Thunder Opening Night Part III
Some photos from inside the Ford Center before and during the game.
NBA commissioner David Stern addresses the Thunder fans before the first half of the opening night NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett salutes the Thunder fans during the opening NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, October 29, 2008. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
The opening NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks tips off at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, October 29, 2008. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Earl Watson (25) of the Thunder scores the first basket past Charlie Villanueva (31) of the Bucks during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. This was the regular season debut of the Thunder. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (12) of the Bucks saves the ball from going out of bounds in front of Johan Petro (27) of the Thunder during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. This was the regular season debut of the Thunder. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Desmond Mason (34) drives to the basket against the Bucks during the opening NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, October 29, 2008. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
The Thunder Girls perform during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. This was the regular season debut of the Thunder. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Fans cheer during the opening NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, October 29, 2008. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
The Bucks won the game, 98-87. However, it was good to get this one in the books and get the season started. I feel like we’ve been waiting for this opening day for a long time.
-Nate Billings
Thunder Opening Night Part II
Well, I thought we would have time to do some blog updating just before the game. It did not end up happening. Instead I offer this late update from the game.
Josh Newby, of Ada, stands outside the Ford Center in his Thunder costume before the opening night NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
Micah Kee, 13, of Woodward, Okla. enjoys the outdoor fun before the opening night NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
Kala Mogg, of Oklahoma City, shows off her painted belly outside the Ford Center in downtown Oklahoma City on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Mogg is expecting a baby girl in 3 months. BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN
Thunder fans have their tickets scanned as the doors open for the opening night NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
-Nate Billings
Opening night for the Thunder
Tonight Oklahoma City’s NBA franchise plays its first regular season game. We’ll have a team photographers covering the event. I’ll update the blog with photos throughout the day. John Clanton gets the award for first picture back.
Andrew Seinfeld, a student at Oklahoma State University, moves his ladder as he helps hang an opening night banner on the south side of the Cox Convention Center as preparations continue for the first regular season game for the Oklahoma City Thunder in downtown Oklahoma City on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. By John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-Nate Billings
Zac Robinson can throw a zinger
These are a couple of frames before I did my best Marcia Brady impression. Remember the episode where she got hit in the nose with a football and it ruined her prom? Well, my prom was not ruined but the next day at work there was some pain on the right side of my face.
I never imaged that I would be Robinson’s intended target in the back of the end zone. I am quite honored that Gundy recognized my superior athletic power and involved me in his offense. I can tell you from experience Robinson has some zip on his ball. I am glad this pass took a bounce before hitting me in the nose.
-Sarah Phipps
Hey, take my picture! Mascot edition.
Doug Hoke, our director of photography, contributes this “Hey, take my picture!” entry from the OSU football game against Baylor this weekend. As characters whose sole purpose is to get attention, mascots are naturals to appear in this feature. Here’s Bruiser, the costumed version of the Baylor Bear.
-Nate Billings
Thousands of pictures
One question sports photographers get asked is how many pictures they shoot during a game. Here’s some numbers from tonight’s Oklahoma State game against Missouri.
Staff Photographer Steve Sisney shot with 2 camera bodies. Both are Canon Mark IINs. John Clanton used 3 camera bodies. A Canon 40D, a Canon 5D and a Canon MarkII N. These cameras are pretty fast. The MarkIIs shoot 8 frames per second, the 40D is a little slower and the 5D only does about 4 frames per second.
Here are the totals:
Sisney:
Pregame features-71 frames,
First half game action-713 frames
Second half game action- 544 frames
for a total of 1328 pictures
Clanton shot:
Pregame features-73 frames
First half-635 frames
second half -503 frames
for a total of 1211 pictures.
At halftime and after the game we run up to the pressbox and edit as fast as we can and get our pictures narrowed down to the absolute best pictures that tell the story of the game. We send them in via Wi-Fi to the paper. Sisney got his narrowed down to 49 pictures that he sent in to the paper. Clanton only found 15 pictures that he liked enough to send in. (He doesn’t shoot football very often)
Kendall Hunter breaks away from Hardy Ricks for a long touchdown run in the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) plays the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Patrick Lavine intercepts a final pass by Chase Daniel in the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) play the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Oklahoma State defenders stand around Missouri QB Chase Daniel after he was sacked during the second half as Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) plays the University of Missouri Tigers (MIZZOU) at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. Oklahoma State beat Missouri 28-23. BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN
-John Clanton
Meanwhile, in Columbia…
Oklahoma State is set to play Missouri in less than two hours. Look for pictures after the game.
Truman the Tiger greets Oklahoma State fans Mike Adams, of Tulsa, (standing) Evan Hathaway (left) of Dallas and Ted Bilodeau, of Oklahoma City (partially hidden) as they wait for friends in the parking lot outside Faurot Field prior to Oklahoma State’s game against the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday October 11, 2008. BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN
-John Clanton
Oklahoma 35, Texas 45
We’re editing our photos from the football game now. Here are three quick one’s from OU’s loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry. More photos in a little while.
UT’s Chris Ogbonnaya (3), Jordan Shipley (8) and Quan Cosby (6) celebrate a long catch by Shipley to inside the one-yard line as OU’s Nic Harris (5) gets up in the fourth quarter during the college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas. UT won, 45-35. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Texas’ Brian Orakpo (98) forces a fumble on Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford (14) during the second half of the college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas, Texas. Oklahoma recoverd the ball. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
Phil Loadholt of OU walks off the field after OU’s loss to Texas in the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and University of Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas, Texas. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
OU vs. Texas pre-game photos
Here’s some shots from before the big football game between Oklahoma and Texas down in Dallas.
BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
We’re headed out to the field now and will post some more photos here after the game.
-Nate Billings
It’s time for the Red River Rivalry
Jan Gillespie from Norman, Okla, yells at Texas fan Sam Hilpirt, from Denton, Texas, in the West End District of Dallas, October 7, 2005. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
As the annual big football game between OU and Texas approaches, I thought I’d post some pictures from previous years. The set today is of the fans. Although the action of the game is always good, the fans really make the atmosphere.
By the way, the woman in the above photo, Jan Gillespie, is such a vocal fan that we seem to get great pictures of her every year. I put a second picture of her in this collection because her screaming is just that good. Enjoy.
Oklahoma RUF/NEKS President Sean Hood shaves the hair of Silver Spur Byton McCaffree after OU’s win over Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 7, 2000. BY TY RUSSELL, THE OKLAHOMAN
Alan Simpson of Norman, Okla., shows his support for OU over Texas, with his tattoos, prior to the University of Oklahoma Sooners college football game against the University of Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Saturday, October 8, 2005. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Oklahoma fans taunt the Texas flag corps during the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Fans wait for the teams to arrive before the football game between the OU Sooners and UT Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Dallas. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
A group of OU fans stop at the Texas state line the day before the Oklahoma vs. Texas college football game, Friday, October 8, 2004. BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN
OU fans reach out to celebrate OU’s 12-0 win over Texas with Cory Bennett (97) Saturday, October 9, 2004, in Dallas. BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
A screaming OU fan gives the inverted ‘Horns sign during the OU-Texas game, October 11, 2003. OU beat Texas, 65-13. BY JIM BECKL, THE OKLAHOMAN
Sooner fan Jan Gillespie, of Norman, Okla., greets the players as they get off the bus before the game between the Oklahoma and Texas at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Dallas. BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN
-Nate Billings
