Big East Championship: Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh
After shooting the Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers game Friday night, I was up at 6am to make the 3 hour drive to Pittsburgh to shoot the Big East Championship between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Pittsburgh Panthers.
I got into downtown around 9am, its has been a while since I have been to the city and I forgot about the confusing one way streets and how bad the parking is around the stadium. I didn’t have a media parking pass, so I ended up parking like a block away and had to hoof it to the stadium.
I found the media gate, picked up my credentials found the crowded media room, set up my laptop and I was off to the field to get to work. This being a huge game I had to make sure I got photos out fast. I was competing with 3 shooters from the AP, 2 shooters from Getty Images and a bunch of other photographers.
I took about five steps out of the media room and I saw Cincinnati Bearcats players walking out of the locker room to the field.
Senior Mardy Gilyard (1) pumps up the rest of his teammates and walk to the field.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/160, f2.8, 2500 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/160, f2.8, 2500 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/160, f2.8, 4000 ISO
I followed the players to the field and as the huddled up I got right next to the players held my camera over my head and shot away! I came away with Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Charley Howard (87) pumping up the team.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/640, f2.8, 320 ISO
Pittsburgh was coming out of the opposite tunnel so I made a quick sprint 100 yards to the opposite tunnel and did the exact same thing as I did with the Cincinnati players. Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Steve Dell (6) pumps up the team.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/640, f2.8, 320 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/640, f2.8, 320 ISO
I headed back to the media room to transmit photos and warm up and get my snow pants on since the field was so muddy.
Pittsburgh got the ball first and the didn’t mess around scoring first. Pittsburgh Panthers running back Dion Lewis (28) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter.
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/2000th f2.8, 800 ISO
Of course just my luck it was on the opposite end of the stadium and the media room was 110 yards away so I ran to the media room to transmit the photo. By me getting photos out faster than any of the other photographers I was able to get this front page photo on ESPN.com, Yahoo Sports, and CBS Sports.
You might be thinking I would miss plays by running back to the media room and transmitting photos, but with the game being on TV they will cut away to a commercial break for about 45 seconds and I make it back on the field just as the return man catches the ball.
Cincinnati couldn’t move the ball at all during the first half and was forced to punt and kick field goals.
After a punt Pittsburgh has the ball again and first play was a long pass to wide receiver Dorin Dickerson (2) but was unable to make the catch while being defended by Cincinnati Bearcats defensive back Aaron Webster (17). If the photo would have been a catch I would wait to see if Pittsburgh would score and then I would be back off to the media room.
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Luckily Cincinnati held Pittsburgh to a field goal.
Cincinnati needed a score before half to be back in the game and they did just that.
Tony Pike dropped back to pas and found a wide open receiver for about 50 yards.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
I was all set up for the touchdown catch in the endzone, but because it was snowing I focusing on a snow flake instead of the touchdown.
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
After a huge run by Pittsburgh running back Dion Lewis (28), the next play Jonathan Baldwin (82) caught a pass for a touchdown.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
To start the second half Cincinnati would start with the ball after a huge kick off return my senior Mardy Gilyard.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Tony Pike was rolling to pass was knocked down.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Luckily Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Dom DeCicco (31) was called for pass interference in the end zone.
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Next play Ton Pike rolled out to pass and threw a little screen pass to wide receiver DJ Woods (3) who found the end zone.
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Once again just my luck the media room was 110 yards away and I was off running back to the media room to transmit photos. After the Tony Pike pass my photo was on ESPN front page about 5 minutes after it was loaded on the site.
Pittsburgh would have to score to take the lead again. After a pass to wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin (82) the next play after Cincinnati Bearcats defensiveb ack Aaron Webster (17) intercepts a pass.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Cincinnati had great field position after the interception but as Tony Pike (not pictured) dropped back to pass the ball was tipped and intercepted by linebacker Max Gruber (55).
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
This was a huge turning point in the game, so I had to run back to the media room and transmit the photo and the photo replaced my other photo of Tony Pike on ESPN front page.
Cincinnati was down a touchdown and Tony Pike had to step up to his potential. He found wide receiver Mardy Gilyard who went for a touchdown.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
Nikon D700, 80-200mm, 1/1600th f2.8, 800 ISO
Guess what…. back to the media room to transmit photos. Here are the photos online minutes after sending the photos.
Game was tied going into 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter and Cincinnati got the ball after a sack and forcing Pittsburgh to punt.
Cincinnati moved the ball right down the field with pass to DJ Woods (3) then with about 1 min 30 second left Tony Pike dropped back to pass and found wide receiver Armon Binns (80) for the game winning touchdown.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/2500th, f2.8, 640 ISO
As the ball was in the air I had to switch cameras and I wasn’t able to get the actual catch in focus but I was able to get Armon holding the ball in the air.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/2000th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
Teammates celebrate with Armon in the endzone.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/2000th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
I headed over to the Cincinnati sidelines to get celebration photos. If you look in the background of the next photo you can see all the rest of the photographer shooting the head coaches shaking hands but that isn’t the important photo at this point in a big game.
Cincinnati Bearcats defensive back Brad Jones (25) celebrates with Kazeem Alli (8)
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/1600th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
Let the celebration begin!
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/1600th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/1600th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/1600th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
Nikon D700, 24-70mm, 1/1600th, f2.8, 1000 ISO
That wraps the second best college football game I have shot this year.
Here are the rest of my photos that appeared online and in LA Times and USA print edition.
