Confessions of a Sports Junkie

Day 114: A Super View

csd7227 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:02:18 +0000

Today I spent a good portion of the day in Indianapolis to see the Super Bowl village. I took many pictures with the intent of getting one good shot for this blog. I also tried some things with motion at the zip line, and got some more work in on long exposures once the sun went down. At something like this there is no shortage of things to shoot. It was like a playground for a photographer. I kept shooting the rest of the village, but I knew that this was my shot all day. It is taken from a parking garage …

I thought that I would share this picture with my sports site since the Super Bowl is kind of a big deal.

The One In Which I Finally Attend a Game

csd7227 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:14:16 +0000

The tip of my first sporting event of 2012

This site is titled Confessions of a Sports Junkie. I really haven’t been feeling much like a sports junkie lately though. My last sporting event was in early December making it a nearly month and a half dry spell for me. Last night I received a text that asked if I wanted to see Purdue play Michigan tonight. I jumped at the chance. I have seen Michigan and Purdue play every year since moving back from Iowa. Purdue played a very good game against the #22 team in the country, but fell short 66-64. After a slow start to both halves Purdue had the game seemingly in control before letting it slip away. This would have been a nice win for Purdue, but the shots just didn’t fall at the end when they needed them to. Here are some photos from the game:

Tim Hardaway Jr. drives on Terone Johnson

Travis Carroll blocks the shot of Zach Novak

Terone and LewJack force a jump ball

Jacob Lawson just misses getting another block

LewJack with a great drive yet again. He can really get to the hoop

Two former Duneland players Robbie Hummel and Zach Novak battle it out under the hoop as Lewis Jackson shoots a free throw

Tim Hardaway Jr. gets off a three

Robbie Hummel blocks the ball late in the game

Tagged: Basketball, College Basketball, Lewis Jackson, Michigan, Purdue, Purdue Basketball, Purdue University, Robbie Hummel, Tim Hardaway, Zach Novak

Purdue vs. Eastern Michigan Photo Gallery

csd7227 — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:49:47 +0000

Today was another good win over a MAC school. It was too close for comfort for a while, but the Boilers pulled ahead when they needed to. For some reason they really seem to be playing to their competition again. Like Wednesday night we had great seats again, but this time directly across the court. Once again I was caught up in the action, and did not take as many pictures as I usually do. I did get to sit near Wendell Wolka for the first time. He is very loyal Purdue fan that is even utilized in the current ad campaigns. You can easily spot him with his pharaoh hat that he wears to each game. He was fun to listen to as the Boilers shot their free throws. As the non-conference schedule wears down I start to think towards the Big Ten season. The games now are fun, but Mackey should be rocking in just under a month. Here are some pictures that I enjoyed from the game tonight.

Somehow I knew that we would lose this tip

Jacob Lawson makes some great faces on the court. He will be very fun to photograph during the next four years

It's good to be Pete I guess

Terone Johnson hanging in the air before a shot

The halftime entertainment was a very good ball handler

Ryne Smith trying for a block on a breakaway

The student section had a great thing going while making the Eastern Michigan players miss their free throws

Terone Johnson absolutely getting hacked. The man with the mask did not get any cheap fouls called on him today for sure

Robbie Hummel taking a charge. It is not all that it is cracked up to be as you can see from the knee placement of the Eastern Michigan player

Anthony Johnson getting fouled by the Mask

How Travis Carroll did not block this shot is beyond me. I guess a game of inches is too cliche

As I said before Jacob Lawson is going to provide some good pictures

LewJack to Robbie Hummel

LewJack with a pass in deep

Anthony Johnson had another solid game. He just seems to be getting better. Here he probes the zone

A nice surprise was the appearance by John Hart. He looked a little hurt trying to run down a breakaway, but we loved seeing the look on his face when he checked into the game

Tagged: Boilers, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Lewis Jackson, Photography, Purdue University, Robbie Hummel, Ryne Smith, Sports, Terone Johnson

Purdue vs. Western Carolina Photo Gallery

csd7227 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:34:27 +0000

I really was not going to go to the game tonight, but about twenty minutes before the tip I found out that I had a shot at sitting in the nice new black seats for free. Why not? I hurried down to Mackey to see the game. The game was not at all what I expected with Western leading for much of it. Luckily the Boilers found their stride and came away with the W. After a win against Western you know what you have to face next. That’s right Eastern comes in Saturday. I should have seats nearly as good, but on the other side of the arena then. I will get spoiled if this keeps up much longer. Here are a few pictures that I liked from the game.

