On SportsCenter yesterday, my NBA free agents touchscreen graphic debuted with NBA analyst Chris Broussard:

I still have a few tweaks and updates to work on, so the graphic isn’t finished, but after spending two months working on it, finally seeing it on TV is a great feeling.

What’s special about this graphic is the on-the-fly calculations of NBA team salaries based on several factors: signed player salaries, free agent cap holds if they have Bird rights, and team roster charges if the team has less than 12 players.  Each time a player is moved to or from a roster or a team renounces all or individual free agents, the graphic runs through a series of calculations to determine the team’s new salary total and their available cap room.

Because of this graphic, I now know more about the NBA free agency process than 1.) I care to know and 2.) I ever thought I would — all thanks to this year’s big story: LeBron James.

Here was my view in the studio yesterday:

Last Monday (26 April), I had the honor of attending the 31st Annual Sports Emmy Awards in New York City for the first time since I started working at ESPN two years ago.  I was nominated for two Emmys along with the graphics team for the SportsNation show.  As the phrase goes, it was an honor just to be nominated.

The awards were held in the Frederick P. Rose Theater. Our pre- and post-show receptions were held in the Time Warner Center overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park:

The reception room:

For the category “Outstanding Graphic Design,” MLB Tonight won. But so did SportsNation (and the post-announcement video clip featured “Walk the Plank,” one of my touchscreen games!):

So now I’m an Emmy winner!

A terrific honor, for sure, and I’m proud to share the award with the rest of the SportsNation graphics team. I work with some very talented people.

Post-show reception over, waiting for the buses to return us to ESPN:

Congratulations to the entire SportsNation graphics team on the Emmy win!  And congratulations to all the other winners!

On Saturday, ESPN Sports Saturday on ABC launched.  Included was a new show called Winners Bracket, created by the team behind the ESPN show SportsNation.  Winners Bracket is hosted by Michelle Beadle and Marcellus Wiley.

For both shows, I create the touchscreen games the anchors and guests play during the show.  On Saturday, I was on-hand for the launch and snapped some photos (I tweeted most of these on Saturday, but here are a few more).

Check out Winners Bracket on Saturdays at 5p ET on ABC!

The studio crew discussing their plan for the show:

Director Chris going over the shot list:

An hour before Winners Bracket launched, I was still making updates to the touchscreen game:

Director Chris doing his thing:

Michelle and Marcellus:

Playing the touchscreen game:

Marcellus fixing his earpiece:

Playing the touchscreen game with Jalen Rose:

Reaction shot with Alexi Lalas:

Jalen Rose watching the show:

The winner of the first-ever Winners Bracket was a Dwyane Wade dunk.  Marcellus and Mike Greenberg guessed correctly.  Michelle did not:

After the show, the entire crew gathered for some cake and celebration:

My souvenir from the launch:

Michelle wrote, “The Genius rules all. Michelle Beadle” Marcellus wrote, “The Genius BROTHER! M Wiley, Dat Dude 75.” My nickname amongst the SportsNation crew and others at ESPN is “Joey the Genius” or just “Genius” for short.

Being part of a team launching a new show is one of the best aspects of working in the television industry. Congrats to the entire Winners Bracket team for a successful launch and a great show!

After about four months of development time and a few very long nights last week, my NCAA touchscreen brackets graphic debuted on SportsCenter yesterday. ESPN college basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb revealed his bracket using the Perceptive Pixel touchscreen.

Here are a few short videos of Doug in action yesterday:

Part of my fun with this project was working with all the anchors and analysts who will be interacting with the touchscreen. Yesterday I was in support mode making sure Doug was comfortable with the graphic.

Doug making a pick:

Doug tossing away two teams’ stat panels:

Doug and others will be using the touchscreen throughout the tournament, so check it out on ESPN!

A couple weekends ago, some coworkers and I traveled to New York City to visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).  This trip marked the first time I had been to the museum.  Here are some of the photos I took.

