The Season is out to get me.
I have decided that this hockey season is out to get me. Last week I took a stick to the temple. This week it was potentially much more deadly. I can't wait to see what's in store for next week.
So I'm shooting the SA/Peoria game Friday, and all was well until the end of the first period. I was shooting through the hole in the glass, at the left corner behind our home net, when I saw one of our D-men getting set to run a Peoria player right into the pane of glass where I was standing. Normally this is nothing, but they were going fast -- really fast -- and then at the last moment, the guy got an extra shove in the back which gave him even more speed.
I knew right away that this was trouble, so I started to back away, but not in time. The guy's elbow hit first, right at the corner of the 4x6 photo hole, which was the exact spot to hit it in order to instantly shatter the plexi. My brain switched into slow-mo as I saw three or four sharp chunks of glass come sailing toward my head (I kept one for a coaster; it's on my coffee table. I keep everything that hits me). The bottom quarter of the pane shattered, but the top part stayed intact, which meant that a six-foot section of half-inch acrylic plexiglass was now sailing at my noggin. I had just enough time to protect my camera before it cracked me right on the top of my head and knocked me down into a stoop, where I remained until I could back out from underneath it and have a seat on the steps that lead up into the stands. Luckily, it just missed my 300 2.8 which was sitting on the floor next to me while I was shooting with my 70-200.
The knock gave me a nasty headache, which went away after a while, but the paramedics insisted on checking me out. Turns out my head is just hard enough...
The AV Ops guy is making me a copy of the tape from all camera angles that recorded it. It's friggin' hilarious to watch, actually... At least to me. I'll post a link as sooon as I get it.
I really need to get some insurance as soon as I can afford it.
So I'm shooting the SA/Peoria game Friday, and all was well until the end of the first period. I was shooting through the hole in the glass, at the left corner behind our home net, when I saw one of our D-men getting set to run a Peoria player right into the pane of glass where I was standing. Normally this is nothing, but they were going fast -- really fast -- and then at the last moment, the guy got an extra shove in the back which gave him even more speed.
I knew right away that this was trouble, so I started to back away, but not in time. The guy's elbow hit first, right at the corner of the 4x6 photo hole, which was the exact spot to hit it in order to instantly shatter the plexi. My brain switched into slow-mo as I saw three or four sharp chunks of glass come sailing toward my head (I kept one for a coaster; it's on my coffee table. I keep everything that hits me). The bottom quarter of the pane shattered, but the top part stayed intact, which meant that a six-foot section of half-inch acrylic plexiglass was now sailing at my noggin. I had just enough time to protect my camera before it cracked me right on the top of my head and knocked me down into a stoop, where I remained until I could back out from underneath it and have a seat on the steps that lead up into the stands. Luckily, it just missed my 300 2.8 which was sitting on the floor next to me while I was shooting with my 70-200.
The knock gave me a nasty headache, which went away after a while, but the paramedics insisted on checking me out. Turns out my head is just hard enough...
The AV Ops guy is making me a copy of the tape from all camera angles that recorded it. It's friggin' hilarious to watch, actually... At least to me. I'll post a link as sooon as I get it.
I really need to get some insurance as soon as I can afford it.