The Peripheral: Bama Beginnings

It was 2004 and the fall semester of my senior year in college at the University of Alabama. I had started working as a staff photographer for the student newspaper The Crimson White that summer. I had always loved watching football on tv, but never got into going to the games after I almost passed out from the heat at the first one I ever went to. I shot 4 football games that final fall at Bama and discovered that the place to be was on the sidelines, even in the heat. I had minimal equipment and no clue what I was doing. That didn't matter though, I loved it. My love of shooting those games shaped my whole future. I was an art student at the time and never envisioned myself working for a newspaper, let alone being a sports photographer. It was on those sidelines at Bryant-Denny Stadium that I discovered my passion.
In about 3 hours Alabama will take on the Texas Longhorns for the BCS National Championship. Alabama's proud football history is legendary, claiming 12 National Titles with the last under coach Gene Stallings in 1992.Thinking back on the struggling 6-6 team I covered in 2004 it is amazing the program has come so far. During those sporadic years of the Dubose-Franchione-Shula era (1997-2006) it seemed like Alabama would never climb back to the top, but here they are at the threshold. I can't be on the sidelines today, but I'm excited just to do my small part by supporting the Tide in front of the good ole' tv set.