Terrible Towel
Encyclopedia
The Terrible Towel is a rally towel
associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers
, an American football
team in the National Football League
(NFL). Created in 1975 by then Steelers radio broadcaster
Myron Cope
, The Terrible Towel has spread in popularity; fans take their Towel to famous sites while on vacation. The Towel has been taken to the peak of Mount Everest
, and even into space on the International Space Station
. It is widely recognized as a symbol of the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh. Recently, the Towel has also been used by fans at Pittsburgh Penguins
games.
Proceeds from sales of the Towel have raised over US$
3 million for Allegheny Valley School Pennsylvania
which cares for people with mental disabilities and physical disabilities
. The Terrible Towel is credited with being the first "rally towel
" and its success has given rise to similar products promoting other teams.
Because of the success of the Steelers and their national reputation, the black and gold "Terrible Towel" is the most famous sports rally towel in use. Numerous versions have been produced; almost all are black and gold in color with the words "Myron Cope's Official The Terrible Towel" printed on the front. In October 2009 a pink Terrible Towel was introduced to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
, the team's flagship radio station WTAE
's Vice President and General Manager, Ted J. Atkins, and President of Sales, Larry Garrett, explained that they needed Cope's assistance in inventing a "gimmick" in order to attract sponsors to his daily commentaries and talk show. Initially, Cope did not want to participate, saying "I am not a gimmick guy, never have been a gimmick guy." However, after Garrett's suggestion that a successful gimmick would be good leverage for a raise in Cope's upcoming contract
renewal, Cope replied, "I'm a gimmick guy."
The three men, along with other radio station advertising personnel, began brainstorming
ideas. One idea, a black mask including coach Chuck Noll
's motto "Whatever it takes", was deemed too expensive. Cope said the gimmick should be something "lightweight and portable and already owned by just about every fan." Garrett suggested using towel
s. Cope agreed, suggesting the words "The Terrible Towel" be printed on the front. It was agreed that the towels would be gold or yellow, with the writing in black—the colors of the Steelers. Franklin C. Snyder, who was head of WTAE's radio and television stations, held the final approval of the idea. He approved the idea on the stipulation that black towels would also be allowed, in order to avoid accusations of racism
from the FCC
; Cope and Garrett agreed.
In the weeks leading up to the game, Cope advertised the idea of the towel to fans on the radio and evening television news
, using the phrase "The Terrible Towel is poised to strike!" However, Atkins grew nervous that fans would think the towel was a jinx if the Steelers lost the game. Cope agreed to poll players on their view of the towel. Linebacker
Jack Ham told Cope, "I think your idea stinks"; Ernie "Fats" Holmes
was also against the idea. Also against the idea of the Towel was Andy Russell, who mirrored Cope's original thoughts, "We're not a gimmick team. We've never been a gimmick team." Cope simply replied, "Russell, you're sick." Growing nervous about the negative feedback, Cope, who had already advertised the towel on the news multiple times, polled the rest of the players with a "banana-republic vote
".
The Towel made its debut on December 27, 1975, in a playoff game against the Baltimore Colts
. Prior to the game, Cope watched the gathering fans through his binoculars from the broadcast booth. Cope, whose idea had been mocked by the local Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, saw less than a dozen towels while players were going through pre-game warm-ups. Cope recalls the event, "Nearing kickoff, the Steelers gathered in their tunnel for introductions, whereupon the crowd exploded—and suddenly, by my estimation, 30,000 Terrible Towels twirled from the fists of fans around the stadium!" The Steelers went on to defeat the Colts 28–10. In the following weeks, the team defeated the Oakland Raiders
and Dallas Cowboys
, to capture the franchise's second consecutive Super Bowl
victory. Even while the Steelers struggled through the 1980s, the Towel remained a large part of the franchise. During the Towel's debut game Andy Russell, who had opposed the idea of the Towel, returned a fumble
93‒yards for a touchdown
. The play inspired local fan Lisa Benz to write about the Towel, which she later sent to Cope. In part, her poem read:
in 2005
, a Towel with the words "Super Bowl XL Champions", the date, final score, and Super Bowl XL logo was released. The victory also spawned the production of a Towel featuring the logos of the six Super Bowls that the franchise has won. During the Steelers' 75th anniversary season in 2007
, a special edition Towel with the logo of the Steelers' benchmark season was added to the line-up of Towels. The original 1975-1997 Terrible Towel is sold as a throwback
on the Steelers official website.
