The marriage between Trustee Joel Ferguson and the MSU community is officially over. The Lansing native and MSU alumnus has lost the rings.

Well, he might have given them away.

Although he doesn't believe his 1990 John Hancock and 1993 Liberty bowl rings have been stolen, it seems the long-time trustee doesn't remember how he parted ways with his football trophies.

In addition, Ferguson said he has no clue how his rings found their way to auction on the eBay Web site.

Ferguson was first elected to MSU's governing board in 1986. His latest term ends Jan. 1, 2005.

University officials, such as trustees, usually receive trophy rings free of charge when MSU's football team competes in a bowl game. Bowl-game profits are used to pay for the rings, which also are given to coaches and players, university officials said.

But Ferguson lost possession of his two Spartan trophies, and they landed in the hands of Lansing-based jeweler Angelo DiMeo, who said he put them up for auction on eBay on a whim. His asking price? A cool $1,400 - each.

DiMeo wouldn't tell The State News how he came to possess the rings.

The whole ordeal is shady. An MSU trustee's bowl rings find their way to auction on eBay. He isn't sure how they left his possession other then the possibility he might have given them away. And the jeweler who is selling them won't say how he landed the Spartan trophies.

But aside from the fishy odor emitted by the situation, Ferguson's blatant neglect for his MSU memorabilia is a slap in the face to the university - its fans, athletes and coaches - and the people who elected him to MSU's governing board.

If Ferguson doesn't care to wear the jewelry, he could display the trophies on a shelf. Or, if he didn't want them to collect dust, he could have just told the university to save its money. Either option would had been far more respectful.