Leonard Washington gives fellow Cowboy Derrious Gilmore a few words of encouragement in the final minutes of the game against Boise State in the Arena Auditorium.
While the Cowgirl basketball team recently defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Arena Auditorium, the Cowboys did not have the same success, losing to the Bulldogs 49-36 while on the road.
Since entering the Mountain West conference season, the Cowboys have seen a decline in their form after being undefeated during their regular season.
With the recent allegations against former star player Luke Martinez, there is one question that seems to be running frequently through the minds of fellow Poke fans and followers:
Will the team be able to persevere despite the loss of Martinez so late in the season?
Losing Martinez was a real kick in the team’s face. But this isn’t the first criminal incident the Cowboys have faced, especially in recent months.
An incident that occurred in April of 2012 left other athletes in a similar position. Leonard Washington faced the most extreme charges after several basketball players admitted to breaking in to a student’s home and proceeding to fight the student.
Washington was charged with criminal entry and battery, according to reports. He pled guilty and was sentenced to a $240 fine and 10 days in jail for the entry charge, and $290 and 21 days in jail for battery.
Aside from the court charges he faced, Washington was indefinitely suspended from the Cowboys team. However, after only a few months, the suspension was lifted prior to the 2012-13 season and Washington was reinstated.
Perhaps he really learned his lesson and cleaned up his act. Or maybe previous decisions were made knowing if the team did not have their full-strength roster, their season would not be as successful, given the seniors they lost from their last season.
The stunt Washington pulled here in Laramie was not the first strike he had during his career. Prior to coming to Wyoming, Washington was a former USC forward. During his freshman year of playing for the team, Washington delivered a low blow to the now famous NBA star Blake Griffin and was immediately ejected from the game. Washington reportedly tried to deny what he had done, but the incident was recorded and posted on the web and has had thousands of views since.
During his sophomore year, Washington began the season on academic suspension. According to reports from ESPN, the team’s new head coach Kevin O’Neill dismissed him by the end of the season. Knowing he had two years of eligibility left, scouts brought him to play for the brown and gold.
If you take a look at the “Athletic Strategic Plan” listed on Wyoming’s athletic website, you will see they list core values they expect out of their athletes. One value in particular states: “Our student-athletes, coaches and staff must uphold a sense of character, honesty and integrity as they serve as University and state ambassadors on a local, regional, national and international level.”
Given the fact that players Washington and Derrious Gilmore, another player involved in the battery incident in April, are still active players on the team, it is questionable what standards UW athletes are really held to. After the multiple chances given to these athletes to become better leaders, it is apparent that they are not role models to be looking up to.
As Martinez’s case continues, it will be interesting to see the final verdict. But if Martinez’s penalties pan out to be as severe as anticipated, the athletic department should reevaluate their ethics to ensure every athlete, even those with criminal records, is held to the standards expressed in their literature.
