The Michigan Daily - Thursday, December 10, 1998 - 15A New bill designed to protect athletes from meddling agents By David Miller The State News (Michigan State University) LANSING (U-WIRE) - Sports agents could be held responsible for the damage they cause to university athletic programs if Gov. John Engler signs a bill sent to his desk Tuesday. By a 95-5 vote, the state House quickly passed the bill, which was approved by the Senate last week with minor revisions: Under the legislation, anyone interfering with university athletic programs would have to pay for damage they cause. For example, a sports agent who persuades an athlete to leave a school would be forced to pay back any scholarship money the school gave the student.. The university also can force a person accused of interfering with athletic programs to testify in court and recover any legal fees incurred in the process. "Right now, the only people not subject to legal action are those that are most culpable, the sports agents and athletic boosters," said state Rep. Kirk Profit, D-Ypsilanti, who sponsored the bill. "This legislation is the first of its kind in Michigan and the strongest in the country." Profit cited the suspension of University of Michigan football player Marcus Ray and the case of booster Ed Martin as examples for why the legislation is needed. "Ed Martin was accused of interfering with the University of Michigan basketball pro- gram and getting (former head basketball coach) Steve Fisher fired," he said. "Under this bill, (Martin) could be ordered to testify." Alvin Arens, a member of a Michigan State faculty committee that deals with ath- lete-agent relations, said the bill looks promising. "It seems reasonable to me since it's already a violation of NCAA rules," Arens said. ."It's a real problem and something the ath- letic department has been trying hard to edu- cate the athletes about." But support for the bill was not unani- mous. State Rep. Judith Scranton, R- Brighton, who voted against the bill, said it is useless. "If someone presents a problem to the uni- versity, they have a right to get a prosecutor,' Scranton said. "The universities need to tako care of themselves, we don't need to givo them a cop-out." Scranton said the bill absolves athletes of responsibility. "If the athletes muck up, they ought to lose their scholarship and leave the athletic pro- gram," she said. The bill also poses a threat to free speech, Scranton said. "They'll be able to keep people off cam- pus," she said. "They can push off whoever they want. If I'm trying to persuade someone to go to another college, they could call me a lobbyist and threaten me." 10fth year senior and cocaptain Marcus Ray suf- fered a seven tgain suspension for accepting gifts froma sports agent. WARREN ZINN/Daily .pumer iakes his return to ii Jainy Elsenberg lpdependent Florida Alligator R!GAINESVILLE, Fla. (U-WIRE) - Pfen though it was 32 years ago, Saeve Spurner remembers the game wgll. It wad Jan. 1, 1967, and Spurrier was a senior quarterback for the tors. Otorida was playing Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl, and Spurrier was &"ming off a Heisman Trophy-win- 4lng season. The game was far from purrier's best, but it was enough for thb unranked Gators to upset No. 8 41orgia Tech 27-12. 'l played so-so," said Spurrier, who }has 14 of 30 for 160 yards and one ipterception. "It wasn't anything spec- tacular, but it was a good, solid victo- *or us. I think it was the first major l$owI game Florida had ever won up to thiat point. It was exciting." "The win was Florida's first major b4Wl victory, as the Gators only had won three Gator Bowls prior to that Orange Bowl game. Thirty-two years later, No. 7 Florida is playing in the Orange Bowl again on Jan. 2. This time the opponent is No. 18 acuse. The Orangemen have ed in only two Orange Bowls, los- ing against Alabama in 1953 and against Oklahoma in 1959. Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni never has taken his team to the Orange Bowl but said that has always been his goal. Miami was usually in the way. But after beating the Hurricanes 66-13 on Nov. 28, Syracuse won the Big East and earned its chance. "Everyone here in central New York i -xtremely excited to play in this Wtigious bowl," Pasqualoni said. "Our team has worked over the years to try and get back to the Orange Bowl. Over the years, we haven't been able to get that done. I feel fortunate to be coming there now." Florida and Syracuse also have a lit- tle, history. The Gators beat Syracuse 16-0 in Gainesville in 1984, and Pasqualoni's team won against rriers at Syracuse in 1991. purrier also. remembered that gane well. He said Florida was com- ing off a 35-0 win against Alabama the week before and was slightly overcon- fident. It was the only regular-season loss for the Gators that year. "We got clobbered up there," Spurrier said. "We're still smarting about that. No, they played extremely well. "We got full of ourselves the week bore, and we thought we were hot stuff down here like sometimes we do. ;Syracuse just flat beat us every way. I'm going to try my best to get 1-1 with Paul Pasqualoni." We practice safe course packs! Y t. 4 Dat's impressive - Nguyen wins