Road trip? More like a rail trip:

Walking from Grand Central, I ducked inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

Parked:

MoMA:

Museum-goers:

Claude Monet’s water lilies:

“The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh:

Museum-goers:

“Cinema Redux” of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. A frame was captured every second in the film, and each row represents one minute of the film. More here.

In the same section of the museum, there was this amazing touchscreen application called “I Want You to Want Me.”  The application pulled together information from multiple dating websites and created this interactive display of what people want and who they’re looking for.  Read more about the project here.  The official video:

Post-MoMA, the Chrysler Building in reflection:

Back at Grand Central:

Headed home:

Last week during a snowstorm, I needed a mind-clearing/creative exercise after work, so my camera and I took a stroll around West Hartford for over an hour (and I think the cold I have had for the last week was because of this excursion!).  Here are a few shots I took:

My America: F**k Yeah! Road Trip: 10 days; 1,914 miles; 2,495 photos. I compare my journey to that of a tribesman journeying up the mountain and returning a different person. Having spent so much time by myself over as great of a distance as I did and having experienced places of awesome historical significance and places for great personal reflection changed my outlook on myself. I have an altered opinion of life, one, I think, that will make me a better person.

My road trip was an amazing journey. I cherish the experience I had, the memories I made, and the photographs I took. Looking back on my journey, while the drive was at times long, I will be forever thankful and grateful I was able to make the trek. Having seen all these American treasures makes me reiterate “America: F**k Yeah!”

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

My final stop of my America: F**k Yeah! Road Trip in October was at Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

The park is directly across the harbor from New York City, so I was afforded a great view of the skyline:

The view down the pier:

And of course, to top-off my jingoisticly-themed trip, the Statue of Liberty:

Lady Liberty at dusk:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #3 on my return trip from DC this past October was in Trenton, New Jersey at the site were General George Washington and his troops crossed the icy waters of the Delaware River to make a surprise Christmas Day attack on Hessian forces in Trenton.

The crossing, of course, was made famous in Emanuel Leutze’s painting:

I stopped at Washington Crossing State Park on the New Jersey side of the Delaware:

The Delaware today:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton NJ
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

For anyone who was following my photos from my road trip in October, my apologies for not finishing the series.

As noted earlier, in October, I took a 10-day, almost 2,000-mile journey to North Carolina and back, stopping at several historical places on the way from and to Connecticut.  The last day took me from DC back to CT with stops at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Trenton NJ where Washington crossed the Delaware during the Revolution, and Liberty State Park in NJ.

The Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background:

Forged in 1753:

The clapper:

In this room, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution were all signed:

The guide mentioned the only original item in the room was the chair (with, what was said by Benjamin Franklin, was a rising—not setting—sun) used by George Washington during the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787:

Independence Hall:

And since I was in Philadelphia, I had to stop for a cheesesteak!

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Something very rare occurred today:

There are no badges on any icons on myPhone’s homescreen. Almost always, I have a badge on Mail and Todo, and often on Messages and Phone. Today, though, none! Closing out the year with a clean slate!

UPDATE: the clean slate only lasted a few hours. I have a badge again:

Day 10, the final day, of my road trip back in October was a spent driving from DC back to Connecticut—and of course I had some stops planned!

First stop on the return leg of my trip was to Fort McHenry in Baltimore MD.  Interestingly, Fort McHenry is the only site in the National Park System that is designated as an Historic Shrine.

The fort from a distance:

Looking out to the harbor:

Cannonballs:

Inside the fort (several years after the War of 1812, the second story and porches were added):

The guns of war:

Rampart (as in “o’er the ramparts we watched”) #4:

An interesting bit of historical trivia I learned at Fort McHenry was that in 1861, several members of the Maryland state legislature were imprisoned in the jail cells at the fort to prevent them from voting to secede from the Union.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

A whole month went by without any new posts.  Yikes.  My apologies for any regular (or semi-regular) readers.  I still need to finish my road trip photos!

And now for part two of my Washington DC photos from my road trip.