. The current cost of a towel is approximately $7.
In 1996, Cope gave the rights to The Terrible Towel to the Allegheny Valley School in Coraopolis
, Pennsylvania. The school provides care for more than 900 people with mental retardation and physical disabilities, including Cope's autistic
son, Danny. Proceeds from the Terrible Towel have helped raise more than $2.2 million for the school. During the 2005 season
, when the Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl
, more than 1 million Towels were sold; some fans bought 200 Towels at a time.
It has become a tradition for Steelers fans to take Terrible Towels on vacation, taking pictures next to well-known tourist destinations. Fans have taken the Towel to locations such as the Great Wall of China
, the South Pole
, Vatican City
, and to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
. Hampton
native Kevin Cherilla took his Terrible Towel during his climb to the peak of Mount Everest
.
Military personnel have taken pictures with the Towel while stationed in Iraq
and Afghanistan
as part of the War on Terrorism
. Fans waved Terrible Towels at the gold medal match for Women's beach volleyball at the 2008 Olympic Games. Prior to the 2008 AFC Championship Game
, the Terrible Towel was displayed on the International Space Station. The Terrible Towel is seen in the Scrubs
season five episode "My Bright Idea," hanging on the cork board of Carla and Turk's apartment as she comes out of the bathroom after performing what she believes to be another unsuccessful pregnancy test. During her campaign for the 2008 Presidential Election
, Hillary Clinton received a Terrible Towel during a visit to Pittsburgh. During the 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit
, visiting dignitaries received Terrible Towels in gift bags from the city. The Terrible Towel is displayed prominently and waved by Rapper Wiz Khalifa
in the music video for his song Black and Yellow, which debuted during the 2010 NFL season. The Terrible Towel made an episode in season 12
of Dancing with the Stars on March 21, 2011. After Hines Ward
danced, Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris
is seen twirling the towel.
against the Baltimore Ravens
. Cope led the fans in a towel wave at half time; the Towel that Cope used is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
In response to how he would like to be remembered, Cope responded, "When I kick the bucket, there'll be a little story that'll say, 'Creator of Towel Dead'". On February 27, 2008, Cope died of respiratory failure in Pittsburgh. The following day, an article from the Associated Press
concerning Cope's death was entitled "Former Steelers broadcaster, Terrible Towel creator Cope dies". Upon Cope's death, over 350 fans gathered downtown Pittsburgh in snowy weather for a tribute to the inventor. The ceremony concluded with one minute of silent Towel waving. Days later, Saturday Night Live
cast member Seth Meyers
waved a Terrible Towel on Saturday Night Live, in tribute to Cope.
against the Steelers' long-time rival
Cleveland Browns
, Steelers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner
accidentally dropped a Towel that he was waving during the player introductions. Browns running back Earnest Byner
stepped on the Towel yelling, "We don't care about your towel. We're going to beat you this time." This act "provok[ed] other Steelers and Browns to mingle. Not affectionately." The Steelers won the game 29–9.
During a December 4, 2005, game at Heinz Field, T. J. Houshmandzadeh
of the Cincinnati Bengals
wiped his feet on a Towel after he scored a touchdown. Although the Bengals managed a 7-point victory in that regular season game, the Steelers came back to defeat them 31–17 in the playoffs, on their way to a victory in Super Bowl XL
.
Before the September 29, 2008, Steelers game at Heinz Field
, Baltimore Ravens
wide receiver Derrick Mason
stomped on a Terrible Towel. The Ravens then went on to lose all three of their 2008 season games against the Steelers, including the 2008 AFC Championship Game.
On October 8, 2008, the Steelers played the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. At that point of their season, the Jaguars were 2-2-0, and feeling very hopeful for the season following a defeat at home of their division rival Colts. The game was very close going into the second half, and the Steelers were still stinging from a Mathis interception and runback for a touchdown. Shortly after the start of the third quarter, Jaguars mascot Jaxson DeVille stood alongside some cheerleaders, and produced a Terrible Towel, which he used to rub his armpits and buttocks. Shortly after that, the Steelers ran away with the game and the Jaguars lost 26-21. The Jaguars went on to lose eight of their remaining eleven games in the season.
