The Michigan Daily - Friday, December 4, 1998-13
Steinberg stresses role model values
in new book about sports agents
By T.J. Berka
Daily Sports Writer
In a few months, Michigan football
players such as Tai Streets, Sam Sword and
Marcus Ray will be in front of their televi-
sion sets, watching the NFL Draft and won-
dering where and when they will be select-
ed.
Sports agent Leigh Steinberg has dealt
with many players in that situation. But
usually, his players know where they are
going before the first commerical break.
Steinberg has represented six of the past 10
top draft picks, including Troy Aikman and
Ki-Jana Carter.
Although Steinberg gets his share of
studs, he also takes a look at how the play-
ers will interact in the community. In his
new book, "Winning with Integrity,"
Steinberg goes over his approach to being
an agent, adding anecdotes to boot.
"We only pick athletes who understand
the process of role modeling," Steinberg
said. "We want athletes who will trace back
their roots to high school, college and the
professional ranks and who will help those
communities in the same way that the com-
munities helped them."
While Steinberg talked about morals
and values in athletes, he also said that ath-
letes who ran into problems in college
aren't necessarily in bad shape.
For players such as Ray, who was sus-
pended for six games for receiving improp-
er benefits from an agent, there is ample
opportunity to reassert themselves for the
draft.
The NFL Draft "is a projection for the
next 10 to 12 years, not a merit badge for
conspicous college activities," Steinberg
said.
College prospects get their professional
merit badges from three different tests,
starting with regular season games, contin-
uing through bowl and all-star games and
ending with the predraft combines.
The combines are the human version of
a meat market, as athletes are poked, prod-
ded and subject to various tests of strength.
speed and flexibility.
"Senior workout days are when players
mbteorically rise and fall throughout the
draft," Steinberg said. "For example, the
prospects of a wide receiver or a defensive
back depend on their 40-yard dash times"
In that case. Streets better wear Ois
lucky shoes, or at least be sure not to eat an
excessive turkey dinner hours before he has
to run.
Steinberg also expressed an opinion on a
problem which runs rampant on college
campuses - players who take benefits
from agents while still in school. Steinberg
said that there is no reason that a player
should have time to deal with agents.
"There isn't a great need for players to
interact with agents in college," Steinberg
said. "Players have to deal with school, ath-
letics and social life before even thinking
about dealing with agents. Besides, most
players that become too obsessed with the
NFL tend to play at a lower level.
Tal Streets has
made a lot of key
*catches this sea-
son for the
Wolverines, but
hIs NFL draft sta-
tus may rely
more on the
speed of his feet
than the skill of
his hands.
WARREN ZINN/gaily
'exas tailback Williams is Heisman favorite for all finalists
:Quarterback
The Associated Press
trio of McNown, Bishop and Couch to join Longhorn in New York
r Who will win the Heisman Trophy?
Just ask three of the Heisman's final four, who
say it's no contest: Ricky Williams in a runaway.
"As many times as he carries the ball, he's just
as strong in the fourth quarter as he is in the first
quarter," Kentucky's Tim Couch said. "He's an
amazing player. I'd give him my vote."
So would Kansas State's Michael Bishop and
UCLA's Cade McNown, who along with Williams
and Couch were invited Wednesday to New York
for the Heisman presentation on Dec. 12.
Williams +had a tough time making a choice,
but that may have been because he was the final
layer to answer the question posed during a con-
erence call.
"I don't think I could pick one person,"
Williams, Division I-A's career rushing record
holder with 6,279 yards said. "We played against
Katnsas State and UCLA and they both tore our
defense apart.
"Cade would check at the line, drop back and
the next thing you knew the crowd was going wild
and they had touchdown. Against Michael, he'd go
back on a third-and-15 and throw a bomb or
scramble. It was kind of frustrating to sit there and
watch.
"Tim, he just put up great numbers."
Williams, who ran for 2,124 yards this season,
topped Tony Dorsett's record of 6,082 career yards
during last week's 26-24 win over Texas A&M.
Needing 11 yards for the mark, he went 60 for a
first-quarter touchdown, breaking a tackle at the
line of scrimmage and then carrying a defensive
back into the end zone.
"He did a great job, had great numbers and
broke that record. You have to give him his
respect," Bishop said. "If I had a vote, it would go
to Ricky."
McNown, who has met Williams on several
occasions, said the running back was the main rea-
son the Longhorns went 8-3 in coach Mack
Brown's first season.
