[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SALUTE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY VICTORY IN THE NCAA FINAL FOUR

                                 ______


                          HON. SCOTTY BAESLER

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 21, 1996

  Mr. BAESLER. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the great State 
of Kentucky, it is my honor and privilege to rise to salute the 
University of Kentucky basketball team. As you are aware, the U.K. 
Wildcats are the 1996 National champions in college basketball. 
Yesterday, May 20, they were the toast of Washington and feted at the 
White House.
  The University of Kentucky seized the NCAA crown with a combination 
of speed, defensive prowess, unparalleled depth, 3 point accuracy, team 
cohesiveness, and its unblinking poise under incredible pressure.
  The victory in this year's tournament represents the sixth time the 
University of Kentucky has won the top honor in the NCAA basketball 
tournament. This season also puts Kentucky back on top with the most 
all time wins in the annals of college basketball.
  It has often been said that basketball is a religion in the State of 
Kentucky. The skeptics were scarce in the state from the moment the 
team laced up its sneakers for the first time this past season.
  Our fans had good reason to dare to dream. The Wildcats were placed 
on the top of many preseason polls and during the season, they 
vanquished many opposing teams by more than 20 points. The Big Blue 
team came through, and fulfilled the hoop dreams of Wildcat fans, young 
and old, during the NCAA Final Four.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in saluting coach Rick Pitino, 
the members of the U.K. team, both individually and collective, the 
citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the fans of U.K. 
basketball everywhere.

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