Call Scooby and the gang!
Back in January, when the Pittsburgh Steelers slid barely under the wire into the playoffs, it was looking like there might yet be a chance at greatness. 'Burgh radio station WDVE ran a promotion asking listeners for Steelers' "fight songs", to bolster the team.
They said they'd play anything they got, as long as it was positive and appropriate. The public responded in droves. Hundreds of amateur-produced CDs and tapes came in, some good, most pretty lame, but all supporting the team in their drive for their fifth championship ring.
One morning, the WDVE office staff came in to find a CD, literally left on their doorstep, with no name or return address. The only thing written on it was "Jimmy Pol (pronounced 'Paul') Steeler's Fight Song 2005".
Mr. Pol was a musician from Pittsburgh, whose polka band, The Jimmy Pol Orchestra, each year, for many years, produced a "fight song" for their beloved Steelers.
It was always to the tune of the "Pennsylvania Polka", and each year Pol would rewrite the lyrics to update it for the new season. He'd add new players or staff names, refer to positive things in the previous season, stats, etc.
The guys at DVE played the CD and, sure enough, it was Jimmy Pol, singing a 2005 version, to the "Pennsylvania Polka", of the old fight song, with updated player and staff names, etc.
Only problem, in case you haven't figured it out by now, is that Mr. Pol has been dead for several years.
Now, it had to be someone imitating Mr. Pol, right?
So, someone at the station with a friend or relative in the Crime Lab at the PPD sent them the CD and it was analyzed. It was tested against the older recordings....and found to be Mr. Pol's voice.
Okay....someone pieced it together, from the old recordings. But then, he's singing about Big Ben, Willie Parker, Coach Cowher.....and he does say "Steeler's fight song, 2005". And besides, you can tell when a tape has been pieced together from other recordings; the tone and cadence of the words will differ. This didn't. I've heard it, and it's all one song.
Now, that's weird.
Who knows? Jimmy Pol was a Steelers fan through and through, proud of his Steelers, and maybe he wanted to support the team, even from beyondg the grave.
I know. That's silly. But then........
I hope that, wherever he is, Jimmy Pol is as happy as the rest of Pittsburgh and the area.
Way to go, Steelers!