"I think he's trying to put it on the rest of the
team, but they asked him to carry the load and he
The Heisman Trophy's
final four
__a
._b r
II'iL %. Y' -
/.
dersy
i
i.
:
Player
Michael Bishop
Tim Couch
Cade McNown
Ricky Williams
Team
Kansas State
Kentucky
UCLA
Texas
Position
Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback
Running back
t
.,
. .
responded,"
McNown said. "When teams focused on him,
he managed to break off long runs. There are not
too many guys who are more valuable to their
team than Ricky.
"I'd put Ricky up there."
The contenders have spoken.
Now, it's the voters' turn.
If the reactions of
his competitors
are any indica-
tion, Ricky may
carry a Heisman
Trophy back from7
New York City
next weekend.
AP PHOTO
.--ImmmmlLri i
4CERS
onnued from Page 12.
is the only one on the schedule for this
weekend.
So Miami can spend all of its energy,
since it has just one game this weekend.
And Bowling Green will be able to kick
back with the remote control today and
enter tomorrow's game against the
Wolverines refreshed.
Mazzoleni doesn't see it as that much
*an advantage, though.
"Our full energy is always (focused
on) the first night,' Mazzoleni said.
"We're going to approach this as if
we're playing on Saturday also"
Tomorrow, Michigan must beware of
a Bowling Green team that outplayed it
in the teams' first encounter, Oct. 30 -
a 5-2 Michigan victory at Yost Ice
Arena.
"They're going to be real hungry for
," Michigan's Dale Rominski. "They
obably believe that they should've
walked out of here with a victory, and
we took it away from them."
After a devastating, turmoil-filled
1997 season, the Falcons have rebound-
ed.
Before the season started, Bowling
Green coach Buddy Powers vowed to
prove that last year "was an aberration,"
and that '98 would be different.
So far it has. The Falcons have com-
piled a 5-5-1 CCHA record, and could
start to pick themselves up from con-
ference mediocrity with an emotional
victory over Michigan tomorrow night.
"Anytime they play Michigan, they'll
have a good game,' Berenson predict-
ed. "It's another Michigan-Bowling
Green game."
And if the RedHawks and Falcons
take it to Michigan in the upcoming
ames, this weekend could be for the
irds.
READ
SPORTSMONDAY
AND FIND OUT
WHERE THE
MICHIGAN
FOOTBALL TEAM
WILL BE ON
JAN. I.
___ __ ___ __ ___ __ __ * " -- - . -
IY
*1
DAVID ROCHKIND/ Daily
Geoff Koch and the Michigan hockey team get to tour the scenic Buckeye State this
weekend, as they travel to Ohio to play Miami and Bowling Green.
SCORE WITH
MADE-TO-ORDER SUBS!
What do you do with an after-game hunger that's as big as the
stadium? Bring it to BLIMPIE! We stack our subs and salads with
enough fresh-prepared meats, cheeses and veggies to satisfy even the
most ravenous appetites. And with our
subs and combo meals, there's no
tastier way to fill up fast.
Come to BLIMPIE® today!
.........- ...........------ -- -
6" Sub Sandwich, $3.99
' 22oz. Drink and Chips
Please present this coupon before ordering. Not valid if altered or duplicated. One order per coupon. One
I coupon per customer per visit. customer must pay any sales tax due. Not good in combination with any
other offer. Cash value 1 /100 of 1ic.1
I Offer expires 12/31/98 Offer good at:
113 E. Liberty St. * 741-2567
Caw Ifmo (04 Cfvdaitnuw
Camnpuo Chapdt C[A6
&Eposation jaait& and tReaoam
N 6 f Soudt L and ge t
SIVc30
snidptwa &taw.
69VAf"i Sund4
' 4 wl ril l l Ol ll r i I
ETA
KAPPA NU ASSOCIATION
The Eta Kappa Nu Association is the International Honor Society for Electrical and
Computer Engineers. Outstanding persons elect to Eta Kappa Nu primarily from the junior
and senior classes, but also from graduate school. Eligibility depends on marked ability, as;
evidenced by scholarship, personal character, useful voluntary services, and distinguished
accomplishments, all of ich indicate that the candidate will be or is a success in his or
her profession. Eta Kappa Nu members are marked people, sought after by the best com-
panies for employment.
We, the officers of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Eta Kappa Nu at the University of
Michigan, would like to congratulate the following students for meeting the membership
requirements and completing the initiation process, thus becoming active members of Eta
Kappa Nu:
:. ::::- 4
"t
4
#y
.I