Confession time: I'm doing a little filling before I get to the "what?!!!" of this post. I'm posting some photos I like and have been holding for just the right time to use them. But the real photos I want to you to see will be at the bottom. Because they have to be full size. Even at full size I'm not sure you'll be able to see what they depict.
Take a look at the right of this screen. See all that stuff? If I post a full size photo here it will overlap the stuff at the right. Not a good way to present. So I'm posting some fun photos from a couple years ago (or more). Until I have posted enough material to get below the side-stuff. Stay with me. You'll see.
About the preliminary photos. When I browse my photos I sometime notice one as being just amusing. The camera catches a moment in time and that moment may find you in an awkward pose. I liked the first photo because it doesn't make any sense. I have two of the opposing players on the ground, one to the left and one to the right foreground. A third, number fifty-five, is standing on her head. Sorta. So I've kept this one aside as one of my funny photos.
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| Number 55 standing on her head. Other defenders on the ground removed from the action. Can't tell what is happening here. That's why I like the photo. |
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| I wonder if the blocker is Tracey Suire? It looks like she just may be able to create a path for her running back. |
The next one (above) I like because it shows a blocker trying to barge her way through the defense. You can see the ball in the arm of the ball carrier just below and to the blocker's left. I'm not sure who is who -
is the blocker Tracey? This was shot at a practice. I like the photo because it captures the physical battle that is football.
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| Trouble for the quarterback. Three blue-shirts closing in. I don't think she'll escape, do you? |
Above is another shot from practice. I think the red jersey means the ball carrier is the quarterback.
In this case the quarterback is in trouble. I like the shot because it is full of anticipation. There's about to be a collision. Look at the blue shirt in the right foreground. She's winding up for a big hit. Doesn't she know not to hit her own quarterback?
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| If you meet Ski Tejeda in practice, you're happy she' on your team. Or maybe not. If she were on another team you'd only bump into her twice a year. On your own team, you meet her regularly in practices. What a great tackler! |
Speaking of big hits, I love this shot. In the game or in practice, Ski lays big hits on whoever has the ball. Look at the dirt being kicked up by the runner as the impact breaks her traction. She is going down hard. And is thankful Ski is on her team. And Ski is still playing. She's a grandma and has been playing a dozen years now and she is still strong and rough and one of my favorite Outlaws.
Okay, now for the full size wall-to-wall photos. I think I'll post them first, then try to explain. If you find these photos puzzling, you're right. Look at them and see if you can figure out what's going on.
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| What you see is a disconnect. In the foreground is the Outlaws offensive line, except for the center. Way far away you see a lone Outlaw in front of the yard line marker. That's the center. She has just snapped the ball to the ball carrier, Monica. So you have the Offensive line over here, near the camera. You have Monica taking the snap from center with only a lone wide receiver in the neighborhood. What?!!! |
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| This shot was made just a second after the one above. Monica has the ball and is starting to run around the left end. Her wide receiver is out there to provide the block. The other team is confused. But some are getting the idea. Go to where the ball is. I'll have to ask Monica how this worked out. She looks to be in trouble with two blockers, the center and wide receiver, and eleven would-be tacklers. |
Football is a whole lot about strategy, about doing the unexpected. If you can confuse the other team, chances are you'll get a big gain. In this case coach successfully confused the opponent. And me, too. If you line the blockers up away from the ball, the defense has to make a decision. Line up over the ball? Or line up across from the blockers?
Now the answer isn't as obvious as we might think. What if the d-line lines up over center and ignores the o-line? And what if Monica takes the snap from center and throws a lateral pass back to her right, toward the camera, to a receiver hiding behind the o-line. That receiver would have a six-blocker escort to the end zone. Would the defense be able to recover fast enough to come this way and make the tackle.
Sadly, we'll never know. In fact, I don't even have the photos after Monica took off. I have no idea how this crazy play ended.
If you see Monica, ask her to tell us how it came out. I'll post her reply when I have it.
Football is fun. Funny sometimes. Strange sometimes.
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