[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 88 (Monday, June 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1092]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE LIFE OF JOHN WOODEN

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 2010

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Coach John 
Wooden. As a student of the University of California, Los Angeles 
during Coach Wooden's tenure, I recall with nostalgia the spirit of 
honor and humility that he embodied. For a man with a larger-than-life 
reputation and unparalleled winning record, John Wooden was 
surprisingly modest--a trait that many would say is particularly 
uncommon in Los Angeles. His playing career at the high school, 
college, and professional levels was marked by numerous record-breaking 
and award-winning performances, and his coaching career was no 
different. He led the UCLA Bruins to an unmatched 10 National 
Championships in NCAA Men's Basketball and four perfect seasons, one of 
which was while I was a law student at UCLA. It was an incredible time 
to be a Bruin. Coach Wooden was the first person to be inducted to the 
basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, and remains one 
of only a handful of people to earn the dual honors.
  I can't talk about John without mentioning Nell, his wife of over 50 
years. Like Coach Wooden, Nellie Wooden was until her death in 1985 an 
integral part of the fabric of UCLA and a fixture in the crowd at the 
court that now bears her and her husband's names. She always wore a 
smile, and a game rarely started without it.
  John Wooden's spirit will continue to roam the hills of Westwood by 
the blue Pacific shore. My colleagues and I can all take a page out of 
Coach Wooden's playbook when it comes to teamwork and diligence. May 
his memory be a blessing and his life an example to us all.

                          ____________________