[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23391-23392]
[From the U.S. 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.

[[Page 23392]]

  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;
       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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