[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S477-S478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS FOOTBALL TEAM ON
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 21,
submitted earlier today by Senators Frist and Thompson.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 21) congratulating the University of
Tennessee Volunteers Football Team on winning the 1998
National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A
football championship.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the resolution?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I rise to
acknowledge another NCAA National Championship for the University of
Tennessee. Last year, I had the opportunity to congratulate the
Tennessee Lady Vols on their third straight national women's basketball
title, but just two weeks ago, the University of Tennessee Volunteer
football team defeated the Seminoles of Florida State University in the
Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona to become the undisputed champions of
college football.
It was a perfect ending to a perfect season; a season of thirteen
wins and zero losses; a season in which this national championship team
pulled together to overcome tremendous adversity, including the loss of
key starters to the National Football League, the loss of a Heisman
Trophy candidate to a season-ending injury, and arguably the most
challenging schedule in collegiate football, to attain the national
title.
Today, along with my fellow Volunteer fan, Senator Thompson, I
introduce this sense-of-the-Senate resolution recognizing the
University of Tennessee Volunteers for their commitment to excellence,
for their dedication, for their selflessness, and for their
sportsmanship throughout the 1998 football season.
Mr. President, I, along with my fellow Tennesseans, watched with
pride as the Volunteers marched their way through the 1998 football
season setting numerous school records, Southeastern Conference
records, and NCAA records. For players, coaches, and fans, it was
indeed a remarkable season full of excitement, anxiety, and joy. From
Jeff Hall's last-second field goal in the opening game to defeat
Syracuse to Peerless Price's spectacular touchdown receptions against
Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl, the Vols proved again and again that
they can delivery in the clutch in a manner befitting a champion.
Throughout the year, the Volunteers functioned as a cohesive unit,
rather than relying on only a few star players. Tennessee Coach Phillip
Fulmer, the winningest active coach in college football, put it best
when he said, ``It's been an unbelievable effort. * * * It's amazing
what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.'' Truly
a testament to the selflessness and determination of this national
championship team.
In closing, I would like to congratulate the team, Coach Fulmer, his
assistant coaches, and the outstanding faculty and staff of the
Univesity of Tennessee, all of whom contributed to this championship
season. Finally, I would like to recognize the most important group,
the group in which I am honored to be included, the Tennessee Volunteer
fans.
Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the
outstanding accomplishment of the University of Tennessee Volunteers in
capturing the national collegiate football championship. And I ask my
colleagues to join me in formally congratulating the Tennessee Vols.
On January 4th, I joined fellow Tennesseans across the country in
watching with pride as the University of Tennessee Volunteers defeated
Florida State Seminoles (23-16) and were crowned national champions for
the first time since 1951. I should also point out that this is the
second national championship that has come to the Tennessee Campus
during this past year. The Lady Vols won the collegiate women's
basketball crown and today stand at the top of the A.P. poll for the
1998-99 season with 40 of 41 first place votes.
Tennessee has the fourth-winningest program in major college football
this decade and has won back-to-back Southeastern Conference (SEC)
championships. This year's Fiesta Bowl marked their tenth consecutive
bowl appearance. The Vols finished 13 and 0 and ranked number one in
the nation after winning the Bowl Championship Series title game.
Mr. President, many of my colleagues had their own home-state
favorites and I congratulate them on their seasons as well. But Mr.
President back home in Tennessee, we are very, very proud of the Vols.
We're proud of coach Phillip Fulmer and his staff. We're proud of the
scholar-athletes. We're proud of the parents and the friends and the
faculty who support them and out-numbered Florida State fans at the
Fiesta Bowl by more than three to one.
This is just about as flawless a season of athletic performance as
you're ever going to see, and we're fortunate in Tennessee to have this
tremendous program and these gifted, talented young people. This is a
team which started the year with a new quarterback and then lost its
top running back four games into the season. They came together and it
seemed that each game produced a different hero and somebody was always
there to make a big play at a crucial moment.
Five different Vols earned SEC Player of the Week honors this season.
Quarterback Tee Martin was named Offensive Player of the Week after
completing an NCAA record 23-of-24 passes for 315 yards against South
Carolina and setting a single-game record for completion percentage at
95.8. Receiver Peerless Price snagged Offensive Player of the Week when
he caught a pass for a career-high 181 yards and one score in a win
over Mississippi State.
And on defense, linebacker Al Wilson broke records by forcing three
fumbles against Florida. Defensive end Shaun Ellis returned an
interception 90 yards for a touchdown against Auburn, and defensive
back Deon Grant stole the spotlight with a key interception in a game
against Georgia. All three were named SEC Defensive Player of the Week
for their individual achievements.
Mr. President, I would especially like to acknowledge the tremendous
coaching job of Phillip Fulmer, who played offensive guard for
Tennessee from 1969 to 1971, and who has led the team for seven winning
seasons. Coach Fulmer
[[Page S478]]
has the highest winning percentage of any Tennessee coach, and is the
winningest active coach in the country.
So today, I congratulate them. With that kind of coaching, talent and
an ability to work powerfully as a team, it's not hard to see why the
Tennessee Vols have come so far this season.
Mr. President, I know many of my colleagues have experienced this
kind of excitement and pride with teams from their own states. And I
know they appreciate just how proud we are in Tennessee to get bragging
rights for this season.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that statements regarding the
resolution be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 21) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:
S. Res. 21
Whereas the University of Tennessee Volunteers football
team (referred to in this resolution as the ``Tennessee
Volunteers'') defeated the Florida State University Seminoles
on January 4, 1999, at the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, to
win the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A
football championship;
Whereas the Tennessee Volunteers completed the 1998
football season with a perfect record of 13 wins and 0
losses;
Whereas the Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Mississippi
State University Bulldogs to claim the 1998 Southeastern
Conference football championship;
Whereas the Tennessee Volunteers' Coach Phillip Fulmer, his
staff, and his players displayed outstanding dedication,
teamwork, selflessness, and sportsmanship throughout the
course of the season to achieve collegiate football's highest
honor; and
Whereas the Tennessee Volunteers have brought pride and
honor to Tennessee: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the University of Tennessee Volunteers
football team on winning the 1998 National Collegiate
Athletic Association Division I-A football championship; and
(2) commends the University of Tennessee Volunteers
football team for its pursuit of athletic excellence and its
outstanding accomplishment in collegiate football in winning
the championship.
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