Tradition and direction

Former Demon players Britt Brittain and Marcus Spears spoke to the NSU newcomers this morning as part of Coach Peveto's "Issues" series of talks.

They spoke about Demon football tradition, and about taking advantage of the opportunities for success outside of football during the next 4-5 years at NSU.

Brittain told the players that many of their best friends in life will come from this group. He said he and his Demon teammates gather once a year and stay in touch 30 years later.

Spears had the group imagine they all had played 10 seasons in the NFL (he played 12), and asked them, "Now what? The game's over. You have the rest of your life. What are you gonna do?" He stressed taking advantage of every opportunity to grow academically and personally.

Spears will be visiting for a couple of days. Last weekend, he was in Canton, Ohio, to attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction of the late Derrick Thomas, his teammate with the Kansas City Chiefs.

He also told the young Demons to take "purple pride" and said he was thrilled to travel to Detroit in 2006 for the NSU basketball team's NCAA Tournament and the win over Iowa. "We're all in this together," he said. "Sport doesn't matter. We're Demons."

Bell shining in Buffalo, more notes

All the action Demetrius Bell got Sunday night for the Buffalo Bills against the Tennessee Titans in the NFL's Hall of Fame exhibition game in Canton, Ohio, has earned him the spotlight in the Buffalo News. Here's the link on a nice feature on D-Bell:

http://www.buffalonews.com/452/story/761158.html

The story was the third-most e-mailed by visitors to the News' website Wednesday.

Demon basketball assistant coach Mark Slessinger is in Buffalo visiting Bell. Back at NSU, lots of people enjoyed watching him get extensive action in Sunday night's game.

BTW, Dudley Guice got into the game late for the Titans but did not get a catch.

Media Watch: Good stories today by Kelly Morris in the Shreveport Times revolving around NSU sports.

Jimmy Heard is lighting it up in his hometown pitching for the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. Recently he won a national award as pitcher of the month for the unaffiliated minor league teams around the country. Here's Kelly's feature on the NSU graduate ('09) and record-setting Demon hurler:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090812/SPORTS/908120315/1001&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL

Story No. 2 is about football's preseason and the Demons making position switches. The link:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090812/SPORTS02/908120324/1001/SPORTS

Demon hoops on the national radar: It's nothing new with Mike McConathy running the show, but Fox Sports columnist Jeff Goodman has checked in with an update on the Demons:

http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2009/08/11/ole_miss_northwestern_state_healthy

Wednesday morning paper

Check tomorrow's Shreveport Times for a Kelly Morris story on Demons who are changing positions. She talked with Jeremy Jefferson and Justin Aldredge, along with Coach Peveto, today.

Quick highlights on Demon football

Play of the first day: Justin Aldredge, the converted linebacker playing tight end, made a full-extension diving snag about two feet off the ground of a John Hundley rocket early in a pass skeleton drill Monday morning. There were other nice catches during the morning and afternoon workouts, and I didn't see much of the afternoon session, but Aldredge's catch was a "gasp" moment. It was that good.

Team Gannett: Alexandria Town Talk sports editor Randy Benson attended the entire morning workout and will have a column in his paper and the Shreveport Times on Tuesday morning. Count on outstanding daily coverage this season from both Gannett papers from Benson, Times sportswriter Kelly Morris, and Times sports editor Scott Ferrell.

KSLA TV too: Sports director Mike Dirmann, truly one of the nice guys in our neighborhood, popped in for the last hour of the morning practice. He had interviews with Coach Bradley Dale Peveto and QB John Hundley Monday at 6 and has more to use later, including visits with Jace Prescott, Jeremy Jefferson and offensive coordinator Todd Cooley.

Did you notice?: Not Monday, but Sunday night in the NFL's Hall of Fame game -- Demon greats Demetrius Bell (right offensive tackle) and Terrence McGee (cornerback) started for Buffalo. Bell played the entire first half, staying in with the second team.

Still time: We have two correct answers so far for the Great Eight ID Challenge. Robert Gunn and Sonja Pezant are winners. We need one more. Look back through the blog and see if you can list the right names and schools.

Bell, McGee, Guice in Sunday night NFL game

Look for three Demons to see action Sunday night in the annual Hall of Fame exhibition game in Canton, Ohio, pitting the Buffalo Bills against the Tennessee Titans. The game kicks at 7 CST on NBC.

Veteran cornerback Terrance McGee (No. 24) will start for the Bills but may not be on the field for very long. He has little to prove and there are young cornerbacks the Bills need to evaluate.

Second-year offensive lineman Demetrius Bell (No. 77) could start at right tackle, where the starter is nursing an injury. He figures to get plenty of action early at either tackle spot for Buffalo, where he is listed as the No. 2 left tackle.

On the Titans sideline, rookie free agent receiver Dudley Guice (No. 13) and former Stephen F. Austin player Dominique Edison are listed as fourth-team receivers, and that means they could get some second-half snaps in the game.