Former Steelers color analyst Myron Cope couldn't sleep for hours after his speech flopped at Saturday night's Pro Football Hall of Fame annual enshrinees' dinner, so he picked up a pen and composed enough notes to fill a chapter in his next book. The title of the new chapter? "The Big Shot bombs at Hall of Fame," Cope said. Cope apologized Monday because his rambling speech Saturday night went more than 10 minutes over a strict television time limit. He didn't stop speaking until a Pro Football Hall of Fame official tapped him on the shoulder and escorted him back to his seat. Cope's remarks came after he received the NFL's highest broadcasting honor, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, at Memorial Civic Center in Canton, Ohio. "I just felt horrible about what I did," Cope said. "My behavior was stupid. I wanted to apologize to the people who were there, the fans and the people at the hall of fame." Cope retired June 21 after 35 seasons in the Steelers radio booth. He said it was conceit - not an extended happy hour - that led to his puzzling behavior. "You shouldn't be learning lessons at 76," Cope said. "It was conceit. I let myself think I'm a big shot in the six weeks since I had the news conference announcing my retirement. People may think I'm senile, but I ain't. I thought I was a celebrity." Cope believes there are no celebrities. "There are only people who think they're a celebrity," he said. In a bizarre scene reminicent of past Hollywood Academy Award presentations, music started to play over Cope's speech. Hall of Fame officials had to strike up the band to cut him off. The banquet was televised live on a Canton cable station and filmed for NFL Network. "People told me I had two minutes to speak, and unfortunately, I took that lightly," Cope said. "They shouldn't have had to stop me. I know any time you've got a TV situation, you've got a time factor. "I have no excuses. Actually, I have 20 excuses, but none absolve me. I'm an old hand. I know better." No one came up to Cope after the banquet and mentioned his speech. "That's when I knew I'd bombed," Cope said. "I knew I made a total jerk out of myself." Cope used his 13-minute speech to campaign for former Steelers linebacker Andy Russell. Cope wants Russell to be considered for induction as a veteran who retired more than 25 years ago. Russell played 11 seasons and finished his career in 1976 on a defense that shut out five opponents. "I went on and on, but I wanted people to know that Russell has tremendous qualifications," Cope said. "I hope I didn't kill his chances." Cope's sports banquet schtick, which never fails in the Pittsburgh market, fell flat before a crowd of Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers fans. Dolphins fans booed Cope in the banquet hall after he cracked that Russell's stats dwarfed quarterback Dan Marino's numbers. San Francisco fans also didn't appreciate Cope's satire when he commented on Steve Young's wardrobe. So what did Cope want to say about the late NFL commissioner Rozelle before the music started? "The icing on the cake is that this award is named for Pete Rozelle," Cope said in a span of about 10 seconds. "More than any other man, he made pro football the dominant sport in America. I very much liked him, and we considered ourselves friends."

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