[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3015-H3018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1945
CONGRATULATING SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WINNING
2003 NCAA DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on
Education and the Workforce be discharged from further consideration of
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 142) congratulating the
Syracuse University men's basketball team for winning the 2003 NCAA
Division I men's basketball national championship, and ask for its
immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bass). Is there objection to the request
of the gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:
H. Con. Res. 142
Whereas on Monday, April 7, 2003, the Syracuse University
Orangemen men's basketball team won its first Division I
national basketball championship;
Whereas Syracuse University won the championship game by
defeating the University of Kansas Jayhawks 81-78;
Whereas the Syracuse University team was led by freshman
Carmelo Anthony, who was voted the Most Outstanding Player of
the Final Four, and received outstanding effort and support
from Gerry McNamara, Billy Edelin, Kueth Duany, Hakim
Warrick, Craig Forth, Jeremy McNeil, and Josh Pace;
Whereas the roster of the Syracuse University team also
included Tyrone Albright, Josh Brooks, Xzavier Gaines, Matt
Gorman, Gary Hall, Ronneil Herron, and Andrew Kouwe;
[[Page H3016]]
Whereas Head Coach Jim Boeheim has coached at Syracuse
University for 27 years and been involved with the Syracuse
University men's basketball team for more than half his life;
Whereas Coach Boeheim had previously coached in two
national championship games, including a heartbreaking loss
in 1987;
Whereas Coach Boeheim and his coaching staff, including
Associate Head Coach Bernie Fine and Assistant Head Coaches
Mike Hopkins and Troy Weaver, deserve much credit for the
outstanding determination and accomplishments of their young
team; and
Whereas the students, alumni, faculty, and supporters of
Syracuse University are to be congratulated for their
commitment and pride in their national champion men's
basketball team : Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) congratulates the Syracuse University men's basketball
team for winning the 2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball
national championship;
(2) recognizes the achievements of all the team's players,
coaches, and support staff and invites them to the United
States Capitol Building to be honored;
(3) requests that the President recognize the achievements
of the Syracuse University men's basketball team and invite
them to the White House for an appropriate ceremony honoring
a national championship team; and
(4) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to
make available enrolled copies of this resolution to Syracuse
University for appropriate display and to transmit an
enrolled copy of this resolution to each coach and member of
the 2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball national
championship team.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Brooklyn, New York (Mr.
Towns); pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Syracuse University's Orangemen.
Monday night, our university laid claim to the school's first Division
I men's basketball national championship after defeating the University
of Kansas 81 to 78 in a heck of a game. In addition to the players and
coaching staff, many deserve recognition, including school
administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and one of the most
loyal fan bases in collegiate athletics.
Mr. Speaker, as you may know, Syracuse has been to the Final Four
before. Monday night's championship game proved for Head Coach Jim
Boeheim that the third time is the charm as his team came full circle
to defeat the national powerhouse of Kansas in the Louisiana Superdome,
avenging a heartbreaking loss in 1987 to Indiana in the same facility.
Preparing for a championship match-up against a senior-led Kansas team
is not easy, and Coach Boeheim deserves much of the credit for his
young team's outstanding determination and accomplishment. His team got
back on defense and slowed down the Jayhawks' ferocious fast break.
Knowing Coach Boeheim personally, as I do, I would like to
congratulate him sincerely today from the House floor. He is Syracuse
basketball. Coaching his alma mater for 27 years, and being part of
Syracuse basketball for more than half of his life, this championship
is deserved not only for all of Syracuse's supporters and community but
certainly for the coach himself. Also deserving praise this afternoon
is Assistant Coach Bernie Fine, who has been with Jim Boeheim for many,
many years and the rest of the fine Syracuse coaching staff.
Syracuse's championship team was led by Final Four Most Outstanding
Player, Freshman Carmelo Anthony, and with outstanding support from
Gerry McNamara; another freshman, Bill Edelin; Kueth Duany, a senior;
Hakim Warrick, a sophomore; Craig Forth, a sophomore; Jeremy McNeil and
Josh Pace. This young team demonstrated poise, presence, and pride in
their performance throughout the tournament and all season long.
This was really a fine year for this team, a very interesting team
with great team chemistry. The first game of the year they lost to
Memphis in the NIT preseason tournament. It was the only loss they had
in the first 2 months of the season. It was a young team that jelled
very, very quickly, led by Freshman Gerry McNamara, Carmelo Anthony,
who many believe is perhaps the best basketball player in the country,
certainly the best freshman. But it was the chemistry of the team that
was really outstanding.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to single out a couple of the individuals
who did not get a lot of credit during the year, but I think they
deserve it. One is Bill Edelin, who is a young man who came to Syracuse
University, made a mistake, and instead of getting negative and sour,
he took his medicine. He was suspended from the team. And when he
finally did come back, he missed the first 12 games of the year, but he
contributed immediately when he came back. He stayed positive, he
stayed focused, and he did a remarkable job.
