The Mullet

On New Year's Eve, I lost a friend. AP Photographer Dave Martin, aka The Mullet, collapsed on the field chasing after the coaches shaking hands at the end of the Chick-Fil-A Bowl and died later of a heart attack. Everyone that knew him, worked with him, or just met him on the street was his friend. As a photographer, he would help you with advice, gear, anything you needed, then whip your ass with his camera. As a friend, he would give you the shirt off his back or a helping hand in hard times.

I first met Mullet in 1997 at my first Super Bowl. I had made the 'A Team' and was on my first really big assignment for the AP. I was nervous. I was given a digital camera for the first time at the biggest game of the year (and my career) and I was a little stressed over it. Doug Mills, one of our Washington staffers, was on my flight to San Diego. When we got to the hotel, he told me to drop my bags and he'd see me in the bar in 15 minutes. When I got to the bar, there was Doug with other staffers listening to Mullet tell a story. As I walked up, Dave reached out his hand and said, "Chuck Burton! Damn nice to finally meet you. You make some damn fine photos, Vern."  I was immediately put at ease around the group. I was accepted as one of them...because Mullet approved. Later that evening we had our staff meeting and I told Dave how worried I was about using the new digital camera. "Hell Vern" he exclaimed, "all ya gotta do is look through this thingy right here and push that little button, you've done it a million times before! Have another beer and stop worrying about it. Don't make me bow up on you." I was instantly relaxed and had a great game two days later. I owe it to Mullet.

Fast forward to the Super Bowl in Detroit. Steelers-Seahawks. Dave was my boss then, the South Regional Photo Editor. When we got to the stadium, Dave was preparing to deep fry some turkeys for the photographers, editors, and runners. I made my favorite photo of him, wearing shorts, a tie, a wool hat, and typically grinning from ear to ear, with a turkey in one hand and a beer in the other. I made him put the beer down for the photo so I could submit it for the company magazine. As the game progressed, I was in the end zone as the Steelers pulled a flea-flicker play and passed the ball to Hines Ward in my end for the go-ahead touchdown. Mullet called me over the radio a few minutes after the play, "Damn fine photo, Vern. Now go make some more."

That's the way he was, he would compliment you and push you to do even better in the same breath. We worked hard, and we played hard. He enjoyed making photos and enjoying time with friends, co-workers, and competitors. I made some of my best photos while working with Dave; Tiger Woods reacting to an eagle putt on the first playoff hole of the PGA Championship, Hines Ward catching a TD pass in the Super Bowl, John Elway reacting after winning his first Super Bowl, victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and students mourning in the aftermath of the shootings at Virginia Tech. Dave was there to advise, push, joke, and congratulate every time. Then we would have a beer…or a margarita, with no salt of course.

Back in August I was covering UNC Charlotte's first ever football game. They won and even though I had plenty of photos, I went back on the field because I thought the team would dunk the coach. I ran out and made a nice photo of the players dunking their coach as they celebrated. It was an APTOPIX. The next day, I got an email from Mullet. 

"Damn fine photo of the Charlotte coach. Yer still ugly. Vern."

I'm going to miss his advice, his stories, his margaritas, and his smile. Most of all, I'll miss him telling me, "yer still ugly".