March is known as a month of magic and many things, but most importantly in the sports world, it is known for March Madness, when colleges from all across the country battle it out for the crown of “Best College Basketball Team.” The photography of March Madness can inspire anyone to be great.

This statement is the simplest of all ways to explain what happens in this tournament. It is a time where both casual and loyal fans watch every game intensely and what goes on across the tournament.

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The magic of March Madness

There is love for the game and its inspiring stories of underdogs defying odds, but what is also big is the gambling and bracket aspect of March Madness. 

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There is gambling in any sports league, but March Madness is so special because of the nature of the tournament. The matchups are not played in a series-style playoff format, but instead a 1 game playoff, which leads to upsets.

This word is the biggest talking point during March, and we also always hear the phrase “Cinderella team” thrown out there. For readers not familiar with March Madness, a Cinderella team is the low seed team that makes an incredible run in the tournament.

With that said of why the tournament is a beautiful draw, let us also explore why it inspires us so much. The photography of some of the biggest upsets in March Madness history is simply magical.

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No. 16 UMBC over No. 1 Virginia, 2018

Never before had a 16 seed won a game in NCAA tournament history… of course until 2018, when the Retrievers took down the Virginia Cavaliers. 

It wasn’t a crazy last-second shot that gave them a win, but instead, a game that was completely one-sided, at least in the second half. UMBC beat Virginia handily, 74-54, and the excitement is on full display in this

An upset of any kind is rare, but a complete demolition may truly never happen again.

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No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast over No. 2 Georgetown, 2013

As I mentioned prior, Cinderella teams begin to take the focus of the entire sports world, and in 2013, Florida Gulf Coast took the world by storm. FGCU not only beat Georgetown but then beat Sand Diego State, advancing to the Sweet 16.

However, focusing on this game, FGCU dunked all over Georgetown, something no one could expect. All their dunking led to a nickname of “Dunk City,” not the most creative nickname, but either way, their success cannot be questioned.

They completed a nice win then over Georgetown, by a score of 78-68.

The all-out delirium of the FGCU players, juxtaposed with Georgetown, wasn’t only apparent in this moment of this March Madness photography, but any shot taken at the end of this game.

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No. 15 Lehigh over No. 2 Duke, 2012

In a battle of future NBA talent, CJ McCollum’s Lehigh team took down Austin Rivers and Seth Curry’s Duke team. 

Duke has had its fair shares of upsets, but no one truly expects without hindsight a first-round upset given up by a top college system like the Duke Blue Devils.

Well, McCollum and his 30 points ended Duke’s hopes of a National Championship.

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No. 11 George Mason over No. 1 UConn, 2006

If this article was about the top Cinderella teams, this picture would have been a perfect example of the shock and disappointment that a Cinderella team can hand its opponents throughout the tournament.

Often regarded as one of the top Cinderella Teams the 2006 George Mason team, took down monster after monster, culminating in their win over UConn that had them advance to the Final Four.

The face of Rudy Gay (UConn #22) is the puzzling look most fans then had watching what George Mason accomplished in 2006.

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No. 14 Mercer over No. 3 Duke, 2014

A dance circle is a perfect way to celebrate, and boy did Mercer have its fun. They pumped each other up throughout the game and did the same in their post-win celebration, as the photography of this crazy March Madness moment can attest.

An upset is hard enough to handle (if you are on the losing side), but when it is in front of your own fans, the pill just may be too big to swallow.

Well, that is what happened in 2014, when Mercer took down the Blue Devils at PNC Arena in North Carolina.

Yes, just 2 years after Duke got upset in the first round by Lehigh, they had the same fate in 2014.

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Upsets are what make March Madness and its photography magical

Whether with Cinderella teams or first-round upsets, March Madness year in and year out has its fair share of excitement.

There are a lot of upsets to chose from, but personally, I feel these were above and beyond some of the most exciting moments of basketball I have ever witnessed.

March Madness photography reminds us that the underdog can always win. And with conviction and confidence, magic can inspire in the air.