The other is Josh Pace, a young player, a greatly talented player who
did not get a lot of playing time, but he stayed positive, he stayed
focused, he practiced hard, played his role; and when tournament time
came, he lit it up. He played great basketball.
This team won all the tough road games this year. They beat Michigan
State at Michigan State, which is pretty tough to do. That was an elite
18. They beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame, a Sweet 16 team. And they beat
Georgetown at Georgetown, and they were an NIT finalist. In fact, the
only team to beat Syracuse in the last 2 months of the year was
Connecticut, another Sweet 16 team. Very, very solid team.
This was an interesting tournament, in that for Syracuse they had to
play all of the great teams out of the Big 12 out west, arguably the
best conference in the Nation this year. During the regular season,
Syracuse played Missouri at Syracuse and defeated them. A very good
Missouri team, a well-coached team, talented team. In the tournament,
in the second game, they played Oklahoma State, one of the top teams in
the Nation, certainly one of the top teams in the Big 12, and defeated
them rather easily. The last three games of the tournament they beat
three of the best five teams in the Nation and the three top teams in
the Big 12, Oklahoma, Texas, and finally Kansas.
This was a remarkable run through the tournament. They made us proud.
Everybody in our community is excited. It is a small community.
Syracuse is a city of about 150,000 people. It is sort of like Green
Bay winning the Super Bowl. We have long winters, we have hardy souls
who brave those cold days to go out, we have great fans, and we have
very spirited and talented athletes. We are very proud of them. This is
a great accomplishment for them and a great accomplishment for our
community.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I also rise to honor the Syracuse Orangemen on winning the first-
ever NCAA men's basketball championship title.
I had Syracuse in the championship bracket, and I am proud to say
that I was on board on the bus before they left Syracuse. I felt that
they would be able to do it. I did not wait until they got to Bourbon
Street. I felt they would be able to do it.
I must admit that in 1996, I think it was, they were in the
Meadowlands and they were playing Kentucky, and of course we thought
that Syracuse would be able to be successful that night. Kentucky ended
up winning, and Syracuse ended up finishing second. But Coach Boeheim
did not give up. He stayed with it. He continued to recruit and bring
in great athletes; and, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the efforts of these
young men and coaches and wish them much success.
As I think about the Syracuse team, I am reminded of a team that
Coach Cal Irvin coached, because he reminds me so much of Coach Boeheim
in terms of his commitment and dedication to his athletes and to
winning. Of course, he had some great players. As Syracuse had Carmelo
Anthony, Cal Irvin had Al Attles. And of course when I look at the
character and the attitude of the players, I think about Carmelo
Anthony and also the attitude of Al Attles.
And then I look at the other players on the team that Cal Irvin had
during those days: a guy by the name of Herb Gray, another guy by the
name of Joe Howell, Hank Marshall, Charlie Harrison, Hugh Evans, Gerry
Powell, and the list goes on. And then I look at the Syracuse roster
and I look at each player and I can sort of compare them
[[Page H3017]]
with those players that Cal Irvin had back in those days, and they were
outstanding players.
Let me just say that I think that Syracuse can be extremely proud of
their accomplishments. I know that Coach Boeheim is proud. I met him
many, many years ago. I was introduced to him by a gentleman by the
name of Al Wooten, who was a football player at Syracuse. He introduced
me to Coach Boeheim and said that Coach Boeheim was a person that had a
winning spirit and of course had a winning attitude. And of course
after 27 years he has demonstrated that. Because most people would not
wait around for 27 years, but he did, and I think that he needs to be
applauded for that. Today, with the competition being what it is, it is
not easy to win a national championship. But winning a national
championship with quality players, with people that have character, I
think that is the key.
So I would say to Syracuse and to the basketball team, you were able
to win on the basketball court, now all you have to do is win in the
classroom. And I am certain that as a result of that, you will do well
in life.
I know someone mentioned earlier, my friend, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Walsh), that Carmelo Anthony was probably the best freshman
in the country. I would like to say that he is the best basketball
player in the country, bar none. There is no doubt in my mind. To watch
him and to realize he is a freshman and being able to do the kinds of
things he did, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the best
basketball player in the NCAA today. There is no question about it.
I think the thing I really like about him is his character. He is a
man who really is going to go places because he has the right attitude.
I think more young people need to have that kind of attitude today. If
they had that kind of attitude, I think a lot more of them would be
much more successful. So I salute Carmelo Anthony for demonstrating to
other young people in the world that you can have the proper attitude
and still be good at what you do.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), my next-door neighbor from
Utica and a Syracuse University graduate.
