Football Finale

The end of the road has come. I finished my last Gator football game as a photographer tonight. The experience was everything I had hoped it would be. I improved over each game and reached new goals. I finally was able to catch a good action shot, such as the picture of Brandon Hicks #40 blocking a pass, and follow the ball much better than the two previous games. I am going to miss savoring in the football atmosphere from the sidelines. I will never forget the time during the Hawaii game when Urban Meyer stared at me for longer than three seconds – the longest three seconds of my life up until then – and Harrison Diamond’s encounter with the referees prior to the game today: “Prior to the snap…false start…on the offense, five-yard penalty, repeat first down.” The sun may have set on college football, but my horizon is still looking bright.

A Long Awaited Night

Some grew restless. Some couldn’t stop moving with anticipation. Some even spent the waiting period eating dinner or talking on the phone. However, all of these people had one thing in common: they wanted the election results. After months (and years) of waiting and wondering, each person’s dreams and hopes were either answered or shattered when the election results were announced late Tuesday evening. With the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom filled with Obama stickers, T-shirts, buttons and signs, it would be obvious which way the country swayed. All one would have to do is listen to the screams…happy or sad? Without further hesitation, the crowd roared in excitement as Barack Obama was announced the President-elect of the United States. Among the chaos of laughter, tears of joy, and singing, stood the few McCain supporters in the ballroom – stunned and dissatisfied. The wait was over, and those in favor of Obama were celebrating non-stop. Here are some moments I caught amidst the chaos, celebrations, and anticipation: