Tyrone Watson's return

PTW doesn't get it (which conjures up this scene - a number of you nodding your heads in unison like bobblehead dolls, with a few 'amens' tossed in). But we digress.

Tyrone Watson is accused of attacking a fellow student at an off-campus party. Watson denies throwing the punch that his fellow student is claiming caused the bruising and swelling to his right eye. Watson is current charged with a third-degree felony. Most if not all of the circumstances of and surrounding the injuries suffered are publicly unknown or unverified at this point but matters will become clearer as evidence and testimony is filed and given. Maybe there are exculpatory facts favoring Watson, maybe not. The district attorney is proceeding in the direction of Watson as the punch thrower, if not more.

But the decision to allow him back on the court as of March 1 is a shocker. His actions were determined by the New Mexico State University committee hearing his appeal as rating a seven-game suspension (see Jason Groves' opening paragraph here)///Teddy Feinberg has more background here).

Here's one of JasonG's latest Twitter posts: "Marvin Menzies: Tyrone is not going to be punished. His punishment has already been put in."

Yes, Watson is a senior in his last season. Yes, he was lauded by Coach Marvin Menzies: "[Watson] has been an exceptional student and person in our program for his entire time here." It also appears to be the first time Watson was involved in such a happening.

However, the attack as reported was generated by this fellow student perceived as dancing with Watson's girlfriend. 

So that's considered a beat down offense nowadays? It makes the incident appear as a hair-trigger response to a nothing event.

There's a history of vandalism and other worse offenses associated with New Mexico State basketball student-athletes and that can't be ignored, fair or unfair as this might be to Watson. Similarly, there's a history of the current NMSU athletics administration treating such matters with an extremely light touch.

This can't bode well for Aggie sports as a new conference is desperately being sought, let alone for the healing of Watson's fellow student.

Seven games?

Try waiting until a final adjudication of the charge, as long as that may take.

That's only fair.