Nero stung by death of Wheeler

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2001 | 10:15 a.m.

UNLV starting wide receiver Bobby Nero had been looking forward to seeing an old friend and high school rival when Northwestern visits Sam Boyd Stadium on Friday night.

Then, on Aug. 3, Wildcat strong safety Rashidi Wheeler collapsed and died of an asthma attack during summer conditioning drills in Evanston, Ill.

"When I first heard the news of what had happened ... you don't believe it the first time you hear it," Nero said before Monday night's practice at Rebel park. "The second time you hear it, you still don't believe it. It really didn't sink in until I saw it in the newspapers."

Nero's Chino High School squad and Wheeler's La Verne Damien High School teams battled each other in the Baseline League, comprised mainly of schools in the San Gabriel Valley, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles.

"Rashidi also ran track, so we went against each other in that sport as well as football my sophomore, junior and senior years," Nero said. "I never really lined up head-to-head against him on the football field because he played more on the interior at linebacker or strong safety. I was usually on the outside blazing right by him. In track, I remember he was on their 4x100 relay team. I think he ran the third leg and I ran the anchor.

"I could clown around with Rashidi. We knew each other. We always talked. Him and Damian Allen (UCLA) and Brian Allen (Stanford). ... It's just a shame what happened."

Nero said he hadn't spoken with Wheeler since his senior year in 1997.

"I didn't really know until about a month before the start of fall camp that he was still at Northwestern," he said. "And when I found out, it kind of really got me pumped up for the game. It's fun to play games against your friends."

Nero said he was unaware that Wheeler suffered from asthma.

"Nowadays, asthma is not that big of a deal," Nero said. "There's probably 10 or 11 guys on our team who have asthma but you wouldn't know it by the way they practice and play."

Nero was asked if he might wear some sort of tribute to Wheeler, such as his initials or his No. 30 on a wristband, during Friday's game.

"Nah, I'll just keep him in my heart and say a few prayers for him and his family," he said. "It's tough, especially since he was my age. That's what really scares me. You just never know."

Haro, who played cornerback last year, entered the season second on the depth chart behind senior Jabari Johnson, who was held to 26 yards on 13 carries by the Hogs.

"(Haro) has earned that job," Robinson said. "He came into a game when it wasn't easy. We all were in a state of shock about the way things were going offensively. You need somebody to stand up and say, 'OK, I will be the guy.' And Joe did."

"We blew it," Robinson said. "God, it's a horrible thing to have to say about your team and yourself. ... We should have gone in there and won that game."

Robinson was candid about the poor showing of quarterback Jason Thomas, who called the game the worst of his entire football career.

"I've never been in a situation before where our leader, our star player, was almost nonexistent," Robinson said. "He prepared very well. A lot of people thought he was the most improved player on our team in the preseason. (But) he could hardly hold onto the ball. ... He started to press. He felt like the game was his responsibility. He was just determined he was going to right it in some manner. He wasn't going to.

"Hell, he didn't throw a spiral all night."