On December 21, 2008, LenDale White
and Keith Bulluck
of the Tennessee Titans
stepped on a Terrible Towel after the Titans's 31–14 victory. Pittsburgh's Larry Foote
responded, "They deserved to do that, they whooped us, they deserve to celebrate and, hopefully, we'll see them again." While Hines Ward
said, "[T. J. Houshmandzadeh] did kind of the same thing and you see where they went." Tennessee was the top seed in the playoffs, however following the incident the Titans proceeded to lose eight consecutive games, including an '08 divisional playoff game (their first game following the 'incident'), their '09 Week 1 game against the Steelers, 13-10. After the Titan's 8th consecutive loss, Titans coach Jeff Fisher expressed regret for his team's behavior towards the Towel, and a number of Titans players autographed a Terrible Towel and mailed it to Allegheny Valley School - the Pittsburgh charity that now owns the trademark. The Titans won their next 5 games.
On January 27, 2009, at a public sendoff in Phoenix for the Arizona Cardinals
before they faced the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII
, Phoenix
Mayor Phil Gordon
produced a towel and called the Cardinals mascot, Big Red
to the stage, where he used the towel to wipe his armpits. Gordon then blew his nose on the towel. The Cardinals then proceeded to lose the Super Bowl to the Steelers, 27-23.
On October 11, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Detroit Lions
at Ford Field
. Nearing the end of the fourth quarter the Steelers were up by 8 points and the Lions were marching down the field. At this time the Lions mascot Roary The Lion, stepped on, bit and ripped apart a Terrible Towel. Following this the Lions suffered three straight sacks to put them in a long fourth and twenty-eight situation. The Lions did not convert and the Steelers won the game 28-20.
Several Blue and White "Terrific Towels" were made for the Indianapolis Colts
' in the 2009 season playoffs, one of which received some airtime during their AFC championship victory. The Colts subsequently lost Super Bowl XLIV
to the New Orleans Saints
.
On January 15, 2011, the curse followed T. J. Houshmandzadeh to Baltimore. Houshmandzadeh dropped a pass in the waning minutes of the AFC Divisional playoff that could have led to a game-tying score for the Ravens. The Steelers won the game 31-24.
Prior to the AFC Championship game against the New York Jets on January 23, 2011, a YouTube video showed fans of the Jets stomping on the Terrible Towel in Pittsburgh. The Jets fell behind the Steelers 24-3 in the first half of the Championship game, and were unable to overtake the Steelers in the second half, losing 24-19.
began carrying a red towel with him during the basketball games he coached. Diddle would wave and throw the towel during games, and the concept was adopted by fans of the college. It became an official part of the school logo in 1971. Fans of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins
cheered the team by waving white handkerchief
s. However, the handkerchiefs were deemed "too dainty" for football, and the tradition faded. "Hate the Yankees Hankies", in reference to the franchise's rivalry with the New York Yankees
, were handkerchiefs distributed to Cleveland Indians
fans in September 1977 in a promotion.
The Terrible Towel is traditionally known as the first "rally towel
"; its popularity has spawned similar traditions for other teams. Fans of the Minnesota Twins
cheer the team with the "Homer Hanky
" during the playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies
have distributed white towels to fans during home games. During a 2006 playoff game against the Steelers, the Indianapolis Colts
handed out blue towels to rally fans, however, Pittsburgh went on to win the game. In a 2000 preseason game
, played in Mexico City
, many fans that filled the 100,000 seat Aztec Stadium
waved Towels. Cope, glad that the Allegheny Valley School would receive a sizable donation from the proceeds, was later disappointed to learn the towels waved by the fans were "knockoffs" made by local artists, and therefore no proceeds would go to the school. In 2008, the NFL approved a white towel entitled the Trophy Towel, which will be sold to fans and given to the winning team of Super Bowl XLIII
. Members of the Steelers criticized the idea, broadcaster Bill Hillgrove
—who worked with Cope—called the idea "a cheap imitation." Steelers player Aaron Smith
stated, "It started here, so why would anyone else want to have a towel? Why not kazoo
s?" During the 2010 Memorial Cup
the host committee made up 8,000 yellow towels to represent the host team, the Brandon Wheat Kings
, who played the Moncton Wildcats
. Many fans brought the towels back for games after that.
