Sarah Schneider/Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pro football writer Ed Bouchette sits for a portrait outside the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio
CANTON, Ohio -- The first indication it was going to be a special weekend for Ed Bouchette came when he was assigned a driver to take him wherever he wanted to go for three days during the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement festivities.
But there was no destination he enjoyed being chauffeured to more than Fawcett Stadium, where he shared the stage and a bit of the spotlight Saturday night with the Class of 2014 and some of the players he helped vote into the Hall of Fame.
Bouchette, who has covered the Steelers for 30 years for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, received the Dick McCann Award at the beginning of the enshrinement ceremonies, getting a few "boos" from some of the gold-jacketed Hall of Famers on stage, including the former Steelers great whose jersey was recently retired -- Joe Greene.
"I think they were doing that for my last name," Bouchette said. "At least I think so."
The McCann Award is voted on by members of the Pro Football Writers Association of America and given to a writer for long and distinguished reporting on professional football. It is named in honor of McCann, who was the first director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The list of McCann honorees -- 45 in all since 1969 -- is sometimes referred to as the "writer's wing" of the Hall of Fame, even though there is no actual area.
But Bouchette said he felt like a Hall of Famer after the way he was treated during the three days of festivities.
"The whole weekend was great, they treated me great. They went out of their way to make it a nice weekend. It culminated with Dave Baker presenting me with the award," Bouchette said, referring to the Hall of Fame president and executive director.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2014/08/03/Hall-honor-humbling-to-sports-reporter-Ed-Bouchette/stories/201408030126#ixzz39QGCBbk9
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