I loved the ceiling and the perspectives offered by the DC Metro:

Flag above the Department of the Treasury building:

North portico of the White House at night:

I saw this device on the south gate of the White House grounds.  I’m curious what might have happened if I pushed the button:

South lawn of the White House:

Lafayette Park just north of the White House:

The eternal flame at John F. Kennedy’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery:

Onlookers:

Brothers (Bobby, Jack, and Teddy):

A sea of white:

The U.S. Constitution at the National Archives:

The Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial:

The U.S. Capitol, glazed with rain water:

I only spent two days in DC, but I probably could have spend two weeks there.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Days 8 and 9 of my road trip were spent in the nation’s capital.

The weather those two days was cold, windy, and rainy, but I made the most of my time there. To alleviate my exposure to the elements, I would stay outside for a little while and then find something to do inside somewhere. Then I would go back out, then find something to do inside. Etc.

This was my first time in DC since 2001, and I was amazed at how much of a fortress certain areas and buildings have become because of security concerns. Buildings like the White House Visitor Center and the National Archives that you once were able to simply walk through the front door are now protected by metal detectors and security screenings. Walking and stopping at high value targets like the White House, I always felt like I was being watched, especially since I was traveling alone. Such is the life in a heightened-security state.

But anyway, on to the photo tour. The U.S. Capitol from the southeast end:

The Statue of Freedom above the Capitol dome:

Inside the Capitol rotunda, a statue of George Washington and The Apotheosis of Washington:

Inside the Library of Congress:

Looking to the Capitol from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court:

The west side of the Capitol:

The Capitol fountain:

Sputnik I inside the National Air and Space Museum:

The Washington Monument:

The National World War II Memorial at night:

Walking up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial:

The Reflecting Pool from the Lincoln Memorial:

The Korean War Veterans Memorial:

To be continued….

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

The last stop on day #7 before I arrived in Washington DC was to Manassas Battlefield (flag J).

This battlefield saw fighting twice. The First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas) took place 21 July 1861 and was the first major land battle of the war. The Second Battle of Bull Run took place 28-30 August 1862.

Unlike my previous battlefields of the day, this one was all open field:

The Henry House, destroyed during the first battle but later rebuilt:

Tree and field near the Stone House:

The Stone House, used by Union soldiers as a field hospital during both battles:

Bull Run:

The Stone Bridge spanning Bull Run. This bridge was destroyed during the first battle but later rebuilt.

As I was taking photos of and around the bridge, two gentlemen dressed in Union gear came walking over the bridge. I started talking with them and asked if I could take a few photos of them. They said they were at a reenactment at another battlefield.

The following day when I was walking the streets of DC, I ran into these two again (sans their Union gear).

While Bull Run was the first major land battle of the Civil War, the battlefield was the last of six Civil War battlefields on my road trip. Like the previous battlefields, imagining what went on here so long ago while I wonder the fields was chilling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After Chancellorsville Battlefield, I made my way to neighboring Fredericksburg Battlefield.

The Battle of Fredericksburg took place 11-15 December 1862.  Confederate forces held off advancing Union forces in their campaign to march to Richmond.

Part of the stone wall on Marye’s Heights, occupied by a well-positioned and reinforced Confederate force who drove-back waves of attacking Union troops. This part of the wall is the original wall:

An open field of battle:

These earthworks are remnants of trenches used by Stonewall Jackson’s troops:

Driving through Fredericksburg Battlefield:

A gun of battle:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After stopping at Cold Harbor Battlefield, I made my way to Chancellorsville Battlefield.

Taking place 30 April to 06 May 1863, this Confederate-won battle is probably most well-known for the mortal wounding of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson by friendly fire.

A directional marker at the visitors center pointed the way to Gettysburg:

The stone memorial in the background marks the site where Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded. The flag adorns the grave of an unknown Union soldier. I’m likely committing Confederate sacrilege by photographing Jackson’s memorial with a Union flag:

Driving though Chancellorsville Battlefield:

Cannons in an open field:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Day #7 on my road trip was spent driving from North Carolina to Washington DC. Along my route were four Civil War battlefields.