LOUIS BROWN/Doaily Michigan Governor John Engler must wear Arkansas paraphenalla if the Razorbacks defeat Michigan In the Citrus Bowl, the result of a bet made with Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Engler backsc Blue i friendly wager Michigan governor banking on history HOUSTON (AP) - The smallest guy on the dais walked off with the big prize. Linebacker Dat Nguyen, Texas A&M's career tackles leader despite his 5-foot-11, 221-pound size, was named winner Tuesday night of the 29th annu- al Lombardi Award as the nation's top collegiate lineman. Nguyen beat Ohio State linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer (6-4, 265), Wisconsin tackle Aaron Gibson (6-7, 370) and Georgia tackle Matt Stinchcomb (6-6, 295) for the honor. "You take all the positive adjectives used to describe a person and they all fit Dat Nguyen," Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum said. "What he' has done in football and how he has handled the success is amazing." Nguyen, the smallest of the finalists, had 517 career tackles with the Aggies, including 17 in last week's 36-33 upset of Kansas State in the Big 12 champi- onship game. "Dat plays the game at such a high level because of his desire and instincts," Slocum said. "He has an uncanny eye to know where the ball is going. He's not a player who has a good game this week and not next. He has great games every week." Nguyen will play his final college game Jan. 1 against Katzenmoyer and Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. "It's an honor to be here and repre- sent my school and my teammates," Nguyen said. "I don't like to be singled out. I came to A&M because of the Wrecking Crew defense. I didn't do this by myself." Nguyen was disenchanted when he first arrived at A&M because he didn't get to play immediately. But once he AP PHOTO Dat Nguyen won the Lombardi Award for the nation's best linebacker, probably because he has the coolest name of all of the finalists. got on the field, the Aggies knew thev had a player. "To be honest we didn't know how good he was," Slocum said. "We knew he was good because we gave him a scholarship but early that first year we put him in a game and figured that this guy is pretty good." Nguyen has had to overcome more obstacles than his smallish frame. Dat's parents fled Vietnam in 1975 with his five brothers and sisters and Dat, the sixth child, on the way. Nguyen was born in a refugee camp in Arkansas before the family moved to Texas and Nguyen gave up soccer to play football. "I do a lot of work with kids now, try- ing to give back because everyone was so helOful to my parents when they came to this country,' Nguyen said. "I think that is what you are supposed to do." Gibson, among the nation's biggest linemen,' holds Wisconsin weight room records with a 745-pound squat. Katzenmoyer was a finalist for the Lombardi last year as a sophomore. He's been a mainstay this season for the Buckeyes, who were ranked No. 1 most of the season until beaten by Michigan State. Stinchcomb missed the dinner because he was in New York for the Hall of Fame dinner to accept an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. He carried a 3.94 grade-point average into his senior season. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -The governors of Arkansas and Michigan are placing their personal appear- ances on the line in a bet on the Citrus Bowl. Arkansas and Michigan are to meet in the bowl on New Year's Day, and it will be the first-ever matchup between the two teams. Arkansas (9- 2) is ranked No. 11, and Michigan (9- 3) is ranked No. 15. If Michigan wins,.Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee must wear a Wolverine sweatshirt and hat the next day. If Arkansas wins, Michigan Gov. John Engler must wear a Razorback sweatshirt and Hog hat the next day, which happens to be filled with inau- gural events. Huckabee spokesman Jim Harris said Engler agreed to wear the Hog outfit at one of his inaugural recep- tions, if Engler loses the bet. But Engler spokesman John Truscott said Huckabee should beware - Engler has taken such challenges in the past and come out on top. Ohio Gov. George Voinovich had to wear a Michigan jersey after Michigan defeated Ohio State, and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge had to ride the Zamboni around Joe Louis wearing a Red Wings jersey after Detroit beat Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup finals. "So we have a long and distin- guished history of beating up on other governors and look forward to extending that record," Truscott said. Huckabee issued the challenge Tuesday, and Engler accepted, Harris said. Both are Republicans. Huckabee said he also is sending Engler a Christmas gift of Petit Jean peppered ham, a hickory-smoked bacon from Morrilton, plus a sack of lemons in honor of the Citrus Bowl and "to prepare him for the bitter taste of defeat." Truscott said Engler has only one package planned- "a blue and gold sweatshirt and hat. We'd overnight that if we had to." I VS. MICHIGAN STATE Friday, December 11th 7:30 p.m. CRISLER ARENA Tickets can be purchased at the door. $5 Adults $3 Youth 18 and under /Adults 55 and over I LAA CSrants Fra Mi in 1r