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South Beach & the Sun Bowl…Again

By Andy Lopusnak, AndysPictures.com

December 29-31, 2013

For the second time in the past three seasons, I ended the year with a Jets-Dolphins game in Miami and the Sun Bowl. Only this time the games were switched with the NFL game on 12/29 and the Sun Bowl as usual at high noon on New Year’s Eve. In 2011, I did the Sun Bowl that Utah won in overtime 30-27 on New Year’s Eve and then covered the Dolphins’ 19-17 win over the Jets on New Year’s Day 2012, which was the last NFL contest for future Hall of Famers Jason Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson. This time, the Jets won and likely it will be the last game ever played by future HOFer Ed Reed, who picked off his 64th pass in the game.

JETS 20, DOLPHINS 7

New York eliminated Miami from the playoffs with the surprising win after trailing 7-0 then scoring the game’s final 20 points. Jets rookie QB Geno Smith surpassed the 3,000-yard passing mark on the season during the game. He ran for a touchdown in the game. Rookie defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson pounded in the other Jets touchdown giving him two on the season (I covered the other one at Carolina two weeks earlier) which tied William “Refrigerator” Perry for the most rushing scores in a season by a defensive lineman. The Fridge also did it in his rookie year (of 1985 when the Bears won the Super Bowl).

For the Dolphins, receiver Brian Hartline went over 1,000 yards for the second time, but was injured on the play and missed the rest of the game. Without his favorite receiver, Ryan Tannehill struggled and at one point threw three interceptions in the span of eleven pass attempts.

This game marked by 275th NFL contest that I’ve covered since “turning pro” in 1997. Additionally, this became my 30th Jets game covered. Here’s a look at the teams I’ve covered the most during my CBS tenure and their respective records in those contests.

TEAM	MOST CBS GAMES	RECORD
1. Baltimore	32	16-16
Houston	32	12-20
3. Cincinnati	31	9-22
4. NY Jets	30	14-16
5. Jacksonville	26	8-18

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PREGAME PHOTOS OF THIS GAME

SUN LIFE STADIUM TIME LAPSE

I’ve done two 50-yard line time lapses here in the past, so with it supposed to pour down rain I only put out the GoPro Hero 2 for a really unique shot. I place it in the low end zone behind the goal post and a tarp with the Dolphins logo. I was a bit scared that the camera might get stolen since it was literally in front of fans (see photo below). It worked out though and is truly a great time lapse.

As you can see, the clouds are amazing (though it was very overcast). You cannot see much game action because it’s so low but I think the sky makes up for it as does the moving tarp in the wind. Notice at the very end as the ground crew takes down the goal post.

THIRD SUN BOWL

In the past five years, I’ve now covered the Sun Bowl three times. My first trip to El Paso was in 2008 when Oregon State beat Pittsburgh 3-0 in the lowest scoring bowl game since 1959. In the game, Victor Butler posted four sacks and 11 tackles. It was also the 75th edition of the Sun Bowl. Three years later, I returned as Utah beat Georgia Tech 30-27 in overtime with Utes running back John White scoring the game winner to go with 115 yards on the ground.

2013 SUN BOWL: UCLA 42, VIRGINIA TECH 12

Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley had a career day on the ground rushing for 161 yards on ten carries with two scores. He had an 86-yard rushing touchdown and another from seven yards out. His previous career high was just 85 total rushing yards. Hundley also threw two more scores in the win.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY SUN BOWL PHOTOS

#1 PICK & HOFer ADDED

Bruce Smith, who played at Virginia Tech and was the #1 overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, was at the Sun Bowl. Smith is the NFL’s all-time leader in sacks and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With one photo, I added him to my collection of #1 overall NFL picks (CLICK HERE TO VIEW) and NFL Hall of Famers (CLICK HERE TO VIEW). Smith became my 22nd #1 overall pick I’ve photographed.

SUN BOWL TIME LAPSE

When I was here in 2011, I got a corner time lapse of the game (CLICK HERE TO VIEW); so I set up sideline shots in the broadcast booth as well as one in the end zone. This time, I set up three time lapses – one in the end zone, another at the 50-yard line and the third in the broadcast booth.

