[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15472]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO MAL MOORE

 Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to 
the athletic director for the University of Alabama, Mal Moore.
  Coach Moore was born in Dozier, AL in 1939. He was recruited and 
awarded an athletic scholarship by the legendary coach Paul ``Bear'' 
Bryant. He played for the Crimson Tide from 1958-1962, including on the 
undefeated 1961 national championship squad--ranked #1 by the 
Associated Press and considered by many to be one of the best ever. He 
graduated from the University of Alabama in 1963, and began his 
coaching career as an assistant at Montana State.
  Having displayed leadership that clearly impressed Coach Bryant, 
Coach Moore was hired away from Montana State to serve as a graduate 
assistant at his alma mater, where he received his master's degree. 
From there he embarked on a highly successful 31 year coaching career, 
which included stints at Notre Dame, the NFL and for national 
championship teams under both Coach Bryant and Coach Gene Stallings at 
Alabama. In 1999, he was named the Crimson Tide's athletics director, a 
position he still holds.
  Coach Mal Moore is a champion. He has been a part of nine national 
championships--1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009 and 
2011--with the first coming as a player, the next six during his 
coaching career and the most recent two during his time as athletics 
director. During his tenure as athletic director, Alabama has gone on 
to win seven national championships in four different sports: football 
in 2009 and 2011; gymnastics under Coach Sarah Patterson in 2002, 2011 
and 2012; women's golf in 2012 and women's softball in 2012.
  In addition to the success the university has seen on the fields, 
courses and arenas under Coach Mal Moore, he has transformed the 
University of Alabama's athletics program, improving the University for 
all students and student-athletes. Coach Moore has raised more than 
$200 million for capital improvements to make the Capstone's facilities 
among the best in the Nation; improving Bryant-Denny Stadium, Coleman 
Coliseum, John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium as well as the soccer 
and tennis stadiums. His efforts to improve student-athlete academics 
have led the Crimson Tide to high graduation rates and have made 
Alabama athletes among the most competitive academically.
  Coach Moore's sizable contributions to University of Alabama 
athletics and academics have been noticed and recognized by the 
University of Alabama, the State of Alabama and nationally. In 2007, 
the Alabama football building was renamed the Mal M. Moore Athletic 
Facility. The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame named Coach Moore the 
Distinguished Alabama Sportsman in 2007 for his efforts as athletics 
director, and inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2011. Recently, the 
National Football Foundation recognized Coach Moore with the John L. 
Toner Award, which is presented annually by the foundation to an 
athletic director who has demonstrated superior administrative 
abilities and shown outstanding dedication to college athletics and 
particularly college football.
  Coach Mal Moore has been part of the University of Alabama and 
Crimson Tide football as a student-athlete, coach and administrator for 
more than 50 years. He has left an indelible mark at the Capstone, and 
his leadership will be felt by Alabama students and staff for 
generations to come.
  It's a pleasure and honor for me to recognize a great leader, a great 
athletic director and a great man from the heartland of my State of 
Alabama. I look forward to enjoying the fruits of his labors for years 
to come. Roll Tide!

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