Welcome to my blog! From time to time, I'll be posting updates, previews from games and sessions or whatever I feel like talking about on here! :-)
For family.....
With the start of the NFL season looming, I found myself looking back on the night of October 7th of last year. There are some events and some assignments that take on a higher meaning for me personally, and Oct. 7 2018 was very important to me as the Houston Texans hosted the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. On paper, it was a crucial game for two teams looking to take positive steps in their seasons. But for myself, it was a chance to honor someone very special to me. On the night of October 5 1992, my maternal grandfather passed away watching his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, play the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. It was a passing that has stayed with me, and I promised myself that I would take full advantage of shooting a Cowboys game if the opportunity presented itself, especially if they faced off against the Texans.
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The atmosphere during the game was electric as fans of both sides cheered loudly for their teams. But as far as the game itself, it was a bit of trench warfare between the two teams as both defenses reigned. Despite their prodigious talents, both quarterbacks (Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott) found it hard to move the ball at times. Eventually the game went into overtime, and in the extra session, a pass completion and whirlish maneuver by Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins resulted in a 49-yard gain upfield. Once well within field goal range, Houston kicker Kaimi Fairbairn ended the contest with a 36-yard field goal to win the game for the Texans, 19-16.
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Afterwards, I was ambivalent towards the final score and the game itself, but I was just thankful for the opportunity to be at THAT game. And as sappy and overly-emotional as it sounds, I do feel like my grandfather would have been proud of me for shooting his favorite team, up close and personal. I guess the point of this entry is to say that regardless of family or just very close friends, never forget why you do what you do in life, and who it’s for.
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Reflecting Upon History
Greetings and salutations, I hope this finds everyone well. The year has been flying by that I hadn’t had a chance to put some thoughts down and such. With 2018 coming to a close, I’ve had time to look back on my exploits this year and what it’s brought in terms of experiences and such. And while this year has been lighter than in years’ past, I am grateful for a few things that I shot firsthand.
The first of such special moments was back in mid-May when I covered Game 1 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals between the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors. It was a highly anticipated series, the de facto NBA Finals to many people, and I was tasked to co-shoot the opener of the series. The gameplay was pretty even until the Warriors pulled away in the second half to take Game 1, enroute to winning a back-and-forth series which culminated in their third NBA title in the last four years.
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The other special time came last month during the Houston Astros run in the 2018 MLB Postseason. On October 5, the Astros hosted the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and again I was responsible for co-shooting it. Behind a solid pitching performance from Justin Verlander and timely hitting by Alex Bregman and George Springer, the Astros took the opener in convincing fashion.
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Two weeks later, the Astros and the Boston Red Sox squared off in the American League Championship Series. After the teams split the opening two games in Boston, the series shifted to Minute Maid Park in Houston for three straight, and that’s when the Red Sox flexed their championship muscle. Boston rode timely hitting in Game 3, immaculate fielding in Game 4 and all-around power in Game 5 to win the series, 4-1. While it was sobering to see Boston celebrate the series win in Houston, along with dethroning the defending champions, there was no shame in being taken down by the soon-to-be champions, which Boston secured against the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 28. The two games I shot could have gone better, but it was still sobering to cover a soon-to-be championship team in the playoffs.
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With an uncertain future looming larger by the day and a year that has been very eventful away from the camera, I’ve been looking back more and more on my exploits as a professional photographer. And now more than ever, I’m more grateful for some of my experiences and journeys thus far. I’m also grateful to know that hard work, sacrifice and perseverance did have its benefits down the line.
Anyways, thank you for your time and attention and. Take care and Fare Thee Well.
All images copyright 2018 Erik Williams/USA Today Sports Images
One shot....for the win
On March 30th, the Houston Rockets hosted the Phoenix Suns in an NBA regular season contest. With the top spot in the Western Conference locked up, the Rockets went up against Phoenix, who was sporting the league's worst record. On paper, it seemed like an easy affair for the Rockets, even without Chris Paul or Eric Gordon in the lineup.
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The game was proved to be anything but a breeze for Houston as Phoenix rode some hot shooting and balanced team play enroute to building a 17 point halftime lead. The Suns even stretched their advantage to 21 points in the third quarter before the Rockets fought back, eventually tying the score on a three-point shot by James Harden with 12 seconds left in regulation, 101-101. Then craziness ensued.
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With an entire arena rooting against them, the Suns stayed calm and took the lead on a Josh Jackson jump shot with 1.4 seconds left, forcing a Houston timeout. After advancing the ball to halfcourt, the Rockets looked to get the ball to James Harden, whom was double-teamed by two Suns' defenders. The double-team subsequently freed up Houston guard Gerald Green, who was wide open behind the three-point line in front of the Rockets' bench. After taking the inbounds pass, Green calmly reached back and fired a three-point shot, a shot that splashed through the net as time expired. The resulting three-pointer gave Houston a 104-103 victory, setting off a wild celebration on the court and in the stands.
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All images copyright 2018 Erik Williams/USA Today Sports Images
NBA Finals preview, anyone?