(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Who would have thunk it? The Syracuse Orangemen, not even rated in
all the preseason polls, are national champions. And they provided a
thrill a minute as they made the journey from being out of sight and
out of mind to number one.
Ever since its first season, the Syracuse University's men's
basketball team has been winners. In its inaugural season, Syracuse
held opponents to a combined 51 total points and went on to a winning
record. That inaugural year was 1900, and the record was two wins and
one loss; 103 years and 1,462 wins later, the Syracuse basketball team
has reached the promised land: NCAA national champs.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim has 653 of those wins over 27 seasons. That
kind of record and longevity says something about this superior coach
and decent human being. He is a winner; no one can dispute that. As
Casey Stengel would say, ``You can look it up.'' But most of all he is
a teacher, a man with a proven ability to transform raw talent into
skilled practitioners of the game. He does it with his measured and
methodical and patient and persistent approach. Yes, he is a winner,
but that is a team endeavor. More than that, he is an inspired and
inspiring teacher. And we all know that is a solo act. And that is what
produces champions.
Further, he is the embodiment of an upstate New Yorker. He has
remained loyal to his school and loyal to his community. For 27 years,
he and Syracuse have been synonymous. That loyalty and longevity,
combined with hard work, have paid off big time, not just for Jim
Boeheim and not just for Syracuse University, but for all who love the
game and watch with admiration and respect when the underrecognized and
underappreciated come out on top. They got to that lofty position the
old-fashioned way: they earned it.
Congratulations, Coach Boeheim and Syracuse University. Pardon our
pride, but so many of us are bleeding Syracuse orange; and we are all,
in the phrasing of that colorful commentator Dick Vitale, 'cuse crazy.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Hinchey), who is a great Syracuse fan and his district goes
almost to Syracuse, New York.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Towns), for yielding me this time; and I also want to express
my appreciation to my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Walsh), for bringing this resolution to the floor this
evening so that we can have an opportunity to congratulate this
wonderful basketball team.
We all recognize and admire the very justified pride that our
colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), feels in this
basketball team from the university that bears the name of his
hometown. But all of us in New York share in that pride as well.
Syracuse University is not a very large school, by some of the national
standards; but it is a university in which we all share a great deal of
pride.
{time} 2000
It is a university that is known for its academic achievements and
for its athletic prowess, and that athletic prowess was demonstrated
earlier this week, as anyone who knows basketball and loves the game of
basketball recognized as being one of the best basketball games that
any of us have ever seen. It was played by two teams, each of which had
great talent, and they played with all their heart, each one wanting to
win.
But it was the mighty Men of Orange from Syracuse University who
emerged the victor, and tonight we share in their achievement and in
their pride and we take this opportunity, along with their Congressman,
to offer our deep congratulations for this terrific effort.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Quinn), a fine former basketball player from Siena
University.
Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by not only commending the
Orangemen of Syracuse on their terrific win this past week, but also to
thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) who is probably, beyond
all people, more proud of his city of Syracuse and the university for
not only what they do on the athletic field, but also academically,
than any other person around.
My district is probably as close to Syracuse as the district of the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) in the Bronx, but that does not
make us any less proud of what Syracuse accomplished on their
basketball team when they beat Kansas Monday night. They played the
entire tournament showing the youth and their opponents, as they played
them, that the notion that seniors win championships is incorrect.
Led by super-freshmen Carmelo Anthony, Jerry McNamara and others,
they allowed Syracuse and Coach Boeheim, after 27 years, his shining
moment as a national champion in the NCAA.
I have had to listen in my office to two Syracuse grads, Mike Tetuan
and Katy Carter, all year long about how often they are going to win;
and I thought that this win by Syracuse would put all of that to rest,
and I would not have to hear the comparisons of that other super-
college power in Upstate New York, Siena College. However, on the
opposite side, what this win has done is not quieted them down; that is
all I hear from these two staffers now, that their young team will be
back again and again.
We hope that they are back because, down the road, we are hoping that
this win and this kind of enthusiasm moves down the Thruway to Buffalo
for our NFL Bills this coming season, and we can bring the NFL
championship back to our great city.
Syracuse, the Salt City, like Buffalo, which I represent, are
sometimes known for two things: snow and snow. Some people ask, Why
would young men and women go to Syracuse to play basketball? And as
Steve Thompson, a former Syracuse basketball player
[[Page H3018]]
liked to say, ``It never snows in the Carrier Dome.''
For many years, I have said that Coach Boeheim is probably the best
recruiter in the United States to get great players to Syracuse, New
York, inside that dome on a Saturday afternoon, where I have been many
times, sometimes with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), where
Coach Boeheim has 30,000 people on a Saturday and takes down those Big
East opponents, people outside the conference, and comes home a winner.
