Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers on their 27-23 win over the Cardinals yesterday. I would've liked to have been there at the stadium documenting your sixth championship but I was at home spending time with my family after working my butt off last week shooting all the festivities leading up to the Superbowl.
A friend of mine Donald Miralle called me a few weeks ago to see if I'd be interested in helping him shoot some of the events for the NFL Players Association. He mainly needed me to shoot the feel and scene of some of the parties they host the week before the game. I told him I'd love to help out.
My first day shooting for NFLPA was spent going around to some of he bay area elementary schools to take pictures of players reading to students followed by an evening seminar for some high school players.
The reading assignment was a breeze. I'd covered these type of jobs at the paper. The only difference was that I was being compensated better.
The evening event was at Plant High School and the players talked to the Florida 5A champs about how football can be many things in their lives and that it takes a lot to make it from high school to the NFL.
The really interesting part of the evening wasn't the seminar but the fact that it was at the high school my parents attended. Just strange to think I was walking the halls they walked as teens.
Thursday evening was the first of the NFLPA parties. This party was held at the Performing Arts Center and was mainly for their corporate partners. I'll say this, the Association puts on some great parties. The nice thing for me was that I got to walk around and take pictures of different players while sampling some delicious snick snacks.
We wrapped at midnight and headed back to the hotel to unload and grab a drink. I couldn't get over all the traffic around Tampa. Even at 12:30 in the morning it was crazy.
Friday morning I headed over to the Sheraton in downtown to do a side job for the Walter Payton Foundation. They host the NFL Man of the Year Award luncheon and I was the only photographer in the room.
The luncheon was nice and small. They invited the three finalist along with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and a couple dozen others but that was all. It was nice to see the Commish again after photographing him the night before at the NFLPA party.
Friday night would be the longest night of the week because it was the night of the Players' Party. I arrived at the Ala Carte Pavilion around 8 pm and started shooting all the different rooms they'd set up for the party. The theme was the four seasons and it they put a lot of thought into it.
The main room had bars scattered around the outside with a raised stage area in the middle that was made to look like a pool for Summer. In the front corner of the main room was Winter complete with partition made out of blocks of ice and included a breath mint bar.
A side room was my favorite and done in an Autumn theme. I liked this room because it was quieter than the main room and had warm colors. Outside on the deck was Spring where they had light colors and comfortable couches to relax on for guests. Also outside was a woman who would make hand-rolled cigars for party-goers.
Every room had it's own costume for the cocktail waitresses who were serving themed drinks and food. It was absolutely incredible the thought that went into this party. They even had beautiful women on swings suspended over the crowd.
The party was MC'ed by actor Chris Tucker who did a very short stand-up routine. They DJ was especially good at getting people on to the dance floor during the night.
Towards the beginning of the party I was standing around with Donald when all of a sudden it looked as if a bus had pulled up and unloaded models and starlets to the party. (We talked with our red carpet photographer Tom later and he said that in fact a charter bus had pulled up and all these gorgeous women got off.)
I guess we walked out of the Players' party a little after 3 am. I didn't go to sleep until after 4 am, back up at 8 am and drove to final event of the week. I had to cover the art auction brunch. It's a good thing it wasn't tough as I felt like I was doing it in my sleep (which I probably could've.).
You know they always have great food at these NFL events so I never went hungry during the week. I grabbed an omelette and some fruit along with a big cup of coffee and shot my party pics before heading back to the hotel to download.
A few hours later I was stuck in traffic on I-275 looking forward to getting home and seeing my family. It was good to work that much after not having anything the three weeks before but it's also tough on the body.
A few friends asked me if I was disappointed about being pulled off of covering the actual game. To be honest I was at first but looking back now I'm glad I got to do what I did this week and not the game. You see I had more fun doing all these parties for a lot more money than had I shot the game. If I was shooting the game I would've had to arrive at the stadium yesterday at 9 am and waited around until it started. Then I would not have gotten back home until probably 3 am all for very little money.
Now I get to do this all again next year in Miami. Go Steelers!!!
