The Face is Familiar...

Lily Messina 

This is Lily.  I remember her name.  She is the general manager of the Outlaws and has been with the team since it  began.  I've known Lily for seven or eight years now.

If you've been visiting my blog you may have noticed I have lots of photos without adequate identification.  Faces without names.  That is because of a flaw in me.  I try to blame it on bein' old but this has been a problem for much of my life.  I can't remember names.  Until I've had them drilled into my memory over months or years.  And even then I often forget names of people I knew very well. 

Today's post is in two parts.  First I'm reposting something I did several months ago.  So newcomers to the blog will have this information about me.  So players will understand when I come to practice or game and say "Hi" instead of "Hi Sarah". 

Second, I'm posting some close-up photos of Outlaws.  I love the candid close-ups.  These will be faces without names.  Because, well, refer to "first." 

First - Forgetting:
My former employer held a meeting for retirees. There were about 300 of us, many of whom had been close business associates when I was working.

One guy came up and I knew I knew him but I couldn't place him. Even with a hint - he was wearing a name tag. "Mike." Reading his name didn't help. It quickly got worse. He told me his daughter worked in my department. I couldn't remember her name either, even after he told me. I was a manager of a small department within a big company. We were good. We had anywhere from 30 to 50 very special employees during my tenure. Not so many I shouldn't have been able to remember every name.

But I couldn't recall Mike's daughter's name. Until about an hour later. Then I had a flash of recollection. Oh, that Mike! Mike was in agency management in Houston. His daughter worked with me - I don't recall exactly how long but I do recall she was an asset to the department. And I've forgotten her first name. Again.

In my job I worked closely with agency management throughout Texas. There is no excuse for forgetting their names. But I also forgot Norman. Saw him at the meeting and said "Hi." But it took about a half-hour before I could place his full name and where he officed.

Another guy was there, Phil. I couldn't recall his name. I thought and thought. It wouldn't come. Part of the problem was the name I was trying to remember wasn't "Phil" but Jim. So trying to remember Phil was more difficult because I was trying to remember Jim and Jim wasn't Phil but someone else entirely.
Why am I telling you this in a blog about women who play football? I'm planning to go to the practice Saturday and shoot lots of photos. If I see you there, I may not remember your name. If I give you a blank stare and a simple "Hi there!" greeting, don't feel bad. After all, I couldn't even remember Mike and he was wearing a name tag.

Senior moments. Gettin' old.

Second - Faces

I like candids.  I rarely do posed pictures. I'm terrible
at portraits.  But these ladies were having fun and
I had my camera and I think it came out okay.

The helmets make it difficult to get good facial shots.  So
I keep trying.  Somehow pretty feminine faces in
football helmets just seem natural photo subjects.

Part of the fun of watching the Outlaws play is knowing the players as individuals.  These photos give you some feeling for who the players are.  In the past I did player interviews and followed them with player profiles published on the Outlaws website and in this blog.    I keep promising to resume the profiles so you can get to know even more. 

I'll do that. 

If I don't forget.