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Incident viewed differently by Kansas State players
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Although there will not be sexual assault charges brought
against Kansas State quarterback Ell Roberson, the details of a
police report associated with the incident are damaging to the
program, according to at least one K-State player.
The report contains references to players having sex, attending
a late-night party and wandering between rooms for things such as
cigars in the early morning hours. This took place less than two
days before the Cats were to play in the Fiesta Bowl, perhaps the
biggest game in the program’s history.
“We had such a huge win in the Big 12 Championship, but
with the way the Fiesta Bowl ended, I’m mainly worried how
fans and people across the nation look at K-State,” said long
snapper Mike Wilson.
“That’s the only part that gets me down a little
bit.”
Wilson said it bothered him that players might have been
partying or socializing past the team’s 11 p.m. curfew.
“The only thing you can say is it’s a team
rule,” said Wilson. “Even though it was New
Year’s and people wanted to celebrate New Year’s,
that’s the main thing, being out past curfew.”
But one player said parties are not uncommon.
Thomas Houchin, a starting defensive end who played his final
collegiate game in the Fiesta Bowl, said he did not attend a party
but wasn’t surprised teammates were out that late.
“I wouldn’t say all teams do it, because some teams
are there to win, and that’s it,” Houchin said
Wednesday night. “But you have to remember, this team
accomplished a lot in winning the Big 12 Championship. That was a
big high, and we were still on it going into the Fiesta Bowl. We
were high on ourselves and going to have fun.
“But that’s nowhere near out of the ordinary.
It’s a new place with new people, and we’re talking
about college kids here, young people. That’s what kids do.
They aren’t all old enough or mature enough to avoid some of
those things.”
Houchin was not overly concerned with the potential nightlife or
the team-imposed curfews. He took his wife, infant daughter and
newborn son on the trip, “so I knew I’d be in bed by 10
p.m.”
Looking back, Houchin and Wilson agreed the Roberson situation
was a “huge distraction.”
“That’s all anybody could talk about,” Wilson
said. “Once the story broke on TV, everybody’s cell
phones were ringing off the hook. It was the worst possible thing
that could have happened.”
Still, Houchin said his teammates were not upset with Roberson
or James McGill. The woman who accused Roberson of sexual assault
said the incident occurred in McGill’s room.
“No, you can’t be mad at them,” Houchin said.
“It was their senior year, and they were on a bowl trip.
There’s no doubt they would have been ready to play in the
ballgame when that time came had everything else not
happened.”
Jeffrey Parson
Knight Rider Newspapers (KRT)