By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
Certain historic sports photos capture pure emotion: a boxer towering over a fallen opponent, a basketball player frozen midair during a dunk, a soccer player erupting after a championship-winning goal. Each is a lasting symbol of athletic greatness.
At USF, Aschley Joseph recently captured a similar thrill at the USF football game against the University of Florda: Bulls players holding up kicker Nico Grammatica after his game-winning field goal with a sea of stunned Gators fans in the background. The 18鈥�16 upset over then-No. 13 Florida on Sept. 6 in Gainesville was one of the biggest wins in Bulls football history and propelled them to No. 18 in the AP Top 25.
USF Athletics intern Aschley Joseph
That image was seen across the country.
鈥淭o document something that connects people to it forever is such an honor,鈥� said Joseph, a USF Athletics photography intern. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檒l never forget.鈥�
Other USF Athletics interns also keep the excitement alive 鈥� capturing fan reactions on video, creating shareable memes and making sure the energy lasts long after the final whistle.
鈥淥ur student interns are essential to capturing and preserving the moments that define game day,鈥� said Martin Salamone, USF鈥檚 senior associate athletic director for external affairs. 鈥淭heir work during the win over Florida, whether shooting photos and video or supporting our social channels, helped bring Bulls Nation even closer to the action. In the process, they鈥檙e gaining invaluable hands-on experience, while experiencing memories they鈥檒l carry forever.鈥�
The Videographer
A sceenshot from Clark Stanton鈥檚 social media post [Photo courtesy of Instagram]
If you鈥檙e one of the millions who has watched Clark Stanton鈥檚 sideline footage on or , the answer is yes 鈥� he really was filming with a Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system.
鈥淎 3DS XL Mario and Luigi: Return to Dreamland Edition to be exact,鈥� said the senior digital communications and multimedia journalism major, who interns with USF Athletics as a sideline videographer capturing footage for social media posts.
The viral clip began with a perspective from someone else on the field holding his DS, then transitions to his recording of the game-winning field goal and the ensuing player celebration. Even in the peak of their jubilation, players can be heard commenting on Stanton鈥檚 use of a gaming system released more than a decade ago.
鈥淭hat was funny,鈥� he said.
Fans were equally taken with the old-school gaming system鈥檚 grainy footage that has since been featured on the social media accounts of ESPN, Bleacher Report and Hard Rock Bet.
鈥淭his is lowkey fire lol,鈥� one posted on X.
Clark Stanton
鈥淢ade it seem like we鈥檙e living the 2000鈥檚 era again,鈥� another posted on Instagram.
As a sideline videographer, his job is to give fans a glimpse of what it鈥檚 like to witness big moments from the field. Select footage is then posted after the game.
鈥淲e鈥檙e giving fans sideline access,鈥� Stanton said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a view they cannot get from watching on television.鈥�
Sometimes he uses an iPhone. Sometimes he uses the DS.
鈥淚t works great,鈥� Stanton said. 鈥淪o why not?鈥�
The 21-year-old estimates he received the DS about a decade ago as a gaming system but was delighted to discover it also had a video and photo camera. Little did he know at the time that it would later be used to capture a viral video of one of USF football鈥檚 biggest wins.
鈥淚 would have been jumping for joy had you told me that when I received it,鈥� Stanton said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an iconic upset, and I got to film it.鈥�
Memes
For those less familiar with internet culture, a meme is an image, video or phrase 鈥� often humorous 鈥� that spreads quickly online, sometimes changing as people adapt it.
鈥淚 want to make something that helps people remember a big moment,鈥� said Galloway, a sophomore business advertising major. 鈥淢aybe it changed momentum. Maybe it caused celebration. I don鈥檛 want that feeling to end for the fans.鈥�
Intern Naomi Galloway creates those for USF Athletics.
Galloway鈥檚 job is to watch the game and come up with ideas that can be posted after a USF victory. Each week, her postgame memes typically generate around 100,000 views in all.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 in Gainesville for the game, so I worked remotely 鈥� screaming at my television while still focusing on my work,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淎s the game goes on, I think about the biggest moments and find ways to make them shareable so people will repost.鈥�
Galloway estimates she created about 30 meme ideas during the Florida game, narrowing them to 10 that were posted.
Some were designed from scratch, others modified from popular existing memes.
One example is the well-known 鈥�0 DAYS SINCE LAST鈥� sign from the animated sitcom 鈥淔uturama鈥� that has been adapted into countless memes by others.
Galloway customized the sign to read 鈥�0 DAYS SINCE LAST ranked win (again),鈥� referencing USF鈥檚 back-to-back victories over ranked Boise State and Florida.
Her personal favorite was the original play on words: s(womp) s(womp) 鈥� a cheeky nod to the Gators鈥� home field nickname, The Swamp.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like saying 鈥榳omp, womp,鈥� but with a Gators twist,鈥� Galloway said.
But what if she creates a meme for a game the Bulls lose?
鈥淲e don鈥檛 like to think about that,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淏ut if it happens, we try to adapt it for the next win.鈥�
Naomi Galloway
And how does she keep coming up with ideas?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think this is great advice for teenagers,鈥� she joked, 鈥渂ut being chronically online helps. You have to consume the kind of content you know works. If I鈥檇 send it to my friends for a laugh, it probably works.鈥�
The Photographer
As a sideline photographer, Joseph鈥檚 main job is to capture the action 鈥� a diving catch, a crushing tackle, a perfect spiral. But for her, action alone doesn鈥檛 make an iconic image.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about emotion,鈥� said Joseph, a senior nursing major. 鈥淎nyone can get a shot of a field goal. But can you also capture how that kick made people feel? I want the photo to show what the moment meant.鈥�
That takes skill 鈥� and sometimes, luck.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sitting there thinking, 鈥業鈥檓 about to shoot a celebration,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 was just shooting the game, completely immersed in it as a fan.鈥�
Aschley Joseph
Joseph鈥檚 camera wasn鈥檛 even set to take rapid-fire shots, leaving her only one chance to capture the moment.
鈥淚 saw the ball go through, and my finger just went down on the shutter,鈥� Joseph said. 鈥淚t was like my brain was directly connected to my finger telling me, 鈥楧o this now.鈥� I didn鈥檛 think it would be a great photo until I looked at it after the game.鈥�
Now, it might live on forever.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 really thought about that,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f it does, what an amazing opportunity 鈥� and I鈥檓 so happy it happened while I was at USF. I鈥檓 ride or die for USF football.鈥