JC Ridley's Photo Blog

Shula Bowl VIII

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:29:00 +0000

FAU head coach Howard Schnellenberger gets a Gatorade shower courtesy of defensive lineman Josh Savidge after the Owls defeated the FIU Golden Panthers 28-21 at FIU Stadium in Miami last night.

The Shula Bowl is annual game between FAU and FIU which began in 2002. The game's winner receives a traveling trophy, named the Don Shula Award, for one year. The game and trophy are named after former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, to whom each school's first head coach has previous ties. Schnellenberger was an assistant under Shula in the 1970s and FIU's former head coach Don Strock was a player under Shula in the 1970s and 1980s.

Packers vs. Lions Thanksgiving Day

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:07:00 +0000

In August, 2008, I wrote about Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers' appearance in Detroit to play the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, 2003. Here is the post, unedited and in its entirety...

It looks like the Brett Favre saga is coming to a conclusion, with this morning's rumors of an impending trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While Packer fans (some of the nicest fans on the planet) privately seethe at Packers management about the team's handling of the situation, other NFL fans have no problem playing word association with the photo below...

I've seen many NFL superstars meet with fans and spend milliseconds interacting with them. Favre, before a 2003 game at Detroit, met with a wheelchair-bound fan and spent a good 5 minutes with him and his family...

Creamsicles

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:50:00 +0000

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be wearing their original uniforms for the first time since the 1996 season during their next game on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

Often called "Creamsicles" by fans due to their resembleance to a confectionery treat of the same name, the bright orange jerseys with the winking pirate nicknamed "Bucco Bruce" on the helmet take you back to a day when the 'Bucs were a laughingstock on the field.

They had just two winning seasons in the orange jerseys. Since switching to pewter and red in 1997, they've had eight winning campaigns and a Super Bowl Championship.

After this season's 0-7 start, some would say the team's timing is impeccible.

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Florida Atlantic's Cortez Gent tries to reel in a pass one handed during the Owls' 27-20 loss to MIddle Tennessee State on Saturday.

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

The future of the FAU Volleyball program poses last week during the team's photo day at FAU Arena.

From the Vault - Kurt Warner

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Kurt Warner completed 32 of 41 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns for Arizona during the Cardinals 27-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. In addition to the solid performance, Warner, who now has 30,032 career passing yards, tied Dan Marino as the fastest quarterback to reach the 30,000-yard passing mark - both accomplished the feat in 114 games.

The performance reminded me of a shot I made of Warner in a 2003 pre-season game against the Bills in Buffalo, while Warner was with the St. Louis Rams. The golden hour light was reflecting off the glass covering the suites in Ralph Wilson Stadium, providing a real nice fill.

"The Daily Caneshooter" Turns 40!

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:23:00 +0000

My new blog dedicated to Miami Hurricanes Athletics, "The Daily Caneshooter," turned 40 this week...as in 40 posts! As I try to build the new blog, my original blog posts will slow down here. I will still do either a "Shot of the Week" or a "From the Vault" post once a week, and an occasional feature, until I figure out what the future might hold for this blog. Until then, I invite you to check out "The Daily Caneshooter," featuring the work of JC Ridley, Eric Espada and Jessica Marshall, updated each and every day!

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Louisiana-Lafayette's Brooke Perry can't out jump Florida Atlantic's Tamara Kesser for the header during the Ragin' Cajins' 2-0 victory over the Owls yesterday in Boca Raton.

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:01:00 +0000

The shot above is from last Thursday's shoot with the 2010 Miami Hurricanes Men's Basketball Team, posing for a photo slated to be included in this season's media guide. My gentle tweak in Photoshop is shown here, but the original will most likely appear in the guide.

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +0000

FAU tight end Jason Harmon leaps over a Louisiana-Monroe defender during the Owls 27-25 defeat to the Warhawks at Lockhart Stadium on Saturday.

