LSU 8, tsun 0

How LSU won the game

More later

More shots from Day 1

Here are the final collages from day 1 action. Will work on getting Day2-4 up soon.

From the press box

So you might be wondering why I have not been bloging too much this week. Kinda been tough to shoot pictures and videos, then edit both, then try to get things posted.

So I while we are in another weather delay, I have decied to build some collages of what I think are my best shots from each game.

Enjoy.

And be very glad I am not blogging!!!! You would have run away by now!!

More Tournament Talk from Hoover

Taking a break

So here it is...11 AM and we are in the 7th inning at Hoover.  So I have decided to get out of the heat, dump some pics, and watch a little baseball. 

Interesting thing today.  I was walking of the field after 4 innings, and heard someone call my name.  No, NOT the names you might call me.  I am spinning around like a top on a greased hotplate trying to locate who is calling me.  Turns out it is a buddy of mine from College I have not seen in years.  Brett Smith.  Taught me all about my first career in Video.  Turns out he is in Memphis now and works for the Grizzlies of the NBA.  Seems he and his son come down to the SEC tournament every year to enjoy baseball. 

Small world huh.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled whatever it is you do.

Good morning from the Met... I mean Regions Park

It was the Met to me for years. Some habits are hard to die.

TokBox - Free video chat and video messaging

Tournament Talk with Mark Etheridge and Thomas Berkery Day 1, Game 4

Tournament Talk with Mark Etheridge and Thomas Berkery Day 1, Game 3

It's the 7th inning somewhere

Here is how we do it at Hoover.  Or at least how I like to do it....

TokBox - Free video chat and video messaging

What am I doing now

Well, it is 7:12 PM.  I have been at the stadium since 7 AM this morning.  Been a long day. Did the picture thing for part of the first game.  Gotta admit, the pitch clock is not affecting the game, but it is killing me.  By the time I get photos shot, dumped and start processing, the game is over.

Then it is down to the interview room to shoot the Tournament Talk with Mark and Thomas.  Then back to press row.  Transfer the video, set it up, and and start rendering the movie.  By now, it is the 2nd or 3rd inning of the next game.  Shoot a couple of innings, Dump and process the pics, then back to the video.  Convert it to Flash, upload it to Blip TV, send the codes to Mark to embed. 

And here, you all thought all I did was come up here and kick back and enjoy the tournament!!!

I will post some pictures later tonight when I get in from the games.  Looks like I might just get in before midnight tonight.

And now, analysis og Game 2 of the SEC Tournament

Watch Mark and Thomas analyze Game 2 of the SEC Tournament from earlier today.

Tournament Talk with Mark Etheridge and Thomas Berkery

Here is the first edition of Tournament Talk.  Now you know what I have spent my day at Hoover.



And I still have half the day to go!!

T minus 8 hours and counting

Here it is 1 AM in Birmingham, and I am still hard at it. Ain't life in the press corp glamorous!! I am sitting here at the Microtel working on the graphic design for the video segment Mark is going to introduce to the followers of SEBaseball.com on Day 1 of the tournament. Hopefully everyone will enjoy the production value of the pieces.

Video always has a way of getting out quicker than print media. I am heading to bed. So we will be trying to capitalize on the expertise of Mark and Thomas to get the hot topics across to you as quick as possible.

So be sure to stop by SEBaseball.com and check out the videos, aptly titled "Tournament Talk with Mark Etheridge and Thomas Berkerey". And yes, you are right. I am the dolt who came up with that original title. See what happens when you work til the wee hours of the morning!

And be sure to check out the podcasts on the Talkshoe link located at the top of the page. I created another episode tonight, and will have more through out the day tomorrow.

Now, it is off to bed for me. Someone be sure to call and wake me about 5 AM so I can get at it again!

Twas the night before Hoover

Well, the time is almost upon us. T-minus 13 hours and change before the first pitch of the 2010 SEC Tournament. Looks to be a good tourney. Florida, South Carolina, Auburn. Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss are all top 25 teams. That's SIX top 25 teams in one Tournament. Omaha sometimes has to stretch it to get 6 top 25 teams in the CWS. So baseball fans should really enjoy this. Add to the mix the reigning D1 College Baseball champion in LSU, and local favorite Alabama, and you have the ingredients for an interesting 5 days.

