UA's Michael Bates in the 200 meter at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Handout photoLeaving the UA football team after two years to concentrate on the 1992 Barcelona Olympics (he won a bronze medal in the 200 meters), Bates did not commit to the NFL enough to suit scouts. Cardinals scouting director George Boone said football “is not sitting in a sailboat, cruising around a lake.” Bates went on to be a five-time Pro Bowl special-teams player.
Life after football: Bates returned to Tucson and works as a physical trainer.
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