Photo courtesy of San Diego Chargers
Content from San Diego Chargers
Dave Boss Award of Excellence
Pro Football Hall of Fame
34th Annual Photo Contest (2001 NFL Season)
Dave Boss Award of Excellence, 2001
Feature Winner – Mike Nowak, San Diego Chargers
Chargers' team photographer Mike Nowak has won the Dave Boss Award of
Excellence for Photograph of the Year in the 34th Annual Pro Football Hall
of Fame Photo Contest.
Nowak's winning entry titled "Freedom" features Chargers' quarterback
Doug Flutie sprinting onto the field and waving an American flag with the
backdrop of an inflatable Chargers helmet and the crowd. The emotional moment
took place on September 30, 2001 as the Chargers were preparing to play their
first home game following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Nowak. "The emotional
level in the stadium was out of this world. When Doug came out with the flag,
the place just erupted. I'll never forget it. I was so fired up I almost
missed the shot."
"Considering all the great photographers from all over the world who
shoot every moment of every NFL game, it's really an honor to be chosen
for first place," added Nowak. "It gives me goose bumps to think that one
of my photos will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm extremely grateful
to the Hall of Fame."
The prestigious contest, sponsored by Canon, the official camera of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame, is open to all professional photographers ordinarily
on assignment to cover National Football League games. Photos taken during
the 2001 NFL season, which included Super Bowl XXVI on February 3, 2002,
and the Pro Bowl a week later, were eligible.
Nowak's entry was the first place winner in the feature category. The
first place winner in the action category was Christopher Gardner of the
Associated Press. Gardner's image, titled "Football," shows Pittsburgh Steelers
wide receiver Hines Ward and New England Patriots cornerback Ty Law battling
during the AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Nowak will be officially honored at the Mayor's Breakfast, part of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement celebration, on August 2, 2002 in
front of a sellout crowd of 4,000 people. That function is the first event
in which the Hall of Fame Class of 2002 enshrinees - George Allen, Dave
Casper, Dan Hampton, Jim Kelly, and John Stallworth - are introduced to
the public.
The 11-day enshrinement celebration is highlighted by the induction of
the new class on August 3 and the AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game two days later.
This year's game showcases the expansion Houston Texans versus the New
York Giants on Monday night, August 5.
Judging for this year's contest was conducted on April 5, by a panel
of prominent photo editors and photographers. The judges included Michael
Feldman, senior photo editor, Associated Press; John Iacono, Sports Illustrated;
Dave LaBelle, assistant managing editor/photography, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette;
Paul Spinelli, director-photo services, NFL Publishing; and Tony Tomsic, free-lance
photographer, Rocky River, Ohio