Fans

When things aren't happening on the field, I aim the camera at the fans.  Today I'll just post fan photos.  Hope you enjoy.

Outlaws in the Movies

About a week ago Malia Capers-Cristobal emailed me about several Outlaws getting parts in a movie being filmed in Austin.  Jo-Anne Capers followed with some photos.  So today's posting is by guest poster Malia and guest photographer Jo-Anne.

Hey Dennis, I wanted to give you some exciting news a few of our

Malia Capers-Cristobal

outlaws received!!   We were contacted by a local director/producer for a movie they are filming in Austin.  It's called “Intramural: The Movie."  They wanted to some down right badass chicks to play roles on a girl's intramural flag football team.  We would get to beat some boys on and off the field!  We would actually get into fights with them too....

Our audition process was fun, we all met up at the address the producer gave us; it was at a residential property on the East side.  We thought we were in the wrong place but we were there!  I showed up late, just as all the other Outlaws who auditioned for a role were leaving.  I was sad, almost left because I didn't want to do it by myself.  But, Charmaine (Jackson) said she would go in with me and help support me if I needed it.  Toni (Fuller) and Maile (Capers-Cristobal) also came back to help me as well.  

After filling out a bunch of paperwork, this guy takes us to a back room with a camera in it.  He says, "okay, I'm going to say a bunch of ugly stuff...don't take it personal, just feed off of it for your crap talking back."  First thing he says "get off the field, and go back to Lamaze class!!"  I was floored!  That's the moment I got to "shit-talk" my way into a part for the film!

We received calls last week Friday, and so far about 4 Outlaws received one each of seven or eight spots on the "ManEaters" flag football team!  Me, my sister Maile, Charmaine, and Cookie.  We start filming Aug 14th and 15th.  How exciting!!  It may not be big parts in the film but it will be one of the funniest!  

The film is a sports comedy and is actually starting to pick up momentum with big name actors and some big monetary backing. Some of the names in the film are:  

*Twilight star Nikki Reed

*Saturday Night Live  players Kate McKinnon and Jay Pharaoh

*The Office  Jake Lacy

*Much Ado About Nothing  stars Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney

*Battlestar Galactica  Michael Hogan

*Zero Charisma  Sam Edison

*Mystery Team  D.C. Pierson

*Good Neighbor sketch comedy members  Nick Rutherford and Beck Bennett.

Links for the movie website:   

http://intramuralthemovie.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IntramuralTheMovie

Kickstarter fundraising page: 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/intramural/intramural-the-movie

Fun Photos; View of the Sideline

The ladies who play football are remarkable in many ways.  Just the fact they play football makes them standout from the crowd.  But watching their facebook posts suggests they have full and exciting lives outside of football.  When the season ends, they don't just go home and sit around waiting for the next season to begin.  They go traveling, studying, mountain climbing, partying, boating, eating out...

So I wonder if any of them make regular visits to this blog.  Well, this week there were 134 visits to the blog.   So there is some interest here.  So I'm going to keep posting.

Today I browsed my photos - I have hundreds - and selected a few I thought you might enjoy.  Like this one.  

Outlaws Laurie Cadena in big trouble.  One Houston tackler
has her foot, another trying to steal the ball, another grabbing
her other arm.  Where are my blockers?

Makes you admire the courage of running backs, doesn't it?  That's number 7, Laurie Cadena, with the ball.  And she is in trouble. 

Speaking of "in trouble" the next couple photos show that sometimes even the great ones get tackled.  I enjoy when my camera catches facial expressions.  Maine Jackson glances over her right shoulder and suspects she is in trouble.

Charmaine Jackson sees a threat.  Not clear in the photo is a
size differential.  I think the Houston tackler has about a fifty pound
advantage over Maine.

And she's right, she is in trouble.  As the follow picture shows.

As Houston #52 wraps her arms around Maine, not in a loving way,
you know this isn't going to end well.  I should just stop here but...

I was going to just post two photos of the tackle of Maine, but I noticed something in the next photo, which led me to post a whole series...

...I posted this one even though you can't see Maine,
just her red shoes, because I like catching photographers
photographing.  