LewJack trying to get some space early. He fought through a lot of pain in appeared to get his minutes in last night

Lewis Jackson using his body to shield the much bigger defender

Robbie Hummel looking pass. He really came through when the club needed him to

Ryne Smith putting in yet another three this season

Inn the first half there were some very questionable calls. Here Coach Painter tries to reason with one of the officials

Kelsey Barlow going in for the dunk long after the whistle has blown

Lew in among the trees

A lot of things going on in this picture as a loose ball is fought for

Jacob Lawson finishing off a dunk

We all know that IU sucks, but it is still nice to be reminded every game

Ryne Smith launching a three. He really was fired up late in the game and helped the Boilers prevail

Purdue Pete laying down the law

I love the emotion that Smith shows on the court. Here he is walking away from a made three

Lawson again at the hoop. He looks a little raw, but at the same time you want to watch him play more and more

Robbie hitting a big three at the end of the game. I wish that I had kept the camera going after the shot to capture his rare emotional outburst. This team just wanted it more late

Tagged: Boilers, Jacob Lawson, Lewis Jackson, LewJack, Matt Painter, Photography, Purdue Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel, Ryne Smith, Sports

Farewell Mr. Buehrle

csd7227 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:10:29 +0000

Mark on Opening Day last season

This blog is usually about events that I have attended live. Every now and then though something happens that I feel the need to write about. Today one of those events happened. Today Mark Buehrle signed with the Miami Marlins to join his former manager on the team. I really enjoyed watching Mark pitch during his time with the Sox. The picture above tells you all you need to know about the guy. Here is was Opening Day, and he was walking around with his glove on his head before pitching. He was always loose and fun to watch. Maybe they will let him slide around on the tarp in Miami.

Tagged: Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins, Mark, Mark Buehrle, Marlins, Miami Marlins, Opening Day

Back To Detroit?

csd7227 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:15:51 +0000

Purdue in Detroit in 2007

Ever since Purdue won in Bloomington to claim the bucket again I have heard many different bowl scenarios for the Boilers. For very selfish reasons I was rooting to see them in Detroit. With starting a new job it would have been very hard to get anywhere else. For the most part though Purdue was not even mentioned with that bowl in the last week. From everything that I have read it looked like the team was going to be in Dallas. Reading as much about Kennedy that I have it would have killed me not to go to that one, and make a couple day trip out of it. Instead though another trip to Detroit appears to be in order. I do live almost two hours further away now, but I think that I may have to make this game. This is the first year since 2004 that I have not seen Purdue play on the road. Thankfully a short drive into Michigan is all that stands in front of me from keeping that streak going.

As with the first time in Detroit in 2007 we will be playing a MAC team from just down the road. Western Michigan will be bringing their fans to the game. In ’07 we had to endure a lot of crazed MAC fans until Summers hit the field goal. Of course then the fans just got even worse. Maybe we can get a big enough lead so that the Bronco fans will exit early. I do know one thing. I will not be buying tickets from Purdue. I want to be near the action. Buried upstairs is no way to watch a game.

Tagged: Bowl Predictions

Purdue vs. Texas A&M Photo Gallery

csd7227 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:40:08 +0000

Today the Purdue women faced off against the defending National Champions who came into the game ranked 4th. Purdue was coming off a tough loss at Duke, and needed a win badly. The pulled off the win delighting the crowd at the renovated Mackey Arena. The Boilers faced a very tough Aggie team today. They were very physical, and I thought that it would eventually do the Boilers in. When the lead got to nine I remember thinking just don’t let it get too bad. Memories of the 40+ point loss last season in College Station are still very fresh. Not only did they keep it close the turned things around by eighteen points to win by nine. It was good to see such a big win in person. I haven’t been to as many games as I would have liked, but I wouldn’t have missed this one. Here are some pictures that I liked from the game today.

