A Wisconsin photographer took one of the more painful shots of the day across college football on Saturday.
Theodore Roosevelt famously helped save football in the early 20th century by advocating for a wider playing field to spread the game out and make it less violent, but sideline staff and photographers may be asking for a wider field still as brutal collisions on the boundary are unavoidable even in the modern era.
Many times has an unsuspecting member of the chain gang or oblivious cameraman been plowed over as a pursuing defender chases a speedy skill player to the boundary, but it's not often that kind of moment is captured in 4k by the very photographer impacted.
A Big Ten Network photographer found himself in that exact unfortunate scenario on Saturday while he worked the matchup between Rutgers and Wisconsin in Piscataway, NJ. Ethan Bacon was minding his own business trying to catch action shots of Badgers and Scarlet Knights when an errant pass drifted his way, hit the ground, and bounced right into his crotch.
Can we get an injury update for the sideline photographer at the #Badgers vs #Rutgers game? Thinking of you dude. ? pic.twitter.com/XX9YhVb5Vu
— Badger Steve ??? (@UW_Steve) October 7, 2023
Bacon collapsed in a heap after taking the incredibly unlucky bounce to the midsection, but he was in good enough spirits after the game to share the harrowing footage he captured of the moment on X.
He focuses on Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt as the passer breaks out of the pocket and throws the ball away intended, surely Bacon must have thought, to be over the heads over everyone on the sideline. Unfortunately for Bacon and his family jewels, this throwaway was a short-armed bouncer with a mind of its own. Fortunately for enjoyers of such content, he caught the whole thing on his camera.
That's me. This is my story. https://t.co/3gtMc4ZSyU pic.twitter.com/ZDSSx9YFhZ
— Ethan Bacon (@ehbaconyt) October 7, 2023
Combining both angles makes for some of the most compelling footage captured on a football field this season. Horror movie or hilarious physical comedy depending on the viewer one thing's for sure, it's hard to take your eyes off the train-wrecks that are sideline collisions of any kind.
