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. 

Malia; Faces

There's still a big game left in the Women's Football Alliance, and it features our friends the Dallas Diamonds.  Dallas defeated the Outlaws twice this season.  They also defeated everyone else they played.  On August 3 they'll play the Chicago Force for the league championship. 

The Outlaws haven't played in several weeks.  Is anyone still visiting this blog?  Anyone interested in football now that our season is over and the NFL hasn't started yet?  Well, the blog has had 165 visits since June 19.  That's an average of 23 per day.  And I've been letting you down, with zero new posts in that time.  Today I browsed my photos looking for a theme.  And found two.

The first theme is Malia Capers-Cristobal, #50.

I've admired Malia for a long time because of her grit, her constant striving to do better than the day before.  One day I'll post her profile (promises promises).  For now, just some shots of her in action.

When you play the line, every play is a physical battle.

You're assigned a defender to block.  You're goal is to be sure your
assignment doesn't get free and make the tackle.

Often the block is not straight on.  The would-be
tackler is trying to get loose.  Your job is to
contain, to keep her away from the runner.

In each of the photos I've posted, Maila's block was effective;
her assigned defender did not make the tackle.

Almost a fist fight.  Malia is only 5'4" tall, not as tall as many of her opponents.  But she's still big enough,
strong enough, and determined enough, that she is an effective blocker.
I like the expression on the face of #74.  Can you see the frustration?  She is not going to
get to the runner on this play.

The second theme I found browsing my photos today, is inspired by the last Malia photo.  I love when the camera catches the facial expressions of the players in action. I'm always fascinated when my little Nikon camera captures facial expressions.  I'm standing on the sidelines, maybe forty or fifty yards away.  But my camera is seeing the intensity, in some cases frustration (as in the photo above) of the competitors.

Houston's number 14 is the star in my facial photos.  She didn't make the tackle in these plays but
she must be a really good player because she's always near the football.

This and the following shot show my star being frustrated.  Above, she looks like she has a
bead on the runner, Deidra Holland.  But...

...Outlaws' #7, Laurie Cadena, stops her.  Often a block isn't pretty.  Doesn't have to be.
Just has to knock the tackler off balance enough for a speedy running back to zip on by.

Random Stuff

The Major League Baseball All Star game is playing on TV.  I'm not a baseball fan.  Too much idle time.  I've been neglecting the blog, because I'm having fun doing websites. 

So I browsed my Outlaws photos and picked a few that I like.  No particular message here, just some photos I thought you might enjoy.  As always, I'll save the action shots for later in the blog so I can post them extra large. 

Kincheon staring down an Arkansas player.



This is the Outlaws Patricia Kincheon intimidating an Arkansas player in the playoff game.  I'd be intimidated, too, wouldn't you?






One of my favorite Outlaws is Cookie, Marisa Rivas, quarterback.  I profiled her in the blog awhile back, got to know her just a little, got to like her a lot.  She was injured in the final game of the regular season, broke a collar bone, I believe, and couldn't play in the playoff game.  But she could influence the outcome of the game.  I captured this fun series of three photos as Cookie coaches Toni Fuller, who would take some snaps at QB in replacement of Cookie.

Here's how you grab the ball from the center.
See Toni practicing the correct hand position.

Take the ball, two steps back...

 

Toni laughing.  Cookie demonstrating how to
pass the ball, but the ball isn't in her throwing
hand.  Is she demonstrating a trick play?  Or
just forgot...?

 

What happens when charismatic Outlaws retire?  They get recruited to generate excitement dressed as Annie Outlaw.  This is Megan McMillan Riley, a former Outlaw who won some attention in my blog working at the Texas Chili Parlor, a restaurant that recalled some memories for me.  Megan promised to buy me a glass of wine on my next visit to the parlor but then she moved on to...?  I don't know where she is now.  But I will find her and collect my Chardonnay.

 



Add caption

If I were good at blogging I'd have these two photos of Megan side by side.  But I haven't figured out how to tell Blogger (my blog host) what I want.  I like the two shots.  Megan is a natural for the Annie Outlaw role.

Megan

I try to shoot a lot of the Outlaws because I think they like seeing their photos in the blog.  Some of my random photos are hard to explain.  What can I say about some players just standing there waiting for something to happen? 


Just some players waiting for things to get started.

Now for a couple action photos.  Note that I'm displaying them as large as the blog host allows. 

