Tom McCarthy eulogized ‘POOP’ scorebug before Pirates-Phillies game

The NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast of Friday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies started with Tom McCarthy paying tribute to a dearly departed friend, the POOP scorebug.

From 2022-2024, the NBC Sports scorebug showed, from left to right, the visiting team’s logo, the visiting team’s score, the home team’s logo and the home team’s score. So, when the Philadelphia Phillies, whose games are covered on NBC Sports Philadelphia, played the Pittsburgh Pirates, the scorebug read “P00P” until the scoreless tie was broken. In 2025, that scorebug was changed, with it now reading, from left to right, the visiting team’s abbreviation, the visiting team’s score, the home team’s abbreviation and the home team’s score. Viewers were sad in spring training when they realized that the new graphic brought an end to “P00P.”

On Friday, the Phillies and Pirates opened the first series of the year between the two teams. McCarthy noted the loss.

“Before we continue with this telecast, we have to address what is on everybody’s minds and hearts,” McCarthy said, with somber music playing in the background. “July 29, 2022, our beloved scorebug first lit up the screens here with Phillies television. It was more than just a scoreboard. It was a legend. An unforgettable icon. Its name, once met with chuckles, quickly became synonymous with good times and fierce rivalries. As the final out arrives on its bright and brilliant run, it will be missed. Gone but never forgotten.”

It was a beautiful tribute from McCarthy. Still, we feel it somehow falls short of capturing the loss that the viewers are experiencing. But to be fair, adequately capturing such a loss is just not possible.

Rest in piece, POOP scorebug. Your star burned too bright for this world.