Cannon Firing Line
EXPECTATIONS
By Ellis G. Cannon
PSR Publisher

If it only seems like a few weeks ago the Steelers were leaving Detroit with the Super Bowl trophy, the return of training camp later this month confirms it.

It also signals the start of a new era - one unlike most fans have ever experienced.

For years we heard it had been nearly a generation between Super Bowl wins for Steelers fans, something that made the win at XL extra sweet for those younger fans. They finally had "their" Super Bowl, in contrast to those of their fathers and grandfathers.

Finally, they had that feeling they had heard about for so long at picnics, around the dinner table and holidays.

It will now be interesting how those younger fans react once the days in Latrobe, and the chase to repeat, returns.

The hunch here is the feeling of satisfaction that accompanied shedding of that albatross will be replaced with wanting more and higher expectations.

Those fans, however, are not alone. There will be entire team dealing with very similar emotions and issues, all of which Bill Cowher should address head-on with a "come to Jesus" meeting once camp begins. The type where the events of the offseason are put behind them, accountability is reinforced and the focus is moving forward.

Sounds basic, until you look back at that offseason from the parade and "Who Dey" to the Tenth Street bridge. The one that included headlines involving Duce Staley, Trai Essex, Santonio Holmes, Cowher, Joey Porter and Ben Roethlisberger.

As we know, just getting that headcount at St. Vincent's isn't something to take lightly, considering anything can happen to derail just getting there. Assuming that's not a problem, Cowher will be best served (again) individually and collectively addressing those situations, using some of them as reminders and others as inspiration.

Cowher excels at sending those messages and setting themes. Fans and players see it with his infamous camp goal-line drills. He talks about it afterwards as sending messages, reinforcing agendas.

He'll have that same opportunity revisiting an offseason featuring just enough incidents off the straight and narrow to merit a similar approach at the first opportunity in Latrobe. Some of those incidents were farcical, others serious. All are manageable.

But with history now changed, the target on them and expectations even higher, it's a good idea they be managed.

Unmistakably.

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.