From the Vault - Joe Sakic

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Joe Sakic, who played 20 seasons with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise, retired over the summer. Sakic, shown here with the Nordiques, won two Stanley Cups and appeared in 13 NHL All-Star Games.

Writer Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote of the recently retired center, "Don't expect Joe Sakic to pull a Brett Favre, come out of retirement and rejoin the Avalanche — actually, to really pull a Favre, he'd have to join the Red Wings."

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Nova Southeastern's Lorenzo Migliavacca makes a save during the Sharks 7-0 loss to #5 ranked Lynn University last Friday in Boca Raton, Florida.

Forget Health Insurance: Fantasy Sports Insurance?

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +0000

Need disability insurance? Not for yourself, silly fool.... for your fantasy team! FantasySportsInsurance.com is a new service for Fantasy Sports owners.

"FSI is player disability coverage that will protect your fantasy league investment from a “season changing” loss as a result of an injury to a key player(s) This insurance policy will allow you to re-coup the cost of your league investment and continue with your season, lessening the disappointment and aggravation of losing your top fantasy player(s)," according to their website.

The photo above is of BYU's Itula Mili blowing out his knee during the 1996 WAC Championship Game. Despite the injury, Mili was a sixth-round draft choice of the Seattle Seahawks in 1997. Mili played in only seven games his second year, 1998, and spent most of the next three seasons behind Christian Fauria. In 2003 Mili set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end with 46. Overall, the Hawaiian-born Mili caught 163 passes for 1,739 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Seahawks before being released in 2007.

If Mili's injury happened to Antonio Gates or Jason Witten, would your fantasy investment be covered?

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +0000

Howard University's Matt Marshall has his eye one the ball as FAU's Darnell King defends during the Owls' 1-0 victory over the Bison Friday night in Boca Raton.

Ex-UM pitcher Luke DeBold fighting cancer

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:54:00 +0000

Former Hurricanes' pitcher Luke Debold is undergoing his fifth round of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with a primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumor with metastases in the lungs in March, 2008. On Saturday, November 21, 2009 the friends of Luke DeBold will be hosting a benefit near Luke's home in Indiana just outside of the Chicagoland area. For more information or to make a donation please visit this link.

Miami 38, Florida State 34

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:23:00 +0000

Jacory Harris flashes "The U" to the Miami fans in Doak Campbell Stadium after leading the 'Canes to a 38-34 comeback victory over the Seminoles last night.

Check "The Daily Caneshooter" blog later this morning for my shot of the game.

"The Daily Caneshooter" Debuts Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:24:00 +0000

Action. Not Words. With apologies to the band Def Leppard, that's the subhead to my new blog, The Daily Caneshooter, which makes it's debut tomorrow.

I'll post a photo a day 365 days a year from past and current Miami Hurricanes athletic events and keep the writing to a minimum. Since tomorrow is also gameday, with the 'Canes facing FSU, there is likely to be a classic UM-FSU moment posted, so bookmark it and check it out!

The 'Canes have dominated my posts the past month, so I thought it was time for a spin-off. In the meantime, I'll continue to blog here, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

Shot of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The 2010 Miami Hurricanes Women's Golf team poses at the club entrance of the Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club in Coral Gables, Florida yesterday.

Jim Fragos Memorial to be Held Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:53:00 +0000

In Honor of
1st Petty Officer James Fragos
Motor Machinist Mate
United States Navy LST 889 WWII
a.k.a "Big Jim" UM Super Fan

2/21/26 - 8/21/2009
University of Miami Alumni booster and SUPER FAN
In the memory of an Amazing Man, Super dad and UM super Fan it's only
fitting we schedule Super Festive event in his memory...
* Sunday September 6th, 2009
* 11:00am to 7:00pm
* Location: 2120 NE 207 street Miami, Florida 33179
* Mood - Festive and Happy to shared time and space with such a great
person
* BBQ, Food and Refreshments served
* Super Casual, UM fan attire or any way you want to come

If you have any other friends that new and cared about Jim please let them know so they can join in with us. The more the merrier!

