Joshua A. Bickel (University of Missouri)
Gold | Sports Portfolio
Bullfight
A Spanish matador tests the ferocity of a bull while using a magenta and gold dress cape during a traditional "fiesta brava" (bullfight) on May 26, 2009 at the Plaza de Toros in Madrid, Spain. Spanish-style bullfighting consists of three distinct stages, which begin after testing the ferocity of the bull: The "tercio de varas," where a mounted lanceman stabs the bull in its neck muscles to weaken it; the "tercio de banderillas," where three banderillos attempt to stab the bull with razor-sharp barbed sticks; and the "tercio de muerte," where the matador enters the ring alone and attempts to kill the bull using a sword and red cape.
Warm-Ups
Spencer Van Bibber, center, stretches with some of his teammates on the St. James Tigers wrestling squad before the start of the Class 2 Wrestling Divisionals in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Van Bibber would later lose the match that would have qualified him for state, after being pinned in the final minute.
Riding the Wave
Columbia College men's basketball coach Bob Burchard dances in the locker room following the Columbia Cougars victory against MidAmerican Nazarene Univeresity in the national semifinals of the NAIA Division I National Championship on Mar. 23, 2009 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. As the unranked Cougars continued to win throughout the tournamment, Burchard his team to "just keep ridin' the wave."
Focus
Ethan Rodgers listens to his iPod before the start of his 171-lb. class wrestling match at the MSHSAA Class 2 Divisionals on Feb. 14, 2009, in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. Rodgers, along with three other members of the St. James High School wrestling team, would go on to win his match and qualify for the Missouri state wrestling tournament.
Calm Down, Coach
Coppin State senior guard Tywain McKee, left, tries to calm down men's basketball head coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell after fouling an opposing player during the Golden Eagles game against the Missouri Tigers on Jan. 6, 2009 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.
Untitled
Missouri defensive back Carl Gettis takes the field prior to the Tigers game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Gettis lead the Tigers with 13 tackles in Missouri's 62-21 loss to Oklahoma.
Comfort in Defeat
Columbia College men's basketball player Terrell Turner, left, embraces Quintin Totta, right, after the Cougars 77-61 defeat at the hands of Rocky Mountain College in the NAIA National Championship on Mar. 24, 2009 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Aftermath
Scraps of newspaper litter the student section following the Kansas Jayhawks' 90-65 victory against the Missouri Tigers on Mar. 1, 2009 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan.