[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 39 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1267-H1269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FOR WINNING 2002 NCAA MEN'S 
                        BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce be discharged from further consideration 
of the resolution (H. Res. 383) congratulating the University of 
Maryland for winning the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association 
men's basketball championship, and ask for its immediate consideration 
in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, of course I 
not only will not object, but will enthusiastically support this 
resolution.
  But I rise, as everyone I am sure in the Chamber can understand, with 
great pride in 12 young men and Coach Gary Williams, who had an 
extraordinary season; who won the national championship for the first 
time in the school's history; who won the Atlantic Coast Conference 
championship for the first time in 22 years; who beat teams who had won 
15 national championships in Kentucky, in Indiana and in Kansas; who 
overcame personal adversity as well as they played throughout the 
season; who went 15 and 0 at home, one of the first times that any team 
has done that in Maryland's history, and in doing so, crowned an 
extraordinary history for Cole Field House, which is now going to be 
closed, at least for the basketball team, who will play in a new arena 
next year.
  All in all, it was an extraordinary season for extraordinary young 
men and for an extraordinary coach. Gary Williams has coached for 30 
years now,

[[Page H1268]]

24 years as a head coach. He has a winning record of great proportions 
and is clearly recognized as one of the great coaches of basketball in 
America.

                              {time}  1630

  At this time, if I might, Mr. Speaker, under my reservation, I yield 
to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Wynn). I might say 
that the gentleman and I have the privilege of representing Prince 
George's County in which the University of Maryland at College Park is 
located.
  Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. 
Hoyer), the distinguished leader of our delegation, for yielding me 
this time; and I thank the University of Maryland. I would say that I 
certainly want to join with him in this resolution commending the 
University of Maryland Terrapins basketball team. There is a new motto 
in our State. It says, the University of Maryland: whether they played 
football in January and basketball in April. We have indeed had a very 
fine year, both in football and now in basketball, and we are certainly 
proud to honor our outstanding Terrapins basketball team and their 
outstanding coach, Gary Williams.
  I would just like to offer a word of congratulations to the also very 
fine University of Indiana team that put up a good fight in the 
championship game; but as they say, the Terrapins prevailed. Many fans 
say, fear the Terrapin. I would say, love the Terrapin. We have had a 
great season with the great support from our fans, the entire 
university and the entire State promoting the Terrapins, and it has 
been a truly wonderful and outstanding experience.
  I would also note the outstanding story of our star player, Juan 
Dixon, who represents an outstanding example of triumph over adversity. 
He has emerged as not only an outstanding basketball player, but also 
an outstanding individual and role model for an individual who started 
off in less than ideal circumstances and, through force of will, 
perseverance and commitment rose to heights of accomplishments. I again 
hail the University of Maryland Terrapins.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
  Continuing under my reservation, I yield to the distinguished 
gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), and thank him for providing for 
such a rapid consideration of this resolution.
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. From the 
other side of the country I also, Mr. Speaker, would like to rise in 
support of House Resolution 383. This resolution congratulates the 
University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2002 NCAA Basketball 
Championship.
  As my colleagues know, the Terrapins finished the 2002 season with 32 
wins. This is quite an accomplishment and one that we should recognize. 
I would also like to congratulate Coach Gary Williams, who led the team 
during this victorious season. Many good things have been said about 
him, and I would like to recognize and associate myself with those 
words.
  I would also like to thank our colleague, the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Hoyer), for introducing this resolution, and our colleague, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), for bringing this resolution 
to my attention. I would ask all of my colleagues for their support.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for 
his comments and for his leadership in facilitating, as I said, this 
resolution coming to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the very distinguished gentleman from 
Baltimore City, Maryland (Mr. Cummings).
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
also thank the gentleman for the resolution. It is certainly a pleasure 
to congratulate the Maryland Terrapins on winning the NCAA tournament. 
As a graduate of the University of Maryland, it makes me feel real 
good.
  I think the thing that impressed me so much about this team was not 
just what they did on the court, but it was their demeanor off the 
court. They were never bragging; they showed a lot of humility and a 
determination that I have not seen from many teams. Just talking to the 
people in my neighborhood, many of them are admirers of the team; but, 
in particular, many of them knew Juan Dixon personally. I think it 
inspired a lot of them to be the best that they can be, even under 
adverse circumstances. So often when we look at a team, we look at the 
win and loss column. But that is not all that goes into it. 
Particularly with this University of Maryland team, with Juan, whose 
both parents died as a result of AIDS and drug use, and to emerge to 
where he has gotten to today says a whole lot, and has given a lot of 
hope to a lot of people. So not only is it a great team on the court, 
but a great team off the court too.
  To Gary Williams, I worry about him quite a bit on the sidelines. I 
will tell my colleagues, I worry whether he is going to have a heart 
attack over there. But the fact is he puts his soul into this team, and 
we are certainly very, very proud in the State of Maryland to have such 
a great team; and may God bless all of them, and may God bless the 
University of Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments and 
for his telling of the story of Juan Dixon. Frankly, all of the young 
men on that team have faced adversity at one time or another. All of us 
have. As a matter of fact, Coach Williams' dad died shortly before the 
final tournament, and they overcame that. They overcame it as a team, 
they overcame it as individuals, because as the gentleman from Maryland 
(Mr. Cummings) said, they had a great deal of courage and a great deal 
of a sense of purpose, and what a joy it is.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley).
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, just briefly, my chief of staff, Kirk 
Fordham, graduated from the University of Maryland; and I watched with 
great excitement as his alma mater racked up those points and won kind 
of a come-from-behind team, a Cinderella team, if you will.
  Florida has been lucky enough to produce many champions: University 
of Miami, Florida State and, of course, the University of Florida, and 
to watch a team that displayed such class and such enthusiasm and, even 
though all of the pundits pretty much ruled them out at the very 
beginning, to watch them emerge each time after a game up the ladder to 
the Final 4 and then, of course, to victory, I salute you.
  I salute your team. I salute the parents, the coaches, all of those 
in the athletic department that support us. Because it does take a 
colossal effort to move the enthusiasm to the level where you reach a 
national championship.
  So I salute the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) on his phenomenal 
team and his phenomenal State. My brother-in-law, in fact, was born in 
Havre de Grace, so I take a little bit of pride to being at least a 
distant relative of Maryland and share with my colleagues their great 
victory.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I 
would only add that when FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 
football we all took it roughly, because they are all so good; and as 
the gentleman knows, Maryland had one of its best years in football 
ever, finishing 10 and one in the regular season. And, of course, 
because FSU lost to Tennessee, it came down to the Orange Bowl and 
taught us how to play football, a very excellent team. Of course, we 
returned the favor by taking Steve Spurrier up to Washington, as the 
gentleman knows. But I thank the gentleman for his comments.
  The resolution, in addition to congratulating the Terrapins, 
congratulates all 65 teams, as my colleagues know, for their 
participation. Because it is the quality of every program that really 
makes March Madness such an extraordinary athletic event, exciting the 
entire country and indeed, much of the world, that knows about 
basketball, so that this resolution congratulates all who participated.
  Along that line, I mentioned the fact of the three teams that were 
extraordinarily able teams that we beat to get to the finals; but I did 
not mention UCONN, the University of Connecticut under Coach Calhoun, 
also an extraordinary team.
  Mr. Speaker, frankly, if I took another half an hour or another hour, 
I could not, by virtue of words, exceed what the Maryland Terrapins 
have done by their actions; but there is somebody who would like to add 
some words, I see.

[[Page H1269]]

  Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding we have more time on the clock, 
so I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. 
Morella), of Montgomery County, which has a major campus of the 
University of Maryland in her district, and she is right beside the 
University of Maryland at College Park.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman bringing up 
this resolution, which has a lot of symbolism attached to it.
  First of all, or course, coming in at the last minute, one can never 
tell with the University of Maryland. They are going to do it, whether 
people expect they will or not. I am very proud of the University of 
Maryland and what they have been doing in so many areas, and this is 
one of those examples.
  I rise to congratulate the University of Maryland Terrapins for 
winning the 2002 NCAA men's basketball championship. As we all knew, 
the key to the Terps' winning team was teamwork. The camaraderie among 
the players, the leadership of its seniors, and the guidance of Coach 
Gary Williams led to their success.
  Incidentally, Gary Williams came from the American University to the 
University of Maryland.
  Knowing that 2001-2002 marked the last season in Cole Field House, 
the Terps triumphed and won every game at home, beating all the ACC 
teams that walked on their court. I am particularly proud of the 
Montgomery County native, Lonnie Baxter, who hails from Silver Spring, 
Maryland. Lonnie was named the Most Valuable Player in NCAA regional 
play 2 years in a row, averaging almost 15 points and eight rebounds 
each game. Congratulations to Lonnie, and we wish you the best of luck 
as you pursue a career in the NBA.
  Again, congratulations to the Terps and their victory. Everyone on 
the team has made the State of Maryland proud. I thank my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle for allowing me to come in, to make this final 
statement and tribute.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. She 
did mention something that really does bear focus, and that is the 
extraordinary academic achievements of the University of Maryland. In 
the final analysis, obviously, although the football team was 
extraordinarily successful and the basketball team, and indeed, the 
entire athletic program under our athletic director, Debbie Yow, one of 
two women who leads an NCAA-1 team in the athletic department in that 
division, has done an extraordinary job, but as well, Dan Mote, the 
president of the University of Maryland and his predecessors as 
president of the University of Maryland have brought it up academically 
so that it is one of the finest academic institutions in the country as 
well; and I think it reflects the balance between the mental and the 
physical that the Greeks, of course, and the Olympics tried to reflect. 
So I thank the gentlewoman for focusing on that point.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dan Miller of Florida). Is there 
objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 383