Rally towel
A rally towel is a sports paraphernalia item and a type of towel often used as a fan symbol used in American sports events. The prototype of the modern rally towel, created in 1975 by former Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, was known as the Terrible Towel...
associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). Created in 1975 by then Steelers radio broadcaster
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Myron Cope
Myron Cope
Myron Cope , born Myron Sidney Kopelman, was an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sportscaster who is best known for being "the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers."...
, The Terrible Towel has spread in popularity; fans take their Towel to famous sites while on vacation. The Towel has been taken to the peak of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, and even into space on the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. It is widely recognized as a symbol of the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh. Recently, the Towel has also been used by fans at Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
games.
Proceeds from sales of the Towel have raised over US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3 million for Allegheny Valley School Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
which cares for people with mental disabilities and physical disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. The Terrible Towel is credited with being the first "rally towel
Rally towel
A rally towel is a sports paraphernalia item and a type of towel often used as a fan symbol used in American sports events. The prototype of the modern rally towel, created in 1975 by former Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, was known as the Terrible Towel...
" and its success has given rise to similar products promoting other teams.
Because of the success of the Steelers and their national reputation, the black and gold "Terrible Towel" is the most famous sports rally towel in use. Numerous versions have been produced; almost all are black and gold in color with the words "Myron Cope's Official The Terrible Towel" printed on the front. In October 2009 a pink Terrible Towel was introduced to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
Origin
Two weeks prior to the Steelers' first playoff game of the 1975 season1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
, the team's flagship radio station WTAE
WEAE
WDDZ is an AM radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, broadcasting at 1250 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts. The station is an ABC owned and operated station and serves as the Pittsburgh affiliate of Radio Disney...
's Vice President and General Manager, Ted J. Atkins, and President of Sales, Larry Garrett, explained that they needed Cope's assistance in inventing a "gimmick" in order to attract sponsors to his daily commentaries and talk show. Initially, Cope did not want to participate, saying "I am not a gimmick guy, never have been a gimmick guy." However, after Garrett's suggestion that a successful gimmick would be good leverage for a raise in Cope's upcoming contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
renewal, Cope replied, "I'm a gimmick guy."
The three men, along with other radio station advertising personnel, began brainstorming
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a group creativity technique by which a group tries to find a solution for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its members...
ideas. One idea, a black mask including coach Chuck Noll
Chuck Noll
Charles Henry "Chuck" Noll is a former professional American football player and coach, and a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. He served most notably as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991...
's motto "Whatever it takes", was deemed too expensive. Cope said the gimmick should be something "lightweight and portable and already owned by just about every fan." Garrett suggested using towel
Towel
A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact, often using a blotting or a rubbing motion. Common household textile towels are made from cotton, rayon, bamboo, nonwoven fibers or a few other materials.-Types of towels:* A bath...
s. Cope agreed, suggesting the words "The Terrible Towel" be printed on the front. It was agreed that the towels would be gold or yellow, with the writing in black—the colors of the Steelers. Franklin C. Snyder, who was head of WTAE's radio and television stations, held the final approval of the idea. He approved the idea on the stipulation that black towels would also be allowed, in order to avoid accusations of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
from the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
; Cope and Garrett agreed.