A long time ago I did some photos for a local theater group,  I noticed something interesting.  In every scene, every actress/actor was acting.  Even those on the side or background, who weren't part of the main focus of the scene.  I've noticed something similar in many of my Outlaw's actions shots.  One player may have the football but other players are acting as if they have it.  In the play below, I Shadana doesn't have the ball, Toni does, but Shadana is pretending.  The idea is that if the defense thinks Shadana has the ball, they'll tackle he and Toni will romp to the end zone. 

This faking is common.  Watch any NFL game and you'll often see the player without the ball trying to decoy the defense.

But this photo adds some interest.  See Arkansas number fifty?  She is Erica, one of the Arkansas stars and she weighs 280 pounds.  By comparison, Shadan is one of  the Outlaws stars and weighs 140 - half of what Erica weighs.  It looks as thought Erica is going to tackle someone.  If Shadana is a good faker, she'll get buried under 280 pounds of Erica.  If she doesn't fool Erica, Toni, who also weighs 140, will be Erica's target. 

If you were Shadana, what would you do?  Let someone else win the Oscar?

Shadana leading Toni, pretending to have the ball so 250 pound Erica,  #50 will tackle her and let Toni
escape for a big gain.  I checked - both Shadana and Toni eluded the big Arkansas star.

Another of my favorite players is Rubi Reyna.  I think she's every body's favorite.  She's one of if not the smallest Outlaw but she has all kinds of fire on the field.  I'm posting this just because I like Rubi and I think it shows her looking good on the field.

Rubi Reyna handing the ball to Maine Jackson.

All Star game.  Someone just scored.  I think it was Cabrerra, a Detroit Tiger.  Did you know I'm a native Detroiter?  End of four, American league leads 1-0.

Did you know I'm becoming a website creator?  www.dstostad.com  
www.sofiespersonalhomecare.com

 

Tackle by Precious CPR; Update on the blog

First the update on the blog.  I love doing the blog and plan to continue as long as I have material and you drop in for a visit from time to time.  But I'm engaged in another fun activity, website creation.  Websites are easier to create now than when I first explored them a few years ago.  I've done one for myself and I'm working toward doing websites for money.  This has  been occupying my time and attention so much that I've almost forgotten about posting to the blog.  I think I can do both, websites and blog.  We'll see.  

Here's the link to my first ever website:  www.dstostad.com

She doesn't look mean, does she.

I'm beginning to think I'll never have a face-to-face interview with Lucinda "CPR" "Precious" Benitez.  She lives south, I live north.  I don't travel much and she's busy busy busy. 

I'm sad about it, about not interviewing and featuring Lucinda.  She is one of the most interesting personalities on the team.  I know because I did have her do a pre-interview information form.  And I've been following her exploits on Facebook.  Sorta.  I think she's been utility poles for Time Warner?  I'll save player profile information until I get to interview her.  Right now I just want to show her in action, 

CPR is an outstanding player, an eight year veteran who is always hanging around where the football is, often hanging on to the opposition running back.  I have lots of shots of her in action but today I'm just featuring a single typical play.  With one cool bonus photo at the end.

Number 14 is in trouble.  CPR, number 21, is coming up fast.

You can just see CPR.  She has a hold on the runner.

Little better shot.  Runner looks bigger, looks like she may be
able to muscle her way free.  No way.

Grab the legs, always the best way to bring a runner down.

Jumble of players.  Key point - the runner is down.

Different game.  Another CPR tackle.   I asked her by email if she remembers this play.  Looks painful.  But got the job done. 

CPR on another tackle, another game.  Sometimes making the play
involves awkward body positions.  

I've been watching CPR for years.  I love her style of play, her hustle, her determination to get the runner down.  And her effectiveness.   Who knows, maybe someday she'll meet me over a Starbucks and we

can profile her for the blog.

QT Preston in Action; New Look for the Blog

New look to the blog.  Changed the banner photo to something more recent.  The new photo was shot at the 2013 playoff game, Outlaws vs Arkansas Wildcats.  What do you think?

I liked QT Preston, #55, before I met her, before I knew her name.  It was her smile!  At one of the tryouts I noticed how she smiled through it all, even the hard parts.  A nice smile, a beautiful smile;  suggesting a beautiful person behind that smile.

QT plays in the line, blocking, protecting the quarterback and running backs from defensive line-women with ill-intent.  Serious business.  Just ask the backs who rely on her blocks. 

QT does a pretty good job of it, as you'll see in the photos in today's post. 









Line play is a fight.  A test of strength. Every play a struggle to control a big strong opponent.  Somehow QT, with her delightful smile, doesn't seem a likely person to be getting engaged in violence on the football field.  But that's her number,  55, waging war against frustrated and annoyed defenders.

Elbow to the chin, slipping under the helmet face mask.
I don't think #74 is going to make the tackle on this play.
Note #74 has her right fist aimed at QT's jaw.

Rubi Reyna, quarterback, relies on QT to keep the Arkansas
defender at bay.  And QT is doing it. 

 



Note that QT's helmet isn't on quite right.  Note Arkansas #69 is attacking the helmet with both hands, shifting it from the proper position.  If she grabs the face mask, that's illegal, but
sometimes officials can't see what's happening in line play.
 

When I interview Outlaws I always ask how strong they are.  I don't get very clear answers because few measure how much they can lift.  But these ladies are physically strong.  Football is a battle of strength.  It is difficult to see just how strong our athletes are because opponents are strong, too.  When we see standoffs, we're seeing a lot of energy at work.

The roster lists QT at 6 feet tall and 240 pounds, so she is generally a match for opponents.
Once in a while the defender is bigger.  But I doubt many defenders are any stronger.

 

Maine Jackson, #22, relying on QT to contain one
big defender.  But there is trouble coming from the
left... (QT can't be everywhere.)

Every play, our offensive line takes on the defensive line, a battle of strength, skill,
quickness.  They protect the quarterback and  running backs.  This season the
Outlaws scored a lot of points, won a lot of games.  Apparently our offensive line
was effective protecting our backs so they could score.  They don't always get the credit they
deserve.  I'll keep trying to feature them in my blog so you'll be able to see just how good they are.

 

 When I see QT in these serious battles, I wonder: is she smiling? 

Tackling in the Arkansas Game; New Website

Too much material.  Maybe a couple hundred action and entertaining photos I want to share with you.  I keep wanting to organize them in some fashion and provide my commentary on what is happening.  But with lots of things going I'm not having enough time to do things the way I'd like. 

What am I doing that's taking so much time?  Learning basic website design.  Hey, do me a favor and check my website.  www.dstostad.com

So I'm going to browse my photos and find shots I think you will like, especially if you're one of the players in the shots. 

Today's photos give a freeze-frame view of #36, Francesca Stabel and #23, Davida Morris, bringing down Arkansas running back #11, Raquel Williams.  Outlaws #1, Toni Fuller, participates in the play.

Not much blocking for Raquel Williams.  Don't mistake her
for Erica Williams, the 280 pound running back.  Raquel is a
mere 150 pounds.  Note the long camera lens compresses
distance.  Ski, #8, is farther from the runner than it appears.
The Outlaw with arms wide open offering a big hug to
Raquel is #36, Francesca Stabel.  I like that she is getting low.
 

Stabel has grabbed the runner around the middle,
while #23 Davida Morris gets the low position, shoulder
in belt buckle, arms around legs.

Stabel and Morris have runner in their grasp, while one of
my favorites,Toni Fuller joins the party.  Close behind and
ready to help if needed is Ski and some other Outlaws.
This play is going nowhere.



She's coming down.  I wonder if Davida Morris remembers
this play.  It appears the runner's knee is coming down on her. 
Did that hurt? 

This is just a close up of the runner, Ski, and Toni.  I like the way the camera gets
facial expressions even though I'm forty or fifty yards away when I take the shot.

The runner is on the ground.



Hey, do me a favor and check out my new website.  I keep talking about being busy and maybe not having enough time to spend on the blog.  One reason is I'm trying to learn to do website design and maybe supplement my retirement income while I'm at it.  Here's a link  to the first website I've designed myself:  www.dstostad.com

Fan Photos

When there's no action on the field I turn my camera toward the bleachers and get photos of the fans.  From time to time I'll post some fan photos in the blog.  I don't know who these fans are so I can't email them and tell them to check my blog.  If you know them, please give them the link.

Permission to publish - If I post photos you'd rather not have on the internet, for any reason, please let me know which ones to delete and I'll remove them. 

Photographer's secret - if you select good subjects you'll look like a good photographer.   Case in point, the photos that follow.