"Cooper" redux

[Wilson Gray]

Fans of football are probably familiar with the Manning family of
Mississippi. The father and two sons are well-known for their play as
quarterbacks. However, there is a third son who is not as well-known as
his dad and his brothers. This third son's name is Cooper Manning. I've
read in sports mags and heard on TV sports programs that Cooper insists
that his name is absolutely *not* to be pronounced [kup at r]. Rather,
it's to be pronounced [kUp@], wherein "U" represents the sound of the
"oo" of "book." Apparently, the pronunciation [kup at r] sounds as
ridiculous to white Mississippians as it sounds to black Texans.

-Wilson Gray