Golf fans around the world have had a gut-wrenching week. February 23, news broke that legend Tiger Woods was involved in a very serious car crash, and the photography of the crash site was intensely harrowing. 

As news became more abundant, people around the world were told he was stable but had suffered major leg injuries. We don’t have to get into the technical terms of his injuries, but it does seem that this devastating crash may have ended his golf career in one fell swoop.

This sad, but almost definite truth makes golf fans and simply sports fans around the world reminisce about the career of one of the truly great athletes of all time.

Let’s take a look back at some of Tiger Woods’ greatest moments captured through photography.

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Tiger wins the 1997 Masters

What most people consider the beginning of true Tiger, the 1997 Masters. In the picture above, we see a young Tiger Woods receiving his first Master’s Green Jacket, the ultimate prize for any golfer. 

“Young,” is the correct word, as the 21-year-old was weirdly both a favorite and underdog in the 1997 Masters. He was the talk of the town in the golf world, even having to be escorted by 8 police officers to his first tee shot.

The hype around Tiger was because of what he was doing at such a young age, and people expected an amazing performance from Tiger. 

However, while some were quick to say he was a favorite, Nick Faldo another great golf player explained that there was a “learning curve to Augusta.”

Well, the learning curve must have been minimal for Tiger as he won by 12 shots and set a record for the best score at -18. This photograph of Tiger shows his pure joy on display.

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The 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach

The look of a champion, Tiger Woods claimed greatness again by winning the 2000 US Open. 

As Roger Maltbie put it, “It’s not a fair fight,” speaking about Tiger’s success at Pebble Beach, where Tiger’s winning score was 12 under par.

The runner-up was +3, a significant difference in the score that continued to prove the majesty of Tiger’s game. The photography of Tiger Woods shows the electricity that made him golf’s biggest sensation ever.

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Tiger on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters

One of the most iconic Tiger moments of his career was this 16th hole. It also brought out his famous fist pump. The photography of Tiger Woods when he’s excited about a shot is unlike anything else in golf.

Tiger’s chip shot at the 16th hole of the Masters helped not only his ultimate win, but his legacy as a legend. This shot was expected to be one that would simply put him close to the hole to hopefully get to par, but instead he made an insane shot.

And in the famous words of Verne Lundquist: “In your life have you seen anything like that?” and most people could say they have not. 

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Tiger wins the 2008 US Open

A championship that for anyone else would just not have happened. In the 2008 US Open, Tiger Woods played through a broken leg.

This is not an easy thing, to say the least, and he was able to put on a show that kept his injury unknown until after the fact.

As astonishing as it is to play through this injury, he won the damn title. And this photograph of Tiger celebrating puts this insane feat on full display.

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Tiger wins in one of the greatest comeback stories of all time (2019)

11 years…a length of time most people didn’t expect the Big Cat would have to wait to win another major.

However, after injuries and some off-the-field issues, Tiger won his 15th major title in 2019 at Augusta, a course that Tiger has put his name all over.

Number 15 was important because it took him over Jack Nicklaus’ record of 14 major titles.

The excitement and all-out passion is evident in this photograph of Tiger as he and the fans behind him realize the feat that Tiger Woods just accomplished.

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When you need to be inspired, look no further than photography of Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is a legend, and with that comes the many moments that make him the GOAT.

With his recent crash, the final curtains may have fallen on Woods’ career. But that does not mean that these amazing moments vanish as well.

Luckily for all of us, we can continue to relive these moments again and again of Tiger Woods through this stunning photography. Get well soon Tiger, you inspire more people than you will ever know.

There is no greater way to investigate a person than through photography, and this rule rings true for Tom Brady as it does for anyone else. Winning his seventh Super Bowl ring in 2021, and appearing in his tenth Super Bowl, puts Brady in a league of his own.

Personally, I think the craziest stat that proves how great Tom Brady is, is the fact that he has been in 18 percent of all the Super Bowls that have ever been played. Not to mention he has won 13 percent of all Super Bowls. 

