[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 22]
[Senate]
[Page 29956]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 270--CONGRATULATING JOHN GAGLIARDI, FOOTBALL COACH OF 
  ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS BECOMING THE ALL-TIME 
                 WINNINGEST COACH IN COLLEGIATE HISTORY

  Mr. COLEMAN (for himself and Mr. Dayton) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 270

       Whereas John Gagliardi began his coaching career in 1943 at 
     the age of 16 when his high school football coach was drafted 
     and John Gagliardi was asked to take over the position;
       Whereas John Gagliardi won 4 conference titles during the 6 
     years he coached high school football;
       Whereas John Gagliardi graduated from Colorado College in 
     1949 and began coaching football, basketball, and baseball at 
     Carroll College in Helena, Montana, winning titles in all 3 
     sports;
       Whereas John Gagliardi took over the football program at 
     St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, in 1953 and 
     the football team won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic 
     Conference title in his first year as coach;
       Whereas by the end of the 2002 season, John Gagliardi had 
     won 3 national championships, coached 22 conference title 
     teams, appeared in 45 post-season games and compiled a 376-
     108-10 record during his 50 years at St. John's University;
       Whereas under the leadership of John Gagliardi, St. John's 
     University has been nationally ranked 37 times in the past 39 
     years, and the university set a record with a 61.5 points per 
     game average in 1993;
       Whereas over 150 students participate in the St. John's 
     University football program each year and every player 
     dresses for home games;
       Whereas John Gagliardi's coaching methods follow the 
     ``Winning with No's'' theory: no blocking sleds or dummies, 
     no whistles, no tackling in practices, no athletic 
     scholarships, and no long practices;
       Whereas John Gagliardi has coached over 5,000 players 
     during his 50 years at St. John's University, and no player 
     has failed to graduate and most have graduated in 4 years;
       Whereas, in 1993, the John Gagliardi trophy was unveiled, 
     and it is given each year to the most outstanding Division 
     III football player;
       Whereas on November 1, 2003, John Gagliardi tied Grambling 
     University coach Eddie Robinson's record of 408 wins with a 
     15 to 12 victory over the University of St. Thomas;
       Whereas on November 8, 2003, John Gagliardi broke Eddie 
     Robinson's record with a 29 to 26 victory over Bethel 
     College;
       Whereas John Gagliardi is admired by his players, as well 
     as by the students, faculty, and fans of St. John's 
     University for his ability to motivate and inspire;
       Whereas students who take his course, Theory of Football, 
     credit John Gagliardi for teaching them more about life than 
     about football;
       Whereas those closest to John Gagliardi will tell you that 
     football is only part of his life--he values the time he 
     spends with Peg, his wife of 47 years, and their 4 children; 
     and
       Whereas the on- and off-the-field accomplishments of John 
     Gagliardi have placed him in an elite club that includes the 
     best coaches in history: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates John Gagliardi, football coach of St. 
     John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, on becoming the 
     all-time winningest coach in collegiate football history; and
       (2) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an 
     enrolled copy of this resolution to John Gagliardi and St. 
     John's University.

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