Sunday, July 14, 2013

A rare sports report from me, right on the MONEY

I set out to a boxing event with one main objective: To get a photo op with Floyd "money" Mayweather. 

As you will see in this report, begging and pleading was instrumental in the events that took place. 

I arrive close to the spot and find some free parking that is good for 2 hours. Since it wasn't metered parking I could even get away with parking a little longer. A good start to what would be an ordeal. 

I sat through the horrid event which bore me to death. Then finally the best part came. It ended. The action starts. It was announced that my reason for coming to this (ie Floyd Mayweather) was going to sign autographs. So I fight my way into the crowd, crushing people and being crushed. At one point me and some others were apparently playing a role in crushing a little girl, who was crying. 

I finally get to the point where they were handing items to Floyd Mayweather to sign. I manage to get two boxing gloves done. So far so good. But I still wanted that photo op. I tried to fight my way and plead my case to his guards but they were like "we're doing autographs not photo ops" and shoved me away. I then quickly exit the building to take my chances outside. 

Later on while waiting outside I would later hear he eventually did photo ops  But on to what happened outside. 

It starts with Canelo. He enters his car and does autographs. I had no more gloves sadly enough so no autographs for me. But I begged for the photo op to no avail as the security guard pushed me away. Later on he did more autographs through the other car window. Then a girl went up to his window asking for a photo op. He opened the window, THAT was my second chance. After a lot of begging and pleading he agrees to the photo op! I score my first photo op! Not a minute after I score that photo op, Oscar De La Hoya is rushing to his car. Some graphers get him and security shoves them away, while that is happening I loudly plead for a photo op and he agrees to it while security surprisingly doesn't harass me (I assume cause he was busy harassing others). It was a little strange to say the least. Without intense pleading this photo op would not have happened. 

Now while two photo ops from two apparently major boxers and two autographs from Floyd Mayweather is hardly a bust, I still didn't consider this "mission accomplished" cause a Floyd photo op was the main reason I got out of bed to suffer through all this. So the waiting game continues. And it is boiling hot and sweat is dripping from my face. 

Sadly when he finally does come out there are tons of people, tons of security, and even police! All signs point to a bust  Even as I try to approach I'm getting yelled at! Floyd's two cars then leave. On foot I then run to the next spot where one of his bodyguards opens the window of his car mocking me saying I'll never get it. Once I approach Floyd's car I take a page out of the many NYC graphers that I saw in action. I used my face and body to beg and plead like a motherfucker. And showcasing the camera indicating that I want a photo op. The first time he just raises his fist to me in acknowledgement  But I do not quit, I persist! The second time HE LOWERS DOWN HIS WINDOW  I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! There was one other guy present and he gets the photo op. Then I go next I take a shot and he goes "take another in case this didn't come out". By all reports he's a nice guy but I guess the unruly crowd can affect even the nicest. As other graphers saw what was happening they rushed to get an autograph. But he doesn't signal anyone to approach his car as his bodyguard yells from another car saying he wants the guy's ebay ID to see how much he gets for the autographs. I had my Wrestlemania 25 blu ray on hand just in case he did end up signing. The other grapher was begging for an autograph but I ceased begging at that point since I had already gotten what I really wanted and then some. Though in case he told us to come over I was ready. He did not and just drove off. 

Back to my car where I exceeded my 2 hour limit of free parking but had no ticket! 

Begging/pleading may not always work, but sometimes it is the difference between total failure and total success, and this round is a good example of that. If I could change one thing I guess it would be having stuff for Canelo to sign but I didn't think about it since he wasn't my main objective (in the case of Oscar it was either photo op or autograph no way I could have swung both). But I can't complain with how everything turned out, especially since I almost got no Floyd photo op. Lots of suffering, sweating, running, begging, pleading, shoving, pushing, getting yelled at, but in the end it all paid off. 

Floyd Mayweather photo op

Floyd Mayweather autographs

Full list of photo ops


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