Ellenberger’s Return : Former New Mexico Basketball Coach Pays Visit to the Scene of the Scandal That Drove Him Out

They came to watch two teams battling to remain contenders in a tight Western Athletic Conference basketball race. They were there to witness the renewal of one of the fiercest rivalries in the West.

But for many in the overflow crowd of 18,150 that packed the Pit here Monday night on the campus of the University of New Mexico, it was a chance to relive Lobo basketball’s prime-time past.

Norm Ellenberger always brought out the most in New Mexico fans.

The former Lobo coach, who lost his job in a 1979 recruiting scandal, returned to Albuquerque as a volunteer assistant to Coach Don Haskins of Texas El Paso.

It was Ellenberger’s first court-side appearance in Albuquerque in seven years. At UTEP, he is trying to make a comeback and erase the memory of the transcript-altering scandal that cost him his job and a seemingly bright future in coaching.

UTEP and New Mexico were tied for third place in the WAC going into the game, both trying to stay on the heels of league-leader Brigham Young. But at least for one day, the game was overshadowed by Ellenberger’s return to the arena where he orchestrated 134 victories in 7 seasons and took New Mexico’s basketball program to national prominence.

One of the Albuquerque newspapers featured Ellenberger in a front-page story on game day, and fans began arriving two hours before tipoff for what one called “the spectacle.”

As the pregame minutes dwindled away, the crowd and anticipation grew. And when Ellenberger came into view halfway down the tunnel that leads into University Arena--the Pit--the pros and cons of Ellenberger’s past resurfaced in a deafening crescendo of cheers and boos.

Ellenberger, a fashion shadow from the days when turquoise jewelry and long hair were part of his calling card, trailed the imposing Haskins onto the court. The turquoise and long sideburns have given way to gray suits and a receding hairline.

Fans reached over the tunnel’s railing to applaud Ellenberger, and in the midst of the inevitable boos, a banner in the student section proclaimed: “Welcome Back Norm.”

By the time Ellenberger reached the Miners’ bench, he had shaken enough hands to run for office.

“I wasn’t scared,” Ellenberger said later of his sold-out appearance. “I’d been down there enough times to know what to expect, and I wasn’t disappointed.”

But at the same time, he tried to downplay his part in the drama.

“It’s the same old Pit,” he said. “But whether it’s here or New Mexico State or elsewhere, it’s just great to have the opportunity.”

Ellenberger had said before the game that he expected some negative reaction, and “would be disappointed” if the New Mexico fans who once cheered him didn’t boo him now that he’s in an enemy camp.

But there are fans who remain convinced that Ellenberger’s heart will always be in Albuquerque.

“He said he wanted to come back and help UTEP kick New Mexico’s butt,” said state Sen. Manny Aragon, an ardent Lobo fan. “I don’t believe that’s in his heart. There he’s being more Norm Ellenberger the coach than Norm Ellenberger the man.”

A colorful, sometimes controversial, but never dull individual during his coaching days at New Mexico, Ellenberger always drew strong reactions. In that sense, nothing has changed.

“Norm Ellenberger helped build this place, and I think anyone is entitled to another chance,” Aragon said.

Don Perkins, former New Mexico and Dallas Cowboy running back, agreed with the forgive-and-forget theme that drew many of the fans to Monday’s game.

“I think it’s a bad rap that he hasn’t been able to get back into coaching,” Perkins said. “To banish him for what he did seems a little harsh.”

Ellenberger’s flamboyant, vocal nature often has been contrasted to the low-key coaching tactics of Gary Colson, his successor. Colson fans tend to dislike Ellenberger and vice versa.

“Colson took this program out of the dumps and made it highly respectable,” said one fan who asked to remain anonymous. “Gary isn’t flashy, and he never will be, but that puts him in a bad situation here.”

As if to emphasize the Ellenberger-Colson contrast, a UTEP turnover midway through the second half brought Ellenberger off the bench. Ten years ago, it would have triggered a foot-stomping tirade. But this time, remembering that “this is Haskins’ show,” Ellenberger pirouetted quietly back to his chair.

In the end, Ellenberger’s much-hyped comeback had to share the night with an impressive, pressure-filled New Mexico victory that kept the Lobos in the picture for the school’s first NCAA tournament bid since 1978, when Ellenberger led the school to a 24-4 record and a top-10 national ranking.

But as Connie Parker, a season ticket-holder since the early 1960s noted, this was not just another game. “Having him here brought back the electricity to the Pit,” she said. “It’s been gone ever since he left.”