UM Hall of Famer Tim James Serving in Iraq

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:38:00 +0000

No matter what side of the political spectrum you reside, you should read the story written by Dan LeBatard about former Hurricanes and Heat star Tim James, who is serving our country in Iraq with the US Army.

Shot of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:07:00 +0000

University of Miami outside hitter Lane Carico blasts a shot past a Florida Gulf Coast defender during the Hurricanes' season opening 3-0 victory over the Eagles in Coral Gables on Friday.

NFL Preseason Leaves Much to be Desired

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:23:00 +0000

PSL’s (Personal Seat Licenses) are a relatively new premium fee, often enacted when a new stadium is built, which is required before fans can buy season tickets. In the NFL, PSL’s have existed for years in another form: the NFL Preseason.

If you want to buy season tickets for an NFL season, you have to buy all ten home games. Only eight of those are games that count in the standings. The other two are preseason games.

In those games, you are paying full price to see the starters in street clothes and the competition for the last five or so roster spots. If your team has more spots up for grabs then you are going to have a long season, and quite possibly a home game that has been moved to London. But that’s a entirely different rant for another time.

All you need to know about preseason football is that the Detroit Lions were 4-0 in August last year. Not exactly the harbinger of things to come.

Forget baggage fees, fuel surcharges, and health insurance. The NFL preseason is one of the largest rip-offs around.

Cash for Clunkers Extended in Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0000

While the national "Cash for Clunkers" program ended last night, it could continue for Vikings fans through December. Unlike the national program which has invigorated auto sales, the Minnesota version could see losses continue to mount. Fans will realize their rebate in January, retaining money which would have been spent on playoff tickets.

#1 'Canes Fan Jim Fragos Passes Away

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Hurricanes' fan "Big Jim" Fragos died Friday in his sleep from heart disease. Jim was a faithful follower of the Hurricanes Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Rowing and Swimming programs.

Above, Jim is pictured with Audra Cohen, the 2007 NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Champion.

I can still hear his voice, "hey JC, come here, I need a picture!"

New Photography Book Pays Tribute to The Orange Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (JC Ridley) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Friend and "former comrade," photojournalist Scott B. Smith, has amassed an astounding collection of photographs that record the vitality and history of this storied stadium in his new book, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey (published by AuthorHouse).

“The Orange Bowl. To a kid growing up in Miami, getting a ticket to a game there was awesome. Sneak in? Never. (It was quite easy…)” Smith writes. “I recall like it was last week, walking up those oh-so-steep ramps and still see the light blue air against the night sky. The field of dark green grass. The enormity of the place. Blue air, you ask? Remember – everyone smoked in the ’50s. It was a night game. Hey, I was nine.”

The Orange Bowl Stadium was put to rest in the spring of 2008, but not before Smith captured the Miami landmark from every possible angle, taking time to find every architectural detail from the seats, the ground and even in aerial shots. In The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey, Smith records his own experience at The Orange Bowl, over the course of his early life and through his career.

As a child, Smith enjoyed football games with his parents and godparents, tailgating and being a “water boy” and ball boy for the University of Miami Hurricanes. In later years he returned as a sports photographer to shoot for CaneSport and Huskers Illustrated, but in 2008 he revisited The Orange Bowl for the last time, before its demolition, as an architectural photographer who could appreciate the classic, functional design of a stadium of a bygone era. “The book is not about football so much, but a visual memory for the scores of fans who may not have realized the last game attended would be their final time in the stadium,” Smith writes.

In a stunning collection of images from a true fan, The Orange Bowl: A Photographic Journey & Architectural Survey offers a piece of history and a glimpse into fond memories of the stadium that readers of all ages can appreciate and remember for many years to come.

Scott & I worked for a local well known sports photographer in the early 90's, thus the "comrade" statement. I can vouch for his fearless approach to aerial photography.

Order the book here and view some of Scott's Orange Bowl photos here.