Wednesday marks anniversary of Steelers' 'Six Burgh' Super Bowl victory

It's been eight years to the day since the most recent Super Bowl win by the Steelers, a defeat of the Arizona Cardinals.

The greatest of games was highlighted by two of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Many remember James Harrison's epic 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, or Ben Roethlisberger's laser to Santonio Holmes in the final moments that sealed the sixth Super Bowl title for the Steelers.

Eight years later, my personal memories from that day and night in Tampa remain crystal clear. In the early afternoon of that Super Bowl Sunday, I had an up-close encounter - albeit through a cyclone fence - with Bruce Springsteen, several hours before Springsteen rocked Raymond James Stadium with a memorable halftime show.

In early evening, as the first half clock ticked away, I watched Harrison's interception return from the last row of the upper deck. Sometimes even members of the media have to watch from peanut-heaven. That amazing touchdown still replays in my mind like a highlight reel.

Then, deep into the night, in the last moments of the game, after hundreds of reporters and photographers had been assembled on the service level of the stadium, I watched Roethlisberger's game-winning touchdown pass to Holmes on a small monitor a few hundred feet up a runway from where the play unfolded.

I'll always remember the post-game celebration, and two interviews that were made more memorable by the approach that was necessary to make them happen.

Moments after the game ended, I asked Roethlisberger if he would appear live on our post-game show.  “Let’s do it,” Ben said without hesitation, but then, after hearing that the interview location was on the other end of the field and about 60 yards away, Roethlisberger had second thoughts. Understandably, he wasn't prepared to navigate in and around a media throng on the field. I changed his mind with some determined reassurance saying, "You're gonna do this interview, and I'm gonna lead you there." Roethlisberger nodded, and with our arms practically locked, we started the not-so-short stroll to the far sideline for his first local interview after the win.

I then headed to the Steelers locker room, where I found myself in a small office with Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, his son, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan, the Steelers director of administration, and Jack Wolf, a still photographer who was capturing the chaotic celebration in the locker room.

I asked Dan Rooney if he'd appear for a live interview while holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy. He deferred to his son, and Art Rooney kindly obliged. So four of us - Art Rooney, Khan, Wolf and yours truly - started the trek to our camera location. As we were inching our way through the large crowd that had gathered outside the locker room, I was able to flag down a service vehicle - what amounted to a golf cart with a flat-bed back - and explained to the gentlemen behind the wheel that we needed to take the Steelers owner to the field for an interview.  He was happy to help, but was concerned that the cart was meant to hold two passengers.  I kindly told him that, on this night, it would hold five. So a team owner, a team administrator, a freelance photographer, a determined reporter, and the Vince Lombardi Trophy, were chauffeured across the field for another memorable interview on live television.

The Steelers would return to the Super Bowl two years later, but Feb. 1, 2009, remains the last of their six Super Bowl wins. That date, game and Super Bowl victory provided memories that will last a lifetime for any member of the Steeler Nation, and for one sports reporter in particular who was lucky to be in the middle of it all.

Cox Media Group