We wanted to look at Tom Brady and his Super Bowl appearances through photos, but quickly realized the difficulty of such a feat, because he has been in so many.

So instead, we dove into Tom Brady’s illustrious career through the photographs of just his Super Bowl wins. And boy are they captivating. Enjoy.

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Super Bowl XXXVI – New England defeats St. Louis, 20-17

In what has become a Tom Brady classic, the hands-on-head shocked look from the GOAT made its first appearance in Super Bowl 36.

In Super Bowl 36,Tom Brady led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl win, and this photograph shows his sheer joy. 

Brady and the Patriots shocked the world by beating the St. Louis Rams, a feeling that the NFL would continue to feel throughout the next 20 years as Brady stacked his rings.

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Super Bowl XXXVIII – New England defeats Carolina, 32-29

No, this is not the same picture as the one above, but it is another time where the Tom Brady classic appeared.

In Super Bowl 38, Tom Brady won another close game and helped secure the Patriots’ second Super Bowl Championship in three years. 

The photography of GOAT Brady as his rings piled up only got better throughout the years.

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Super Bowl XXXIX – New England defeats Philadelphia, 24-21

Tom Brady led the 14-2 Patriots against the 13-3 Philadelphia Eagles in 2004. In a game that was close all the way, it came down to some clutch defensive plays at the end.

But Brady was not too shabby himself. He completed 23 of 33 passes, for 236 yards. 

Not to mention, Tom Brady led the Patriots to two straight Super Bowl wins, and three in four seasons.

This beautiful photograph of the GOAT shows how real it felt for Brady as he accomplished such a historic task, and early in his career at that.

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Super Bowl XLIX – New England defeats Seattle, 28-24

The two hands up, with the Lombardi Trophy in GOAT Tom Brady’s left hand, proved to the world that the Patriots were back on top!

A 10-year drought came to an end when Tom Brady threw for 328 years to beat the Seahawks.

Now, of course, the memorable moment from this game is when the Seahawks decided to throw for a touchdown instead of run, which ultimately led to a Malcolm Butler interception that sealed the deal for the Pats. 

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Super Bowl LI – New England defeats Atlanta, 34-28

This photo of Tom Brady captures it all.

The emotion in this picture of Brady winning another ring is apparent. In a game that seemed sealed at halftime, it was actually anything but that.

Another picture that became famous from this Super Bowl, is the screenshot of the scoreboard with 2:12 left in the 3rd quarter, where the Patriots were losing 28-3. 

The Patriots ended up winning the game 35-28. It became clear that impossible is always possible when you have Tom Brady at the helm, and he won another ring to stack five on his hand.

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Super Bowl LIII – New England defeats Los Angeles, 13-3

Super Bowl 53 was probably the easiest championship for Mr. Brady, which is certainly portrayed in this photo. You can just see how easy it came to him, he looks so relaxed, like he’s saying “yep, I did it again.”

This was the final Super Bowl Tom Brady won with the Patriots, totaling 6 championships during his 20 seasons with New England.

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Super Bowl LIII – New England defeats Kansas City, 31-9

Yep, he did it again. Tom Brady won his 7th Super Bowl ring, in a game where many expected the young gun, Patrick Mahomes to take the torch once and for all from the king.

However, that did not happen, and Tom Brady made clear that it may not happen next year either. As he said in his postgame interview:

“We’re coming back.”

Tom Brady

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Photography of Tom Brady winning should inspire all of us to be greater

No matter what he does in the rest of his career, it is clear Tom Brady is the GOAT. Seven rings are unheard of, especially as the star of the team in all years.

This photography of Tom Brady immediately after winning shows us the unadulterated joy on the face of a champion. And still, it only inspires him to want to win more.

In the year 2021, Bianca Belair became the first Black woman to win the WWE Royal Rumble. The historic accomplished was captured by an intensely genuine WWE photo of Belair’s joy.

The Royal Rumble has produced jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring fights since 1988, but never before had a Black woman won the belt.

Bianca Belair’s confidence and determination won her the event, and in doing so, broke barriers across the world for Black women.

