The football coaching staff was probably thinking the same thing on Saturday, as they went into a game without senior co-captain Marcus Ray. Ray, suspended upon allegations that he had improper contact with a professional sports agent, may miss the rest of the season pending an investigation of the charges.
Problems stemming from relationships between athletes and agents are nothing new in college sports.
What is new are the positive steps that the Michigan state Legislature is taking to prevent such relationships from occurring in the future. This past Thursday, the state House of Representatives passed two bills which, in addition to a third bill passed last May, would help curb illegal contact between agents and student athletes. In addition, the bills would allow universities to declare agents trespassers on campus as well as pursue litigation against them. The bills are expected to pass in the state Senate and receive the endorsement of Gov. John Engler. These bills are both beneficial - and are overdue.