UP NEXT: Duke at Notre Dame Hoops

Next week, I’ll be making my third trip to South Bend, Indiana to cover the Duke-Notre Dame college basketball game. Aside from the NFL playoff game the week after ND, I’m now into basketball mode the rest of the way.

-- AndysPictures.com --

My 40th State Capitol, the Nati & a Game

By Andy Lopusnak, AndysPictures.com

October 4-6, 2013

My game this past weekend was in Cincinnati; however, with West Virginia’s capitol being one that I haven’t photographed and a few hours away, I flew into Charleston, WV to capture my 40th state capitol.

Along the bank of the Kanawha River, the West Virginia Capitol Complex was completed from 1932. It was designed by Cass Gilbert, who reused the interior of the WV capitol’s East Wing in his design of the U.S. Supreme Court. Gilbert also designed the Minnesota State Capitol, New York’s Woolworth Building and Cincinnati’s PNC Tower.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE SHOTS OF CHARLESTON AND THE STATE CAPITOL.

There’s just ten more capitol buildings I need to complete the Fifty Nifty United States. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GALLERY OF THE 40. The ten remaining capitols I need are located in: Alaska (Juneau), Hawaii (Honolulu), Idaho (Boise), Iowa (Des Moines), Maine (Augusta), Montana (Helena), North Dakota (Bismarck), South Carolina (Columbia), South Dakota (Pierre) and Vermont (Montpelier). Here’s a look at the US map with the state capitols I’ve photographed in red.

After snapping #40, I had a nice scenic 200+ mile drive to right outside of Cincinnati to the little hamlet of North Bend, Ohio to photograph the grave of William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. President. Harrison died just 32 days into office. Harrison was also the grandfather of Benjamin Harrison, who was the 23rd president. This marks my tenth grave site photographed of a U.S. President (CLICK HERE TO SEE MY COLLECTION). Five U.S. Presidents were either born in the greater Cincinnati area or worked in the Nati: William Henry Harrison, Rutherford B. Hayes, Ulysses S. Grant, William Taft and Benjamin Harrison. Only the older Harrison is buried close to Cincy.

CINCINNATUS TO THE RESCUE

Cincinnati is named after the Roman dictator Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who gave up ultimate power and returned to farming. He became a model for George Washington after the Revolutionary War. It also helps that Cincy has seven hills just like Rome. Prior to becoming Cincinnati in 1790, the town was called Losantiville and also known as Porkopolis for the huge meat packing industry. There’s a mural on the side of the Brotherhood Building at 1025 Vine Street called the Homage to Cincinnatus, which was created by Richard Haas in 1983 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Kroger Company (a Cincy-based grocery store chain). This thing looks real. It’s likely the best mural I’ve ever seen.

Near the riverfront in Sawyer Point, there’s a statue of Cincinnatus. A plaque under the sculpture reads:

The legendary Roman is seen here after he defeated the Aequians and rescued the trapped Roman Army. With one hand he returns the fasces, symbol of power as appointed Dictator of Rome, his other hand hold the plow, as he resumes the life of a citizen and farmer.

MORE ROME CONNECTIONS
There's more connections to Rome for Cincinnati than just Cincinnatus. Like Rome, Cincy is built on seven hills and "The City of Seven Hills" is one of my nicknames for the Nati. So it isn't any surprise that there's a sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf. This bronze sculpture is of a she-wolf sucking twin the infants Romulus and Remus, which is the most famous image associated with the founding of Rome.

CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL

This Venetian Gothic style building was completed in 1878 and serves as the home for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Opera. It is the third largest concert hall in the U.S. behind only the Met in NYC and the DAR Constitution Hall in D.C. Samuel Hannaford designed the Music Hall along with numerous other landmarks in the Nati, including City Hall, Cincinnati Observatory, the Cincinnatian Hotel (where CBS stays for games) and the Elsinore Arch.

CINCY CITY HALL

Designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the Cincinnati City Hall has a nine-story clock tower and was created with an optical illusion to make it seem larger than it actually is – the windows get smaller the higher the building goes. It was dedicated in 1893. Other works designed in the Richardsonian style are: the New York State Capitol in Albany and the Buffalo Insane Asylum.

