Song may promote excessive drinking

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Could the New Mexico State University fight song be the most politically incorrect in the country?

Some alumni say so, and are lobbying for a change.

The song includes the line: "And when we win this game we'll buy a keg of booze and drink it to the Aggies 'til we wobble in our shoes."

There is a perception the song promotes excessive drinking, the alumni magazine said.

"The last few years, we've had some alumni say that New Mexico is one of the worst states in the nation for driving while intoxicated," said Debbie Widger, alumni relations director. "Earlier this year, we attended an alumni function in Denver, where once again the topic was raised.

"So based on that, the question is, 'OK, do we want to change it or not?' We're taking the question to alumni, and if they want us to change it we'll change it."

Widger said research would be needed to determine when the song was written, but said, "We've been told by some alumni that they remembered singing the song in the late 1930s."

Widger said there's been "pretty strong opposition" to changing the song from some younger alumni.

"What threw me is that when they were asked if they knew the words to the fight song, they knew every single word of it," she said.

New Mexico State is the state's land-grant institution, with more than 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students on the main campus in Las Cruces and four branch campuses.

Man leaves phone behind after robbery

The Associated Press

CANONSBURG, Pa. -- Police arrested a man who left his cell phone behind after an alleged gas station robbery.

Terrance Triplett, 22, of Mount Oliver, was charged with robbing a Sunoco station Tuesday. He was jailed on robbery, theft, conspiracy and other charges. It could not be immediately determined if he had an attorney.

Authorities said Triplett was with another man -- whose name was not released -- when the other man pointed a gun at the clerk, who handed over money from the cash register and his wallet.

Police said they found a cell phone, left behind as the robbers ran away, and they traced it to Triplett.