Day 14: Sean Cannon '81

New York City, 1980... a place where you had to get tough


Sean Cannon was one the prototypical guys then Head Coach Bill Campbell used to love to recruit during his time at the helm.

Cannon was undersized, but super tough just like Campbell was when he was a player. But unlike Campbell, Cannon was able to bulk up enough to add real muscle to his mental toughness.

Cannon came to Columbia in 1977 as a 200 pounder from nearby Cardinal Hayes High School in The Bronx. He helped lead the '77 frosh team to a respectable 2-4 season with a big win over Penn to finish the year.

During his first collegiate offseason, Cannon went into an intense weight lifting regimen and boosted his weight to 220. Coach Campbell gave him a shot at tackle on the varsity and he responded by playing the most minutes of anyone on the 1978 team that started the season a surprising 3-1-1.

The team's fortunes went south in '79 and '80, but Cannon just got better and better. He made First Team All-Ivy both seasons as he bulked up yet another 15 pounds to come into his final two years at 235.