The answer why people would want to go to Syracuse to play basketball
is more simple than ever now, because Syracuse is the 2003 National
Champion, headed by the longest-tenured coach in the NCAA, Jim Boeheim,
and supported by alumni and fans everywhere, including Buffalo and
western New York. We believe what Jim believes in, that Syracuse is
where basketball ended this year, and it is where it will start next
year.
I am proud to add the voice of all of our friends and neighbors in
western New York to the voice of the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Walsh) as a proud New Yorker, and say congratulations to the team, the
staff and university, and most importantly, to Coach Boeheim for a job
well done.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me say that basically a lot of my friends in
particular thought that Syracuse was going to lose. After watching
Kansas destroy Marquette, they felt if Kansas could destroy Marquette
that way, Syracuse has no chance. But they did not realize that Coach
Boeheim was able to make adjustments and basically shut down the fast
break for the first half because of the fact that he was able to get
back, and he stressed it with his team. So as a result of making
adjustments, he proved one thing, that he is one of the greatest
coaches in the country today.
I think that any time a coach can make those kinds of adjustments and
shut down a fast break like Kansas had, that shows that they know what
they are doing.
I would like to salute Coach Boeheim for his outstanding leadership
and the fact that he was able to make the adjustment and show that
coaching is very, very important. I want to salute him for that, and
also to say to him, in terms of his players, it is always good if you
have players that will respect you and will follow your lead, as his
players did. It was very obvious that they listened to him and made
adjustments, and as a result, they were successful. I would like to
salute him for that.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
reserve the right to close.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes.
I really feel that the Syracuse team was an outstanding team, and it
shows what can be done when you work real hard.
I was just comparing Coach Boeheim with Coach Cal Irvin, who coached
North Carolina A&T University for many, many years, how he always
stressed working hard. When I look at the results of the Syracuse team
and I look at the results of the North Carolina A&T team from many,
many years ago, I can see the similarities between the two teams, the
coaches as well as the players. I think that today means more than
anything else.
Al Attles is one of the finest individuals I have ever met, and they
tell me, and from what I have seen and heard, that Carmelo Anthony is
the same kind of individual. When I look at the outstanding players he
had, going right down the roster, I think this is what it is all about
today, having players that have character, having players that
understand how important it is to follow rules and regulations.
I am hoping that all of the young people in America were able to look
at them and see in terms of the type of attitude that they demonstrated
in this play that night as they won the championship. They won it with
pride. They were proud. They were not people who were always arguing
with the referees and arguing with each other. I think when teams work
together, it shows what they can accomplish.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all of my colleagues from all
across the State who came here this evening to enjoy this pleasurable
event. It has been a little time to gloat perhaps, certainly enjoy and
bask in the glow of victory.
New York State from time to time has these upstate-downstate
differences. Clearly there is no difference here. We have Brooklyn and
Hudson Valley and Buffalo and Utica, Syracuse; all of the way across
the State, people have been very supportive. The East Regional
Tournament was in Albany, and they turned Albany orange. It has been a
great run for our school team.
This is a championship season. It is something that not everyone gets
to enjoy.
I had a daughter who played on a State championship soccer team in
high school, and there is a special feeling that comes from that, not
just for the players and the coaches, but for the community, for the
people who watched them and suffered their losses and bit their
fingernails and turned their knuckles white when they had close calls.
This really unified our town.
Syracuse has had this basketball tradition for over 100 years, but we
have never gotten to the national championship and won it. We have been
there. We lost to Indiana back in 1987, a last-second shot by Keith
Smart. Everybody in Syracuse knows where they were when Keith Smart
made that shot. It was a defining moment. But to have this team go back
to the Superdome and to see that last-second shot by the Kansas player,
Lee, from the same spot that Keith Smart let that shot go from, it just
shows there is justice in this world.
The team chemistry was terrific. These young people did not know how
good they were, but they found out. The country had no idea how good
they were, but the country found out. Their egos did not get in the
way. They played team basketball. The coach had them playing together
beautifully, and everyone up home is enjoying it.
I wanted to come before the House and take the privilege that I have
to share that moment. My family is tied up inextricably with Syracuse.
My father was the mayor of Syracuse. He was a Member of Congress from
Syracuse. I am second generation. I am from Syracuse.
Somebody said a long time ago that victory has a thousand fathers,
loss is an orphan. There are thousands of fathers and mothers and
brothers and sisters who are enjoying the heck out of this week. I hope
they continue to enjoy it for a long time to come. We may never get a
championship season again. We may get one next year, or in 15 or 20
years. The fact is, we have one now; let us enjoy it and thank God for
it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burgess). Without objection, the
previous question is ordered on the concurrent resolution.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the concurrent
resolution.
The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________