[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 61]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATING UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA ON 2011 BCS CHAMPIONSHIP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate the University 
of Alabama Crimson Tide for being the 2011 BCS champions. Roll Tide.
  The State of Alabama is still number one in college football. For the 
past 3 consecutive years, a team from the State of Alabama has won the 
national championship trophy. The University of Alabama has been the 
national champs twice in the last 3 years.
  The championship game between Alabama and LSU represents college 
football at its finest. Both schools have a proud and very rich 
tradition in football history, and the LSU Tigers should be commended 
for an outstanding season. While both teams deserve recognition, in the 
end, Alabama beat LSU with a final score of 21-0.
  I want to congratulate the coaches, staff, team, and the entire 
university family and fans for an amazing season. It was your hard 
work, persistence, leadership, and commitment all season long that made 
this decisive victory become a reality.
  The University of Alabama has had a long-standing tradition of 
excellence in collegiate football. This year's victory represented the 
14th national championship title for the University of Alabama. Since 
being founded in 1892, the Crimson Tide football program has achieved 
813 victories in the NCAA Division I and 26 conference championships. 
The Crimson Tide also sets an NCAA record with 58 post-season bowl 
appearances. The Tide leads the SEC West Division with seven division 
titles and seven appearances in the SEC Championship Game.
  This entire team deserves recognition and honor. I want to especially 
acknowledge Trent Richardson, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist and 
winner of this year's Nation's Most Outstanding Running Back. I would 
also like to acknowledge Barrett Jones, who was the 2011 Outland Trophy 
winner for the Nation's best interior lineman in college football.
  This championship team also includes six players who were selected 
for the 2011 Associated Press All-America Team: Mark Barron, Dont'a 
Hightower, Barrett Jones, Trent Richardson, Courtney Upshaw, and Dre 
Kirkpatrick. This year's team was truly a force to be reckoned with.
  This win not only represents a victory for the University of Alabama 
football team, but it also is a unifying victory for the State of 
Alabama, who suffered so much during the devastation of the April 
tornados. This victory shows the resilient spirit of Alabamians and 
reflects our hope for a better future.
  I speak on behalf of the constituents of the Seventh Congressional 
District, the great State of Alabama, and this Nation as I express how 
proud we are of the players, coaches, and athletic staff of the 
University of Alabama for making this victory possible and helping our 
communities heal.
  I also want to thank Representative Cassidy of Louisiana for being 
such a good sport and looking so dapper today in his brand-new Crimson 
Tide tie and attire. What an addition to your wardrobe.
  I urge my colleagues to please join me in celebrating the 
achievements of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and its 
outstanding athletes on their 2011 BCS championship victory.
  Roll Tide.

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