[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 20 (Thursday, February 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING BILL STEWART

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, today I recognize the 
achievements of someone who has inspired me personally, who has made 
West Virginians laugh when there is little to laugh about, and whose 
contribution to my home State cannot be underscored enough.
  When New Martinsville native Bill Stewart led the West Virginia 
Mountaineers into the Fiesta Bowl, he did more than just defeat the 
Oklahoma Sooners 48-28. ``Coach Stew,'' as his fans reverently call 
him, lifted the spirits of our entire State.
  Since that time, Bill's West Virginia charm has been infectious, his 
press conferences legendary, and his impact on our State's culture 
profound. Anyone who has played or worked with him loves him. His 
arrival on the scene was exactly what the State needed: a good-natured 
underdog with which people could identify.
  For West Virginians, December 2007 had been abysmal. Not only did we 
lose a chance at the National Championship, but we lost our coach, 
endured endless ridicule in the media, were constantly told that 
Oklahoma would embarrass us--the negativity never seemed to stop.
  But then Coach Stew stood up, stood proud, and said, with his 
trademark smile, ``When it gets too tough for everyone else--it's just 
about right for Billy Stewart.''
  And he was absolutely right.
  Now, every time I go home, West Virginians cannot emphasize enough 
the amount of pride they felt when this coach guided their team into 
the Fiesta Bowl. West Virginians will never forget Bill's optimism, 
when he promised to give the Sooners a good fight; his emotion, when he 
met quarterback Patrick White at the sideline, grabbed him by the 
helmet and seemed to say, ``I love you, kid''; his satisfaction, as he 
watched his team storm the field, victorious; or his own surprise, when 
WVU rewarded Bill with the Mountaineers' head coaching job--a position 
for which he was too humble to politic, but more than qualified to 
accept.
  These were iconic moments in West Virginia history--and they pulled 
right on the heart strings.
  The degree of humility in this coach was absolutely awe-inspiring; 
his faith jaw-dropping; and his devotion to his players and colleagues 
nothing short of extraordinary. Since those memorable days in Arizona, 
Coach Stew has assembled a top-notch staff, maintained an impressive 
recruiting class, and recaptured the heart--not just the attention--of 
Mountaineer Nation.
  To me, Bill Stewart embodies all that is good about West Virginia. An 
unlikely but deserving hero, he is a man whose cheerful optimism, 
character and Appalachian charm have given us a reason to cheer again.
  For that, I express my deepest gratitude and deepest admiration to 
New Martinsville's favorite son. I am glad that he is a fellow West 
Virginian, I am glad that he is a part of our culture, and I wish him 
the absolute best of luck.

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