The GOAT

I’ve never posted on my blog twice on the same day and I’ve been operating the blog for almost a decade.  But today after my post, the greatest NFL football player of all time announced his retirement.  I’ve been a fan going back to his time at Michigan (in spite of my wife’s wishes).  I’ve had a few wonderful opportunities to photograph him over the years.  It was an honor to experience that and do my best to capture him in the best possible way.  Tom Brady is the best ever!!

Here are a few photos I’ve taken of the GOAT.

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Ben's Farewell

Tonight, is expected to be Ben Roethlisberger’s last home game with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he retires.  I’m not a Ben fan, but I can respect his talent and accomplishments.  After this season, the Steelers will be looking for their next quarterback, who they hope will be the next superstar.  There was almost 20 years between Terry Bradshaw and Ben.  For Steelers’ fans, let’s hope it doesn’t take another 20 years to find another Pro Bowl QB.

Tomlin and Wilson

I took this photo post game at Heinz Field in 2019.  It was nice capturing Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson chatting with each other.  You could tell there was mutual respect between them.

Ready For Football

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the 2021 NFL season.  We have a few more months before pre-season yet, but thankfully it’ll be here before we know it.  I captured this photo of Ben in Buffalo last season.

My Super Bowl Selection

As you’ve probably noticed on my blog before, I’m a Tom Brady fan from his days at the University of Michigan.  Plus, my Detroit Lions never win, so I have always needed a back up team.  When Brady was in New England, I’d cheer from them.  Now I’m cheering for Tampa Bay in tonight’s Super Bowl.  I’m assuming the Chiefs will win, but I’ll still cheer for the GOAT quarterback to win….

I took this photo of him back in 2016, when the Patriots were at Heinz Field.

Goodbye Matthew

Well, my Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the LA Rams last night.  All good things usually come to an end and the Lions got more than I expected for trading Matthew.  So, I’ll wish him well and hope that Goff plays well for the Lions.

NFC Super Bowl Selection

Yesterday I posted who I wanted from the AFC to make it to the Super Bowl.  Today I’m going to share who I’d like to see, but not most likely to make it (it pains me to say the most likely NFC Super Bowl team will probably be the Packers).  The team I’d like to see come out of the NFC and play in the Super Bowl against the Bills (assuming I get my way) would be the Buccaneers. 

Why would I select the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

·      I’ve cheered for Tom Brady ever since he played at the University of Michigan.  Yes, I cheered for the Patriots when he played there.  I even have a New England Tom Brady jersey in my closet and let’s face it my Detroit Lions are never going to play in a Super Bowl.  So, the Patriots became my back up team with Brady over the years.

·      Let’s face it, Brady is THE one and only GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)

·      I’d like Tom to win a Super Bowl without Bill Belichick.

·      It seems like most Steelers’ fans dislike the Buccaneers coach (Bruce Arians) from his time in Pittsburgh.  Therefore, I have to wish good things for him.

·      Lastly, I just don’t want to see the Packers, Rams or Saints to win….  No reason why, just an emotional response. 

I don’t have a photo of Tom in Buccaneers gear, so you’re getting a photo of Brady that I took of him in New England Patriots clothing….

Baker Mayfield

I took this photo of Baker last season during the Steelers vs. Browns game in Cleveland.

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Will Steelers' Fans Ever See This Again

I took this photo of Ben Roethlisberger during 2018 NFL season…..  After his injury there wasn’t much time to capture this in the 2019 season.  So, the question is whether or not he’ll be able to throw the football in an NFL game again?  If he can’t, you won’t see him running out of the tunnel as a starter again.  I assume he’ll make it back, even if he is a shell of his old self.  @jasonpohuski on the other hand doesn’t think Ben will ever throw an NFL pass again.  We’ll see who is right this fall, assuming the NFL starts up again.

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Philip Rivers

I’m ready for football and everything else to get back to normal…..  ugh!!  Until then, here is Philip Rivers from last season.  He’ll be with the Colts this fall….assuming they play next season.

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Intensity

For Sunday night, I have a flashback football photo that I took last season.  I captured this when the Ravens were in Pittsburgh.  This shot of Robert Griffin III (RG3) demonstrates his intensity.  You have to wonder what his career would have been like if the Redskins had managed him and his injury correctly.  Potentially Hall of Famer but that was then, now he’ll never be viewed in that light.  If you think about it, he was the Patrick Mahomes before Patrick Mahomes.  Ruined potential.

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Simply Ben

This is a throw back to last season when Ben Roethlisberger was injured all season.  His beard got longer as the season progressed.  If we have a 2020 season, it’ll be interesting to see if he has healed completely or not.

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Playoffs - Seahawks

More NFL playoff games today.  Today, they have the Titans vs the Chiefs and then the Seahawks vs the Packers for us to watch.

Here is a photo I took of Russell Wilson earlier this year when Seattle was in Pittsburgh.  I captured this on the field after the game while he was being interviewed.  How about that hair!!

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Mayfield

I tried to capture a number of good photos of Baker Mayfield at last week’s game.  During the game I didn’t think I was having any success.  But as I went through my photos, I found a number of great shots.  Here is one of Baker from the first half of the game. 

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Goff Sack

I haven’t had time to process the photos from last night’s game yet.  In the meantime, here is one I captured of Jared Goff getting sacked by Mike Hilton.  After this play, Goff left the game for a few plays while he got his physical health in order.  This isn’t a great sports photo following all the traditional photography rules… meaning you can’t see their faces or even see much of Mike Hilton.  But I can’t help but love the photo based on the position of Goff in mid-air.

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Rulolph's Injury

It was a scary scene at Heinz Field yesterday, when Mason Rudolph was knocked unconscious by Baltimore Raven’s Earl Thomas II.  Thankfully Mason only suffered from a concussion (which is serious) and didn’t have a critical life-threatening injury. 

I was moved by how much Mason’s team members cared about his situation.  Below are a series of photos documenting the aftermath of the hit.  I hope Mason has a speedy recovery.

Team members helping him to the tunnel

Climbing on the cart in the tunnel to be taken for medical evaluation.

The Season of Frustration

I captured this photo of Ben Roethlisberger at the beginning of the 3rd quarter following his injury.  The beginning of the season hasn’t started very well for the Steelers with Ben’s injury, Conor’s injury, two early losses and a bunch of tough games coming up.  No wonder, Ben looks so depressed in this photo. 

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Philip Rivers

It’s been a while since I posted a football photo.  Therefore, you get the Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers.  I took this photo last season when the Chargers were in town playing the Steelers.  He looks pretty happy in this picture….why I don’t remember.   

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#12

Just one more day until the Super Bowl where #12 is going for #6 (his 6th Super Bowl win).  We’ll see how this ends up, but I’m feeling good about it.

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GOAT

Here is another photo in my Patriots Super Bowl week series.  Regardless of your perspective, no reasonable person can argue against Tom as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)….

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