Scottie Pippen broke my toe

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of shooting (with a camera) part of the second leg of Bo Bikes Bama.*

*For those unaware, Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the deadly tornadoes that ripped through the state of Alabama destroying lives, homes and forever changing our landscape. Bo Jackson, a Birmingham native, Auburn graduate and sports icon, is biking the path of one of the tornadoes to raise money for the governor’s tornado relief fund. He started Tuseday in Henagar and will finish Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Riders can pay a minimum of $200 to bike with Bo along the route.

Here’s how I ended up photographing the event and losing a toe: Yesterday was DNA Day, a day celebrated because of the Human Genome Project being completed in 2003 as well as the day in 1953 when a couple of brilliant scientists published a paper sharing with the world that DNA was a double helix. (Can you tell I work for a biotech institute?) HudsonAlpha’s education team has been scattered throughout the state this week helping students participate in their very own genome cache. We have a free, downloadable app available through iTunes for schools to use, and we also host schools at the institute. We have a giant double-helix sidewalk where students perform the genome cache. Wednesday, our team was at Fairview Middle and High school in Cullman County. (By the way, we have more online tools for teachers and students so hit me up if you’re interested.)

As we all know, Bo is an avid fan of science and education, so he made a stop at Fairview Wednesday afternoon, as did the other 100+ riders accompanying him on the 65-mile leg. Three of those riders Wednesday included Ken Griffey Jr., Picabo Street and Scottie Pippen. I love Bo, but I’ve met and interviewed him before. I haven’t met the other three athletes, all of which I grew up watching compete.

As I posed for a photo with the really, very, extremely tall Pippen, his lovely cycling cleat chomped down on my right foot. He apologized of course, but neither of us realized how bad it actually hurt. When the riders were off and I was finished working I looked down and saw a bloody toe. He’s really big. It really hurt.

But, at the end of the day, who else can say Scottie Pippen broke their toe, right?**

**Scottie Pippen did not actually break my toe. It was a surface cut and very minor. Clearly, “Scottie Pippen broke my toe” makes a far better story. He was a super nice guy and smiled the entire time as he posed for photos with the students.

Editor’s note: When I told my dad what happened, he said: “This sort of thing would only happen to you. Only my daughter would get her foot stepped on by Scottie Pippen.” My mom said: “Well Victoria, don’t you know how to stay out of the way of something that big?” 🙂 I love my parents.