Who IS this woman? How come's she's just standing there? Why does she look like Sandra Bullock? Three questions that run through my mind as I stare at this photo taken by Rich Abrahamson of The Coloradoan. Seconds after the frame was captured, Colorado State receiver George Hill reluctantly plowed into four year old Caden Thomas. The resulting gash would require thirty stitches, launch a whirlwind media tour and place all involved in the viral video hall of fame. Just this morning the gang appeared on the Today Show - the kid, the football player and the parents kibbitzing with Matt and Meredith while the slow-motion hit played and over and over again. It was all enough to tear me away from my punishing regiment of morning Pop-tarts, uh, I mean push-ups - long enough to wonder what kind of dillweed of a parent lets his kid roam the sidelines during padded gladiator combat. After that I pretty much forgot about it...
And then I saw this picture. It's a beguiling enough shot, fraught with implications that are probably unjust. After all, who knows how you'd react if you found yourself cradling a video-camera in the end zone as a human rocket homed in on a passing toddler. I'd like to think I'd somehow save the kid, but I know guys who'd zoom in and roll on their own demise - let alone some kid's undue clock-cleaning. Still, I'm struck by the lady's choice to do neither. Wielding a lens but not really using it, she seems to be watching for the collision that is surely about to ensue. Hmmmmm. I don't wanna play armchair quarterback here - I'm just some goob with a web address and a writing compulsion. But as someone's who's had his own melon thumped by an incoming quarterback, I can tell you - that shit hurts. George Hill should be commended for doing what he could to lessen the impact. Little Caden should get a free scholarship. His parents should be more embarrassed than giddy. And that lady with the camera ... well, she should probably look into another line of work.
4 comments:
Here's my question: why isn't she rolling on the play? Is she waiting for a better shot than a football player hurtling straight at her?! Sandra Bullock...(barely) decent actress...terrible photographer.
more thrilling than speed 2 in fast forward mode...
My bet is she isn't a fellow lenser. She is just some fan on the sidelines with the rest of the them. Like the sidelines are the BEST place to be safe with a 3 year old at a college football game1!! Bet CU stops the practice of letting fans onto the field. Everyone dodged a BIG bullet on that one.
As a father who has raised 5 little ones beyond the danger of the football field, my heart skipped a beat when seeing the video of the heart wrenching sideline take down. As a pudgy purveyor of meteorological gibberish, I've never brought camera to shoulder, so I cannot imagine what our Sandra Bullock look alike was thinking. Because this was more of a scrimmage than an actual game, my bet is the rules were relaxed as to whom could comb the sideline. I doubt she was with a local news affiliation. But she does appear to have the steely eyed focus of a more mature photog. Stewart, when you are in the zone, and focused on what you are doing, does everything in the perimeter just go blurry? I'm wondering if in the heat of the fast moving battle she didn't see the toddlers oblivious to the impending collision. Sign me greatful that this child will have a great story to tell a cheerleader 15 years from now.
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