[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CONGRATULATING THE FLORIDA GATORS

  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, for anyone who watched on 
national TV or was privileged to be there in Indianapolis to see the 
game, there is a profound respect that is now accorded to the 
University of Florida Gators basketball achievement of being the 
national champions.
  What teamwork. What individual accomplishment. But in that individual 
accomplishment, what teamwork. For all of that, certainly, a great deal 
of credit has to be given to the coach.
  Florida has long been known as a football powerhouse. But the 
basketball coach of the University of Florida has now made it, in 
athletic history, a basketball powerhouse.
  Floridians are celebrating this morning, as they have celebrated 
throughout the night, and with just occasion. The Florida Gators, 
coming in, were not at the top seed. Indeed, at the beginning of the 
season the Florida Gators were not even ranked. Yet this incredible 
talent, all melded together in extraordinary teamwork, has produced a 
national champion.
  This Senator joins with my colleague from Florida and we offer our 
heartiest congratulations. Later in the day we will be jointly offering 
a resolution.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Florida.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, I join my colleague from Florida in 
congratulating the University of Florida, the Florida Gators, Jeremy 
Foley, the athletic director, Billy Donovan, the brilliant head coach, 
and all the members of that very distinguished team in their first 
historic national championship in basketball for a Florida school.
  As a dyed-in-the-wool Florida State Seminole, I must say I take my 
hat off to the Gators. Today is a day for all Floridians to rejoice in 
this accomplishment and this victory.
  In this accomplishment we have seen not only the magnificent 
leadership of the coach--and I think he ought to be recognized 
nationally for that--but also this team that worked and performed in 
such an unselfish way. We hear the phrase, ``they were an unselfish 
team.'' In this day and time, when it is the ``me'' culture--so much of 
it is about me, me, me--these guys played as a team. They passed the 
ball to each other, they contributed as a team, and all were able to 
make a contribution. The average margin of victory in the tournament 
was 16 points, which speaks volumes for this very tremendously 
competitive tournament.
  But focusing on Billy Donovan, he is only 40 years old and is now 
competing in his second National Championship game--the unusual feat of 
doing it as a player with Providence and now doing it as a coach for 
the University of Florida. John Wooten, the much heralded and historic 
coach at UCLA who actually led the Bruins to victory against Florida 
State in 1972 in the final game, was at UCLA for 15 years before he won 
his first national title. Billy Donovan is way ahead of that mark.
  Today is a terrific day to rejoice, for all Floridians to rejoice for 
this great accomplishment of teamwork, of a job well done. I will be 
very happy to join with the senior Senator from Florida in a joint 
resolution that we will make part of the record.
  I want to make sure all in Gainesville and throughout the State know 
how proud we are here in the Nation's Capitol of the accomplishment of 
those young men who played so well and displayed such good 
sportsmanship and unselfishness.
  I yield the floor.

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