A couple weeks ago, I wrote about talking with Chicago radio veteran Dan McNeil at his book signing event. When, unprompted, McNeil started discussing his favorite cities, I knew I had my next Talking Travel interview guest.

For more than 40 years, McNeil covered Chicago sports for a few different outlets. In I Bear Witness, McNeil shares stories from his coverage of the Chicago Bears, from the glorious 1985 Super Bowl season to the dismal current state of the organization.

In our interview McNeil talked about an important person from his youth, which was marked by a rough home life. Undaunted, the young McNeil knew what he wanted to do and worked tirelessly to do it. Surviving and succeeding for so long in sports media takes more than just talent, though. It takes perseverance and passion, both of which define McNeil.

One of the things I like most about McNeil is he is as much a fan as a sports reporter. He’s at games to cover them, but he enjoys the experience, too. McNeil discusses Seattle, San Diego, Baltimore and more as his favorite NFL cities, also citing his surprise he hasn’t been to Cleveland. Not confined to football, McNeil brings up the Carolinas as one of his favorite areas, along with some secret fishing spots for him and his three sons.

I enjoyed I Bear Witness because it let me relive my Bears history through McNeil’s journey. Having listened to McNeil for my adult life, it was fascinating to get a little more of his story, including his love of travel, in our interview.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer