Illinois State Fall Issue 3 - 9/20/12

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The Black Sheep FR

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• a college newspaper that’s actually about college •

Volume 3, Issue 3 9/20/12 - 10/3/12

theblacksheeponline.com @blacksheep_isu

Behind the Plumage: The Reggie Redbird story Sevin Ketze wrote this

You know him as the enthusiastic mascot for Illinois State University, but what's Reggie Redbird like off the field? Field intern Sevin Ketze sits down with Reggie to talk sports, family, and his love of ISU. Sevin: Reggie, thanks for coming. Reggie: Sure. S: So, the Redbird football team is off to their best start in 21 years, with a 3-0 record so far this season. How's that make you feel? R: Doesn't make me feel anything. S: Excuse me? R: My job is to stand on the sidelines and wave and jump around and take pictures with people. S: Yes, but I thoughtR: Kid, I've been put to work here for thirty years, and I'm gonna be stuck here until I die or they kill me. I do what they ask me to do, and they give me enough food to live another day, and that's it. I don't care about the goddamn football record. I don't care about anything at all. S: Wow. I didn't expect—ummm...what do you think about the closing of Southside and theR: Still going, huh? Just gonna keep prattling on with your bullshit questions? Alright. Southside? Don't give a shit. Gunshots and armed robberies? Don't give a shit. Some professor retired, some team's doing well, some kid won a contest, and look how much I care. Look. (Reggie sits perfectly still and occasionally gestures toward his stillness) S: Maybe...we should reschedule this, until...umm... R: “UMMMM, UMMMM,” are you listening to yourself? You can't even keep up in an interview with a freaking bird. You think anybody's gonna want you on their news team? You're not a journalist, you're a goddamn sniveling joke. S: I do really well on my exams andR: Look, I'm sorry. I know you're trying. It's just a rough time of year for me. My family is all migrating south, and thanks to my lifetime contract I get to stay here all winter, alone.

Beyond Greek Life: Making Friends with GDIs

Who would want to do that? They're independents, god dammit.

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S: I thought cardinals didn't migrate. R: Alright, college boy, you caught me. She just left. Took the fledglings and just took off. S: Oh jeez, I'm sorry toR: I guess it was a long time coming though. I haven't been myself lately. Veterinary bills are piling up, and my therapist, well, he does his best, but maybe I'm just hopeless. Just another slave who can't be helped. S: Slave? What do you mean? R: I mean I'm a slave, you damn halfwit. That Abe Lincoln stunt was a good P.R. move, but it only applied to people. Birds, dogs, cats, anything else can still be owned, like we're nothing more than property. And nobody cares, so why fight it? This is my life, and nothing's gonna change it. S: IR: No, you stop talking. It's my turn. Nobody ever listens to

what’s inside

How to Train Your Dorm Tiger Didn't you see last issue's article on how to acquire a dorm tiger?

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the giant freak cardinal. You know, the average cardinal is around eight inches tall. I'm 6' 8”, and my job keeps me on my feet and forces me to jump around all day. Know what that means? It means I've got horrible skeletal problems. Hollow bones are great when you're small and light, but they're agonizingly brittle when you're as big as me. I'm in pain all the time, and I've got no health care, so what the hell. Why am I doing this, Steve? Why do I keep toiling away, pretending to be happy and to give a shit? I've been asking myself the same question for years now. I got nothing. I got NOTHING. So there you go. Are ya happy? Get what you wanted in the interview? (he clumsily removes his microphone, grabs his cane and limps quickly towards the door.) Tell my story, Saul. Tell the world. We had trouble running this interview, as it lacks in humor of any kind. But we couldn’t live with ourselves as journalists if we didn’t tell his story. Hopefully our relationship with Reggie isn’t ruined, and we can check back in with him at a later date. In the meantime, enjoy Reggie as he dances around on the field, show him you care… and maybe he will start to care again.

The Freshman Girl's Guide to Getting a Guy to Notice You at a Party step one: have boobs

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Illinois State Fall Issue 3 - 9/20/12 by The Black Sheep - Issuu