In aday and age where winning is all that matters, behind-the-scenes antics surround the NCAA, integrity is often overshadowed by the scoreboard and honest and upright decisions are rarely made, much less noticed.
Joe Paterno and Bobby Petrino have left a sour image of college coaches in the mouths of most fans of college athletics. No one could have imagined either of these respected coaches doing what they did. And just think, these are the only two who happened to get caught.
However, Mississippi State head basketball coach Rick Ray redeemed the image of college coaches last week when he dismissed Shaun Smith and Kristers Zeidaks from the team for repeated violations of team rules. Ray could have  overlooked these violations and continued offseason workouts, but instead, he made a very respectable decision.
In April, Ray took over a team that had just lost Dee Bost, Arnett Moultrie, Renardo Sidney, Rodney Hood and Deville Smith. He hired almost a completely new staff and wasted no time in hitting the recruiting trail.
The MSU roster was thin already when freshman Jacoby Davis, who would have been a candidate for starting point guard this season, tore his ACL. Davis will likely miss the entire 2012-13 season.
So with a thin roster shrinking even more, Ray went right to work to get his team in shape for the season. He held walk-on tryouts to add some bodies to the team, but that very same day, more bad news came. Ray dismissed Smith and Zeidaks from the team.
In a press release, Ray said the two will remain on scholarship and have the same academic support every student-athlete receives.
“This is an unfortunate situation for Shaun, Kris and our team,” Ray said. “However, players must be held accountable for their actions. I wish them the very best moving on with their careers.”
Ray may come under some criticism for this decision, but my response was just the opposite. Yes, I wish Smith and Zeidaks were still on the team for the sole purpose of making the team better. But what an upstanding coach who was willing to put the good of the team over simply winning. He upheld the standards to which he is kept. And these days, that is quite an accomplishment.
We never know actions that go on behind closed doors in college athletics. We can only imagine and hope our team is not involved with them. I am sure plenty of coaches overlook misbehaviors by their players because those guys are needed to better the team.
Especially in an already tough situation such as State’s current position, most coaches would be doing anything and everything to keep players on the team. But Ray showed he is concerned about more than simply his team’s play on the court. He cares about actions off the court, and showed those actions have consequences.
The MSU roster now has just five returning players from last season, but that will not slow down the first-year coach. When the second annual Maroon Madness takes place Friday, Oct. 12, Ray and his guys will be ready to hit the floor practicing.
So, thank you, Rick Ray, for being bold enough to do the right thing, even when it is not fun. What a great example that was not only in the world of sports, but also for everyone outthere making difficult decisions.