Found: A physician friend of the Nelsons speaks out

I know, the Riley Nelson story has been beat like a horse a long time turned to bones.

I am taking a short vacation up Hobble Creek Canyon. I do get spotty wireless, so I’ll try delivering this blog from my campsite.

This is an interesting letter sent to the publisher (Jim Wall) of the Deseret News from a physician who knows Riley Nelson and his father, Dr. Keith Nelson. In this respect, it is interesting to see some details as explained by this orthopedic surgeon, background Dr. Nelson has not spoken publicly about, but has been hinted at on the Internet and about the state for months. This is not my take, but that of the letter writer with his spelling of names of former coaches.

Here is the full text of the letter. The gist of it is that the Nelsons have been very loyal to Utah State but the loyalty has allegedly not been returned because of cost cutting measures by the athletic department. It also points out, as a reminder, Riley Nelson’s first athletic scholarship came from BYU, not USU, since he was on an academic grant in aid his first year (grayshirting).

Here you go. The question I pose in posting this letter is does this add something to this story that is more than a week old? Or does it prolong to an already emotionally charged debate on the issue?

Dear Editor:

Riley Nelson is a talented and loyal young man who has recently accepted his first university scholarship. This obligation, made to BYU, will begin in spring 2009, and will be renewed yearly as merited, as the case with all football players.

Riley and BYU have been criticized in recent Herald Journal editorials and radio talk shows. The criticisms range from an implied lack of sense of team and community loyalty on the part of Riley, to improper recruitment on the part of BYU.

I am much too familiar with (1) the Nelson family, especially Riley, (2) the politics of the Utah State athletic department; and (3) the compromised USU Sports Medicine Department, to remain silent. A problem exists, but Riley’s departure form USU is only a symptom of a flawed USU athletic policy.

The purpose of this letter is to support the impeccable character of Riley Nelson, and to encourage a change-in-conduct of a shortsighted USU athletic administration.

Riley Nelson played football for USU (2006) without a football scholarship. Riley turned down a scholarship offer from U of U and a pending offer from BYU. Instead, because of his loyalty to Logan, USU, and the Nelson/USU legacy, Riley agreed with coach (Brent) Guy to play for USU after he returned from his LDS mission.

Riley accepted an academic scholarship with a 3.93 GPA for 2006. In the fall of 2006 a promising quarterback, Jereme Walker, was dismissed from the USU team. Coach Guy then asked Riley to back up Leon Jackson, and the rest is USU football history.

Riley gave up a year of eligibility to support the immediate need of USU, and play in the last seven games of the season. He was never supported by an athletic scholarship because all 25 scholarships were already given out. In March, 2007, Riley left for an LDS mission in Spain.

There exists much more than is apparent to Riley Nelson’s deep sense of loyalty. At the same time that USU was recruiting Riley, the USU athletic department was replacing the team orthopedic physician, Keith Nelson (Riley’s father), with Logan Regional Hospital. Keith Nelson and Alpine Orthopedic Specialists, had served USU for the past eight years in the capacity of “Team Physicians.” Keith and the Alpine group, offered four fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons and many years experience caring for University athletics. Logan Regional Hospital offered ER physicians, three orthopedic surgeons (good men but they have no university athletic experience) and $160,000 in support of their RFP. In April 2006, Keith was fired. I inquired as to the reason and I was told, “the athletic department needs money.”

What about the years of service by Keith Nelson, and three previous generations of “Nelson’s” (i.e. Nelson Fieldhouse)? Is that dedication worth anything to USU? Does 80 years of devotion have any value to USU decision makers? I can tell you that in the world of business, relationship development and maintenance is crucial to long-term success.

Keith was told he was no longer wanted on the football sidelines (April 2006). Riley, after emotional turmoil, agreed to play for USU. He personally called both BYU and Utah and told them he “belonged in Logan.” Both schools told Riley that he would always be welcome if anything ever changed.

Riley is loyal to a fault. If only the USU athletic administration could learn this character value.

I have waited impatiently for a USU spokesman to take responsibility for their treatment of the Nelson family. It is USU’s habit of short-term immediate “fixes” that has precipitated this misunderstanding of Riley Nelson’s decision to leave USU.

It is not Riley Nelson’s loyalty to USU that should be questioned. It is USU’s disregard for 80 years of Nelson patronage that should alarm anyone who thinks they have dependable relationships with the university’s capricious administration.

The new USU president, Stan Albrecht, appears to me to possess long-range vision regarding academic department staffing and funding. I encourage President Albrecht to apply this stabilizing effort to USU athletic (long-term) policy.

With regard to ever changing university tendencies, I fear for the future of Riley’s former coach, Brent Guy. Brent is a solid man and a steadily improving head coach. He is the kind of man that a patient and wise administration would want to encourage, support and invest in.

In 27 years, I have seen eight football coaches come and go. They leave here usually viewed as failures, as measured by their win-loss record. These ‘bums” are pushed out in order to start fresh…”hire a winner”… and get folks back in the stands. “Bums” like professional coaches: Chris Tabor, Brian Billick, Donnie Henderson, Tom McMahon, Rod Marinelli, Jim Zorn, Art Valero and Mike Waufle. University and assistant coaches Chris Pella, David Reeves, Kent Baer, Charlie Weatherby, Mike Lunce, Bruce Snyder, John L. Smith, Bob Petrino, Jeff Choate, Jeff Hoover, Derrick Odom, Terry Shea, Chris Smeland, Mike Trevathan, Art Valeso, Bob Cole and Al Sunders. All of these USU coaches, who have been pushed out, have gone on to distinguish themselves at other institutions and franchises. When will we ever learn? Riley Nelson’s departure is a symptom of a pernicious athletic program policy that may be designed to always be limited.

The Nelson family and its extended family and friends deserve comment, not silence from USU.

Signed

Dr. Marlowe Goble