[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 142 (Saturday, October 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2021]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE DISTINGUISHED CAREER OF JAMES ``BOOTS'' DONNELLY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 9, 1998

  Mr. GORDON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate James ``Boots'' 
Donnelly on a successful career as head coach of the Middle Tennessee 
State University football team.
  Boots' 22-year career record as a collegiate head coach stands at 
151-92-1. He recently announced he will be stepping down at the end of 
the 1998 season, after a 20 year career as head football coach at MTSU, 
his alma mater.
  Boots' record and awards are impressive: the eighth winningest coach 
in Division 1-AA history, 1997 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame inductee, 
recorded 12 straight winning seasons between 1981 and 1992, four Ohio 
Valley Conference championships, 10 national top 25 finishes and five 
Coach of the Year awards. Fourteen of Boots' players have gone on to 
play in the National Football League.
  MTSU has Boots to thank for the opportunity to begin Division 1-A 
play in 1999.
  The hallmark of Boots' success has been his interaction with his 
players. When recruiting players, he not only assessed their athletic 
ability, but also their character, integrity and intelligence. Once a 
recruit joined the Blue Raiders, Boots taught him the importance of 
team spirit and discipline, traits that would remain with the player 
throughout his life. He has always had the respect and admiration of 
his players and assistant coaches.
  Boots is a keen judge of character. He knows to stay away from people 
with ``big hats and no cattle'' and those who can ``find a bone in ice 
cream.''
  His teams were always well-prepared and disciplined. When game time 
came, they ``stepped up to the licking block, stayed in the buggy when 
the horse rared up and never spit on the bit.''
  Although Boots always desired to win, and usually did, he took loses 
with his usual good humor. He understood that ``sometimes you get the 
chicken, and sometimes you get the feathers.''
  Again, Boots, congratulations on 22 years as a winning collegiate 
head football coach. Thank you for the contributions you have made to 
your players, fans and the MTSU community.

                          ____________________