freshman phenom

Sometimes you just know that certain people are destined for greatness. I feel that way about Brittney Griner, a freshman center on the Baylor University women’s basketball team. Griner stands 6′8″ and wears a men’s size 17 shoe. In 2009, she was the nation’s number one player by Rivals.com and she was selected to the McDonald’s All-American High School Girls basketball team.

Currently, Griner holds the Big 12 Conference single-season blocks record (133) and the Big 12 record for blocks in a game (11). She is also the first woman to dunk in Big 12 competition. She can dunk it one-handed. She can even do a 360 dunk. If you type her name into any web search engine, you’ll find video of her dunking on high school and college opponents. She recorded her first collegiate dunk against Jacksonville State on November 24, 2009. Her second and third dunks came against Texas State on January 2, 2010. She is only the second woman to dunk twice in a college game behind Tennessee’s Candace Parker.

It will be fun to follow her career for the next several years. One day, I’m sure she will hoist a WNBA trophy or even a United States Olympic gold medal.

-scott weaver

ESPN college gameday

ESPN’s College GameDay rolled into Manhattan, Kansas on January 30, 2010 for the Kansas vs K-State men’s basketball game. Bramlage Coliseum was converted into a giant television production studio. There were dozens of directors, production assistants, cameramen, lighting techs and sound techs. There were so much equipment on the court that I was struggling to get a good, clean image of the GameDay anchor desk. I asked one of the ESPN producers if I could put a remote camera on the floor in front of the desk. She graciously agreed to it and I was able to get a shot of Rece Davis, Hubert Davis, Digger Phelps and Jay Bilas as they discussed the day’s college basketball action.

K-State also set a new ESPN’s College GameDay attendance record as 8,159 fans filled Bramlage to watch the show. The previous record was 6,700, set on January 23, 2010 for the Clemson vs Duke men’s basketball game. K-State is one of 15 schools to host ESPN’s College GameDay for both football and basketball.

-scott weaver

gray matter

A dense fog shrouds the Konza Prairie in central Kansas on January 18, 2010.

I have been living in a dense fog for two weeks. Not figuratively, but literally.     The packed snow has finally begun to melt throughout the midwest causing a perpetual fog to cover the landscape. It blocks out the sun and makes everything gray and dreary. Sometimes it is so thick, I can’t see more than a few feet outside my window or in front of my car. It’s as if I am living in a Stephen King film.

-scott weaver

fear the beard

K-State fans wear fake beards in homage to guard Jacob Pullen’s facial hair.

K-State’s Jacob Pullen (#0) competes against Texas on January 18, 2010.

K-State coach Frank Martin wears a fake beard for his post-game radio show.

The K-State men’s basketball team knocked off top-ranked Texas, 71-62, in Manhattan, Kansas on January 18, 2010. Many fans wore fake beards or t-shirts with the slogan, “Fear the Beard,” printed on them in honor of Jacob Pullen and his facial hair. Pullen, K-State’s leading scorer, had twelve points against Texas.

-scott weaver

from the archives, part V

The Kansas City Chiefs’ assistant coach Dave Redding interferes with an interception by Dale Carter against the New England Patriots’ Vincent Brisby     at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on October 15, 1995.

I started my photography career as a photojournalist for the Independence (Missouri) Examiner newspaper in 1992. One of the highlights of working at the paper was covering the Kansas City Chiefs football team. It was a thrilling environment to be in Arrowhead Stadium every Sunday. The crowd noise was painfully loud, the players were intimidatingly huge and the game moved unbelievably fast. I worked the sidelines for eight years. It was awesome.

I made one photo in 1995 that became my most famous football image. It is a photo of a Kansas City Chiefs’ assistant coach reaching onto the field during a game to interfere with a play against the New England Patriots.

I was shooting film in 1995, digital cameras were a few years away, so I had to drive back to the Examiner and develop it to see if I actually made the photo. After processing several rolls, I edited through every frame until I found the play. I was overjoyed when I saw the negative. I still enjoy looking at the photo.

The image has been published numerous times in magazines and books including Ken Kobre’s Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach. The image is also on permanent display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

-scott weaver

a decade in review

I created a gallery of my favorite sports images from the decade:

www.sportsshooter.com/scottweaver/imagesofdecade/

The gallery includes these three images plus 17 more from the past 10 years.

-scott weaver

The St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols leaps for an errant throw at first base against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City, Missouri on June 12, 2007.

The K-State football team waits in the tunnel before their game against Baylor at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas on October 27, 2007.

USC’s Lionel Larry competes in the Men’s 400 meter dash in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on June 11, 2008.

a year in review

I primarily make my living as a sports photographer. I am blessed to have such a rewarding career. Here are my favorite sports images from 2009. Happy 2010.

-scott weaver

Amanda Poore competes in the women’s high jump during the Wildcat Invitational track and field meet in Manhattan, Kansas on January 31, 2009.

Kansas and K-State tip off  in Manhattan, Kansas on February 14, 2009.

Texas’ assistant coach Jim Henry joins the team after the Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships in Columbia, Missouri on February 28, 2009.

Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey reacts to a foul during the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 14, 2009.

The University of Kansas rowers startle some geese at Wyandotte County Lake in Kansas City, Kansas during the Kansas Cup on April 11, 2009.

Texas’ Jonah Kane-West celebrates after his match during the Big 12 Tennis Championships in Norman, Oklahoma on April 26, 2009.

K-State and Kansas play baseball under storm clouds on May 10, 2009.

Oregon’s Ashton Eaton throws the discus during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on June 11, 2009.

After a three year retirement, Bill Snyder greets fans as he returns to the sidelines as head coach of the K-State football team on September 5, 2009.

K-State’s Rodney McGruder pulls one last rep on a rowing machine during the men’s basketball team’s weight lifting session on October 7, 2009.

merry christmas

A hand is raised in worship at Heartland Community Church in Olathe, Kansas.

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him “Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23 (NIV)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)

-scott weaver

best of show

2009 KC Freelance Exchange: Gold Award, Best of Show, Color Advertising

2009 KC Freelance Exchange: Gold Award, Editorial

2009 KC Freelance Exchange: Silver Award, Editorial

I was blessed to win four awards for my photography, including the prestigious Best of Show award, from the Kansas City Freelance Exchange Independent Creative Excellence Awards on December 9, 2009. The KCFX is a group of professionals in the advertising and marketing industry including: art directors, graphic designers, copywriters, illustrators, photographers and web designers.

My winning entries included: a Silver Award for a photo of K-State’s Amanda Boor competing in the weight throw at a track meet; a Gold Award for a photo of the University of Texas’ assistant swim coach Jim Henry celebrating with his team; and a Gold and Best of Show Award for a photo of downtown Kansas City.

I encourage everyone to visit www.kcfreelanceexchange.com to see a list of all   the winners and view some inspiring work from lots of truly talented people.

Finally, thank you God for lending me the gifts to do this job, my clients for trusting in me to make good photos, and Patty, my wife, for being my biggest fan.

-scott

loud and clear

K-State’s head coach Frank Martin argues with referee Rick Hartzell during the game against Washington State at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas on December 5, 2009. K-State defeated Washington State 86-69.

-scott weaver