Super Sunday

Three times in seven years. That’s the frequency with which my favorite team has made it to the Super Bowl since I started working for ESPN. The first year, 2006, I went to the game and blogged about my experience for ESPN.com. The Steelers beat the Seahawks and I had a weekend I will never forget. (Although working as my friend Rob’s photo assistant at that year’s AFC Championship game in Detroit was perhaps an even more memorable experience.)

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of showing two amazing people a black-and-gold good time in Tampa and then, thanks to the kindness of my colleagues, was able to take my dad, sister and brother-in-law to the game. That was another weekend I will not soon forget.

This year, when the probability of a third Steelers Super Bowl started looking good, I started freaking out. Not just because the idea of a Steelers-Packers game was giving me goosebumps or because a Steelers win would give me a reason to go to Dallas for one last hurrah with my colleagues at the magazine–many of whom are leaving the company when the magazine moves to Bristol in June–but because it would give me the opportunity to do something I didn’t get to do those past two years. Take my mom to the Super Bowl. The biggest Steelers fan in our house has watched every one of those six Super Bowl wins from the comfort of her couch. (The losses, too.) She’s the reason I am the Steelers fan I am and the person I text with most during the games. But I’ve watched the Steelers–her team, first–hoist the Lombardi trophy three times, and she’s never had the chance. And that needs to be rectified. So, next weekend, we’re headed to Dallas.

Now we just need to find tickets!

I DON’T THINK THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO START CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY THAN BY TAKING RUNS WITH FRIENDS (IN MAMMOTH) … WHILE WEARING MY STEELERS JERSEY …

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KRISTI BAKED A TERRIBLE TOWEL CELEBRATORY CAKE … ALSO, MYRON COPE WOULD HAVE TURNED 82 ON SUNDAY. NICE BIRTHDAY PRESENT, GUYS …

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BEFORE I LEAVE FOR THE SUPER BOWL, I’m off to Aspen for the Winter X Games. Check in at ESPN.com every day starting Wednesday to read my preview stories, and check out ESPN.com/action for the latest and greatest during the event, which is back at Buttermilk Mountain Wednesday-Sunday, Jan. 27-30. (And follow me on twitter at @roenigka)

For today’s piece, I asked 10 of the best halfpipe riders in the world to help construct a fantasy halfpipe run. Here’s what they came up with.

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