I noticed a young lady on the sideline capturing the action with her camera.  I'd like to see her photo.  She is in a better position than I -I'm shooting from all the way across the field, on the Outlaws side, while she's on the Houston side.  

Sometimes it is fun to observe the sideline spectators.  Seeing this photographer got me checking for some other photos of sideliners.  And here are a few I like.

This is a home game so the young lady in red, holding the
down-marker, is an outlaw fan.  The official is neutral.  I can't
read their expressions.  That's what I like about the shot, the
suspense as the Arkansas QB is about to to attempt a pass.
It wasn't a good day for Arkansas so I assume the pass was incomplete.

The Houston game.  I can read his expression - he is wincing.
The Outlaws are doing something good.

This is a favorite because so many faces are visible.  The young man right next to the official is an
Outlaw fan - I should know his name but my memory doesn't work very well.  Note that this is
as shot where my camera decided to focus on the sidelines rather than running back Reyna.
Rubi is in trouble.  And not getting  a lot of sympathy.

A half-second later you can see why the other side is excited and our young Outlaw fan is concerned.

I just threw this one in even though it doesn't fit my theme of
candid shots of spectators.  These young ladies know I'm pointing
the camera their way.  I'm posting because I think they are quite a lovely
group of Outlaw fans.  I don't know them but I do know I'd like them if
we met.  Outlaw fans are some of the nicest people I know.

I'm glad the NFL season is kicking off.  Life without football can be dull.  But not for the Outlaws.  They're filling the off season with all kinds of activities.  If you see one, please let her know there's a new post to Dennis's blog.  Thanks.

WFA Championship; Competition; Some Cool Photos

Does this photo look familiar?  If you watched the live feed
of the championship game, you saw this photo on ESPN.  Why
do I care?  Because I shot this photo.  I made the big time;
one of my photos on ESPN.  Seems I should have been
paid.  Or at least got a by-line.

Chicago Force beat the Dallas Diamonds Saturday 81-34 to win the Women's Football Alliance championship.  I was sad; I was pulling for Dallas.  I was shocked by the score.  I was shocked at Outlaw player's Facebook comments as the game progressed.  The Outlaws were pulling for Chicago!  

Why?  I'd like to know why the Austin Outlaws, residents of Texas, were pulling for Yankees from Illinois over our friends in Dallas.  I've been a fan of the Diamonds ever since they showed me some class in the post-game handshake tradition, coming all the way to the Outlaw bench to greet an injured Outlaw.  That plus they're a great football team.

I was more shocked to see Chicago roll over the Diamonds.  Scoring 81 points?  Against a team that allowed only 20 points all season within their division.  How was Chicago able to score so freely?  

In future blog posts I'd like to get some discussion going about competition.  Why do we compete?  What is it about us that makes it important to be better than someone else?  When we know that even if we're better than some teams, other teams are going to be better than us.  The Diamonds were better than all the teams in our division but still the Outlaws took pride in being better than all the others.  Good as the Diamonds were, Chicago was better.  And good as Chicago was, the NFL's Chicago Bears would whip them, if they were ever silly enough to play the Bears.  

So if I can't be the VERY best, why compete at all?  What is the competitive spirit that is so important in sports.  

But rather than wander down that road, how about just posting a few photos you may not have seen yet.  The Outlaws beat Houston twice in one night this season.  First, they finished a weather-delayed game, then won the regularly scheduled game.  The first photo is from one of those game.  If  you were there you must remember this tackle, by Toni Fuller.

This shot was possible because of my new 300mm lens.  The action was way across the field.
What a great hit by Toni.  Makes you happy you're not a running back.

Next a photo of one of my favorite Outlaws, Precious CPR Benitez.  I featured her in a post July 12 and didn't intend repeat but I really like this photo.  I love the kind of football play that won't give up.  CPR couldn't get the hold she wanted on the runner so she took what she could, grabbing an ankle and hanging on.  

I'm afraid I may have posted this one before.  But it is good enough to bear repeating.  CPR
did what a defensive player should do, whatever it takes to get the runner down.  

I believe in competition.  It brings out the best in us.  That's good.