I took pictures at the homecoming game, and I made a few mistakes.
The biggest mistake I made on Saturday wasn’t the occasional overexposure, watching the marching band dance like Soulja Boy (“Crank Datâ€Â) while in the press box or even my high ISO in the bright sunlight.
Instead, I happened to wear blue to the game. For those of you just joining us, blue is one of chief rival and then-current opponent San Jose State̢۪s colors.
Strictly speaking, it̢۪s also one of Fresno State̢۪s colors, but that didn̢۪t stop student fans from jeering at me in their politest jeer form.
I had to explain very carefully my interpretation of stadium press policy. To my mind, it prevented jockeying for either team, meaning that although I was a representative of the campus newspaper, I couldn̢۪t wear red.
My interpretation must have been misguided, apparently — wearing that deep shade of blue was perfectly fine.
The game drew middle-aged, elderly and just plain old fans of both schools. Fresno State fans were noticeably grumpier toward me when I sat in the aisle to take shots of the crowd doing the wave.
San Jose State fans, on the other hand, were pleasant to my undercover blue self.
San Jose State fans mistook me for a photographer for The Daily Spartan. We at The Collegian eschew the daily black-and-white four-to-eight-page broadsheet format for something a little thicker, more colorful and less frequent.
I told them rather politely — this was the third quarter, when Fresno State lead by a healthy margin already — that I was instead a Fresno State newspaper person.
“That explains why you’re smiling,â€Â one Spartan said.
“I’m trying to be sportsman-like,â€Â I clarified. “I’m a nice Fresno fan.â€Â
“No such thing.â€Â
Most fans on either side must have had no idea. I got some great shots of the visiting fans if only because they identify me as a threat, or that they identified me as a fellow fan.
I can̢۪t wait for the Boise game on Friday. I have a shirt in the perfect tint: eye-searing orange.
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In other news: Dumbledore is gay; Maine high school seniors may be mandated to apply to college; and if they did steal cash that would make them the Internal Revenue Service.
Billary W. Bushton • Oct 22, 2007 at 1:24 pm
While SJSU is a glorified junior college and margianlly academic commuter school, they have a very nice colour scheme. The Yellow and bright blue work well. The logo ain’t that bad either. You’re my boy, blue!!!!
Billary W. Bushton • Oct 22, 2007 at 8:24 pm
While SJSU is a glorified junior college and margianlly academic commuter school, they have a very nice colour scheme. The Yellow and bright blue work well. The logo ain’t that bad either. You’re my boy, blue!!!!