I was honored with a press and media pass for Super Bowl LVI week, and also for the big game itself this year!
BTW, all the pictures and videos in this article were taken by ME!
Let's start from the top. The entire Los Angeles Convention Center was turned into a Super Bowl LVI experience. There were interactive games, live player appearances, press conferences, and more. Entire sports TV and radio stations were set up there all week.
@SnoopDogg, @maryjblige, and @drdre at the #SuperBowlHalftimeShow press conference.
The NFL Shop was also set up in the LACC, and I copped a sick Super Bowl LVI edition Aaron Donald jersey. It was at the LACC that Pepsi held their Super Bowl Halftime Show press conference with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Mary J. Blige. I got a first-hand chance to see these legends up close as they spoke about the Halftime Show a few days before the game.
Mary J. Blige spoke about setting the standard for greatness, and gave a truly honest and humbling response.
@maryjblige speaks about inspiring women and setting the standard of greatness #SuperBowlHalftimeShow
Snoop gave the press his Super Bowl LVI predictions, and although he's a Steeler fan for life, he had to side with the city on this one.
@SnoopDogg shared his #SuperBowl prediction before the game.
And before this legendary duo left the press conference, they were asked to summarize what the world should expect from their Halftime Show performance. Snoop was a little lost for words at first, but Dr. Dre came to the rescue.
@SnoopDogg, @drdre, and @maryjblige, were asked to describe the #HalfTimeShow in one word before they hit the stage on Sunday...
Needless to say, sitting in the same room with these legends a few days before they hit the biggest stage in America was bananas. Here are some more pics from the press conference.
Before the game, I was also given access to the Rams players during their pre-game press conference. I was able to ask OBJ, Cooper Kupp, Matt Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, and Coach McVay a question each.
Here is Super Bowl LVI MVP, Offensive Player of The Year, and the Triple Crown King Cooper Kupp telling me who he'd draft #1 overall in fantasy football. Probably not the best choice, strategically. But I've seen worse.
Now here's Matt Stafford telling me what music he was listening to pump himself up for the big game. Not really a straight answer but the man likes his real-life ambiance!
Odell Beckham Jr. is a stand-up guy. He had an opportunity to talk smack about the Giants and the Browns, but took the high road without hesitation. Say what you want about OBJ, but he was grateful, humble, and respectful every time I saw him over the week.
I had to ask Jalen Ramsey about the match-up the world was talking about most before the game: him covering Ja'Marr Chase. He also spoke about who he was most excited to see at the Halftime Show.
And lastly, I asked Coach McVay about the 49ers and the NFC Championship game. The 49ers won the previous six games versus the Rams before Los Angeles beat them in the NFC Conference Championship to advance to Super Bowl LVI.
Here are some pics from that pre-game press conference as well!
Now for the big day! Traffic in LA is notoriously horrendous, but imagine it during Super Bowl LVI. With that in mind, I decided not to drive and took a train from my house to the Media Hotels, where free shuttles were offered to the press.
Walking into the stadium gave me chills.
Walking into the #SuperBowl
Walking up to my seats left me gassed... I definitely need to do more cardio. I was placed in the Auxiliary Press section, which is allllll the way up top. It was dope because they set up tables for us at our seats where we could charge our laptops and cameras. A little workstation, if you will.
What an absolute dream #SuperBowl
The stadium was packed and I was having a good time before the game even started. Talking to other media personnel was very dope. Although I was like a kid in a candy shop (it was my first Super Bowl), many of the journalists around me had many Super Bowl experiences under their belt. Hearing their stories was pretty dope and humbling. I aspire to reach many of their levels of prestige and knowledge.
Stadium was PACKED! #SuperBowl
I had my DSLR with me, with a pretty dope lens. So although I was way up top, I was able to grab a few cool shots, like this one of Jhené Aiko singing "America the Beautiful." Look at that harp!!!
I also got shots of Mickey Guyton singing the Nation Anthem.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I didn't get up close and personal. But still, these are photos I'm proud of. Mostly because of my first-person experience and just the strength of my lens from so high up!
Of course, then the game started! I was able to snag some cool shots as the biggest game of the year progressed. Like this one of Matt Stafford about to throw the ball!
And this one of OBJ ready to take off on Chidobe Awuzie.
This one of Joe Burrow, with the poise of a leader, is dope. Although I was going for the Rams, I have such respect and admiration for Burrow.
Here's another shot of Burrow, and you can see the ball right after it leaves his hand. The Rams defense was putting a lot of pressure on the young star.
The Rams tied the Super Bowl record with seven sacks. But Joe kept his cool and kept slinging the ball when he could.
The Rams in their offensive huddle.
When OBJ went down on this play, my heart stopped.
I captured the moment OBJ went down on camera, and my heart stopped.
Gotta admit, I got super nervous at that point. It seemed like a bad injury, and I felt like he wasn't coming back in the game. I love OBJ and wanted to see him win a ring, so my stomach just dropped.
