[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 66 (Monday, May 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4955-S4957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO HOWARD SCHNELLENBERGER

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to thank my good 
friend Howard Schnellenberger for making University of Louisville 
football the success that it is, and wish him the best in his latest 
endeavor to build a completely new football program at Florida Atlantic 
University.
  Howard was the Cardinal's football coach for nine years and, when he 
left, had re-created the program to be unlike any the University of 
Louisville had ever seen. Howard didn't just talk about what he wanted 
to accomplish at U of L, he delivered. He recruited better players, he 
initiated plans for a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, and most 
importantly he inspired a kind of spirit in the Cardinals' faculty, 
fans and players that they had never experienced before. It was this 
winning spirit that helped Howard lead Cardinals football to its 
present glory.
  Howard believed in his team and his school, and set no meager goals 
for them. He wanted nothing less than to transform them from a team 
that hadn't had a winning season in years, to a team that would be a 
legitimate bowl contender. While U of L may still have some progress to 
make, the Cards have played in, and won, several bowl games in recent 
years--and for that, Howard is largely responsible.
  I have no doubt that Howard will have as significant an effect on 
Florida Atlantic University as he had on U of L. Howard will have a 
chance to build this program from the ground-up--as of yet, FAU doesn't 
even have a team. As FAU's Director of Football Operations, Howard will 
hand-pick the staff and the players and mold the football program in 
the likeness of his previous

[[Page S4956]]

success stories. With Howard's track record, FAU can expect an exciting 
program that will build steadily toward future success.
  Thank you, Howard, for your nine years of dedicated service to the 
University of Louisville, which resulted in a winning team and a top-
quality program. Five years after your departure, your spirit continues 
to drive the Cardinals football program toward victory. Best wishes at 
Florida Atlantic University, and may God bless you and Beverlee in this 
exciting adventure.
  Mr. President, I ask to have printed in the Record a copy of a 
January 1999 article, ``The Louisville Prototype,'' which appeared in 
the FAU Sports Digest.
  The article follows.

  The Florida Atlantic Football Program Will Largely be Modeled After 
What Howard Schnellenberger Built at Louisville, a Program Which Might 
                 As Well Have Been Started From Scratch

                            (By Ron Steiner)

