Greg Bailey NewsChannel 36 Sports Director

Coast Guard officials have done everything they can do. And late Tuesday they decided they could do no more. The three missing boaters in Florida are now considered "lost at sea."

I ask you to bear with me while I reflect on one of the young football players who won't be coming home.

University of Washington football is king in Seattle. It's been that way for the last 50 years. Sure, pro sports came to town and every pro team has taken a turn, but UW football is the soul of the Seattle sports scene. Marquis Cooper is one of the Huskies that everyone remembers and everyone likes. I'll use the present tense even though Coast Guard officials have given up searching for Cooper, former N.C. State lineman Corey Smith and former South Florida football player William Bleakley.

I met Marquis when he played linebacker for Washington. Later, I met his dad, Bruce, when I covered Mariners spring training in Arizona. Bruce Cooper has been a sportscaster in Arizona for years. Maybe you saw him on NewsChannel 36 the week the Panthers played the Cardinals in the playoffs. "Coop" is always glad to help, and he chipped in with some "Arizona perspective" to help us set the stage for the game. In a business that's not always so giving, Bruce will do anything for you, and he always does it with a smile. His son is the same way.

The week of that playoff game I called Bruce to ask him for a favor with our coverage. I also asked about his son, Marquis. Bruce shared thoughts that every father has, hoping that his son was giving his life in the NFL his best shot. I told Bruce then that Marquis is one of my favorites from my time in Seattle. I also reminded him that Marquis has a head on his shoulders that most young people don't have. I didn't think much about it then, but I'm glad I said it now.

Marquis played linebacker for some good Washington teams and some UW teams that struggled. He was one of the few who always treated people like me the same way, win or lose. He answered questions with thought and perspective, and that's not an easy thing for teenagers learning to deal with media coverage for the first time. And he always managed a smile.

That's what everybody who knows Marquis is talking about -- his smile and easy laugh. He's also a heck of a player -- a little thin, but fast and athletic. I was standing in the end zone at the Sun Bowl when he picked off a pass against Purdue and returned it for a touchdown. I could see him smile through his facemask and laughed a little as I noted the play on my stat sheet.

Cooper went on to a journeyman career in the NFL. He has signed to play for the Raiders this year. I bet he would love fishing in California, too. He's always loved to fish, and I bet he was having a great time on this excursion before his boat ran into trouble.

The best part of my job is all the great people you get to meet. Now, I'm thinking about one of my favorites. Sometime we'll shift to the past tense when I talk about Marquis Cooper. But not now. Not yet.

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