Beano Cook, one of the country’s most well-known college football experts, has passed away from unknown causes. He was 81. A University of Pittsburgh graduate, Cook worked for 10 years as a sports publicist for that school before eventually catching on as an ABC studio commentator in 1982. He then joined ESPN in 1986 and was given the nickname “Cardinal of College Football” due to his vast knowledge of the sport. Most recently, Cook joined ESPN’s Ivan Maisel on a weekly podcast. “He was one of a kind,” George Bodenheimer, ESPN executive chairman, said in a statement. “There never was and never will be another Beano. His combination of humor, passion, love of college football and his engaging personality left an indelible mark on the sport and touched anyone who knew him. Cook also served in the U.S. Army for two years and we send our condolences to his loved ones.
