A Few Photos from the Little Rock Game

Erica Williams, 280 pound fullback for
the Little Rock Wildcats

One of my favorite Outlaws it Ski Tejeda, grandma, thirteen-year veteran, and blue-collar linebacker.  She plays with reckless abandon and I love that.  I'm going to end this blog post with a series showing Ski being "reckless."  The photo here is a hint - the Ski series involves Little Rock #50, Erica Williams, a 280 pound line-woman and, would you believe, fullback. 

But first a couple fan photos.  I love Outlaw fans. 

Didn't get the name.  Trick to
photography - beautiful subjects
make photographer look good.

One of my favorite former Outlaws, Tiffany "Crash"
James.  Always a big smile. 

This was halftime.  Outlaws firmly in control 
Good time to take a little nap. 

Before the Ski series, here are a few photos giving you an idea of why the Outlaws have been so great this season. 

If you listen to NFL commentators evaluating running backs, you'll sometimes hear a player praised for being a blocker.  Running is where the glory is, picking up yards, hearing cheers.  Blocking isn't so much fun.  But you can't be the ball carrier on every play.  So what do you do when a teammate has the ball?  Watch?  No, you get out front and block.  If you're a really good player. 

Shadana and Maine are really good players.

Three great Outlaws.  Give one the ball and watch the others move out to run interference.
In front, #22 is Maine Jackson.  Next is #24 Shadan Hurd.  Carrying the ball is
#1, Toni Fuller.  Toni and Maine play a lot of defense for the Outlaws. 
This photo has three of our very best.



I just liked this photo of Shadana and Toni.



Thanks to the blocking by teammates, Toni picked up
a lot of yards.  I didn't write it down but I think
over 30  yards.

Now, about Ski Tejeda.

The Outlaws secret weapon was their new water boy - his name is Jacob Anthony Haney Blanco.  The Little Rock secret weapon was a 280 pound running back named Erica Williams.  Heavyweight runners don't go very fast but they're difficult to get down.  The NFL occasionally uses a lineman in short yardage situations.  They figure if they can get all that body weight moving, it will take the defense at least a few yards to get him down.

The key to getting a big runner down is to get low, grab a leg or two. Or an ankle. And hope teammates come along to finish the tackle. In this play, in photo below, Ski (#8) is doing that, getting low, grabbing an ankle.

How do you stop a 280 pound runner?  Get low, grab a leg or an ankle, and hold on until
teammates join you.  I love #8, Ski Tejeda, because she's always willing to do whatever
it takes, including getting down on the ground if she has to.

 But there is a certain risk to that tactic.  What if your teammates push the runner over backwards?  And what if you're in the LZ (Landing zone)?



Teammates are here to help finish the job, driving the runner backwards. 
And Ski in the landing zone.  This photo bodes ill for our star.



Is she going to land beside Ski? 

 

The 280 pound runner lands on Ski's back.  See her left foot under the runner's left shoulder.
The price of being a star.  A little pain.  And note a teammate involved in the tackle
is part of the load landing on Ski.  Ouch!

 

If you see Ski, ask her about the play.  Having 280 pounds landing on your back - does that hurt?