[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 133 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12025-S12026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING DETROIT SHOCK ON WINNING WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL
ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP
Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 234 submitted earlier
today by Senators Stabenow and Levin.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 234) honoring the Detroit Shock on
winning the Women's National Basketball Association
Championship.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I offer a resolution congratulating the
Detroit Shock for winning the Women's National Basketball Association
Championship.
In a remarkable display of talent, hard work and tenacity, the Shock
captured the championship in the very next year after placing last in
their league. Over the last 100 years, not a single other team in any
major sport has been able to accomplish this feat.
Last Tuesday, in front of a WNBA record crowd of 22,000 people at the
Palace in Auburn Hills, the Detroit Shock defeated the two-time
defending champion Los Angeles Sparks to win Detroit's first WNBA
title. Ruth Riley, the game's Most Valuable Player, led the Shock by
playing the best game of her career. She scored 27 points and guarded
another all-star center. This season's Rookie of the Year, Cheryl Ford,
also played a great game. Ms. Ford is the only WNBA rookie ever to
average more than 10 points and 10 rebounds a game.
Bill Laimbeer, in his first season as a coach, led the Shock during
this remarkable season. Mr. Laimbeer has also brought two back-to-back
championship titles to Detroit with the NBA's Detroit Pistons. Soon,
the address of the Palace at Auburn Hills will be renamed ``Three
Championship Drive'' to honor these accomplishments.
I would like to congratulate all of the players, coaches and support
staff that have made this championship possible. This was truly a great
victory for fans in Detroit and across the state of Michigan. And next
year, we are hoping for a repeat.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is my great pleasure to congratulate the
Detroit Shock on their victory of the Women's National Basketball
Association, WNBA, Championship. Last week, the Detroit Shock defeated
the two-time defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks, 83-78. The
Detroit Shock victory is the first professional basketball championship
for the city of Detroit since the Detroit Pistons won back-to-back
championships in 1988 and 1989.
The Detroit Shock's exceptional season broke several WNBA records. I
am proud to say that the Shock is the first team in American
professional sports since 1890 to go from the worst in their league to
the best the following year. The Detroit Shock finished the year with
the best record in the league at 25-9. Also, Game 3 of the finals was
the highest scoring WNBA finals game in the history of the league, as
well as the highest attended game in the league's 7-year history. The
Palace of Auburn Hills hosted the sellout crowd of 22,076 fans.
In the final game of the best of three series, Ruth Riley, the 6-foot
5-inch center for the Shock, dominated the court. She scored a career-
high 27 points and was named the final's Most Valuable Player. Deanna
Nolan from Flint, MI scored 17 points, including a three-point shot
with less than a minute left, giving the Shock a 75-73 lead. Swin Cash,
the Shock's starting forward, added 13 points, 12 rebounds, and nine
assists. The league's rebounds leader and Rookie of the Year, Cheryl
Ford, contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Shock. The WNBA
Champions were led by their head coach, Bill Laimbeer, himself an
instrumental player in the Detroit Pistons' Championship. The finishing
touch was added to the season when Coach Laimbeer was named the Coach
of the Year.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick declared September 18, 2003 as Detroit
Shock Day and the Palace of Auburn Hills has officially changed its
address to Three Championship Drive. I am pleased to join Senator
Stabenow and my colleagues in the Senate in offering my heartiest
congratulations to the Detroit Shock as the players, coaches, staff,
and fans celebrate their first Women's National Basketball Association
Championship. I look forward to another successful season next year.
And, we in Detroit hope that the Shock's worst-to-first season will
serve as an inspiration to the Detroit Tigers next year.
Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider
be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution
be printed in the Record, without intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 234) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution (S. Res. 234), with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 234
Whereas on September 16, 2003, the Detroit Shock won the
Women's National Basketball Association Championship by
defeating the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks,
83 to 78;
Whereas the Shock won a league-best 25 games, a year after
losing a league-worst 23, becoming the first team in any
major sport since 1890 to finish first in the entire league
after finishing last the previous season;
Whereas the enthusiasm and support for the Shock by the
people of Detroit and of Michigan was clearly demonstrated by
the fact that the final game was attended by a Women's
National Basketball Association (WNBA) record crowd of over
22,000 people;
Whereas the Shock completed an incredible season with the
strong performances of Finals Most Valuable Player Ruth
Riley's career-high 27 points, Swin Cash's 13 points, 12
rebounds and 9 assists, and Deanna Nolan's 17 points;
[[Page S12026]]
Whereas Cheryl Ford, the 2003 WNBA Rookie of the Year,
became the first rookie in league history to average more
than 10 points and 10 rebounds per game;
Whereas Detroit Shock Head Coach Bill Laimbeer was named
2003 WNBA Coach of the Year after transforming the Shock into
the best team in the league in his first year as head coach;
Whereas in honor of the Shock's championship, the Palace of
Auburn Hills is officially changing its address to Three
Championship Drive; and
Whereas the Shock have demonstrated great strength, skill,
and perseverance during the 2003 season and have made the
entire State of Michigan proud: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) congratulates the Detroit Shock on winning the 2003
Women's National Basketball Association Championship and
recognizes all the players, coaches, support staff, and fans
who were instrumental in this achievement; and
(2) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an
enrolled copy of this resolution to the Detroit Shock for
appropriate display.
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