Second chance for Clark

"Towson University defensive back alumnus Eric Clark got a second chance to follow his dream of playing professional football after facing drug possession charges that were later dropped in November 2007. Clark is currently living in Baltimore as he works on landing a spot on an Arena or Canadian Football League team."

Perseverance. That pretty much sums up now Towson University alumnus, Eric Clark.

Arrested with a former teammate, Clark was locked up after Baltimore County Police officers found drugs in their apartment in Cockeysville and indefinitely suspended the two the football program.

However, due to a lack of evidence, the case against Clark, who was charged with possession of marijuana and the intent to distribute, was dropped in November.

From an article in The Towerlight, Clark said, "This experience has taught me a lot about how to make sure I stay in good situations and not get caught up in other people's problems.

"My name has already suffered a lot of damage..."

I cannot imagine what is would have been like to be in his shoes last year. Missing classes, being faced to interviews and speculation by local media outlets and probably the most painful, missing football.

After all cleared, I ran into Clark earlier this year when I was assigned to shoot photos of his teammate, Brian Bradford, as they trained for the NFL Pro Day.

While we didn't know each other personally, he got to know a little about me as I hung out with them all afternoon.

Then at the NFL Pro Day, those two faced all the pressure from the scouts. I got to learn a little more about him there.

Since The Towerlight now puts out one summer issue, I had to shoot a couple little assignments since school has let out and finally got the chance to catch up with Clark.

The story is basically about how he has gotten a second chance and is still pursuing his dreams. While I displayed the image above, this image will probably run with the story.

When we met up, since we got to know each other a little in the past, we skipped the small talk and from the get go he was very trusting and open to anything I had in mind.

Definitely beats the corny joke I sometimes say to kids, "How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice." Not funny, right?

While it would have been nice to stay until total sunset, I didn't want to keep him long. But while we did wait for the sun to come down, turn a little more golden we chatted about his dream of playing professionally.

Oddly enough, we shared a lot of things in common relating from life to football and photography. This in turn opened him up even more. I only wish all my portrait subjects were so easy to work with.

Now I need an oatmeal bath or something, maybe a trip to the hospital to get rid of this west nile virus I probably picked up from laying on a grassy hill as I got bit by a million and one mosquitoes.