In the weeks leading up to the game, Cope advertised the idea of the towel to fans on the radio and evening television news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
, using the phrase "The Terrible Towel is poised to strike!" However, Atkins grew nervous that fans would think the towel was a jinx if the Steelers lost the game. Cope agreed to poll players on their view of the towel. Linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Jack Ham told Cope, "I think your idea stinks"; Ernie "Fats" Holmes
Ernie Holmes
Earnest Lee "Ernie" Holmes, also nicknamed "Fats" was an American football player who was most famous for his years with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972-77. He was part of the famous Steel Curtain and played at defensive lineman. His fellow linemen during this period were Joe Greene, Dwight...
was also against the idea. Also against the idea of the Towel was Andy Russell, who mirrored Cope's original thoughts, "We're not a gimmick team. We've never been a gimmick team." Cope simply replied, "Russell, you're sick." Growing nervous about the negative feedback, Cope, who had already advertised the towel on the news multiple times, polled the rest of the players with a "banana-republic vote
Banana republic
In political science, the pejorative term Banana Republic denotes a politically unstable country dependent upon limited primary productions , which is ruled by a plutocracy, a small, self-elected, wealthy group who exploit the country by means of a politico-economic oligarchy...
".
The Towel made its debut on December 27, 1975, in a playoff game against the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
. Prior to the game, Cope watched the gathering fans through his binoculars from the broadcast booth. Cope, whose idea had been mocked by the local Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, saw less than a dozen towels while players were going through pre-game warm-ups. Cope recalls the event, "Nearing kickoff, the Steelers gathered in their tunnel for introductions, whereupon the crowd exploded—and suddenly, by my estimation, 30,000 Terrible Towels twirled from the fists of fans around the stadium!" The Steelers went on to defeat the Colts 28–10. In the following weeks, the team defeated the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, to capture the franchise's second consecutive Super Bowl
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
victory. Even while the Steelers struggled through the 1980s, the Towel remained a large part of the franchise. During the Towel's debut game Andy Russell, who had opposed the idea of the Towel, returned a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
93‒yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. The play inspired local fan Lisa Benz to write about the Towel, which she later sent to Cope. In part, her poem read:
Appearance
The Towel has been redesigned multiple times, as well as spawning its own line of paraphernalia. The line, known as "Terrible Stuff", includes t-shirts, license plates, pillows, earrings, and beach towels; all include The Terrible Towel logo. When originally released, the towel was available in gold and black, was a simple design and had the words "the terrible towel" printed on the front. The current version of the Towel, introduced in 1998, adds the words "Myron Cope's Official" on the top and "A Pittsburgh Original" at the bottom and are of a yellow color. Towels with a plethora of variations are also in production; such variations include Towels featuring the Steelers logo, embroidered lettering, and towels with reversed colors featuring yellow writing on a black towel. Throughout the years there have also been many special edition Towels. After the Steelers won Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
in 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, a Towel with the words "Super Bowl XL Champions", the date, final score, and Super Bowl XL logo was released. The victory also spawned the production of a Towel featuring the logos of the six Super Bowls that the franchise has won. During the Steelers' 75th anniversary season in 2007
2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the 75th season of the Steelers franchise. The season saw the team improve upon their 8–8 record from 2006, finish with a record of 10–6, and win the AFC North Division...
, a special edition Towel with the logo of the Steelers' benchmark season was added to the line-up of Towels. The original 1975-1997 Terrible Towel is sold as a throwback
Throwback uniform
Throwback uniforms and jerseys are one-time or limited-time variations on a sports team's uniforms styled to resemble uniforms from that team's past. They have proven popular in all major pro and college sports in the USA, not only with fans, but with the teams' marketing and merchandising...
on the Steelers official website.
Rights, marketing and proceeds
Upon the sudden popularity of the Terrible Towel, Pittsburgh area department stores sold out all gold and black hand towels. Because the hand towels were often sold as a set, with matching bath towels, stores were left with un-even sets. In the fall of 1978, Bernard Pollock, divisional marketing manager of Gimbel's Department Store came up with the idea of putting a Terrible Towel logo on hand towels and sold the idea to Cope. The first Terrible Towels hit the marketplace on December 20, 1978 at $6 apiece. Gimbel's could not stock them fast enough. Gimbel's has since gone out of business. The original version of The Terrible Towel was manufactured by St. Mary's Inc. of New York, NY and was available in two colors: Gold and Black. The current manufacturer of the Towel is McArthur Towel & Sports Co., in Baraboo, WisconsinBaraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau...
. The current cost of a towel is approximately $7.
In 1996, Cope gave the rights to The Terrible Towel to the Allegheny Valley School in Coraopolis
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Coraopolis is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,677 at the 2010 census. In 1940 the population peaked at 11,086. It is a small community located to the west of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River and to the east of the Pittsburgh International Airport...
