The Message

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A A A Comments By Michael Roberts Thursday, Aug 14 2003

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No disputing that. I scoot back to the bullpen, determined to make up for my disastrous camera performance by digitally capturing Bryant as he leaves, but I'm done in again by the three-second delay. He's in one shot, but because I accidentally zoom out instead of zoom in, he seems several hundred yards away -- and my attempt to photograph him in the SUV as he rides off results in a great image of a wheel well and rear bumper.

Having emerged from the courtroom, Cacioppo cursors through the shots and says, "They're better than nothing," but he doesn't sound too sure. He takes his rightful place as Speakout! photographer, affixing his camera to the tripod across from the lectern, which has been righted again. But the only person who speaks is Jill McFadden, executive director of the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the press in the bullpen can't hear her; the microphone on the lectern goes directly to the network feed and isn't amplified in any way. Reporters and cameramen start wandering away by her second sentence.

Brett Amole

The Eagle has landed: Michael Cacioppo watches the skies and other reporters.

Brett Amole

All the non-news that fits: Reporters and Kobe fans feed off each other in Eagle.

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As he heads back to the media tent to begin packing up his gear, Cacioppo renders his verdict on the main event. "I'm glad they didn't waste our time going into motions," he says -- plus, the town and the county wound up with more publicity. In that sense, it may have been a silly day, but it certainly wasn't a bad one.

At that moment, a woman of Cacioppo's acquaintance sneaks up behind him and takes his arm. "I thought you might want to interview me," she says. They look at each other and laugh.