How NOT to Get a Picture of a Celebrity

Last fall, I received a call from my husband after my daughter's soccer game.  I was out of town and had missed it.  After the normal "how'd she do conversation", he mentions, "oh yeah, one of the dads from the other team was some guy from Friday Night Lights."

What??

Which one??? "I dunno."

AHH! I love loved that show- seriously, which one?

"It's the guy who was in Super 8."

KYLE CHANDLER???  You mean the guy who just won an Emmy for his role?  

"um. yeah.  I guess so. He's just a dad, watching his daughter play soccer."

I was so bummed to have missed that game.

A few weeks later they played them again and guess who was out of town...again!

So this Spring I made sure I was going to be at their game.  Even planned weeks ahead on what I should do.  

Do I play it cool and act like I don't know him? Nope.  I'd regret not talking to him.

Do I go up to him right away and tell him I think he's a fantastic actor? Nope.  I will get all tongue-tied and act like a stupid girl.

Hubby thought I was ridiculous - thought I needed to just leave him alone.  He's just trying to watch his daughter play.  Nope. Not me.  If he chooses to be an actor as a profession, he needs to understand that people are going to want to meet him.  Besides, he's Coach Taylor for goodness sakes - he's awesome!

Sunday came - I had my camera and all my lenses ready.  And I became a stupid girl. 

I was overcome with butterflies as I snuck shots of him.

Walking by me.... What? Can't you tell that's him?

 Sitting down next to us...

 He was chatting with everyone about how great the weather was - my friend, Dolly (in the pink hat) talked with him for a long while....all the time knowing I was dying to talk to him!

 I even used my son (I know!) to try to take his picture.... it's a terrific shot of his legs.....

 This one is so much better.....

 So then I started to get braver.  Sis was about to take a corner shot so I scooted down on the other end of the field to take her pic and quickly snapped a few.

Now he's looking like Coach Taylor!

 All the while, I am texting Connie (since she was the only other person who cared that I was at a soccer game with Coach Taylor) and even recorded him yelling, since it sounded so "Coach Taylor-y":

 So yes, I did watch my kids' soccer games - I wasn't totally obsessing the whole game.  Brody was actually playing on the field right behind Sis, so it was really easy for me to turn back & forth to watch them both.  After about 10 mins of freaking out inside, I started to do what I was there for - be a mom taking pics of my kids.....

At one point I was taking pics of Brody's game when HE started to watch the boys' game and asked if I had a son playing too?

(don't freak out...don't freak out)


"Yep - it figures they are at the same time"

"Man these boys are good...etc...."

And we talked about soccer and kids and coaching and being proud of your kids and rugby (don't ask- he brought it up?).  It was then that I realized, I was talking to a dad who was watching his daughter playing soccer - not an Emmy-award winning actor from one of my favorite tv shows.  He was just a regular guy.  And that was pretty cool.

Of course, did I get my shot? - absolutely - at the end of the conversation I told him, "look, I know who you are and I think your a terrific actor.  Would you mind if I got a picture with you to show my friends?"

He smiled real big, said "of course, here, let me show you how the pros do it....."

And he took our picture.