, Pennsylvania. The school provides care for more than 900 people with mental retardation and physical disabilities, including Cope's autistic
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
son, Danny. Proceeds from the Terrible Towel have helped raise more than $2.2 million for the school. During the 2005 season
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 15–1 record from 2004 in which they lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field. The Steelers, with the sixth and final seed to the playoffs, became just the second team ever to win...
, when the Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, more than 1 million Towels were sold; some fans bought 200 Towels at a time.
Widespread recognition
Upon its invention, Cope commented on the multi-functional ability of The Terrible Towel, "I'll tell 'em they can use the towel to wipe their seats clean. They can use it as a muffler against the cold. They can drape it over their heads if it rains." However, the towel is often used by fans who do not attend games. Fans often drape the towel over their radios or television sets; some even dress their pets or babies with it.It has become a tradition for Steelers fans to take Terrible Towels on vacation, taking pictures next to well-known tourist destinations. Fans have taken the Towel to locations such as the Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
, the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
, Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, and to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
. Hampton
Hampton Township, Pennsylvania
Hampton Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,363 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hampton Township is located at ....
native Kevin Cherilla took his Terrible Towel during his climb to the peak of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
.
Military personnel have taken pictures with the Towel while stationed in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as part of the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
. Fans waved Terrible Towels at the gold medal match for Women's beach volleyball at the 2008 Olympic Games. Prior to the 2008 AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
, the Terrible Towel was displayed on the International Space Station. The Terrible Towel is seen in the Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
season five episode "My Bright Idea," hanging on the cork board of Carla and Turk's apartment as she comes out of the bathroom after performing what she believes to be another unsuccessful pregnancy test. During her campaign for the 2008 Presidential Election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Hillary Clinton received a Terrible Towel during a visit to Pittsburgh. During the 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit
2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit
The 2009 G-20 Pittsburgh Summit was the third meeting of the G-20 heads of state in discussion of financial markets and the world economy.The G-20 is the premier forum for discussing, planning and monitoring international economiccooperation....
, visiting dignitaries received Terrible Towels in gift bags from the city. The Terrible Towel is displayed prominently and waved by Rapper Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...
in the music video for his song Black and Yellow, which debuted during the 2010 NFL season. The Terrible Towel made an episode in season 12
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 12)
Dancing with the Stars returned for its twelfth season on March 21, 2011. Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Len Goodman returned to the show as judges, while Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke returned as hosts....
of Dancing with the Stars on March 21, 2011. After Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...
danced, Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
is seen twirling the towel.
Honoring Cope
In 2005, Cope retired after 35 years as the Steelers radio announcer—the longest tenure of any broadcaster with a single team in NFL history. Cope was honored by the Steelers with the release of a limited special edition Towel, featuring his name and catch phrases. Cope was made an honorary co-captain for the Steelers for a Monday night gameMonday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Cope led the fans in a towel wave at half time; the Towel that Cope used is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
In response to how he would like to be remembered, Cope responded, "When I kick the bucket, there'll be a little story that'll say, 'Creator of Towel Dead'". On February 27, 2008, Cope died of respiratory failure in Pittsburgh. The following day, an article from the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
concerning Cope's death was entitled "Former Steelers broadcaster, Terrible Towel creator Cope dies". Upon Cope's death, over 350 fans gathered downtown Pittsburgh in snowy weather for a tribute to the inventor. The ceremony concluded with one minute of silent Towel waving. Days later, Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
cast member Seth Meyers
Seth Meyers
Seth Adam Meyers is an American actor and comedian. He currently serves as head writer for Saturday Night Live and hosts its news parody segment Weekend Update.-Early life:...
waved a Terrible Towel on Saturday Night Live, in tribute to Cope.
Opposition
Before a 1994 playoff game1994 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 1994 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers marked their third consecutive trip to the playoffs under head coach Bill Cowher. For the second time in Cowher's three seasons as head coach of the Steelers the team was the top seed in the AFC playoffs...
against the Steelers' long-time rival
Browns-Steelers rivalry
The Browns–Steelers rivalry is one of the most storied rivalries in the NFL. With 117 meetings and counting, it is the oldest rivalry and the most storied in the American Football Conference , surpassing any other rivalry in the conference by at least 5 contests. The two divisional foes have a...