By the way, do you hear how LOUD the Bengals fans were? Funny story. Although the Rams were playing at home, they were the away team. That's because the NFC and AFC champions alternate home and away status each year. And boy oh boy the Bengals definitely had more fans in the crowd. It was deafening to hear them root for their team, even in the Rams' house.
Cincinnati fans were going nuts after Matt Stafford threw this interception before halftime to Bengals safety Jessie Bates
The @Bengals fans were LIT after this INT
But my nerves cooled off quite a bit when the teams hit the locker room, and they started carting out the props and stages for the Halftime Show.
The #HalfTimeShow prep was smooth AF
Then, it was time for the show!!! Sorry for some of these choppy/short recordings but I was trying to balance recording, living in the moment, and losing my damn mind. Whole stadium smelled like weed too, damn near got a contact high.
I was freaking out mannnnn #HalfTimeShow
Talk about Black excellence man... I caught Kendrick on my DSLR so the quality was a little better than my camera phone vids.
@kendricklamar had me HYPE. Sorry for such short snippets I was trying to record and be in the moment and was just losing it lol
Eminem is one of the GOATS.
Me: God I just want to see @Eminem perform #LoseYourself live before I die God: say less
And here are the pics I was able to take between losing my mind and singing along.
Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent!
Definitely didn't need no hateration or holleration.
Snoop breaking it down next to Dre.
Eminem takes a knee!
But once the Halftime Show was done, my nerves were back. The Rams needed a win, but the Bengals came out swinging. Tee Higgins caught a gorgeous pass from Joe Burrow... and although there was certainly offensive pass interference on the play, the refs didn't call it and he ran it in for a 75-yard touchdown to take the lead for Cincinnati.
So basically, the refs are saying there was facemask contact and a grab... but not enough of a foul for them to care... LOL whatever.
Regardless, ya'll know what ended up happening. With 1:44 left in the game, Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson was called for holding on Cooper Kupp. Wilson definitely grabbed Kupp, but it's questionable if he really pulled him or stopped him from progressing. There are clear images of Wilson with his hands on Kupp (I didn't take one myself, but you can find them easily online, as I'm only using pics and videos I personally took in this article). However, the refs called it holding. Call it what you want, I call it payback for the no call on Higgins 🤷🏿♂️. The Rams got a new set of downs, and the rest is history.
The Rams ended up knocking in the game-winning touchdown soon after, which I happened to catch, shakily as I was freaking out, with my camera phone. I need to have better composure in the future but c'mon... it was my first Super Bowl!
Caught the game-winning TD by @CooperKupp!
And I also happened to catch the play that ended it all for the Bengals. The 4th and 1 turnover on downs... Burrow just got swallowed and had no time to get the ball away.
The play that ended it all for the @Bengals. Turnover on downs!
After the game, and quite a bit of celebrating, I was able to shoot down to the post-game interviews. I ran into Scott Hanson, the NFL Redzone host, who I watch every single Sunday.
Then, I was able to ask Aaron Donald and Matt Stafford a question each! Sheeesh, my voice sounds so loud and obnoxious here...
Me asking #MatthewStafford about what it feels like sharing this moment with his family
AD was quick to put his teammates first.
And here is me asking @AaronDonald97 about how it felt to face off against the @Bengals O-line.
I also got this SICK mini helmet signed by Aaron Donald, which I'll keep forever and ever, amen.
I wasn't able to ask Cooper a question because his adorable daughter took over the mic by the time I got to his podium. But I was able to shout a "thank you" for bringing the win to the city, and got an acknowledgment wave, which was more than enough for me at that point honestly. My heart was full.
I was too late to catch @CooperKupp post-game, by the time I got to his podium his precious daughter had control of the mic.
I went to a lil' Super Bowl party after this, but no pictures or videos there. Sorry folks...
For some really weird reason, the NFL decided to have the Championship interviews with Kupp and Coach McVay at 8:30 am the next morning. Needless to say, everyone was pretty hungover from partying the night before. Coach barely even had a voice.
Coach McVay joked about why the NFL would have an 8:30 am press conference the day AFTER the #SuperBowl lol. You can hear his voice is SHOT... you KNOW they were turning up super late the night before.
Since the Championship press conference was held the day after the Super Bowl, which was Valentine's Day, Kupp spoke about his wife. You just gotta love this guy and his family, they deserve it!
The Championship press conference for the #SuperBowl was held today, Valentine's Day. Here's Cooper talking about his wife, her supporting him, and their plans for the lover's holiday.
And here's a shot of the Vince Lombardi Trophy and the Pete Rozelle Trophy, for the Super Bowl LVI win and the Super Bowl MVP, respectively.
Here's Kupp with the MVP trophy, you can see the joy on his face.
What a week, definitely one I'll never forget EVER. An experience of a lifetime.
Now let me go sleep off this hangover.... GOODNIGHT!
