in Chicago.

Wikipedia:

"In 1984, while working as sports director at WMAQ radio, Coppock approached the station about creating an in-depth, interview-driven radio sports talk show. The move led to the creation of Coppock on Sports, a show in which Coppock spoke with athletes, coaches, GMs and media members in a longer, un-cut magazine format. The show's success spawned numerous imitators."

That's 1984.  Not 25 years ago.  That's 35 years ago.  And yes, numerous imitators popped up.  Was The Ticket one of them?  I can't claim that.  But his show was an evening-radio-ratings-Death-Valley sensation. Someone must have taken notice.

After that, he moved his show to WLUP in Chicago, where I and my band Lower Wacker Overdrive were a fixture doing parodies for the Jonathon Brandmeier show during morning drive.

Chet was a glad-hander, a grab-asser (probably got him dismissed from his 10 PM News sports anchor job on NBC's WMAQ), a name-dropper, a quintessential Chris-Chris.  He had a high-energy delivery, sometimes saying things that would make you shake your head:  About a particular sports accomplishment:  "If that's not a record, it oughtta be."  Have you thought about it?  He was brilliantly and hilariously parodied weekly by Bruce Wolf on the Brandmeier show as "Chet Chit-Chat."  (Elements of Chicago sports guy Chuck Swirsky in that parody as well.)

He was very tall, blond, full of BS, but I tuned in every night to listen to him and Dangerous Dan McNeil (still on Chicago sports radio to date, had a stint at ESPN) run down hot sports opinions, get amazing interviews, plug restaurants where he probably got comped, and generally amuse the population.  Think of a Howard Cosell who would have been accepted at a WASP fraternity.   He was relentlessly outgoing and cheerful.  Never saw the man without a smile on his face.

He would come into the East Bank Club where I was a member (cue Vivaldi), schmoozing with the movers and shakers and chatting up the amazing skirts that would hang out there.

And in those days when I was trying to think of how I could make money without working, I put down on my list:  all sports-talk radio station.  Did I ever do anything about it?  No.

But he kindled my interest in radio (alongside Johnny B).  He never founded an all-sports station, but he was a pioneer.

He was killed as a passenger in an automobile accident a few days ago.  He was 70.

I would hope that Mike R would have heard of him, and might pay tribute.

But if no one at The Ticket has heard of him, or noted his passing, I wanted to make sure that I did so.  If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have discovered an interest in sports-talk radio -- as you may have discerned, my knowledge about actual sports is pretty sketchy -- as the most entertaining thing on the AM and FM dials.

He would say to callers: "Your dime, your dance floor."   Chet Coppock, RIP.

 

theplainsman1310@gmail.com

@plainsman1310