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Steelers defensive tackle Brentson Buckner
Brentson Buckner
Brentson André Buckner is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League.-College career:...
accidentally dropped a Towel that he was waving during the player introductions. Browns running back Earnest Byner
Earnest Byner
Earnest Alexander Byner is a former American football running back in the National Football League and is currently a running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars...
stepped on the Towel yelling, "We don't care about your towel. We're going to beat you this time." This act "provok[ed] other Steelers and Browns to mingle. Not affectionately." The Steelers won the game 29–9.
During a December 4, 2005, game at Heinz Field, T. J. Houshmandzadeh
T. J. Houshmandzadeh
T. J. Houshmandzadeh, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State. Houshmandzadeh is of mixed...
of the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
wiped his feet on a Towel after he scored a touchdown. Although the Bengals managed a 7-point victory in that regular season game, the Steelers came back to defeat them 31–17 in the playoffs, on their way to a victory in Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
Before the September 29, 2008, Steelers game at Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
wide receiver Derrick Mason
Derrick Mason
Derrick James Mason is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.Mason has also played for the Baltimore Ravens where he...
stomped on a Terrible Towel. The Ravens then went on to lose all three of their 2008 season games against the Steelers, including the 2008 AFC Championship Game.
On October 8, 2008, the Steelers played the Jacksonville Jaguars at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. At that point of their season, the Jaguars were 2-2-0, and feeling very hopeful for the season following a defeat at home of their division rival Colts. The game was very close going into the second half, and the Steelers were still stinging from a Mathis interception and runback for a touchdown. Shortly after the start of the third quarter, Jaguars mascot Jaxson DeVille stood alongside some cheerleaders, and produced a Terrible Towel, which he used to rub his armpits and buttocks. Shortly after that, the Steelers ran away with the game and the Jaguars lost 26-21. The Jaguars went on to lose eight of their remaining eleven games in the season.
On December 21, 2008, LenDale White
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California....
and Keith Bulluck
Keith Bulluck
Keith J. Bulluck is an American Football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted 30th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse....
of the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
stepped on a Terrible Towel after the Titans's 31–14 victory. Pittsburgh's Larry Foote
Larry Foote
Lawrence Edward Foote, Jr. is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
responded, "They deserved to do that, they whooped us, they deserve to celebrate and, hopefully, we'll see them again." While Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...
said, "[T. J. Houshmandzadeh] did kind of the same thing and you see where they went." Tennessee was the top seed in the playoffs, however following the incident the Titans proceeded to lose eight consecutive games, including an '08 divisional playoff game (their first game following the 'incident'), their '09 Week 1 game against the Steelers, 13-10. After the Titan's 8th consecutive loss, Titans coach Jeff Fisher expressed regret for his team's behavior towards the Towel, and a number of Titans players autographed a Terrible Towel and mailed it to Allegheny Valley School - the Pittsburgh charity that now owns the trademark. The Titans won their next 5 games.
On January 27, 2009, at a public sendoff in Phoenix for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
before they faced the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
Mayor Phil Gordon
Phil Gordon (politician)
Phil Gordon is an American Democratic party politician, and the 58th and current mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. He was sworn in as mayor on January 2, 2004.-Early life, education, and early career:...
produced a towel and called the Cardinals mascot, Big Red
Big Red (Cardinals mascot)
Big Red is the mascot of the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. According to his official biography, he "hatched" on October 4, 1998. He's also 6 foot 4 inches, has a 7-foot wingspan....
to the stage, where he used the towel to wipe his armpits. Gordon then blew his nose on the towel. The Cardinals then proceeded to lose the Super Bowl to the Steelers, 27-23.
On October 11, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
at Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
. Nearing the end of the fourth quarter the Steelers were up by 8 points and the Lions were marching down the field. At this time the Lions mascot Roary The Lion, stepped on, bit and ripped apart a Terrible Towel. Following this the Lions suffered three straight sacks to put them in a long fourth and twenty-eight situation. The Lions did not convert and the Steelers won the game 28-20.
