ChimpersCage

   One thing I miss about college men's basketball games is the halftime entertainment. For over 20 years, every game I covered as a photojournalist featured an exciting act. The Gamma Phi Circus was a yearly highlight at Illinois State University, captivating audiences with their dazzling performances. Sadly, if you only follow the games on social media now, you miss out on those unforgettable moments that brought the crowd together. Pictured - Cornell Freeney on the German Wheel

Cornell Freeney has performed in several circus troupes.  Locally he is part of the Illinois State University Gamma Phi Circus.  The Circus performs in mid-April, but a couple of times a year if you attend ISU sporting events you can get a sneak peek.  Usually during a football game, they get a small group together to "kick" a field goal with a human being.  It's not as punishing as it sounds, they use a swinging platform to propel a young man over the horizontal bar of the goal post.  He lands on a very think mat on the other side.  It's pretty fun to watch, but we always wish the Redbirds would get extra points for it.  The official scorer never sees it that way. During basketball season, there is usually a halftime show around an act from the circus.  The last couple of years, it has been the German Wheel.  A wheel that must be 7 or 8 feet across and a couple of feet think, it is two rims with some cross members and some places to anchor...