No game can start until the tuba's (I know they aren't tuba's) perform at center court

I love the way the girls react when Brittany Rayburn is introduced

Another shot of Rayburn before the game

The opening tip

KK Houser puts a move on the defender much like a running back would

Brittany Rayburn putting up a three

KK fights through the tough full court defense that A&M played all day. She did okay with the ball today, and I expect only happy tweets from her today

Courtney Moses fights to get up court as well

Sam Ostarello is actually grabbing a pass, but it looks like a nice shot attempt

Coach Versyp reacts after getting a technical foul called on her. This might have just been the turning point of the game though as the Boilers seemed to be inspired after. I love the look on Chantel Poston's face in the background

Sam O congratulates Brittany after a big three

This is the good kind of finger pointing that you want on your team

Moses gets fouled as she goes to the hoop, but play went on. This was a rough game for sure, but the ladies stepped up to the challenge

The players celebrate with the fans after the game

The team thanks the fans prior to heading to the locker room

Tagged: Basketball, Photography, Purdue Boilermakers, Sports, Texas A&M

Purdue vs. Miami (FL) Photo Gallery

csd7227 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:10:07 +0000

A late night followed by a long day yesterday delayed these pictures from making the blog. They might not have appeared at all, but I did enjoy the special silver jerseys that the team wore. Robbie Hummel played his 100th game for the Boilers so I tried to get a couple shots of him in here. I might have went a little heavy on the pictures this time, but yet again the jerseys were cool enough to get some extra shots of. Here are some of the pictures that I liked:

I still love getting shots of Ryne Smith watching the ball as it leaves his hand

Barlow with an easy slam

The after shock of the Barlow slam

Robbie Hummel did not make the shot, but did draw the foul on this three

Robbie Hummel sinks a three during his 100th game in a Boilermaker uniform. The first in this uniform though

Terone Johnson with an easy lay in

A sweet floater by Anthony Johnson

With the special logos on the court I flashed back to MTV celebrity games when LewJack took this shot at the halftime buzzer

Purdue Pete give JaJuan Johnson some love as he comes onto the court at halftime

The spotlight was on JJ's banner during halftime

JJ and his mother acknowledge the crowd

LewJack gets hit hard in deep

Trey McKinney Jones going in for the slam. He had a lot of family at the game since he is from Milwaukee

The next frame of the Jones dunk

The final frame of the Jones dunk

AJ with another floater

TJ with a breakaway basket

Robbie Hummel committing a foul in the second half. I thought that this was a charge, but the refs did not see things my way

Shane Larkin taking a break from fouling LewJack at the end of the game. Larkin was all over Lewis, but could not get a foul called on him even when he was trying to foul intentionally late in the game. Larkin is the son of former Reds shortstop Barry Larkin

I still don't know what LewJack was going to do here in the best case scenario

Larkin on LewJack again

Believe it or not this was part of a move by LewJack that shook Larkin

Tagged: Basketball, Hurricanes, Miami, Miami Hurricanes, Photography, Purdue, Sports

U Can’t Beat Purdue

csd7227 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:48:03 +0000

LewJack flying to the basket

Due to the late start and the fact that I am getting old I will keep this short. Purdue outlasted Miami tonight 76-65 to win on the opening night of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. I say outlasted because the game was still in doubt until the final minute. This was another one that seemed like it should have been over much sooner, but a combination of factors kept Miami in the game. Several times I thought that Purdue had them worn down and would pull away only to have Miami pull back to within five or so.

The star of the first couple of minutes had to be Sandi Marcius. He scored the first four for the Boilers and actually had them up 4-2 at that point. He then started beating his chest and getting himself pumped up. He never scored again. In the second half Shane Larkin son of former Reds shortstop Barry Larkin stole the show. He could not seem to miss, and he must have had one of his dad’s Gold Gloves on because they would not call a foul on him it seemed like. It is getting late and I have to work in the morning so I will have to talk more about the game tomorrow. I may even get the photo gallery up although at this point I have no idea what I have on my memory cards.

Tagged: LewJack, Miami, Purdue, Purdue University, Sandi Marcius, Sports

Purdue Is Bowl Eligible!

csd7227 — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:29:38 +0000

Purdue celebrating becoming bowl eligible in 2006

After a couple of years sitting at home during the holidays Purdue has put itself in position to head to a bowl with their win over Indiana earlier today. I did not go to the game because my one man road trips are really not too cost effective. I figured I would save that money to head to a bowl to see the Boilers. I have seen the team on the road every year since 2004 so the streak is on the line with this bowl game. You should never celebrate a .500 season, but right now it is progress, and that is all you can ask for.

Some would say that it is not enough, but as long as this team keeps making strides forward I will be happy. From what I have seen under Danny Hope this team never gives up. They may have a bad game here and there, but they just keep on fighting. I know that the destination may not be the best, but it is extra time to watch these seniors. You can’t ask for any more than that. If we play a MAC school in Detroit so be it. I will do my best to be there to root on the Boilers. It always feels good to beat your rival, but getting the Bucket back with the sixth win was fun to see today.

Tagged: Bowl game, Danny Hope, Indiana, Purdue, Purdue University