Vic the Demon vs. Chief Brave Spirit just won't die

Thanks to the antics of Arizona Cardinal's Big Red mascot wiping itself down with a Pittsburgh Steeler "Terrible Towel" during Super Bowl week, ESPN's Sportscenter has been running continuously a segment titled "Mascot's Gone Wild."

In that segment, which has been airing about 54-56 minutes after the hour, includes video of the infamous Vic the Demon vs. Chief Brave Spirit fight that occured just outside of the endzone during the Oct. 24, 1992 Northwestern State and Northeast Louisiana football game.

"The Tussle in Turpin" happened midway through the second quarter of the Homecoming game.

At the time, the footage made its way around the country, appearing on CNN Sports Tonight, ESPN College Gameday, NBC's Today Show, KNBC in Los Angeles, WUSA in Washington D.C., and many other TV outlets.

USA TODAY featured the mascot melee in its Oct. 28, 1992 issue. At year's end, the fight was named, by viewer vote, fourth on CNN's Plays of the Year.

The fight that won't die is resurrected for the time being, until that is, another mascot mayhem occurs.

Dynamic Demon coaching matchup Monday

Former Northwestern State point guard Mike Brey and former Demon assistant coach Buzz Williams square off Monday night on ESPN.

Brey's Notre Dame team will host Williams' first Marquette squad in a battle of Top 20 teams. Marquette brings a perfect 6-0 Big East Conference record into the contest.

Williams got his first full-time Division I coaching position on Mike McConathy's first NSU staff (1999-2000). Williams helped the Demons to their first-ever Southland Conference Tournament championship game and helped recruit players who got the Demons to their first-ever NCAA Tournament the following season. The SLC Finals appearance was the first of six in 9+ seasons under McConathy, and the 2001 NCAA Tournament trip was followed by a memorable 2006 NCAA appearance in which the Demons upset 15th-ranked Iowa.

Brey played for NSU from 1977-80 and is 7th in school history in assists (311, 4.3 pg). Brey's coach at Northwestern was Tynes Hildebrand, who now serves the NCAA as one of four regional officiating evaluators.