Cannon Firing Line
Finding Meaning in Motown
By Ellis G. Cannon
PSR Publisher

At the end of February, I made a stop at the post office and within minutes had the idea for this column.

The guy at the counter asked a question we're only too happy to relive - what was it like covering the Super Bowl?

It also gives us an opportunity to debunk a few misperceptions about what was meaningful from the experience.

Let's begin with all the caveats, including "there's no whine here" and "it's a blessing of sorts to be part of the coverage." It was a privilege, and certainly a responsibility, to convey back to Pittsburgh what was happening in Detroit. That said, forget this being a trip to the beach - and not just because of a chill in the air. For every person involved in that process, it's a lot of work - much more involved than a standard, run-of-the-mill, day. Doing shows from radio row is every bit as exciting as we envisioned; just to get there most days in one piece was the challenge.

That's what happens with morning press conferences and media opportunities, deadlines and video shoots, recording audio and commentaries, jumping around venues, coordinating guests and show prep - all while the technical comforts you rely on each day are a few hundred miles away. This was all going on in an atmosphere that grew more electric by the day.

But most people working out there will tell you the last thing on the agenda was partying with celebs. The best alternative by that time of the day was finding sleep.

But there's no amount of space that can describe game day. Again, not from the thrilling standpoint most fans would assume, but from the adrenaline rush that carries you through the most memorable of professional experiences, capping off a season that stretched you further than you thought possible. The adrenaline is only second to what you feel when you've reached the other side.

All while working with guys having the same responsibilities and challenges, creating a lasting memory of an esprit de corps that comes from that experience.

There you have it. Sorry it's not flashier. But it couldn't be more meaningful.

Ellis Cannon's SportsLine Pittsburgh" airs weeknights, 6-8 p.m., on FM NewsTalk 104.7. Ellis is also a regular contributor on the "#1 Cochran Sports Showdown" aired Sundays at 11:35 on KDKA-TV.