Beano Cook
Encyclopedia
Carroll Hoff "Beano" Cook (born September 1, 1931) is an American
television personality who works for ESPN
. He is a college football
historian and commentator
. He received his B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh
in 1954.
Cook graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954, then served for two years in the U.S. Army. He was a sports publicist for the University of Pittsburgh from 1956 to March 1966, worked for the Miami Dolphins
for one season, served as a publicist for both ABC
and CBS
in New York
, and spent time as a vice president with the Pittsburgh Civic Arena
when it was run by Edward DeBartolo, Sr. In between those stints, Cook volunteered with VISTA
in Florida in 1976. For a brief period in the late 1980s, Cook did commentary on WPXI
-TV in Pittsburgh.
every Thursday on The Hot List
debating with Brian Kenny
. Cook can be heard weekly on ESPN Radio
during The Herd with Colin Cowherd
and on Wednesdays he is a special guest on ESPN Radio's I-Formation hosted by Ivan Maisel
. He also appears weekly on Pittsburgh's Fox Sports Radio 970 AM, WBGG-AM, weekly during football season at 8 a.m. PT on the Mitch in The Morning Show on Sports Radio 950 KJR AM in Seattle. He co-hosts the ESPNU College Football Podcast on ESPN.com and iTunes with Maisel. He was an occasional guest of Mark Madden
on ESPN 1250 in Pittsburgh as well as ESPN Radio's AllNight with Jason Smith
show.
Cook is known for his quick wit, frequent historical references, and his affinity for college football played in the Upper Midwest
and Rust Belt
states. One of his most famous quotes is "Haven't they suffered enough?" after Bowie Kuhn
, the Major League Baseball Commissioner
, offered the returning hostages from the Iran hostage crisis
lifetime baseball passes.
Cook is also often referred to as the "Pope of College Football" due to his knowledge and tenure with the game.
www.Beano-Cook.com. http://www.beano-cook.com
that Cook was the 2010 winner of the Bert McGrane Award. http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/around-town/the-feed/106802
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television personality who works for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. He is a college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
historian and commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. He received his B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1954.
Biography
Cook received his unusual nickname at the age of 7 from a neighbor in Pittsburgh, a reference to Cook's recent move from Boston (nicknamed Beantown).Cook graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954, then served for two years in the U.S. Army. He was a sports publicist for the University of Pittsburgh from 1956 to March 1966, worked for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for one season, served as a publicist for both ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and spent time as a vice president with the Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Mellon Arena
Civic Arena is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel...
when it was run by Edward DeBartolo, Sr. In between those stints, Cook volunteered with VISTA
AmeriCorps VISTA
AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program designed to fight poverty. President John F. Kennedy originated the idea for VISTA, which was founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993....
in Florida in 1976. For a brief period in the late 1980s, Cook did commentary on WPXI
WPXI
WPXI, channel 11, is the NBC-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 48 from a transmitter located on the north side of Pittsburgh. Owned by Cox Enterprises, the station has studios in the...
-TV in Pittsburgh.
ESPN
Cook joined ESPN in 1986 as a studio commentator. He also does freelance radio and television work in the Pittsburgh area. He has most recently been seen on ESPNEWSESPNEWS
ESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
every Thursday on The Hot List
The Hot List
Sports Hit List was a news, talk and analysis television show and also the flagship program on ESPNEWS. Since its debut in January 2004, the program aired Monday through Friday from 3-6pm ET.-About the show:...
debating with Brian Kenny
Brian Kenny
Brian Kenny may refer to:*Brian Kenny , MLB Network personality and journalist*Brian Kenny , Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick*Brian Kenny , British Army General...
. Cook can be heard weekly on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
during The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a sports talk radio show hosted by Colin Cowherd and broadcast on ESPN Radio from Bristol, Connecticut. The show is heard Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. ET until 1 p.m. ET on most ESPN Radio stations and is simulcasted on ESPNews...
and on Wednesdays he is a special guest on ESPN Radio's I-Formation hosted by Ivan Maisel
Ivan Maisel
Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN, covering college football. He has been at ESPN since 2002, but had occasional appearances on the network before then....
. He also appears weekly on Pittsburgh's Fox Sports Radio 970 AM, WBGG-AM, weekly during football season at 8 a.m. PT on the Mitch in The Morning Show on Sports Radio 950 KJR AM in Seattle. He co-hosts the ESPNU College Football Podcast on ESPN.com and iTunes with Maisel. He was an occasional guest of Mark Madden
Mark Madden
Mark Madden is an American radio sports talk-show host in Pittsburgh and also a former World Championship Wrestling color commentator. -Career:...
on ESPN 1250 in Pittsburgh as well as ESPN Radio's AllNight with Jason Smith
AllNight with Jason Smith
AllNight with Jason Smith was a syndicated sports talk radio show on ESPN Radio, hosted by Jason Smith. The show was heard Sunday through Thursday from 10pm PT to1 am PT live from the studios of KSPN in Los Angeles, California, rather than the ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
show.
Cook is known for his quick wit, frequent historical references, and his affinity for college football played in the Upper Midwest
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
and Rust Belt
Rust Belt
The Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
states. One of his most famous quotes is "Haven't they suffered enough?" after Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kuhn
Bowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
, the Major League Baseball Commissioner
Commissioner of Baseball
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
, offered the returning hostages from the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
lifetime baseball passes.
Cook is also often referred to as the "Pope of College Football" due to his knowledge and tenure with the game.
Blog
Beano Cook began a blog in 2010, covering topics other than college football.www.Beano-Cook.com. http://www.beano-cook.com
Bert McGrane Award
It was announced on December 8, 2010 on ESPNUESPNU
ESPNU is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced by, affiliated with and owned by parent network ESPN. ESPNU originates out of ESPN Regional Television's ESPNU (often referred to as The U) is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced...
that Cook was the 2010 winner of the Bert McGrane Award. http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/around-town/the-feed/106802