Belair’s historic victory makes us nostalgic for the history of the Royal Rumble. Thus, in addition to Bianca Belair’s already-iconic image of her winning, we took a glimpse back at other historic WWE photos since 1988.

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Bianca Belair becomes the first Black woman to win the Royal Rumble (2021)

This WWE photo shows the shock in Bianca Belair’s face, the tears rolling down her face, is evidence of the inspiring win. One that broke barriers throughout the Royal Rumble and WWE universe.

Bianca Belair (real last name Blair) was a track star in high school. Though she would agonize over her size and strength, as they were more harmful than helpful in running.

Belair found that CrossFit was a place she could use to hone in on her skills.

“I always had a lot of body image issues, I always thought I was too big. In CrossFit, it’s an amazing community, it’s just positivity all around. I fell in love with my body, I fell in love with my muscles, I fell in love with my physique.”

Bianca Belair

Something that many Black women, women, and even men too can understand is being uncomfortable in one’s own body.

Belair found happiness and determination in CrossFit, and this ultimately ended up pointing her in the direction of the WWE. Moral of the story?

Never give up, and always be kind and fair to yourself. Your big break can always be right around the corner.

“Regardless of Bianca Blair or Bianca Belair, it’s the same person, essentially: talented, hardworking, athletic, a powerhouse and the best at everything that I do.”

Bianca Belair

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“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan wins the first ever Royal Rumble (1988)

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“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan won the first-ever Royal Rumble in 1988. This WWE photo captures him in all of his glory.

You can see the joy and excitement in Duggan’s face after he completed his best accomplishment in his WWE career.

For years he was known as a midcard fighter who everyone just liked, but this WWE Royal Rumble championship was truly the pinnacle of his Hall of Fame career.

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Hulk Hogan celebrates his Royal Rumble win (1991)

Hulk Hogan’s hand holding up the number 1 was true, Hulk Hogan became the first person to win 2 straight Royal Rumbles. He was truly number 1 in the world.

In his 1991 Royal Rumble Win, and his future Royal Rumble fights, he broke away from his hero persona, and became a traitor to his friends/allies throughout the Rumble.

In 1991, he betrayed one of his key supporters, Tugboat to be able to be crowned champion.

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Lex Luger and Bret Hart co-won the (1994) Royal Rumble

Lex Luger and Bret Hart were co-winners of the Royal Rumble in 1994. It was a confusing conundrum, but after Hulk Hogan left WWE in the dust, the WWE tried their best to make up a compelling show.

Their answer, have Luger and Hart eliminate each other, which was a hard task, but it was definitely accomplished.

In the end Luger and Hart gave each other a hand shake to acknowledge the level of respect between the two.

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“Stone Cold” Steve Austin captured winning in this iconic WWE photo (1997)

One thing is for sure: the Royal Rumble is filled with crazy, intense fights, that sometimes just don’t make sense. The ending to the 1997 Royal Rumble was one of those instances.

A battle between Bret Hart and Steve Austin, led to a lucky win by Austin. Hart threw Austin over the ropes, which seemed to set the scene for an easy win for Hart.

However, with the two referees dealing with something on the side of the ring, Austin slowly made his way back in. And without a flinch threw all his opponents over the ropes, and won the 1997 Royal Rumble.

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Asuka wins the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble (2018)

In the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble, Asuka took down Nikki Bella.

The blue- and pinked-hair Asuka essentially took down the Bella twins to win the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble.

A defeat that we can tell hurt the Bella Twins to their cores, as you can see all the work they put in to try and win the first Women’s Royal Rumble.

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These Royal Rumble photographs will always remind us of greatness

The Royal Rumble has been filled with amazing moments over the years. These iconic WWE photos have given us a glimpse into the past, and with Bianca Belair, a glimpse into the present and future.

The Royal Rumble will continue to make for exciting moments that rock the fighting and sports world to their cores. And hopefully with Bianca Belair’s win, Black women will be able to see themselves in the future of the sport as well.