[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4] [House] [Pages 4354-4356] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FOR WINNING 2002 NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Education and the Workforce be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 383) congratulating the University of Maryland for winning the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball championship, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California? Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, of course I not only will not object, but will enthusiastically support this resolution. But I rise, as everyone I am sure in the Chamber can understand, with great pride in 12 young men and Coach Gary Williams, who had an extraordinary season; who won the national championship for the first time in the school's history; who won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship for the first time in 22 years; who beat teams who had won 15 national championships in Kentucky, in Indiana and in Kansas; who overcame personal adversity as well as they played throughout the season; who went 15 and 0 at home, one of the first times that any team has done that in Maryland's history, and in doing so, crowned an extraordinary history for Cole Field House, which is now going to be closed, at least for the basketball team, who will play in a new arena next year. All in all, it was an extraordinary season for extraordinary young men and for an extraordinary coach. Gary Williams has coached for 30 years now, 24 years as a head coach. He has a winning record of great proportions and is clearly recognized as one of the great coaches of basketball in America. {time} 1630 At this time, if I might, Mr. Speaker, under my reservation, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Wynn). I might say that the gentleman and I have the privilege of representing Prince George's County in which the University of Maryland at College Park is located. Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished leader of our delegation, for yielding me this time; and I thank the University of Maryland. I would say that I certainly want to join with him in this resolution commending the University of Maryland Terrapins basketball team. There is a new motto in our State. It says, the University of Maryland: whether they played football in January and basketball in April. We have indeed had a very fine year, both in football and now in basketball, and we are certainly proud to honor our outstanding Terrapins basketball team and their outstanding coach, Gary Williams. I would just like to offer a word of congratulations to the also very fine University of Indiana team that put up a good fight in the championship game; but as they say, the Terrapins prevailed. Many fans say, fear the Terrapin. I would say, love the Terrapin. We have had a great season with the great support from our fans, the entire university and the entire State promoting the Terrapins, and it has been a truly wonderful and outstanding experience. I would also note the outstanding story of our star player, Juan Dixon, who represents an outstanding example of triumph over adversity. He has emerged as not only an outstanding basketball player, but also an outstanding individual and role model for an individual who started off in less than ideal circumstances and, through force of will, perseverance and commitment rose to heights of accomplishments. I again hail the University of Maryland Terrapins. Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. Continuing under my reservation, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), and thank him for providing for such a rapid consideration of this resolution. Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. From the other side of the country I also, Mr. Speaker, would like to rise in support of House Resolution 383. This resolution congratulates the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2002 NCAA Basketball Championship. As my colleagues know, the Terrapins finished the 2002 season with 32 wins. This is quite an accomplishment and one that we should recognize. I would also like to congratulate Coach Gary Williams, who led the team during this victorious season. Many good things have been said about him, and I would like to recognize and associate myself with those words. I would also like to thank our colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for introducing this resolution, and our colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), for bringing this resolution to my attention. I would ask all of my colleagues for their support. Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for his comments and for his leadership in facilitating, as I said, this resolution coming to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the very distinguished gentleman from Baltimore City, Maryland (Mr. Cummings). Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I also thank the gentleman for the resolution. It is certainly a pleasure to congratulate the Maryland Terrapins on winning the NCAA tournament. As a graduate of the University of Maryland, it makes me feel real good. I think the thing that impressed me so much about this team was not just what they did on the court, but it was their demeanor off the court. They were never bragging; they showed a lot of humility and a determination that I have not seen from many teams. Just talking to the people in my neighborhood, many of them are admirers of the team; but, in particular, many of them knew Juan Dixon personally. I think it inspired a lot of them to be the best that they can be, even under adverse circumstances. So often when we look at a team, we look at the win and loss column. But that is not all that goes into it. Particularly with this University of Maryland team, with Juan, whose both parents died as a result of AIDS and drug use, and to emerge to where he has gotten to today says a whole lot, and has given a lot of hope to a lot of people. So not only is it a great team on the court, but a great team off the court too. To Gary Williams, I worry about him quite a bit on the sidelines. I will tell my colleagues, I worry whether he is going to have a heart attack over there. But the fact is he puts his soul into this team, and we are certainly very, very proud in the State of Maryland to have such a great team; and may God bless all of them, and may God bless the University of Maryland. [[Page 4355]] Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments and for his telling of the story of Juan Dixon. Frankly, all of the young men on that team have faced adversity at one time or another. All of us have. As a matter of fact, Coach Williams' dad died shortly before the final tournament, and they overcame that. They overcame it as a team, they overcame it as individuals, because as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) said, they had a great deal of courage and a great deal of a sense of purpose, and what a joy it is. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley). Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, just briefly, my chief of staff, Kirk Fordham, graduated from the University of Maryland; and I watched with great excitement as his alma mater racked up those points and won kind of a come-from-behind team, a Cinderella team, if you will. Florida has been lucky enough to produce many champions: University of Miami, Florida State and, of course, the University of Florida, and to watch a team that displayed such class and such enthusiasm and, even though all of the pundits pretty much ruled them out at the very beginning, to watch them emerge each time after a game up the ladder to the Final 4 and then, of course, to victory, I salute you. I salute your team. I salute the parents, the coaches, all of those in the athletic department that support us. Because it does take a colossal effort to move the enthusiasm to the level where you reach a national championship. So I salute the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) on his phenomenal team and his phenomenal State. My brother-in-law, in fact, was born in Havre de Grace, so I take a little bit of pride to being at least a distant relative of Maryland and share with my colleagues their great victory. Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I would only add that when FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in football we all took it roughly, because they are all so good; and as the gentleman knows, Maryland had one of its best years in football ever, finishing 10 and one in the regular season. And, of course, because FSU lost to Tennessee, it came down to the Orange Bowl and taught us how to play football, a very excellent team. Of course, we returned the favor by taking Steve Spurrier up to Washington, as the gentleman knows. But I thank the gentleman for his comments. The resolution, in addition to congratulating the Terrapins, congratulates all 65 teams, as my colleagues know, for their participation. Because it is the quality of every program that really makes March Madness such an extraordinary athletic event, exciting the entire country and indeed, much of the world, that knows about basketball, so that this resolution congratulates all who participated. Along that line, I mentioned the fact of the three teams that were extraordinarily able teams that we beat to get to the finals; but I did not mention UCONN, the University of Connecticut under Coach Calhoun, also an extraordinary team. Mr. Speaker, frankly, if I took another half an hour or another hour, I could not, by virtue of words, exceed what the Maryland Terrapins have done by their actions; but there is somebody who would like to add some words, I see. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding we have more time on the clock, so I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), of Montgomery County, which has a major campus of the University of Maryland in her district, and she is right beside the University of Maryland at College Park. Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman bringing up this resolution, which has a lot of symbolism attached to it. First of all, of course, coming in at the last minute, one can never tell with the University of Maryland. They are going to do it, whether people expect they will or not. I am very proud of the University of Maryland and what they have been doing in so many areas, and this is one of those examples. I rise to congratulate the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2002 NCAA men's basketball championship. As we all knew, the key to the Terps' winning team was teamwork. The camaraderie among the players, the leadership of its seniors, and the guidance of Coach Gary Williams led to their success. Incidentally, Gary Williams came from the American University to the University of Maryland. Knowing that 2001-2002 marked the last season in Cole Field House, the Terps triumphed and won every game at home, beating all the ACC teams that walked on their court. I am particularly proud of the Montgomery County native, Lonnie Baxter, who hails from Silver Spring, Maryland. Lonnie was named the Most Valuable Player in NCAA regional play 2 years in a row, averaging almost 15 points and eight rebounds each game. Congratulations to Lonnie, and we wish you the best of luck as you pursue a career in the NBA. Again, congratulations to the Terps and their victory. Everyone on the team has made the State of Maryland proud. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for allowing me to come in, to make this final statement and tribute. Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments. She did mention something that really does bear focus, and that is the extraordinary academic achievements of the University of Maryland. In the final analysis, obviously, although the football team was extraordinarily successful and the basketball team, and indeed, the entire athletic program under our athletic director, Debbie Yow, one of two women who leads an NCAA-1 team in the athletic department in that division, has done an extraordinary job, but as well, Dan Mote, the president of the University of Maryland and his predecessors as president of the University of Maryland have brought it up academically so that it is one of the finest academic institutions in the country as well; and I think it reflects the balance between the mental and the physical that the Greeks, of course, and the Olympics tried to reflect. So I thank the gentlewoman for focusing on that point. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dan Miller of Florida). Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California? There was no objection. The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 383 Whereas on April 1, 2002, the University of Maryland Terrapins won the National Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball championship; Whereas the Maryland Terrapins compiled a school record for wins during the 2002 season with 32, their 4th straight season with 25 wins or more; Whereas the Maryland Terrapins went undefeated at home in the last year of play at historic Cole Field House by achieving a record of 15-0; Whereas the Maryland Terrapins won their 1st outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship in over 22 years; Whereas Maryland Terrapins qualified for their 9th consecutive NCAA tournament under Coach Gary Williams and obtained a number 1 seed in the East Region this year, and advanced to their 2nd consecutive Final Four; Whereas in the NCAA championship game the Maryland Terrapins faced the Indiana University Hoosiers and came away victorious by a score of 64-52; Whereas the Maryland Terrapins had to beat perennial basketball powerhouses Kentucky, Connecticut, and Kansas before earning the right to play in the championship game; Whereas the NCAA men's basketball championship was the 1st in Maryland's school history; Whereas the Maryland Terrapins are 1 of only 5 teams in history to have won national championships in both basketball and football; Whereas University of Maryland senior Juan Dixon was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, First Team All-American, and Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year; Whereas University of Maryland senior Lonny Baxter was named the Most Valuable Player in regional play for the 2nd year in a row; [[Page 4356]] Whereas the entire Maryland Terrapin team, including Earl Badu, Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake, Andre Collins, Juan Dixon, Mike Grinnon, Tahj Holden, Calvin McCall, Byron Mouton, Drew Nicholas, Ryan Randle, and Chris Wilcox, demonstrated the highest level of teamwork, skill, tenacity, and sportsmanship throughout the entire 2001-2002 season; Whereas Coach Gary Williams and his coaching staff of Dave Dickerson, Jimmy Pastos, Matt Kovarik, and Director of Basketball Operations Troy Wainwright have built one of the preeminent college basketball programs in the Nation, as demonstrated by this championship win and more than a decade of achievement; Whereas Coach Gary Williams, a 1968 alumnus of the University of Maryland, led his alma mater to the 2002 National Championship and has compiled a tremendous track record of achievement and success in his more than 30 years in coaching, including 24 years as a head coach; and Whereas University of Maryland Athletic Director Deborah Yow has played an instrumental role in elevating all of the University's intercollegiate athletic programs, including, the men's basketball team and the football team, which under the direction of Head Coach Ralph Friedgen compiled a 10-1 regular season record and earned an invitation to the 2002 Orange Bowl: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) congratulates-- (A) the University of Maryland Terrapins for winning the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Championship on April 1, 2002; (B) all of the 65 outstanding teams who participated in the 2002 tournament; and (C) the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its continuing excellence in providing a supportive arena for the Nation's college athletes to display their talents and sportsmanship; (2) commends the Maryland Terrapins for their outstanding performance during the entire 2002 season and for their commitment to high standards of character, perseverance, and teamwork; (3) recognizes the achievements of the players, coaches, and support staff who were instrumental in helping the Maryland Terrapins win the 2002 championship; and (4) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to-- (A) Dr. C.D. ``Dan'' Mote, the President of the University of Maryland; (B) Deborah Yow, the Athletic Director at the University of Maryland; and (C) Gary Williams, the head coach of the University of Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team. The resolution was agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________