ELSINORE ARCH

Constructed in 1883 for the Cincinnati Water Works and inspired by Elsinore Castle from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Water Works wanted a structure to house numerous valves to control the flow of water at the base of the steep hill at the base of Mt. Adam’s Eden Park; and also wanted it to be a unique entrance to the park.

NEW VIEW OF THE NATI

I love the Cincy skyline. I’ve shot it from the Ohio River in Covington, KY; Devou Park, Mount Adams and last year found another great spot in Price Hill. This time, I found another spot near the Price Hill neighborhood in Mt Echo Park. Sadly, the folks over at the Duke Energy Center didn’t turn on the glowing “Cincinnati” sign the entire week.

FOUNTAIN SQUARE

Founded in 1871 and renovated in 1971 and 2005, the square’s highlight is the Tyler Davidson Fountain - also known as The Genius of Water” as well as “The Lady.” The fountain is the symbol of the city and stands 43 feet high and the main figure is nine-feet high. She pours down the symbolic longed-for rain from her outstretched arms.

MEANWHILE, AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE

DC Comics artist Al Gmuer used the art deco design of Cincy’s Union Terminal (now known at the Cincinnati Museum Center) to create the Hall of Justice for the Super Friends TV show that was on ABC from 1973-86.

LET’S PLAY BALL

The history of baseball has many ties to Cincinnati. In 1869, the first all-professional baseball team began playing and the Red Stocking, as they were called back then, won 130 straight games from 1869-70. Because the Red Stockings were so dominant, it led to the formation of the National League, the first all-professional baseball league in 1890 and became known as the Reds.

Cincinnati was also the first baseball team to have a game broadcast on the road and also host a night game. Both of which were pioneer by eventual team owner Powel Crosley Jr. He’s backstory is pretty great. It’s amazing that he’s not in Cooperstown, but will be enshrined into the National Radio Hall of Fame next month. He got Proctor & Gamble to sponsor his radio dramas and the media called them “soap operas.” Near the Cincinnati Museum Center fountain is a plague depicting the site where the 1869 Red Stockings played their games.

GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK

On the banks of the Ohio River is the home of the Reds, Great American Ball Park.

The tour was $17 and also included admission to the Reds Hall of Fame. It was pretty informative and they even gave out a 12-inch Johnny Bench statue with the tour. I have shot all but two of the MLB stadiums (Toronto & the Chicago White Sox). You can see my gallery of MLB stadiums by CLICKING HERE.

BENGALS 13, PATRIOTS 6

Tom Brady’s streak of 52 straight games with a pass touchdown ended as the Patriots lost for the first time this season 13-6. The 52 consecutive games was the second longest in NFL history to Drew Brees, who had 53. Brady completed just one of his last ten passes, which included an interception with 16 seconds left. It was the first loss by Brady against Cincinnati.

For the Bengals, Andy Dalton completed 74% of his passes (20-of-27) for 212 yards with an interception. The only touchdown was scored on a one-yard plunge by former Pats running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis with 9:21 left in the game.

TIME LAPSE: Inside the CBS Sports Graphics Truck

It was rainy and nasty Sunday morning, so I opted to do a time lapse in the truck since I have four time lapses of Paul Brown Stadium from last year (two from two different games). Of course, Weather.com was wrong on the forecast. It claimed as of 7am Sunday morning that it was going to 100% chance of rain throughout the game. About five minutes before kickoff, the rain stopped. Damn you Weather.com. So I did another time lapse of the CBS Graphics Truck.

MORE OF CINCY
I've written other blogs about Cincinnati in the past and if you want to read more about the Nati, please click the following links. If you haven't visited my galleries of Cincinnati, please do so since this week I've completely re-done the galleries.

November 2012 blog
August 2012 blog
December 2011 blog
Cincinnati Photo Galleries

UP NEXT: Tennessee at Seattle

I’m happy to have a semi-home game (two-hour flight) this upcoming week and glad to be back in Seattle. Last time I was here, it was rainy. Well, every time I’ve been to the Pacific Northwest it’s rainy and cloudy. Fingers crossed it will be blue with awesome puffy clouds. I’m going up Friday afternoon to try and get more unique shots of Seattle. CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY SEATTLE GALLERIES.

BEST OF THE BLOG

Here’s my top shots from this weekend.