[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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