If the rationale behind this week's SFR poll--asking, "What New Mexico icons should throw down with their rivals?--escapes you, you probably missed a big, big story.

No, not this one.

Not this one either.

It's this:

New Mexico State University's mascot “Pistol Pete” got into a brawl with Utah State's “Big Blue” at a basketball game last week. (Pete pounded and choked the ox, but Utah won 71-70, alas.

ESPN has a video and the Associated Press coverage here. A blow-by-blow:

... "Big Blue" the bull, confronted New Mexico State's "Pistol Pete" cowboy mascot and ripped off his fake mustache.
The cowboy then chased the bull to halfcourt, jumped on his back and tried unsuccessfully to pull him to the floor.
"Pistol Pete" then started to try to choke his rival before retreating to his end of the court.
Several newspaper photographers covering the game said they heard a man in a Nevada shirt offer the Utah State mascot $100 to go grab the mustache.

It takes a big man to take on an ox. Especially Paul Bunyan's ox.