There are moments in one's career that define what the individual has accomplished. This was not one of these moments.

Some reporters will be privileged to be in Rome when the new pontiff is announced; I on the other hand had the honor of seeing five students flip, flop, flap and flounder their way into possibly becoming the next Golden Eagle. Talk about the journalistic chance of a lifetime.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein can take all the president's men they want, I had the privilege of seeing a cartoon character shoot baskets and then had the opportunity to talk to them when they became human.

(To keep the mystery behind the Golden Eagle alive, the contestant's names will not be given.)

After his routine, Eagle No. 1 initially refused to answer my questions. They were met with a nod, a shake or a Jesus pose where the Eagle held out both hands with his tilted wings. I felt like I was talking to the Chief from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

It was not until the Eagle's own version of Jim Fowler convinced him that he was not the eagle anymore that he talked to me.

Tribune: What inspired you to be a mascot?

EN1: It just seems like something fun to do and kind of a fun way to enjoy the basketball games.

Tribune: Never thought of joining an intramural team, just went straight to the eagle idea?

EN1: I've been on a few intramural teams, and I'm on the Marquette swim club.

Tribune: Any mascot role models that you've patterned your game after?

EN1: At my high school we never had a mascot costume. We were the Red Knights, and my friends and I welded a Red Knight costume.

Tribune: Well everyone finds a way to fill their own time.

Eagle No. 2 showed up to tryouts dressed the part of Fire Marshall Bill, hoping to set a good tone before she even took the floor as the Eagle.

Tribune: You're going to be dealing with a lot of overweight kids, some of whom might step on your toe. It's going to be real hard to not let loose an F-bomb. How are you going to be able to handle that?

EN2: I guess I'm just going to have to try real hard. When the mask goes on I can't say anything.

Eagle No. 3 really excited the judges with his energy. He went with the high energy greeting, utilizing hand slaps and a constant eagle head bob.

Tribune: You used a Richard Simmons technique to greet everyone. Was he one of your early influences in life?

EN3: Actually when I was born that's what was on in the birth room. My dad always wore the unitard and my brother had a 'fro from '92 to '93.

Eagle No. 4 energized the judges by constantly pointing to its muscles. This did, however, raise a question of whether or not this eagle was using beak enhancing drugs, a definite blemish on the bird community.

Tribune: You were flexing a lot, are you on any beak enhancing drugs?

EN4: No, everything is natural.

Eagle No. 5 hit the court gesturing the "We're No. 1" sign and followed that up with a cartwheel which he landed with ease.

Tribune: I saw you using the "We're No. 1" sign quite a bit. Do you have sibling inferiority syndrome? Were you the number two sibling when you were younger?

EN5: I just like to tell everyone that Marquette's always on top. We're always No. 1.

Tribune: As long as you think so.

Tribune: You landed a really nice cartwheel early in the routine. Were you a Jesse White Tumbler when you were younger?

EN5: No, I always wanted to be, but I was never quite good enough.

Tribune: Were there any mascots you looked up to when you were younger?

EN5: Bucky the Badger has always been a great mascot and a funny guy.

Tribune: Does he tell a lot of good priest jokes?

EN5: Bucky likes to let his actions speak louder than his words.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 14 2005.