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.