       Louisville--At Miami, Coach Howard Schnellenberger revived 
     a collegiate football program that was on the verge of 
     extinction and won a national championship. Writers called 
     that effort the ``Miracle of Miami.''
       At Louisville, his hometown, Schnellenberger was the last 
     hope for a program headed for the scrap heap. He built a team 
     that went on to crush Alabama in the 20th Anniversary Fiesta 
     Bowl, and that inspired construction of the school's first 
     true on-campus stadium, a $68 million structure financed 
     almost entirely by the fans. In Kentucky they call that 
     effort ``The Miracle on Floyd St.''
       For Howard Schnellenberger, today it is his blueprint.
       Now, the veteran coach is about to go for the hat trick by 
     building a totally new collegiate football program at Florida 
     Atlantic University in Boca Raton and much of what he does at 
     FAU will be modeled after what was successful at Louisville, 
     a program that might as well have been built from scratch.
       Based on Schnellenberger's track record, it's a safe bet 
     that he has at least one more miracle tucked away some-where 
     in the pocket of his blazer.
       Taking Miami to the title game and beating a legendary 
     Nebraska team was improbable. But at least that school had 
     played in big bowl games and had long-aspired to greatness.
       Tackling the job at Louisville, where basketball had been 
     the only local sports language for decades? That was a 
     massive undertaking the size of which even Schnellenberger 
     had underestimated.
       After one of his first spring practices at Louisville, held 
     long before the new freshmen could arrive, Schnellenberger 
     called a staff member to his office. The coach was slumped in 
     his chair. He looked tired, disturbed and suddenly very gray.
       ``Did you see that practice? Did you see that?'' he asked 
     as if he were recounting a nightmare. ``What in the world 
     have we gotten ourselves into here?''
       There was no answer.
       No one, not even a veteran coach like Schnellenberger, 
     could have known how hard it was going to be, or how much 
     work there was to be done or even what unexpected 
     obstacles, both seen and unseen, would be thrown into the 
     path of progress.
       But he pressed on with the same confidence, singleness of 
     purpose and unceasing energy that he's armed with at Florida 
     Atlantic.
       At Louisville, it was a dream of Top-25 rankings, national 
     television appearances, home sellouts, bowl bids and a new 
     stadium, that kept the Cardinal football family going during 
     the early years.
       Back in 1985, when the Cards opened their first season 
     under Schnellenberger at West Virginia, the lineup was iffy 
     to say the least.
       One starting defensive back was a freshman who had played 
     quarterback in high school, and the other corner was a 
     freshman who had played middle guard as a prep player. One of 
     the starting defensive tackles was a freshman who had never 
     lined up in a three-point stance in his life. The Louisville 
     Cardinals were simply outmanned and that was the way things 
     were going to be for a while.
       Today, thanks largely to Schnellenberger's efforts, the 
     Cards are fresh off their third bowl game in the '90s, and 
     their facilities draw raves from the likes of award-winning 
     quarterback Cade McNown. In town recently to receive the 
     Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation's top senior 
     quarterback, McNown raved about the new stadium and football 
     complex.
       ``I only wish we had facilities like these at UCLA,'' 
     McNown said.
       It wasn't that way when Schnellenberger toiled to jump-
     start the program.
       Back then, summer preseason practice sessions were held on 
     the school's suburban campus where grass fields were watered 
     by garden hoses and makeshift, homemade sprinklers. 
     There weren't many players on the team to start with and 
     when some got a close look at the new way of doing things, 
     there were fewer.
       During the season, seven huge linemen would meet with their 
     assistant coaches in tiny 10-foot offices built for one. Back 
     then, closets were cleaned out and transformed into offices. 
     Walls were knocked down. Pictures and inspirational signs 
     were nailed up. They cried out: ``Be Positive or Be Gone'' 
     and ``It takes everyone to be No. 1'' and ``What have you 
     done today to help Louisville win tomorrow?''
       Back then, there were three phone lines for a 40-person 
     staff. Coaches making recruiting calls and other staff 
     members handling regular business would wait for a free line, 
     like contestants on a game show. When one of the three lights 
     on the phone set would go dark, they would battle to see who 
     could punch it up first.
       And back in '85, the foundation for a Top 25 contender was 
     quietly being built in a small brick building on the property 
     of the Kentucky Fairgrounds, among mules and jacks and the 
     largest bulls you've ever seen.
       The University of Louisville was trying to recruit its 
     stars of the future in the middle of mobile home shows, gun 
     shows, flea markets, ice shows, and appropriately, the 
     circus.
       As hard as it is to believe since Florida Atlantic doesn't 
     even have a team yet, Schnellenberger will be dealing with a 
     better hand in his role as Director of Football Operations.
       He'll oversee the construction of on-campus facilities and 
     develop a program with a tremendous population base for 
     recruiting, a great climate and instant visibility in a 
     football-crazy state. There will be tough sledding, 
     nonetheless. But they will be experiences with a blend of 
     familiarity. It goes with the territory of building something 
     that will last.
       At Louisville, there were plenty of times he would wonder. 
     At times, he would go out on game day knowing as an expert 
     that the other team would have to fumble four times and throw 
     four interceptions if his team was to have a chance to even 
     keep the score close.
       But the next day he would always return to his office 
     before dawn, whistling, and with a new idea, something that 
     needed fixing, a new phone call to make, something--
     anything--that would bring progress that day. He hid his 
     doubts very well. He had to. If the head coach didn't 
     believe, then who else would?
       Back then, like now, there was something else, too. There 
     was something very special that few modern-day teams ever 
     experience. Adventure.
       There was a clear-cut goal of building a program that would 
     some day challenge the nation's best and compete for a 
     national title one day. And there was something new every 
     day.
       There was a pioneer spirit that caught on. Recruiting was 
     based on that premise: ``Sure, you can go to the established 
     programs and be just another one of a long list of players at 
     that school. Or you can come with us and make a major 
     difference. You can come with us and help create something. 
     It won't be easy. In fact, we guarantee it will probably be 
     the hardest thing you will ever do. But you will be part of 
     something truly special. Something important. Something 
     lasting.''
       Back in the early days at Louisville, and it will likely be 
     the same if he chooses to coach at Florida Atlantic, there 
     was little early prestige. But inside themselves, the players 
     and fans who became close to the program began to share a new 
     spirit. The early years were crazy for those close to the 
     Cards. They were frustrating and fulfilling all at the same 
     time, tiring and exhilarating all at once. Breaking down 
     historic walls of resistance and preconceptions took time. 
     Building up the program took strength.
       Together, new players, students, alumni, fans, staff and 
     friends of the program, all who suffered and yet enjoyed 
     those formative years, were drawn together at Louisville in a 
     state known for basketball, in a stadium built for baseball, 
     to create something new and special for collegiate football. 
     Back then, they shared a dream. And they still do.
       For example, NFL All Pro defensive tackle Ted Washington of 
     the Buffalo Bills, a Tampa native, recently recalled his 
     playing days at Louisville under Schnellenberger.
       ``It seemed like every day we would hear the coach say his 
     favorite saying--`To Believe is to be Strong.' At the time I 
     guess I didn't understand what it meant,'' Washington said. 
     ``But I do now, and a day doesn't go by that I don't use the 
     phrase myself in football, in charity work and in working in 
     the community.''
       Washington is just one of three NFL stars who played at 
     Louisville who have been selected to this year's Pro Bowl. 
     New Orleans defensive end Joe Johnson and the Atlantic 
     Falcons' defensive back Ray Buchanan were Schnellenberger 
     recruits who bought into the dream of building a tough-
     minded, top-quality program.
       Perhaps the most dramatic example of the Schnellenberger 
     magic is the sparkling new stadium that stands on the 
     southernmost edge of the campus of the University of 
     Louisville.
       At first, the idea of building a proud football program at 
     Louisville and then the absolute best stadium in the state 
     was mocked by some local writers who called it simply a pipe 
     dream. After all, the future of Cardinal football was a 
     fragile thing in the late 1980s. Again, there had been talk 
     of de-emphasizing the sport, possibly dropping back to 
     Division I-AA or disbanding completely.
       But then came Schnellenberger. And then came winning 
     seasons, bowl victories and sellout crowds. If ever 
     Louisville was going to fulfill its football destiny, if ever 
     there was going to be a time to give the program

