Danny Williams and the spontaneous scrum
Danny Williams in the middle of the scrum.
As all of our sports fans and shooters already know, the deal to bring AHL hockey back to Newfoundland has been cemented. But back on June 1st while I was making my way to downtown St. John’s, I came across this media scrum — completely by accident — while the two Danny’s (Williams & Breen) were making their first announcement of a tentative deal with True North Sports & Entertainment to bring the hockey team here.
I found it super funny though, I’d just taken a light reading and set my camera before I got to the bottom of the stairs behind Mile One Centre. Then I just sauntered up with my bronica in hand while what looked like someones publicist apologetically stepped aside for me so I could photograph the scene.
VOCM's Adam Walsh (now CBC) hangs around during press conference.
Fifteen seconds later it was all over. I caught the tail end of something that most of us only see on the evening news. Even then, it’s only if the news agencies get their crews on the spot for a spontaneous media event such as this one. It was pretty cool and a little too easy. The only credentials I had was a bigass camera, and a “yea I am totally supposed to be here” attitude. Luck was really on my side, sort of…
The lesson here is to always be prepared. I was on my way to supper, an event most people wouldn’t even take their little point-n-shoots to, let alone a big honking medium format film camera. You just never know when you’ll happen on something cool, kicking yourself for not bringing any camera at all.
