[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 13 (Thursday, February 5, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      FIGHTIN' BLUE HENS CELEBRATE NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, in my 33 years as a U.S. Senator 
from Delaware, I have had the opportunity to give hundreds of speeches 
on the Senate floor, but today is a first. It gives me tremendous pride 
today to officially congratulate my alma mater, the University of 
Delaware, on winning its first-ever NCAA Division I-AA National 
Football Championship.
  Players, fans, and students will celebrate this milestone in the 
University of Delaware's history at a rally on Tuesday, February 10, 
2004, at the Bob Carpenter Center. And we have much more than the 
national championship to celebrate. The Fightin' Blue Hens played one 
of the most outstanding seasons in college football history, with a 
record of 15 and 1 and setting a school record for victories in a 
season.
  After clinching their seventh Atlantic 10 Football Conference 
championship, the 2003 squad sailed through the Division I-AA playoff, 
outscoring opponents by a combined score of 149 to 23. In fact, they 
won the championship game by shutting down Colgate 42 to 0. You can be 
sure I attended every playoff game, along with tens of thousands of 
other devoted Blue Hen fans.
  As I said earlier, this marks the University of Delaware's first 
Division I-AA title crown, but we earned six other football titles as a 
Division II school. The last Division II title in 1979 was significant 
because our current coach, K.C. Keeler, played on that 1979 
championship team as a linebacker.
  In just his second year at the helm of UD football, K.C. Keeler took 
his team to the national championship; but, K.C. is the first to give 
his predecessor, legendary Hall of Fame coach Tubby Raymond, all the 
credit for recruiting and building this team. Tubby, this championship 
is yours, too.
  To be sure, UD football has come a long way since the 1960s when I 
was at the University. But at a time when we all need some good news, 
the 2003 University of Delaware football team has given our State 
plenty to cheer about. My warmest congratulations to the coaches, 
players, parents, school officials, cheerleaders, marching band 
members, students, and, of course, the diehard fans, as we celebrate 
being national football champions.

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