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Details of the incident involving Mansel Simmons surfaced when police recommended charges be filed, but we still hadn't heard from Simmons. That changed on Monday when Christian Caple interviewed Simmons over the phone. The entire post -- which can be found here -- is worth a read, but here are a few highlights.
- Simmons is currently in Arizona after he was forced to withdraw from classes following his head injury. He plans to return to WSU this summer and finish his degree.
- Following the incident, Simmons had trouble doing simple things like spelling basic words in text messages, but his condition has improved.
- He is recovering well, although the facial fractures are still healing. It's to the point where Simmons is not allowed to play pickup basketball because of the risk of re-injury.
- As for his take on the incident, here is what Simmons said happened:
Witnesses told police that Simmons and Runner were each being held back by friends. Then Runner allegedly pulled a knife, according to police, but put it away before Simmons broke free and charged at him. Simmons remembers it similarly, with some variation: "There was a fight about to happen with people on my team, and I was trying to stop it. I walked to the guy, the leader pulled a knife out on me and from that point on I was trying to defend myself, and got hit in the face and woke up in the hospital."
A return to football is out of the question, but it's good to see Simmons is recovering well enough that he'll be able to return to school and finish his degree.
Football:
Football gone, but Simmons moves on - Spokesman.com - May 28, 2013
As Washington State’s football program churns through summer workouts without Mansel Simmons, the former receiver is in Phoenix with family and friends and playing a whole lot of Monopoly.
Pac-12 rife with surprise, parity and 2013 won't be any different - Block U
Of any of the major conferences, it seems the Pac-12 is often the most uncertain. Not only does it suffer through bouts parity, it also is known for having an abundance of surprises along the way. In the Pac-12, there might be an idea of what the end result will look like, but generally no one knows the path each team will take to get there.