       Whereas on April 1, 2002, the University of Maryland 
     Terrapins won the National Collegiate Athletic Association 
     men's basketball championship;
       Whereas the Maryland Terrapins compiled a school record for 
     wins during the 2002 season with 32, their 4th straight 
     season with 25 wins or more;
       Whereas the Maryland Terrapins went undefeated at home in 
     the last year of play at historic Cole Field House by 
     achieving a record of 15-0;
       Whereas the Maryland Terrapins won their 1st outright 
     Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship in over 
     22 years;
       Whereas Maryland Terrapins qualified for their 9th 
     consecutive NCAA tournament under Coach Gary Williams and 
     obtained a number 1 seed in the East Region this year, and 
     advanced to their 2nd consecutive Final Four;
       Whereas in the NCAA championship game the Maryland 
     Terrapins faced the Indiana University Hoosiers and came away 
     victorious by a score of 64-52;
       Whereas the Maryland Terrapins had to beat perennial 
     basketball powerhouses Kentucky, Connecticut, and Kansas 
     before earning the right to play in the championship game;
       Whereas the NCAA men's basketball championship was the 1st 
     in Maryland's school history;
       Whereas the Maryland Terrapins are 1 of only 5 teams in 
     history to have won national championships in both basketball 
     and football;
       Whereas University of Maryland senior Juan Dixon was named 
     the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, First Team 
     All-American, and Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the 
     Year;
       Whereas University of Maryland senior Lonny Baxter was 
     named the Most Valuable Player in regional play for the 2nd 
     year in a row;
       Whereas the entire Maryland Terrapin team, including Earl 
     Badu, Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake, Andre Collins, Juan Dixon, 
     Mike Grinnon, Tahj Holden, Calvin McCall, Byron Mouton, Drew 
     Nicholas, Ryan Randle, and Chris Wilcox, demonstrated the 
     highest level of teamwork, skill, tenacity, and sportsmanship 
     throughout the entire 2001-2002 season;
       Whereas Coach Gary Williams and his coaching staff of Dave 
     Dickerson, Jimmy Pastos, Matt Kovarik, and Director of 
     Basketball Operations Troy Wainwright have built one of the 
     preeminent college basketball programs in the Nation, as 
     demonstrated by this championship win and more than a decade 
     of achievement;
       Whereas Coach Gary Williams, a 1968 alumnus of the 
     University of Maryland, led his alma mater to the 2002 
     National Championship and has compiled a tremendous track 
     record of achievement and success in his more than 30 years 
     in coaching, including 24 years as a head coach; and
       Whereas University of Maryland Athletic Director Deborah 
     Yow has played an instrumental role in elevating all of the 
     University's intercollegiate athletic programs, including, 
     the men's basketball team and the football team, which under 
     the direction of Head Coach Ralph Friedgen compiled a 10-1 
     regular season record and earned an invitation to the 2002 
     Orange Bowl: Now, therefore, be it

       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates--
       (A) the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 
     2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball 
     Championship on April 1, 2002;
       (B) all of the 65 outstanding teams who participated in the 
     2002 tournament; and
       (C) the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its 
     continuing excellence in providing a supportive arena for the 
     Nation's college athletes to display their talents and 
     sportsmanship;
       (2) commends the Maryland Terrapins for their outstanding 
     performance during the entire 2002 season and for their 
     commitment to high standards of character, perseverance, and 
     teamwork;
       (3) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, 
     and support staff who were instrumental in helping the 
     Maryland Terrapins win the 2002 championship; and
       (4) directs the the Clerk of the House of Representatives 
     to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
       (A) Dr. C.D. ``Dan'' Mote, the President of the University 
     of Maryland;
       (B) Deborah Yow, the Athletic Director at the University of 
     Maryland; and
       (C) Gary Williams, the head coach of the University of 
     Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team.

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________