Will NMSU whiff on the latest?

It's difficult to sum up the various legal transgressions surrounding the New Mexico State men's basketball squad with some all-encompassing framework but were going to try anyway.

It begins last season with Tyrone Nelson being charged in August 2006 with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery (he also struck a pizza deliverer) and later on also being indicted for bribery (trying to get someone else to admit to the charges). Nelson eventually pleaded guilty in July 2007.

Neither the New Mexico State school administration, the NMSU Athletic Director, nor the coach at the time chose to impose any sort of penalty on Nelson -- stating he was innocent until proven guilty -- until a final outcome took place with the legal system. Let's just say that this is not the usual policy for an NCAA institution for such serious charges.

Some say other team members were aware of Nelson's guilt from the get-go. Others say he was somehow covering for his brother. The truth is known only to a few people and they aren't talking.

However, McKinley Boston, the NMSU Athletic Director, testified in court as a character witness for Nelson and offered this proposal: a provisional discharge for Nelson which would have allowed him to continue playing basketball at NMSU under a behavior contract.

Boston offered that being able to continue playing basketball would have provided motivation for Nelson to continue in school and graduate.

While never being the eye-for-eye type and quite open to second chances in the appropriate circumstances, Nelson admitted he chose to strike someone and then steal from that person. Hey, we didn't just fall off the turnip truck. If banishment from being an Aggie basketball player reduced or eliminated his motivation to continue in school, well, we're not hauling out the tissue to dab our eyes or his.

Plus, it's scarlet-colored embarrassing for a school administrator to offer such a weak proposition. It might be different if Nelson had immediately copped to his actions but, again, he chose not to do so, wishing to play out the string so he could stay on the basketball court for his junior season.

We wish him no harm nor ill will but his actions eliminated his opportunities to represent a state educational institution. Additionally, nowhere in all of the various media reports is any apology to the person he harmed.


On to Herb Pope. He was arrested in late December and charged with DUI, underage drinking, and reckless endangerment. This after the NCAA still taking its own sweet time in determining if Hope is eligible to play or not this rapidly concluding season. One of the issues here is that Pope's scrape with the law took place with the Tyrone Nelson matter still fairly fresh in people's minds -- rather than an empty vacuum.

The charges aren't ultra-serious although Pope should consider himself blessed for not having killed or injured someone while behind the wheel. Pope was found unconscious in a car sitting in a driving lane -- Business Route 60.

If found guilty (it sure seems like the outcome), he is deserving of a second chance as would anyone in his situation as a first offender. But a second chance based on counseling and some sort of a monetary fine plus a suspension of his driving privilege for a period of time.

Pope has been suspended indefinitely for violation of university and team rules.


Then NMSU starting center Hatila Passos and reserve guard Paris Carter were suspended around December 21, 2007 for violations of undisclosed team rules. Supposedly both these suspensions have to do with academics and not civil/criminal legal infractions so are certainly not in the same league as Nelson's and Pope's circumstances. But they get a similar mention -- right or wrong -- when player woes in Las Cruces are discussed.


Most recently, Aggie players Chris Cole and Jahmar Young were arrested on separate issues.

Cole failed to be at a December 7 court appearance scheduled to determine why he had failed to pay off fines incurred for driving without a license and without headlights -- hence a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Obviously this is not any sort of a major offense, more thoughtlessness and possibly stuidity on his part. But again, the recent history regarding the negativity that actions of members of the New Mexico State University men's basketball team have cast over the program catches him rightly or wrongly in its clutches.

It is different for Young.

He is accused of exposing himself to a woman in July 2007 and offering a sum of money to her if she would perform a sex act on him. The woman apparently filed the complaint in September but more is not yet known regarding the delay between July and September. Young was give a November 28 court date but failed to appear and then became the subject of a bench warrant.

This is a far, far serious charge than Cole's situation and one that, if convicted, could possibly result with Young having to register as a sex offender. This is also a situation that won't sit well with a number of the members -- faculty and students -- in a college environment as the event is described as having taken place on the NMSU campus.

Here's Coach Marvin Menzies on Young's charge: "...At that point, if it goes further or if it disappears, we will take the next step. If it disappears, I don't have anything to judge J.Y. on. If it becomes a court issue and a social misconduct issue, then there will be some discipline put forth. From talking to J.Y., I'm interested to see where this thing goes."

These players were recruited to the university by former Coach Reggie Theus -- not that this absolves Menzies from his responsibilities in playing a role in determining whatever punishments, if any, are ultimately determined by the school in each player's situation. But there is a question of how much authority Menzies has in these matters.

The one constant in all of these legal cases is McKinley Boston. His behavior in the Tyrone Nelson situation goes beyond the worst in enabling. There is no excuse for his actions there -- they were flat out wrong.

Let's see how he handles the Herb Pope situation, albeit one far less serious than Nelson's.

With Passos and Carter, it is entirely an internal matter and should be included along with the others -- at least with what is currently known.

Cole's situation in and of itself is again not anything serious. That is, unless one looks at a particular pattern forming.

As for Young, obviously the truth needs to be determined. It may be an extremely serious matter , be a 'he said-she said' or be bogus. But an arraignment indicates the district attorney in Las Cruces isn't taking the matter lightly.

What the powers-that-be at New Mexico State University do, or not, if the case is pursued by authorities will be quite telling. If indeed that is the scenario, will it be Tyrone Nelson part deux or an adherence to a greater integrity?