When I got to the stadium this afternoon, I met Megan and Marie. They were working the Press Will Call window. They got me set with my credentials and parking pass. The parking pass is always a good thing. Nothing worse than hiking in from the back 40 with all the camera gear and laptops. Well, I guess it could be worse: I could have to hike in from the practice fields.

Then as I walked in to get my media guides and check out the LSU bp session (batting practice, NOT the oil people that screwed up the gulf), I ran across my friend James Young. James is the Director of Stadium Operations for the Birmingham Barons. Can't begin to tell you he enjoyable visits we have had over the years, but he is always quick with a shake of the hand, and background info about the upcoming games. Hope to get James on a podcast with me the next couple of days to walk everyone through game day at Regions Park.

Anyway, time to go grab some chow then get to work studying media guides. Got to know who to take photos of. And no, this is not the Girls of Hoover edition as someone suggested!! Then finish some graphics for my pal Mark Etheridge. He is going to roll out some new stuff for the followers of SEBaseball.com so be sure to visit his site and check it out.

Now, if I could only figure out a way to work my sponsor CyberComm Marketing in this piece......

What do they play for

Well, here it is Monday afternoon, and by 1 PM tomorrow the journey begins. I am heading to Hoover to pick up the credentials, check out the teams practices, ad generally get in the mood for some baseball. To the left, you see one of the things these 8 teams are playing for: the SEC Baseball Tournament. Oh yeah...they are also playing for that automatic bid to the Men's College World Series coming up in less than 30 days.


If you have never been to an SEC Tournament, I suggest you do so. Yeah, you have all sorts of folks from all the schools. And I do mean ALLLL the schools, even the ones that are not there. It is a vacation of sorts. For some, who do not have a team in the tourney and do not have a chance to follow anyone in the postseason, this is it. That last college baseball fix for them until sometime in 2011.

So make sure you get out to Regions Park for some of the games. You won't regret it.

And if you can not get to Hoover from where you are, be sure to follow all the actions with Mark Etheridge at SEBaseball.com

More to come.....

Make your plans for game day now

Wanted to give you the schedule for the first day at Hoover.  Looks like the morning session will be packed.

SEC Tournament
May 26-30, 2010
Hoover, AL
Regions Park
Format: Eight team, two brackets; flip brackets in semi-finals

Game 1 - 9:30 AM
2. Auburn 20-10
7. Alabama 15-15
Should be a sellout even if it IS at 9:30 in the AM!

Game 2 - 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 1
3. South Carolina 21-9
6. Ole Miss 16-14
SC playing for a national number 1

Game 3 - 4:30 PM
1. Florida 22-8
8. LSU 14-16
From national champions to playing for a favorable seed.  What a difference a year makes


Game 4 - 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 3
4. Arkansas 18-12
5. Vanderbilt 16-12
Wait a minute...didn't these guys just play this weekend??  At least they will have a current scouting report

Remember, there is a new game clock in effect for this tournament.  Pitchers must deliver pitches within 20 seconds of being signaled by the umpire to play ball, and the time between innings will be limited to 1 minute and 30 seconds.  There is no time limit on pitchers when runners are on base.

Ought to be a fun day at the park.  Just make sure you get there in time to find a parking place and a seat.  You can keep up with all the action at SEBaseball.com

And if you happen to catch a foul ball on your windshield and need someone to fix it, check out this windshield repair website.

Let the trip begin

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends!!  The Road to Omaha begins Tuesday at Hoover, AL as I cover the 2010 SEC Tournament for SEBaseball.com and Mark Etheridge.  This is the 12th year I have photographed the SEC Tournament, and each year, I look forward to getting back to the stadium and the bumper crop of baseball friends I have made over the year.


In addition to taking photos for SEBaseball and also SECSports.com I will be tweeting and posting pics and just generally letting you know ALMOST everything I do between now and the championship in Omaha.

So if you are on the road at whichever venue I happen to be visiting, drop by and say hello, and I will post you to my site.

And be sure to visit the CyberComm Marketing website and check out my sponsor!