There are very few assignments or jobs these days that I get truly excited for, but this past weekend was an exception as I was assigned to cover the NBA game between the Houston Rockets the Boston Celtics. There were so many storylines surrounding this game, most notably the Rockets holding the best record in the league and riding a 14-game win streak. It was also a game where Houston was looking for revenge as the Celtics beat them in Boston earlier in the year. And to top it off, the game was shown on ABC as part of the NBA Saturday Night Showcase, meaning a national audience would be tuning in. And the game didn’t disappoint in the slightest.
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The game got off to a fast start as both teams were hitting their shots early on. Houston built an eight point lead, 28-20, before Boston closed the quarter on a 12-2 run to lead, 32-30. The Celtics continued rolling in the second quarter as their bench led the way with baskets all over the court, frustrating Houston’s defense. Boston’s lead reached as high as nine points (47-38) before Houston was able to tie it at 50-all with four minutes left. Again, the Celtics closed strong to go into halftime leading, 64-58.
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Boston was able to keep the Rockets at bay during the third quarter, pushing their lead as high as eight points (70-62) before Houston countered by hitting two straight three-pointers (74-73), forcing a timeout with 5:51 left. As the play got more physical, the Celtics started to flounder as Houston eventually took the lead, 75-74. The Rockets’ lead was short-lived as the Celtics kept attacking inside AND out. The back-and-forth third quarter ended with Boston leading, 89-86, paced by their bench who had 45 points.
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Both teams showed no signs of slowing down in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics’ bench kept Houston at arm’s length for the majority of the fourth quarter, and Boston still lead 113-107 with four minutes left. From that point on, the Rockets tightened the screws defensively, forcing two turnovers leading to five points in less than twenty seconds to take the lead, 117-115. After a plethora of free-throws, the Rockets sweated out a last-second miss to win the game, 123-120. Even with both James Harden and Kyrie Irving having so-so nights (Irving had 18 points on 6-for-17 shooting while Harden scored 26 points on 6-for-18 shooting), the play of the benches and the action down the stretch gave the matchup some real spice and flavor (Boston’s bench scored 67 points while Eric Gordon for the Rockets scored 29 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter).
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Well, what more can be said? The game this past Saturday night didn’t just live up to the hype, it exceeded it and it could be a possible preview of the NBA Finals in three months’ time. A back-and-forth game, intense atmosphere, great crowd, it was a real privilege to be at the forefront of history once again.
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All images copyright 2018 Erik Williams/USA Today Sports Images
A 10-year addiction.....of the finest kind
Greetings and salutations, I hope this finds everyone well. Been a while since my last entry, but it’s been hard finding the words after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in late August. While I was fortunately enough to not personally be affected, the suffering that others went through and have gone through was not lost on me. I certainly hope that everyone who has been affected by this is on the road to recovery.
Anyways, with October here, football season is in full swing among other things, and I’ve been hitting all over town shooting the Houston Texans, Rice University and the University of Houston. One of the games I’ve shot was the 2017 Bayou Bucket game between Rice and UH, and while the game was essentially over by halftime, it did bring back memories of the 2007 Bayou Bucket game between the Cougars and Owls, which was played 10 years ago today. It was a game that I will remember fondly for a myriad of reasons.
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A quick summation: On a sunny Saturday afternoon at old Robertson Stadium, the Houston Cougars and Rice Owls battled each other in a game that saw nearly 1,200 yards of combined offense and 15 touchdowns between the two teams. Houston jumped out to a 28-14 lead at the end of the first quarter, only to see Rice battle back across the second and third quarters, scoring 34 of the game’s next 41 points. The Owls held a 48-35 lead heading into the final quarter only to see the Cougars roar back, both literally and figuratively, scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win, 56-48. (Oh, and for Cougar football buffs, it should come as no surprise that the comeback win was led by the legendary Case Keenum, but I digress LOL) For anyone watching the game in the stands, it was a heart-stopping affair with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster ride. But for me shooting the game, it was unlike anything I had experienced in my young career, at the time. (Oh a quick side note, it also was memorable because I covered the entire game while dealing with a sinus infection that left me bed-ridden the day before. )
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Back in 2007, I was still trying to make a name for myself and was unsure of a real direction and purpose in photography. While certain jobs were enjoyable, I had no clue if this was something I wanted to do, long-term, and on a higher level. But this game was such a spark for me, a spark that changed my entire outlook and purpose going forward. Shooting that game and getting the images that I did, it convinced me that this is something I wanted to do long-term. And that desire got into me, like a highly addictive substance.
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I’ve always regarded this game as the greatest college football game I’ve ever covered thus far, and a whole decade later, it still rings true for me. It wasn’t just an intense and memorable game, it was the game that led me to be a devotee to photography and set me on the path to where I am now. I do wish it wasn’t as expensive as narcotics at times, but that’s a rant for another day. Point is, just stay true to your hopes and goals, no matter the roads they lead to. It may take a decade to get to where you want, but keep walking the path and you WILL get there.
With that, I thank you for your attention and support. I hope to have another entry ready by November. Thank you for your time, and fare thee well. One last note, this blog entry is dedicated to my late grandfather, Connell Linson, Sr. Without your gratitude, kindness and generosity, I wouldn’t have become the professional I am now, and days like that sunny October day a decade ago wouldn’t have been possible.
All images copyright 2007 Erik Williams