This November the station I work for is once again turning back the clock to go into our Dancin’ On Air vault.  My thoughts on this show were the subject of another Dancin’ on Air blog entry, but to say the least, it’s a lot of work for WPHL putting these specials together.  The latest special will air November 24th, 2011.  To prepare and get new footage of the show’s alumni cast members, we had a giant party at the Electric Factory.  My job that night was too shoot stills of the cast while they got interviewed by my friend and colleague, Adam Friedman.  Adam is a great interviewer and I heard some stories that I am sure can’t air…  It’s also where I met Jodi Letizia.

Jodi is an alum of DOA, but more famously to me and Adam… She’s the “Screw You, Creepo!” girl from Rocky 1.  (For those that DON’T remember the film, and shame on you all that don’t!)  Jodi was the pigtailed little girl that after a South Philly walk home of soul searching… Rocky decides to impart some wisdom upon… something to the effect… “You hang out with nice people, you get nice friends You hang out with smart people, you get smart friends You hang out with yo-yo people, you get yo-yo friends It’s simple mathematics.”

To which Marie replies… “HEY, ROCKY— SCREW YOU CREEPO!”

In our interview, Jodi was kind enough to give us the line a few times, even though this is very rare!  I told her I was a huge fan of that part of the film so her parting shot to me was…

“HEY TONY– SCREW YOU CREEPO!!”

I felt very honored. ( Tear…)   The camera was not rolling on that one, but here is a sample.  Adam is the voice, I am the one she is talking to when she looks left.  Jodi is a trip.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, although you would never guess since I rarely dress and have missed my work party, which is a great party, every year since I started.  I shoot a lot of things for my job… but I take the day off from work every Halloween, just to take pictures.  Not “shoot.” Take Pictures.  And yes, there’s a difference.

My sister teaches at the grade school her and I both went to and her kids both go to that school.  They are 5 and 7.  I go every year. (2010 here).  So sure I bring the fancy camera, but I am really there just to be Uncle Tony and soak in the hilarity that is grades P-4 at Berlin Community School in their annual Halloween Parade.  Since I grew up in this town, I have lots of friends still in the area and I get to see their kids too.  Then it’s off to my sister’s house for a party with all my cousin’s kids.  It’s a blast.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

So as the boys of summer gird up their loins for a winter temperatured magical game 7 of the 2011 World Series, I guess this is my last chance to reflect on my own 2011 Post Season experience.  Even though, emotionally, to quote one of my favorite bosses of all time;

“I’m not there, yet…”

Not there because the Phillies 2011 playoff run was such a disappointment.  And I don’t mean that in the personal sense, I mean professionally.  It is such a buzzkill to have the greatest access to the greatest stage of MLB… only to have it end way too soon for the team you are there to cover.  When that team is the team you grew up rooting for?  It’s an even bigger buzzkill…

Still, the all to brief time I was involved in the post season for WPHL is still something I am sure I will someday cherish.  This is not the first time I’ve seen the Phillies not make the WS or NLCS in my day and and I prefer this to some others I have seen. Give me an NLDS exit after 102 wins as opposed to a 70 win season and not even a hope of playoffs, any day.

Here are some of my favorite moments from 2011 and links to all the media I shot.

This is photo of Roy Oswalt and the squirrel is one of those one in a million shots that couldn’t have turned out any better if I planned it.  At batting practice before Game 5 of the NLDS in Philadelphia a squirrel ran accross the field.  (Back Story: a squirrel got a ton of air time in the St Loius games–ran accross the field during an at bat, and in some opinions, changed the momentum of a game that Roy Oswalt was pitching in.)  Shots like this happen super fast you just hope you get it.  I got it.

After game 1, this was one of my favorite photos I ever took of Ryan Howard. (And I have taken quite a few!)  It was as he took the field Game 1 for batting practice.  He exuded confidence, like he owned that building and in a few short hours… he did. (Homerun, 4 rbi.).  Click here to see an image I did not publish from game 5, that told a complete different confidence story.

The tale of two cities after any defeat was apparent with Tony LaRussa and Charlie Manuel.  I really like Charlie, but my heart really when out to him after game 5.  But he took the podium and answered all the tough questions.

Contrasted with Larussa who was all smiles after the win, even though he is not an overly smiley guy.

Lastly the Phillies took a lot of heat for their tweets after the untimely dismissal from the post season.  Fans were irate that they tweeted about golfing or rest or vacay.  As an interactive producer for a station that carries the Phillies, we follow what and how they tweet closely.  What I think people missed is to a man, the FIRST thing they each tweeted, was very much appropriate and what the fans were feeling too.   I made a web gallery of it using images I shot during the NLDS and the players tweets.

The Jimmy Rollins one is of course poignant as who knows what the future holds for Rollins and the Phillies.  It’s my hope he comes back.  But even if he does, who knows?  Playoffs are not a given.  Nothing in life is.  As dissappointed as I am, and we all are over the early exit, over time, hopefully we can all look back and enjoy the journey that so few get to make.  I know I will…

Here is everything I shot at the 2011 NLDS
	NLDS Game 5 Batting Practice
	Phillies Tweets in Photos
	NLDS Game 2 Warm Ups
	NLDS Game 1 Pre and Post Game
	Phillies Post Season 2011 about to Begin!

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