Up first: Cold Harbor, 31 May 1864 – 12 June 1864.

Unlike my previous two battlefields, Gettysburg and Antietam, this battlefield was in the woods.

These are remnants of trenches used by soldiers in 1864. Like I said with the other battlefields, imagining what went on here back then is intense.

A canon outside the visitor center:

With the woods as a backdrop:

The several times I stopped and got out of my car to take some photos was very surreal. The weather this day was damp and dreary, and I was in the woods alone amongst only the sounds of nature. This setting coupled with the thought of the fighting and carnage that took place here was chilling. Very chilling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

After spending a few days with my sister in Charlotte NC, I drove east to the coast to spend a few days on the beach where a very good friend of mine from undergrad was getting married. And because I was at the beach, I spent most of my three days there barefoot.

Sunrise over the sand dunes:

Sunrise over the beach:

I served as the unofficial wedding photographer, which meant I took many, many photos. Glasses for the toast later:

The cake topper:

Something blue:

With these hands:

Love:

Mother and son:

The cake topper again:

First dance:

My friend had sandals that printed “Just” and “Married” into the sand when she was walking:

The groom’s mom enjoying a little break in the sun:

My shell collection:

Sunset:

Last light:

Congratulations to the newlyweds! What a great few days we all had together!

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

I apologize for not keeping up with my trip.  I’m several days past the end of my road trip and back in the comfort of my home.  Perhaps I’m too comfortable as I’ve not finished writing about my trip.

So to continue, the end of day one took me to Charlotte NC to visit my sister for a few days.

One adventure we had while I was visiting was a day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, one of only two sites in the U.S. officially sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

There, we white-water rafted (my first time) and did two different zip lines (also my first time). Here’s part of the rafting and kayaking course:

Expect to be soaked from head to toe and inside out. Here’s one of the zip lines (this one goes over the water course, and if you’re lucky, the boats underneath will try to splash you as you’re zipping over):

If you’re ever in the Charlotte area and have several hours to spare, I highly recommend going to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. In addition to the three activities I mentioned, they have rock climbing walls, open-river kayaking, and hiking and biking trails. Many great opportunities for outdoor fun.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #3 on day one of my road trip was at Shenandoah National Park. I felt somewhat cheated since I couldn’t spend much time at the park because I was on a tight time schedule to arrive in Charlotte NC, but the park was beautiful. While I was hoping for more fall colors, the overlooks were nonetheless amazing to view.

I took a small break from the drive and enjoyed my trademarked sandwich while overlooking the sun breaking through the clouds rolling in:

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #2 on my road trip was to Antietam Civil War battlefield, site of the bloodiest single-day battle in American history on 17 September 1862.

The guns of Antietam:

A lone tree in the field:

Amber waves of grain:

The snake-rail fences along the Bloody Lane:

Burnside’s Bridge over Antietam Creek:

Like Gettsyburg, imagining what went on at the battlefield almost 150 years ago is stunning. Thinking about who might have been walking or who might have been fallen where I was walking was humbling.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro

Stop #1 on my road trip was Gettysburg Civil War battlefield.  The Battle of Gettysburg was fought 1-3 July 1863.

This gun overlooks Pickett’s Charge:

A farmhouse on the battlefield:

The gun with a North Carolina monument:

A line of guns overlooking Pickett’s Charge:

The Pennsylvania Monument:

A Union gun overlooking Devil’s Den:

While driving through the fields, I found it amazing to think about what went on almost 150 years ago and that today I’m driving though the area where they fought. A humbling experience.

My “America: F**k Yeah!” Road Trip:

• Conclusion
• Liberty State Park
• Trenton
• Philadelphia
• Fort McHenry
• Washington, DC (Part 2)
• Washington, DC (Part 1)
• Manassas Battlefield
• Fredericksburg Battlefield
• Chancellorsville Battlefield
• Cold Harbor Battlefield
• Topsail Island, NC
• Charlotte, NC
• Shenandoah National Park
• Antietam Battlefield
• Gettysburg Battlefield
• Intro