Where were the Lariat staffers during the now-infamous ‘kick’?
“During that now infamous kick, I was hanging out with the Justin Sports Medicine team. Bull and bronc riders were getting various injuries assessed and wrapped before the rodeo. Anticipation was building inside the medical trailer, as we were all constantly checking for game updates. Finally, it happened. Baylor won and I got to tell those cowboys to stick it where the sun don’t shine. One of them lost quite a bit of money betting against Baylor. Surely, he learned his lesson.” – Alexa Brackin, Broadcast producer
“Constance and I had left the game early to go back to the newsroom and begin uploading photos. There we were – sitting in the confines of the conference room, our eyes glued to the T.V. ‘I can’t look,’ Constance said. I disregarded her comment and observed our young kicker. You can do this, I thought to myself. The snap, the charge, the kick – the rest is history.” – Carlye Thornton, Photo editor
“I was in the stands, with my face in my hands, afraid to watch the kick. It’s like I could feel everyone in the stadium simultaneously hold their breath. I heard the cheers before I realized what had happened – the kick was good. Every Baylor fan around me was going crazy. High fives, loud yells and resounding cheers of joy that echoed throughout the stadium are things that I won’t soon forget.” – Linda Wilkins, Editor-in-chief
“Where was I during ‘the kick?’ Well, I guess you’re talking about the one that happened at roughly 7 p.m. Saturday. At that time, I was scolding my dog. He always kicks dirt on my pant legs when he finishes his walk.
That’s the kick you’re talking about, right?” – Paula Solis, City editor
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget. I looked at the referees to see their ruling, and the next thing I knew, I was on the field hugging people I had never seen before.” – Reubin Turner, Assistant city editor
“When ‘the kick’ happened, I was at PetCo with my brother, buying a pet gerbil. His name is Rory.” – Jenna Press, Copy editor
“I was sitting on my couch, and I really wish that I was there because I was watching it on TV.” – Rae Jefferson, A&E editor
“Honestly, it is all kind of a blur. I know I was in the berm when “the kick” happened, but my heart rate led me to believe I would soon be in the hospital. I also recall not knowing what to do with my hands. I know that sounds weird, but when I get stressed or overly excited, the positioning of my limbs is an afterthought. When the kick was good, I recall jumping up and down and screaming, ‘I told you!’ to my pessimistic boyfriend who wanted to leave when we were down three touchdowns. This was truly a win for the eternal optimists in the crowd.” – Maleesa Johnson, News editor
“As the sports writer covering the game for the Lariat, I was way up in the press box during the kick. I was standing on my feet in a room full of working press members. I couldn’t scream at the top of my lungs like the rest of the Baylor Nation when I saw the ball go through the goalposts. I was probably in the one place in the world that I couldn’t outwardly support my Baylor Bears! I had to keep my cool and throw a mini-fist pump by my side as I watched the student section hop the fence and storm the field.” – Jeffrey Swindoll, Sports writer
“I was on the floor experiencing a seizure from the shock that a college kicker actually made a game winning field goal instead of choking on the pressure.” – Trey Gregory, Copy desk chief
“I didn’t get the opportunity to attend or even watch the game because, surprisingly, I was working for the Lariat and the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo. My mom texted me ‘unbelievable.’ My stomach at that point did two backflips. I was with Alexa and I remember trying to look up the score but I had no service. I just had to text my mom to find out that we won by the skin of our teeth. It wasn’t until I got home later that night that I actually watched people’s videos of that kick. I’m still in shock that it happened!” – Madi Miller, Assistant broadcast producer