Several Blue and White "Terrific Towels" were made for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
' in the 2009 season playoffs, one of which received some airtime during their AFC championship victory. The Colts subsequently lost Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
to the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
On January 15, 2011, the curse followed T. J. Houshmandzadeh to Baltimore. Houshmandzadeh dropped a pass in the waning minutes of the AFC Divisional playoff that could have led to a game-tying score for the Ravens. The Steelers won the game 31-24.
Prior to the AFC Championship game against the New York Jets on January 23, 2011, a YouTube video showed fans of the Jets stomping on the Terrible Towel in Pittsburgh. The Jets fell behind the Steelers 24-3 in the first half of the Championship game, and were unable to overtake the Steelers in the second half, losing 24-19.
Similar gimmicks
During his coaching career from 1922 to 1964, E. A. Diddle of Western Kentucky UniversityWestern Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
began carrying a red towel with him during the basketball games he coached. Diddle would wave and throw the towel during games, and the concept was adopted by fans of the college. It became an official part of the school logo in 1971. Fans of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins
1972 Miami Dolphins season
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only National Football League team to win the Super Bowl with a perfect season. The undefeated campaign was led by coach Don Shula and notable players Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, and Larry Csonka...
cheered the team by waving white handkerchief
Handkerchief
A handkerchief , also called a handkercher or hanky, is a form of a kerchief, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric that can be carried in the pocket or purse, and which is intended for personal hygiene purposes such as wiping one's hands or face, or blowing one's nose...
s. However, the handkerchiefs were deemed "too dainty" for football, and the tradition faded. "Hate the Yankees Hankies", in reference to the franchise's rivalry with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, were handkerchiefs distributed to Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
fans in September 1977 in a promotion.
The Terrible Towel is traditionally known as the first "rally towel
Rally towel
A rally towel is a sports paraphernalia item and a type of towel often used as a fan symbol used in American sports events. The prototype of the modern rally towel, created in 1975 by former Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, was known as the Terrible Towel...
"; its popularity has spawned similar traditions for other teams. Fans of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
cheer the team with the "Homer Hanky
Homer Hanky
The Official Star Tribune Minnesota Twins Homer Hanky , is a handkerchief printed with a baseball-shaped logo during Minnesota Twins championship seasons...
" during the playoffs. The Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
have distributed white towels to fans during home games. During a 2006 playoff game against the Steelers, the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
handed out blue towels to rally fans, however, Pittsburgh went on to win the game. In a 2000 preseason game
2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record from 1999 in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. While Pittsburgh did improve to 9–7 and had their first winning season since 1997, it was not enough for the team to qualify for the playoffs...
, played in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, many fans that filled the 100,000 seat Aztec Stadium
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
waved Towels. Cope, glad that the Allegheny Valley School would receive a sizable donation from the proceeds, was later disappointed to learn the towels waved by the fans were "knockoffs" made by local artists, and therefore no proceeds would go to the school. In 2008, the NFL approved a white towel entitled the Trophy Towel, which will be sold to fans and given to the winning team of Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
. Members of the Steelers criticized the idea, broadcaster Bill Hillgrove
Bill Hillgrove
Bill Hillgrove is an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sports broadcaster.He is currently the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the steelers football network and for the University of Pittsburgh Img sports network he calls the Pitt games with former Pitt quarterback Pat...
—who worked with Cope—called the idea "a cheap imitation." Steelers player Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith (American football)
Aaron Douglas Smith is a professional American football player with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. He plays left defensive end in a 3-4 defensive alignment.-Pittsburgh Steelers:...
stated, "It started here, so why would anyone else want to have a towel? Why not kazoo
Kazoo
The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
s?" During the 2010 Memorial Cup
2010 Memorial Cup
The 2010 Memorial Cup was a 4-team round-robin format tournament played during May 14–23, 2010 in Brandon, Manitoba. It determined the 92nd major junior champions of the Canadian Hockey League . The Western Hockey League announced on October 15, 2008, that the Brandon Wheat Kings were chosen to...
the host committee made up 8,000 yellow towels to represent the host team, the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
, who played the Moncton Wildcats
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They play at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada....
. Many fans brought the towels back for games after that.