[[Page S4957]]

     a solid foundation for the future, the time had come.
       Schnellenberger's quiet belief was that once U of L and the 
     Greater Louisville community committed to building a 
     new stadium, and once that stadium was completed, there 
     would be no turning back. Football would suddenly become 
     more important than ever before, and have every possible 
     chance to succeed as never before.
       From that point on, he reasoned, there would be a financial 
     imperative to aim high and provide fans with quality 
     schedules and competitive teams. Recruiting of coaches and 
     players would be enhanced immediately and for decades to 
     come. And finally, the Louisville football program and its 
     deserving fans would have a first-class home to call their 
     own.
       Today the stadium that Schnellenberger and his early 
     recruits could only dream about is a reality. It is 
     considered the finest, most fan-friendly college stadium in 
     America today. It has a state-of-the-art playing surface, 
     42,000 chairback seats, a video replay board, corporate 
     suites and a magnificent club level, all of which might make 
     some NFL teams envious.
       But there's something much more important about the stadium 
     in Louisville they call Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. It's a 
     testimony to the Schnellenberger way of doing things. It's 
     all about vision, hard work, persistence, dreaming and 
     determination.
       Unlike many of the state of Kentucky's sports facilities, 
     and many others around the nation, Louisville's new stadium 
     is not a gift from the government.
       Instead it is certainly one of the most remarkable 
     collegiate projects ever built--by and for the people.
       Schnellenberger had begun lobbying for a new stadium on 
     Dec. 1, 1984, the day he took over the Cardinal program. But 
     it took years to wade through administrative bureaucracies 
     and to build a football team that would energize the 
     community.
       As the program improved, fan interest grew. New attendance 
     records were set. Top teams like Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, 
     Florida State, Arizona State and Tennessee were scheduled. 
     Winning seasons turned into near-perfect seasons. And then 
     came decision time.
       When it became clear that a new stadium at Louisville would 
     have to be built with private funds, skeptics chuckled. After 
     all, no modern-day university had ever achieved such a feat.
       But on June 2, 1993, the overall plan for fans to fund the 
     new stadium was in place. But no one knew for sure how the 
     fans would react.
       That warm evening the U of L Athletic Department conducted 
     its most amazing day of fund-raising ever. A kickoff party 
     designed primarily as an information session, turned into a 
     bonanza. Fans began writing checks. Big checks. And it was 
     all the staff could do to keep up with the outpouring of 
     support.
       On that pivotal day, Cardinal loyalists pledge more than $1 
     million. And suddenly, the effort had the momentum it needed.
       ``What happened that day and throughout the stadium 
     campaign, was unprecedented in college sports,'' said Dean 
     Billick, now athletic director at Lamar University in Texas 
     who served as a consultant to the stadium drive for four 
     months.
       ``The passion the U of L fans had for their program and for 
     that project was remarkable. People were taking out second 
     mortgages on their homes to be able to buy lifetime seats. 
     Some people were making commitments that were probably beyond 
     what they could afford. But their commitment to making the 
     stadium happen is something I will never forget. After years 
     of discussions and studies, the Louisville fans finally got 
     their chance at bat, and they stepped up to the plate and hit 
     a home run. It was simply amazing to see.''
       In only four months, thousands of Louisville fans came 
     together to commit nearly $15 million to the stadium project. 
     They gave it life.
       Corporate and political leaders, knowing a winner when they 
     saw one, jumped to the head of the victory parade and began 
     to support the project. Others like Papa John's Pizza founder 
     John Schnatter, saw it as a way for a hometown boy to give 
     back to his community, and he pitched in $5 million.
       But without the fans some of whom pledged as little as $25 
     per year, and some who donated up to $25,000 per seat, 
     Louisville's dream would never have happened. Their passion 
     for both the project and the program was founded in being 
     part of the dream from the very beginning.
       They had been there for those first practices and first 
     games under their new coach. They had shared the tough times 
     and later celebrated the good times together. And they had 
     dared to dream together.
       As Louisville fans prepared for their bowl trip this year, 
     local country singer Mickey Clark recorded a song to 
     commemorate the Cardinals' successful season. The title? The 
     Dream Lives On. It sure does.
       And that should be good news for Florida Atlantic fans who 
     are about to embark on a dream of their own.
       They'll be doing so alongside that fellow named 
     Schnellenberger, who might just make this new story he's 
     working on the best one yet.

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