Oh, and what about all the other cool things I’ve done with TV stations and my internships? What about general life moments? Where do those fit in as the top memories of my collegiate career so far?
Since late September 2007 until today, the first day of June 2011, I’ve been through a lot of cool experiences. I’ve also hit a ton of bumps in the road. This top ten list is not all about the best positive moments of my college career, but about the most impactful moments, the ones I consider to be the most important moments to me in these past four years.
In deciding my list, I’ve decided that No. 10 was an interesting pick. But I know it fits in with today, and I think it’s definitely worthy of the tenth slot on the countdown.
Moment 10: “A career path chosen”(early June 2009)
All it took was two specific days to sell me on what I’d love to do in my long-term future. By now I’m sure you know that I’ll be spending the next few years as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati as a graduate assistant in video for football, studying communication. And while I’d love to keep doing football for the rest of my life, what would happen if I couldn’t?
The answer lies with the advice of one man in particular, and the two days he sold me on my future job. That man is Mark Slaughter, photographer for WCPO, where I was a sports intern in the spring and summer of 2009.
Slaughter (right) with myself (middle) and Dan Wood, who is a FOX19 photographer (left) during Nationwide Series practice at Kentucky in 2009 (NASCARMedia.com photo)
Early in June we departed from Cincinnati in a WCPO news van headed to watch a day of high school baseball and other high school championships, including track and field. We were gone from 8 a.m. until after midnight that day.
Slaughter is a lot like me, he speaks his mind, and to a young, impressionable intern, he made the right impression. While I can’t single out a single thing he told me on that day, his overall message was one that I’m very familiar with still: “Work your ass off, love what you do and you’ll love this job.”
All it took was that day where we covered two state title baseball games and the track and field championships to start the ball rolling down a career path that is now a part of life for me. (Not that the ball wasn’t rolling a long, long time ago, but it really got a kick into high gear after that day)
However the real date that sealed the deal for me was six days later when Slaughter and I traveled 40 miles down I-71 to the same place we’ll both be later today: Kentucky Speedway.
It’s a moment that the man I’m currently working for, FOX19 Sports Director Brian Giesenschlag (and it’s pronounced Gee-zin-slaw), noted as a time I was “buzzing around.”
Here's BG trying out some Kentucky Speedway construction gear on May 11th
Slaughter looked at me and said, “Well you know who these guys are and who I need to shoot. Point ‘em out to me.” In fact, as I snapped photo after photo, while sucking in that sweet smell that only NASCAR can give me, Slaughter was filming whoever was practicing the No. 18 car that day for Kyle Busch thinking that Busch was actually in the car.
Kyle Busch was not in the 18 car that day, but that didn't mean I wouldn't take a photo of the car
“Slaughter,” I said, pulling him back. “That’s not him.”
“Got it dude,” he replied.
We got to stand inches from Carl Edwards and Joey Logano. Sweet.
I got to ask Joey and Carl questions. Even cooler.
They answered me. Pinch me.Then I thought, ‘Can this get any better?’
I think it did.
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That’s all for moment No. 10 in the countdown, but I hope you’ve enjoyed a short look at one of the moments that has defined my four years in college (so far). Check back in tomorrow for more stories and the No. 9 moment in the countdown.
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